ICU Psychosis -- Can anyone give me the scoop on this?

[DVC Kathy]

Thank you to everyone for your replies and well wishes. I am definitely more hopeful that DMIL's condition is only temporary and will improve with time. The only thing I can't understand is why none of her doctors/care-givers ever mentioned this condition to us. They have been first-hand witnesses to the drastic change in her behavior.

I'm so sorry your DMIL is going through this. You've gotten great advice. My mother had similar behaviors after bypass surgery, followed by every possible complication. DH and I walked into ICU to see her, and she was watching Baywatch. That sounds really snobby, but my mother wouldn't have been caught dead watching Baywatch, so it really startled me. I, on the other hand..... Later, after she had been moved to a regular room she was hallucinating. She thought one of my brothers was physically restraining her, and my other two brothers and my father were laughing about it. Turned out she wasn't getting enough oxygen. They moved her back to stepdown. So, that's another possible cause.

I'll keep your MIL in my thoughts. Hang in there.

Kathy

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

DMIL is now being even more uncooperative and has tried to remove her feeding tube several times. She has actually been in a regular room for several days now...and she seems to be getting worse instead of better. DH is driving up there to spend a few days with her -- maybe that will help.

 

[exwdwcm]

Lisa- no advice, but just wanted to say your MIL is still in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[DVC Kathy]

DMIL is now being even more uncooperative and has tried to remove her feeding tube several times. She has actually been in a regular room for several days now...and she seems to be getting worse instead of better. DH is driving up there to spend a few days with her -- maybe that will help.

Oh, Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear that. It's a longshot, but have them make sure she's getting enough oxygen. My mother got worse the first time they moved her from ICU to a regular room, and that was the problem. (That's when she thought my brother was restraining her and everyone else was laughing about it.) I still think of her ICU nurse, who went to see her in her regular room and raised a fuss until they moved her back - and that was in 1992.

Kathy

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Thanks Kathy...I'll definitely have my husband look into the oxygen situation when he arrives at the hospital today.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Hmmmm .... I would check what sort of pain meds they have her on and also if they are giving her something for her behavior such as Haldol. That can really make the older people worse and not better. Anoxia (lack of oxygen) can definately cause confusion. I would have your husband schedule a meeting with the doctor to talk about what is going on. Esp with her medications.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Thanks Liz -- that's exactly what my husband is going to do. I don't know what pain meds she's still on at this point but what is really getting to us is the fact that she would have been out of the hospital a long time ago if she hadn't fallen out of bed and ripped the sutures on her bowel resection (I think that's the right terminology), it required a second surgery to repair the damage and that's when she really started going downhill.

I'm hoping we'll have a lot more information after today's visit.

 

[DLBDS]

Jeez, Lisa. I popped in to see how she was doing. So sorry to hear she's getting worse! I hope DH can find something out today. She fell out of bed?! That just shouldn't happen in a hospital what with bedrails and such. I don't know. Do you think those folks are doing their best for her or is a transfer to another facility possible? Second opinion? Good luck to you!!

 

[cinderellamom123]

My MIL and Grandmother both had similar issues. One called 911 saying there was a party in her hospital room. The other called the hospital administrator saying they were ignoring her. It took 2-3 weeks for the kinks to be ironed out. Hang in there. One day can be better, the next, it can get worse. All of a sudden it just stopped. Good luck

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Lisa I just wanted to add ask your husband to ask the doctor if she experienced and anoxic "event" when she fell out of bed and reinjured herself. Did she "code" meaning stop breathing or heart stop. Or did she bleed out. They are a few of the things I can think of. The other huge thing is sepsis. Is she septic and that is causing the delerium. It really differs for each patient so it is hard to put a finger on things without reading her chart or speaking with a doctor. They are some questions hubby can ask.

1. What is she being medicated with?
2. Is her oxygen level OK?
3. Did she suffer some sort of traumatic event that caused this?
4. Is she septic or being treated with antibiotics for an infection?
5 Is she dehydrated and how is her kidney function because this could control how fast she clears the medications they are giving her?

They are some things I would be asking if it were my mom. It they are giving her Haldol or Ativan I would seriously question this due the way she is acting. She might be one of those people it affects adversely.

Good Luck and let us know how it is going.

 

[Jennygt]

So sorry for all of this for you and MIL. I am also a ICU rn and I think all the RN's have covered what I was thinking also. Oxygen, Kidney and liver function,medications,anemia, infection. Perhaps they can get a sitter to stay with her, someone who can orient her and keep her from pulling out the feeding tube. My grandmother was confused everytime she was in the hospital and it was never 1 main cause, she was a little confused at home but it just semed to be a ilttle forgetful, once she was out of her environment it became much worse. I know this is very disturbing to your family, I am keeing you in my prayers, any questions I can help you with please don't hesitate.