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My Mom Is On A Ventilator And For The Past
Question: My mom is on a ventilator and for the past 2 years doctors have been trying to figure out what is the cause of her muscle weakness and we have heard all kinds of things....please I’m going into depression and stress due to my mother and idk what to do without her...I just need answers....they say it MAY be ALS but I’ve looked up symptoms of ALS and they way my mom came about her situation does not match the symptoms of ALS...it all started of with her right arm and after being in and out of ER, one night they let her out after her telling them she was not feeling well and that same night after getting home she got into cardiac arrest...and ever since she has been on bed rest on a ventilator.... please
Brief Answer:
Cardiac arrest may result in irreversible brain damage.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor " service.
I have read your query and here is my advice.
Being on a ventilator for two years after cardiac arrest is more likely caused by irreversible damages of the brain (decorticating) due to prolonged lack of oxygen ( hypoxemia ).
Brain MRI and EEG are necessary examinations to evaluate correctly this possibility.
ALS is a fatal and gradually progressing disease that in later stages may require automatic ventilation.
Please discuss with your mother's treating Doctor for evaluation of her brain function status.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Cardiac arrest may result in irreversible brain damage.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor " service.
I have read your query and here is my advice.
Being on a ventilator for two years after cardiac arrest is more likely caused by irreversible damages of the brain (decorticating) due to prolonged lack of oxygen ( hypoxemia ).
Brain MRI and EEG are necessary examinations to evaluate correctly this possibility.
ALS is a fatal and gradually progressing disease that in later stages may require automatic ventilation.
Please discuss with your mother's treating Doctor for evaluation of her brain function status.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thank you for your feedback doctor....The reason why I don’t believe it could be ALS is that same reason you said that ALS is a gradually progressing disease, and in her case was not progressed in anyway way, after cardiac arrest she was unable to move until now. So my question for you doctor is , do you believe it could be ALS?
And second, they have don’t a couple MRI and they all come out clear....
And second, they have don’t a couple MRI and they all come out clear....
Brief Answer:
ALS seems unlikely.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.
As I mentioned before, ALS is a progressive neurological disorder, so, seems unlikely to be the condition that is causing your mother to stay in a ventilator.
Changes in brain MRI are subtle and mainly in cortical loss, an EEG of the brain may give valuable information about the diagnosis.
Hope I helped you.
Take care.
ALS seems unlikely.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.
As I mentioned before, ALS is a progressive neurological disorder, so, seems unlikely to be the condition that is causing your mother to stay in a ventilator.
Changes in brain MRI are subtle and mainly in cortical loss, an EEG of the brain may give valuable information about the diagnosis.
Hope I helped you.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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