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@denise96 In the year 2023, my husband went unresponsive 11-12 times due to Hypercapnia. He, too has COPD, he had Cancer of the Supraglottis and a couple of lymph nodes. Each of these times I called 911, he was placed in ICU and intubated. In spring of 2023 he also had 6 Chemo and 35 radiation treatments. He then had a PET scan after 3 mos and he was in remission. He has trouble eating so a feeding tube was placed in stomach which can come out if/when he no longer needs it. In Jan 2024, he had another Hypercapnia attack. It's all due to the Co2 not expelling out of his system due to COPD . Also, it was not opiods that caused these attacks. Believe me, I've had EMT's shoving the narcon nasel spray up his nose and he wasn't coming out of it. Once home, he was set up with a non-invasive ventalator where he wore a mask at night. It was not a C-PAP nor Bi-PAP. He was good for a good part of the year till July when he had a hypercapnia attack. No options left so He was transported to Boston, MA and given a trachostomy. He was now put a loud compressor that had a long corrugated plastic tube connected to a mask to put over his trach. His next Scan showed Cancer came back so he had no choice but a complete laryngectomy done late Aug 2024. He had checkups and Speech Therapy but he has no voice at all to this day. Today, just received a call from Boston Oncologist that he needs to have another PET scan done and discuss the outcome. If Cancer comes back, he can not do anything except immunotherapy. I hope some of this made some sense to you seeing your husband has experienced Hypercapnia. It's scary. My husband started recognizing when he thought he was going to have an attack. He'd get shakey and I'd take his co2 which would be like 54 and off we'd go to the hospital. Best of luck to you. It's most difficult being a caretaker. Good luck to your husband. Betsy60
Replies to "@denise96 In the year 2023, my husband went unresponsive 11-12 times due to Hypercapnia. He, too..."
I am so sorry to hear this. How did you measure his co2 at home?
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Thank you for your kind response. I am so sorry to hear about your husband. Yes, those attacks are very scary. When my husband was in the hospital on Dec. 15, due to his last attack, he was told he should wear a bi-pap but he refused. When we went for his second chemo treatment, his oncologist mentioned it again and Joe told him that he was not going to use it. He ties every ones hands. He is having some trouble with drinking liquids. He was having this trouble in the hospital and they thickened his food and then he would not eat it. But I have not noticed any choking after his eating or drinking; he told me he was taking tiny sips at a time. Food does not seem to bother him, yet. But he has lost more weight. He weighed in yesterday at 94 pounds. I truly worry about him. Today he said that he is going to make a plan to have a cooked meal once a day to help him gain weight and feel better. I told him he should try for 3 meals a day even if it is crackers and milk. One bigger meal and two smaller ones. But whenever he makes his mind up, he will not change it. So I will support him in this change. The problem is that he does not like most foods and always compains if it is something I cook. We will see how it goes. His oncologist also told him to talk to pallaitive care to see if they think there could be a problem with the opoids he takes along with all the other medications he takes. He now had them give him sleeping pills. He is to take 1 before bedtime, but he is taking 2. This is what he always does if he can get away with it. Then he complains when he runs out. Yes, caregivers had a long and hard road to travel. Hope you take care of yourself and hopefully your husband gets to getting better. Will he ever be able to talk again?