Induced coma for benzo withdrawal

During the first wd year (especially months 4-10) the suffering was so extreme that I was wishing I was in some sort of a coma. I wondered if induced coma could be used for people recovering from benzos, to let their body restore itself.

 

Alas, barbiturates are used for induced coma (according to google), so that would defeat the purpose, since barbiturates act on GABA.

 

That made me wondered if people who were in induced coma for a while come out of it addicted to barbiturates? If their symptoms get written off to their trauma/illness? If they are put on benzos in the hospital and then have to deal with benzo wd as well?

Good question, I would love to be placed in a coma for a while getting off this hell

"That made me wondered if people who were in induced coma for a while come out of it addicted to barbiturates? If their symptoms get written off to their trauma/illness? If they are put on benzos in the hospital and then have to deal with benzo wd as well?"

 

Yes, Sometimes, Very Possible

I guess I would be concerned I would being through hell in a coma, but just not remember it

Having been through many injuries and surgeries, i can honestly say there are some things that are better not to remember. 

This is actually available where I live but it's only for 2-4 days. I asked why that would be helpful, instead of just waking up in withdrawal and they're like "I don't know, you probably detox easier because you're asleep" 

 

They didn't seem competent and I wasn't interested.

 

 

Two events in my life stand out well beyond everything else as horrific..

First the hallucinations of being in an induced coma 2.5mths (ish), and secondly, -being in a Detox Facility..  Both = PTSD

 

Obviously different reasons, -but...

 

I think an induced coma for detox is just more of the "you will be fine once the meds are out of your system" thinking...  Addiction more than dependance type thinking...

 

But oh yeah, wouldnt it be nice to wake up and its all not even a memory...!!

 

 

 

I guess I would be concerned I would being through hell in a coma, but just not remember it

 

You mean you think you'll actually feel everything, but but be able to wake up?

This is actually available where I live but it's only for 2-4 days. I asked why that would be helpful, instead of just waking up in withdrawal and they're like "I don't know, you probably detox easier because you're asleep" 

 

They didn't seem competent and I wasn't interested.

 

Oh wow. Yeah, sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Two events in my life stand out well beyond everything else as horrific..

First the hallucinations of being in an induced coma 2.5mths (ish), and secondly, -being in a Detox Facility..  Both = PTSD

 

Obviously different reasons, -but...

 

I think an induced coma for detox is just more of the "you will be fine once the meds are out of your system" thinking...  Addiction more than dependance type thinking...

 

But oh yeah, wouldnt it be nice to wake up and its all not even a memory...!!

 

You mean you've actually been in induced coma? Do you remember anything from that time?

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

Two events in my life stand out well beyond everything else as horrific..

First the hallucinations of being in an induced coma 2.5mths (ish), and secondly, -being in a Detox Facility..  Both = PTSD

 

Obviously different reasons, -but...

 

I think an induced coma for detox is just more of the "you will be fine once the meds are out of your system" thinking...  Addiction more than dependance type thinking...

 

But oh yeah, wouldnt it be nice to wake up and its all not even a memory...!!

 

You mean you've actually been in induced coma? Do you remember anything from that time?

Yes and no...

Firstly it was an opiate and ketamine based Induced Coma (IC) (as best I know) so probs a bit different to the norm?? It was a public hospital so I cant confirm so easily..

I was constantly coding, and they kept trying to bring me out, so I have vague twisted memories of these bits.. -Mainly voices that I later put faces to..

But the rest of the time life memories and current events that I must have picked up on entwined to create the worst and very realistic hallucinations.. I remember those as I would remember a movie..

 

The problem was how well and logically it all fitted together, to the tiniest of detail.. (in my head, I could think and logic quite well, -obviously not in reality)

Im sure there were big chunks of time that I knew nothing, -and it wasnt all bad.. Sometimes they were all trying to kill me various ways, other times I would spend days waking to the sun rising over the sand dunes.. (there were no windows..)

I knew of public holidays, news events, and even when Pink asd Seth were on tour.. Though I dont think he was actually bribing Dr to fix his broken arm asap, so he could get back to his Crusty Demons tour.. lol

About a year later I had the social worker actually take me back through ICU to try and square things away in my head.. It was all new to me, as if I had never been there..

 

I Imagine a normal IC would be just nothing, blank... 

I never suffered anasthetic awareness (thank god), and had several surgeries between 10-13 hours..

 

***

It actually got worse in HDU where I was slowly "unsedated"...

By the rarest of coincidences, I was with another patient who recognised my name, and was trying to confirm and organise my actual demise.. I thought I was mad, couldnt talk due to the trachie, could hardly use the magnetic pen/board due to hand injuries, and everyone thought it was the meds... Until a nurse overheard a conversation of this person, and security fell around me in an instant.. Phew..!! (No more hiding cutlery in my bed)

 

Even now the emotions are intense, so thanks for letting me share, -sorry for going off topic...

 

Wow, it sure sounds pretty whacked out..!!

 

 

From someone who has suffered sleep paralysis with hallucinations caused by benzos and withdrawal, let me say no thank you!!! And reading our friend Cantfly's account... oh my Goodness - no thank you!!!

 

Even if you don't remember the experience afterwards, what is to say that you are not going through something utterly terrible while in this coma, and in the end, akin to mental torture caused by withdrawal?

 

How long would you want to be put to sleep for? What if you were of the lucky people who recover within 3 weeks or less and have signed to be in this coma for 6 months of your life?

 

And what if being in a coma actually slowed down recovery processes, aside from whatever the drugs used to keep you in a coma do on GABA and everything else that needs up-regulating and repairing?

 

I think drug-induced coma is better kept as a last-resort solution in life-threatening situations...

 

Interesting but blood-chilling debate! 

 

Healing Hugs! 

Julz xx

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

 

Oh my goodness, this is terrifying!

It sounds like sleep paralysis, but way worse and tied up!

 

Why were you in IC?

Cantfly,

 

Wow, that is quite an experience!!

 

Were you coding because of opiates (which they used for IC) or because of your injuries? Do you remember being "on the other side"? Did resuscitation hurt?

 

And why was the other patient trying to kill you?

From someone who has suffered sleep paralysis with hallucinations caused by benzos and withdrawal, let me say no thank you!!! And reading our friend Cantfly's account... oh my Goodness - no thank you!!!

 

Even if you don't remember the experience afterwards, what is to say that you are not going through something utterly terrible while in this coma, and in the end, akin to mental torture caused by withdrawal?

 

How long would you want to be put to sleep for? What if you were of the lucky people who recover within 3 weeks or less and have signed to be in this coma for 6 months of your life?

 

And what if being in a coma actually slowed down recovery processes, aside from whatever the drugs used to keep you in a coma do on GABA and everything else that needs up-regulating and repairing?

 

I think drug-induced coma is better kept as a last-resort solution in life-threatening situations...

 

Interesting but blood-chilling debate! 

 

Healing Hugs! 

Julz xx

 

Yeah, I've had sleep paralysis with hallucinations before and it's awful!

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

 

Oh my goodness, this is terrifying!

It sounds like sleep paralysis, but way worse and tied up!

 

Why were you in IC?

It was a near fatal overdose, and had an 11 day stay at the hospital until my ck's were down around 400, but only 4 in ICU. They kept me in an induced coma until my CK levels dropped, as they were 60 times higher than normal.

 

Very well could have been sleep paralysis. Later in the week when I was feeling a bit better, I had told my mom about waking up at night and trying to scream and get out of those gloves, but she said she was in the room all night with me and I never woke up! It was terrifying. I clearly remember whimpering and struggling to free my arms from those plastic ties they had strapped to the bed. It could have been whatever drugs they had me on that were wearing off, they wanted me to wake up that day. I do remember the sound of the IV fusion machine from that night and the colors it was throwing off hitting my eyelids and creating these closed eye visuals of sorts with bizarre dreams. It felt very real though, so I think my mom must have left the room for a bit that night.

 

I would never want to be in any type of coma again, even if it got me out of the worst of the benzo withdrawal. This was really only back in November, and I haven't felt quite the same since!

Even if you were not to remember a coma, and obviously people do, there seems that there is a significant chance that the experience could damage your brain on several levels Certainly in terms of subconscious levels Brains are better off processing properly, except for a select few circumstances where the blood flow to compromised portions may result if the brain is allowed to remain conscious

 

I understand the desire, but from where I sit i see no practical application of this idea

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

 

Oh my goodness, this is terrifying!

It sounds like sleep paralysis, but way worse and tied up!

 

Why were you in IC?

It was a near fatal overdose, and had an 11 day stay at the hospital until my ck's were down around 400, but only 4 in ICU. They kept me in an induced coma until my CK levels dropped, as they were 60 times higher than normal.

 

Very well could have been sleep paralysis. Later in the week when I was feeling a bit better, I had told my mom about waking up at night and trying to scream and get out of those gloves, but she said she was in the room all night with me and I never woke up! It was terrifying. I clearly remember whimpering and struggling to free my arms from those plastic ties they had strapped to the bed. It could have been whatever drugs they had me on that were wearing off, they wanted me to wake up that day. I do remember the sound of the IV fusion machine from that night and the colors it was throwing off hitting my eyelids and creating these closed eye visuals of sorts with bizarre dreams. It felt very real though, so I think my mom must have left the room for a bit that night.

 

I would never want to be in any type of coma again, even if it got me out of the worst of the benzo withdrawal. This was really only back in November, and I haven't felt quite the same since!

 

Wow, that's just scary!

You mean you almost OD'ed on some drugs? Or was it from Klonopin?

I know nothing about CK's (just googled what it stands for). Why does a person need to be in an induced coma when CK's are so high? Would you have died otherwise?

Even if you were not to remember a coma, and obviously people do, there seems that there is a significant chance that the experience could damage your brain on several levels Certainly in terms of subconscious levels Brains are better off processing properly, except for a select few circumstances where the blood flow to compromised portions may result if the brain is allowed to remain conscious

 

I understand the desire, but from where I sit i see no practical application of this idea

 

Yeah, it's clearly not a practical idea.

Cantfly,

 

Wow, that is quite an experience!!

 

Were you coding because of opiates (which they used for IC) or because of your injuries? Do you remember being "on the other side"? Did resuscitation hurt?

 

And why was the other patient trying to kill you?

I dont realy know, I Imagine trauma, shock and infection... I was having lots of surgery and procedures through this, but was never stable enough for the pelvic reconstruction... There was an "other side" moment, but who knows.. -more a feeling in the dark, a nice one... I dont remember any resuss, or any pain whatsoever... Thirst, always thirst...

 

I do relate to the horror Missedtheboat experienced, on one occasion..

It started (in my mind) with a nurse putting a box of "mower blades" on the bed and saying she was going to "finish" me with them.. lol  And then proceeding to put "acid" in my line.. I ripped the pipes off the wall and beat her off till security got there..!!

But what realy happened was I woke, freaked out, ripped my tubes out and was sedated again.. -and yes restrained..

I can only imagine what waking up mid CT would be like..!!

 

The last question was related to doing my civic duty, but the topic could be triggering for certain members, so best left.. No big story, I located somone who had been on the run for years for horrific crimes, -just by chance... But unbeknown to me, part of a larger network of filth...

 

 

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

 

Oh my goodness, this is terrifying!

It sounds like sleep paralysis, but way worse and tied up!

 

Why were you in IC?

It was a near fatal overdose, and had an 11 day stay at the hospital until my ck's were down around 400, but only 4 in ICU. They kept me in an induced coma until my CK levels dropped, as they were 60 times higher than normal.

 

Very well could have been sleep paralysis. Later in the week when I was feeling a bit better, I had told my mom about waking up at night and trying to scream and get out of those gloves, but she said she was in the room all night with me and I never woke up! It was terrifying. I clearly remember whimpering and struggling to free my arms from those plastic ties they had strapped to the bed. It could have been whatever drugs they had me on that were wearing off, they wanted me to wake up that day. I do remember the sound of the IV fusion machine from that night and the colors it was throwing off hitting my eyelids and creating these closed eye visuals of sorts with bizarre dreams. It felt very real though, so I think my mom must have left the room for a bit that night.

 

I would never want to be in any type of coma again, even if it got me out of the worst of the benzo withdrawal. This was really only back in November, and I haven't felt quite the same since!

It is all realy odd.. I had times where I was "awake" and aware of the whole situation, surroundings, and interactions... But when I revisited my ICU bed site it was nothing like it.. But there were much vaguer times I thought I was in a different bed spot, that could well have matched.. They said I was in the same spot the whole time...??

 

Thanks for sharing, this has been good for me to revisit... Sorry its so fresh for you.. Its nearly 10yrs for me...

 

 

Even if you were not to remember a coma, and obviously people do, there seems that there is a significant chance that the experience could damage your brain on several levels Certainly in terms of subconscious levels Brains are better off processing properly, except for a select few circumstances where the blood flow to compromised portions may result if the brain is allowed to remain conscious

 

I understand the desire, but from where I sit i see no practical application of this idea

Hey Matt..

Your probably right in principal..  But its natural for the brain to wipe itself clean of experiences of extreme trauma... In my case I lost a few days prior to the accident, bar a couple of specific memories...  Similar afterwards before a surgery to stabalise me on route to the the city hospital.. I clearly remember saying goodbye to my partner, but the rest is blank.. And I was concious through that time.. -apparently...

Im not sure if this is what you meant though...?

 

 

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

 

Oh my goodness, this is terrifying!

It sounds like sleep paralysis, but way worse and tied up!

 

Why were you in IC?

It was a near fatal overdose, and had an 11 day stay at the hospital until my ck's were down around 400, but only 4 in ICU. They kept me in an induced coma until my CK levels dropped, as they were 60 times higher than normal.

 

Very well could have been sleep paralysis. Later in the week when I was feeling a bit better, I had told my mom about waking up at night and trying to scream and get out of those gloves, but she said she was in the room all night with me and I never woke up! It was terrifying. I clearly remember whimpering and struggling to free my arms from those plastic ties they had strapped to the bed. It could have been whatever drugs they had me on that were wearing off, they wanted me to wake up that day. I do remember the sound of the IV fusion machine from that night and the colors it was throwing off hitting my eyelids and creating these closed eye visuals of sorts with bizarre dreams. It felt very real though, so I think my mom must have left the room for a bit that night.

 

I would never want to be in any type of coma again, even if it got me out of the worst of the benzo withdrawal. This was really only back in November, and I haven't felt quite the same since!

 

Wow, that's just scary!

You mean you almost OD'ed on some drugs? Or was it from Klonopin?

I know nothing about CK's (just googled what it stands for). Why does a person need to be in an induced coma when CK's are so high? Would you have died otherwise?

 

I was unconscious, so I only know what I was told. It was a combination of things that lead to the overdose. I don't really remember that day tbh. I just was told I was found unresponsive at 2pm about 12 hours after I was told I "went to sleep." I was taken to the closest hospital and they worked on me from about 2-8pm, and then a lifeline ambulance took me downtown to Methodist hospital. My discharge papers say (Acute Hypoxic Respiratory failure, toxic encephalopathy, Aspiration Pneumonitis, Rhabdomyolysis, Kidney injury, Elevated Cardiac Enzymes) I don't really understand much of it. I'm not even sure what CK's really mean, but they were drawing my blood several times per day during the rest of my stay to check them so it must mean something. My heart was their main concern. I don't really understand much of what happened to me or why they even induced a coma. I only got to see the Dr 2-3 times and it was very brief. It's just really strange being in a coma, like Cantfly said. Just very weird and strange memories from the coma, but for me it was only the last day I was in a coma that was so strange. The four days I was out I have no memories of it, but I really went to some strange places on my way out of it lol, some scary and some not. I actually was convinced I had died around my 10th/11th day there, because they kept saying I had to stay another day  They had lowered my dose from .75 to .5 during my stay so I think I was getting a little dp/dr towards the end.

I was in an induced coma for 4 days. I would never want to be in a coma again tbh. It's not fun! They had these gloves on me so I couldn't grab or pull anything out if I woke up, and my arms were tied to the side of the bed. It was something like a saw movie because the night before I woke up, I was coming in and out of consciousness and trying to scream. It was awful.

 

I'm assuming they still gave me my benzo's intravenously during the 4 day period because I didn't wake up in withdrawal. They gave me klonopin for the remainder of my hospital stay though.

 

Oh my goodness, this is terrifying!

It sounds like sleep paralysis, but way worse and tied up!

 

Why were you in IC?

It was a near fatal overdose, and had an 11 day stay at the hospital until my ck's were down around 400, but only 4 in ICU. They kept me in an induced coma until my CK levels dropped, as they were 60 times higher than normal.

 

Very well could have been sleep paralysis. Later in the week when I was feeling a bit better, I had told my mom about waking up at night and trying to scream and get out of those gloves, but she said she was in the room all night with me and I never woke up! It was terrifying. I clearly remember whimpering and struggling to free my arms from those plastic ties they had strapped to the bed. It could have been whatever drugs they had me on that were wearing off, they wanted me to wake up that day. I do remember the sound of the IV fusion machine from that night and the colors it was throwing off hitting my eyelids and creating these closed eye visuals of sorts with bizarre dreams. It felt very real though, so I think my mom must have left the room for a bit that night.

 

I would never want to be in any type of coma again, even if it got me out of the worst of the benzo withdrawal. This was really only back in November, and I haven't felt quite the same since!

It is all realy odd.. I had times where I was "awake" and aware of the whole situation, surroundings, and interactions... But when I revisited my ICU bed site it was nothing like it.. But there were much vaguer times I thought I was in a different bed spot, that could well have matched.. They said I was in the same spot the whole time...??

 

Thanks for sharing, this has been good for me to revisit... Sorry its so fresh for you.. Its nearly 10yrs for me...

 

Not a problem that it's kind of fresh. Idk about you but I do think about it all the time. It was just such a weird experience that it's hard to explain. I always think about that night before I woke up though, it was like they didn't sedate me as heavily or something, or it was all in my head. I have no memory of the hospital prior to that night, but I kept going from being in a dark ICU room with the lights out and tied down trying to scream at people walking by- and then drift back off to this weird place that looked like outer space with the IV fusion machine in the background, I don't know if you remember the sound, but it almost sounds like the wheel of fortune wheel spinning so I kept picturing that  . In hindsight, I think the "stars" I was seeing in "outer space" was from the IV machines green light, or thats the only thing that makes sense to me at least. And I also don't even think they turn the lights out in an ICU room, maybe it was just a weird dream. I think maybe that was in my head too. Glad this was brought up now, because after seeing you talk about your experience it makes mine not seem so crazy after all  I guess hallucinations are normal with coma?