What can we expect after leaving the hospital?

ICU survivors have a number of experiences:

• Weakness and difficulty with physical tasks such as walking or climbing stairs. This weakness will usually improve over time, although some people still have a sense that their physical function is not normal;
• Changes in memory, thinking, or concentration;
• Changes in mood, such as sadness or anxiety;
• Memories of the ICU are confusing, unpleasant or frightening. Some people experience “flashbacks” of the ICU stay, which are difficult to understand. For some patients, a diary of the ICU stay kept by a family member may help to reduce these symptoms.

Although these symptoms may be a direct result of the patient’s stay in the ICU, they can also be caused by other medical conditions. If any of these symptoms occur, speak to doctors involved in the patient’s care. Certain tests or treatments may be recommended.