What is it like living with a tracheostomy?

After surgery, your neck may be sore, and you may have trouble swallowing for a few days. It may take 2 to 3 days to get used to breathing through the tracheostomy (trach) tube. You can expect to feel better each day. But it may take at least 2 weeks to adjust to living with your trach (say “trayk”).

How does it feel to have a tracheostomy?

A planned tracheostomy is usually carried out under general anaesthetic, which means you’ll be unconscious during the procedure and will not feel any pain. A doctor or surgeon will make a hole in your throat using a needle or scalpel before inserting a tube into the opening.

Can a person live a normal life with a tracheostomy?

It’s possible to enjoy a good quality of life with a permanent tracheostomy tube. However, some people may find it takes time to adapt to swallowing and communicating. Your care team will talk to you about possible problems, the help that’s available, and how to look after your tracheostomy.

Does your voice change after a tracheostomy?

That changes in the voice are common during the first few weeks following tracheostomy tube removal. If this change is likely to be permanent, patients should be advised of this before they go home. If the voice changes (e.g. hoarseness, weakness, or whispering quality), patients should contact the hospital.

How serious is a tracheostomy?

Tracheostomies are generally safe, but they do have risks. Some complications are particularly likely during or shortly after surgery. The risk of such problems greatly increases when the tracheotomy is performed as an emergency procedure.

How long can you be on a ventilator with a tracheostomy?

Tracheostomy is recommended for patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) for 14 days or more in the intensive care unit (ICU). Nevertheless, many patients undergoing prolonged MV remain intubated via the translaryngeal route.

What are the side effects of a tracheostomy?

Complications and Risks of Tracheostomy

• Bleeding.
• Air trapped around the lungs (pneumothorax)
• Air trapped in the deeper layers of the chest(pneumomediastinum)
• Air trapped underneath the skin around the tracheostomy (subcutaneous emphysema)
• Damage to the swallowing tube (esophagus)

What does a tracheostomy mean to you?

For me, it’s a means of survival. I have a tracheostomy, or a “trache”; it’s a hole in my trachea, in which a plastic tube sits to create an artificial airway, and then the tube is connected to a ventilator. I have muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes my muscles to progressively weaken.

When should I Call my doctor about problems with my tracheostomy?

You’ll also receive instructions about when you should call your doctor about problems, such as: 1 Bleeding at the tracheostomy site or from the trachea 2 Difficulty breathing through the tube 3 Pain or a change in comfort level 4 Redness or swelling around the tracheostomy 5 A change in the position of your tracheostomy tube

How often should I Change my tracheostomy tube?

Most people with traches need to change their tube maybe once a fortnight or even once a month, but for me, it’s daily. Changing it is not painful at all ― one tube just slides out and a fresh tube takes its place ― but it is an odd sensation.

Is a tracheostomy necessary in intensive care?

The most important goal for families in Intensive Care is to get their loved one off the ventilator and the breathing tube/endotracheal tube in the first place. A tracheostomy has its time and its place but only after all efforts have been maximised to get your loved one off the ventilator and the breathing tube/endotracheal tube.