Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) - Let's talk
Have you heard of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome? Sometimes it's called post ICU syndrome or PICS. PICS is defined as new or worse health problems after critical illness. These problems can affect your mind, body, thoughts, and/or feelings.
On Connect we would like to bring together people who have been affected by critical illness, and hopefully lighten the burden you bear. Patients and family members welcome.
Grab a cup of tea, or beverage of your choice, and let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Intensive Care (ICU) Support Group.
@rckj
Hello Rhoda,
Thank you for all the information about your situation. It was very enlightening for me. The "vagueness of symptoms" that you refer to must have made it hard to keep reaching for an answer. If I may ask a question (that is personal to me) my endocrinologist recently ordered blood tests, Metanephrine, Plasma and Normetanephrine, Plasma. The first one was completely within the normal range, but the second was a tad (.1) over the normal range. In trying to find out information about these tests, but I'm at a bit of a loss. From your experience are these tests ever used to diagnose adrenal problems?
Teresa
@user_cha272278 Hello again Dr. Ron,
I found your questions to be very thought-provoking (I like that!). When you speak of "What can you do about anniversaries" what type of anniversary are you thinking about? Related to the time you were so ill or something else?
Teresa
Terri, you have something, I truly would not want. You are so strong to be able to deal with this. But, then what choice do any of us have. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts. I have never heard of your disease. I am so thankful you have your husband at your side. That is one thing, I miss. My husband, whom I loved so very much has been gone for 10 years. It can get lonely when you are dealing with medical issues alone. God Bless Terri
@beitel I am so glad that you found this conversation. You will find by reading through the posts here that you are absolutely not alone with what you are experiencing. You have been through so much and have multiple reasons to be having the feelings and symptoms that you are. I really encourage you to also read through a blog I have been posting called "Breaking it Down" that explains the details of Post Intensive Care Syndrome. I hope you will find the information helpful. Please continue to reference that site as well as engage in continued conversations within this group. Here is a link to the site I mentioned:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/newsfeed-post/new-breaking-it-down-series/
Thanks for the heads up . I have been feeling really anxious and out of sorts. Lots of memories flooding my mind.
@beitel - you can direct your message to a particular person by adding their @name. They will get a notification in email that you have addressed them.
To access the link that Anne included, just click on it and you will be able to view it.
Does it help the anxieties and memories by jotting them down to “file” for later. Or can you find a level os calm by doing something that you enjoy?
When I was in ICU for 5 weeks in a coma - (and near death at one point) I was on what I called a “NOT SO -Merry Go Round, inside my head“. Since Your executive functioning part of your brain is shut down, you do have AN idle mind - hence the devils playground (figuratively speaking). You have NO FILTERS. What do all these weird dreams mean— it means your brain, (which needs 20 percent of your body’s entire Oxygen) is being starved.
Same with drugs used in surgery, pain relief etc. They shut down part of your brain
. After my second neck surgery, I woke up in the recovery room, face up, but I could have sworn I was facedown (the position I was in (face down) during my broken neck repair surgery) .
Feeling is NOT BELIEVING! I would have bet every penny I had that when I woke up in the recovery room, I was STILL facing down like during surgery. It was a complete shock when I opened my eyes in the recovery room, and realized I WAS face up (even though I felt that I was face down.). My take-away from this - don’t always think something’s true because it is your experience, and two- don’t under-estimate the power of drugs on your mind. Hang in there. Ask for a different type of drug (there’s a new one every day :-). Dr. Ron
Don’t be afraid.
Dear Rosemary- you have such wisdom. I have attached my small story- that basically says - hang in there, things will get better if you hang on to HOPE like a life preserver. After just 7 short years, all the lights in my mind, have finally turned on again. Never quit. Have a great week. In friendship. Ron. Make Today Count.
Please share- if feel the only reason I was spared was to share.
@rckj, Rhoda, why and how does the cortisol test make you sick?