Full recovery after a critical illness can take up to 18 months.
Feeling weak and struggling with everyday tasks like dressing and moving around can be overwhelming. During this time, you may feel frustrated or as if you've lost some independence due to needing more assistance from others.
Your emotions might change frequently, and you may encounter the following:
- Feeling emotional and tearful
- Constant tiredness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Disinterest in appearance
- Quick to anger
- Feeling guilty for causing worry
- Memory lapses
- Lack of appetite
- Confusion about what happened and how ill you were
- Fear of nearly dying
- Concerns about becoming ill again
- Worry over the time it takes to recover
While family and friends will be relieved to have you home, they may not understand why you feel down. Open up to them about your emotions, and consider speaking to your GP, who may suggest counseling or treatment to help you through this phase.
As you gradually regain strength, you may encounter new challenges. It’s normal to feel nervous, but try to stay calm and practice deep breathing to manage stress.
After leaving the ICU, you might experience psychological symptoms such as:
- Vivid dreams
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks of past experiences
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Decreased confidence
These symptoms may be triggered by sounds, smells, or sights but usually lessen over time.
Sleep
Regular sleep is vital for recovery. You might struggle to sleep through the night or have trouble falling asleep. If this happens, try drinking a warm, milky beverage before bed but avoid caffeinated drinks like tea or coffee, as they can keep you awake. Listening to the radio or reading before bed might help as well. If sleep problems persist, consult your GP, but these issues should ease as you regain strength.
Understanding your experience
Reactions to an ICU stay vary. For some, the experience is no more troubling than any hospital visit. Others may have vague or no memories of it. However, for many, being critically ill can be traumatic, and it may take time to come to terms with it afterward.
The medications and treatments you received to keep your body functioning might have impacted your mind as well. It’s common to experience hallucinations, nightmares, or dreams that seem very real. You may have been semi-conscious at times, unsure of where you were or what was happening.
Hallucinations and paranoia
Hallucinations and nightmares are common among ICU patients. You might have felt trapped, like you were being tortured or restrained, possibly due to the medical equipment attached to monitor your body’s functions. These fears can linger long after leaving the ICU.
Paranoia might also have set in while you tried to make sense of things during your confusion. This usually fades over time. If you feel anxious about attending a follow-up hospital visit, bring someone you trust for reassurance.
In rare cases, patients (and even their families) may develop severe stress symptoms after ICU treatment, known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Talking to a professional counselor often helps, and your GP can refer you for counseling if necessary.
How to cope and recover
After leaving the hospital, you might have questions about your ICU stay. Some hospitals offer follow-up clinics where you can revisit the ICU, meet some of the staff, and learn more about what happened during your stay. Though the idea of returning may be daunting, it can be helpful to piece together your experience.
You may not remember everything, so writing down what you do recall might help you organize your thoughts. Try to piece together the timeline of your stay by asking family and friends about what they remember.
If your relatives or visitors kept a diary during your ICU stay, reading it can give you a clearer picture of what happened. Although it can be an emotional experience, many patients find it beneficial to gain this understanding.
If you want to explore the medical aspects of your experience, your GP or staff at a follow-up clinic can provide more insight into what happened to you.