Recovery from critical illness can be frustratingly slow and continues after patient’s leave hospital.
What should you expect and what happens?
Recovery from critical illness can be a long journey. Some patients report improvements in symptoms up to 2 years after returning home. It is common for patients to experience challenges in their recovery that feel unexpected and surprising to them.
Often difficulties become less noticeable over time and not all patients experience problems. Generally patients who have a prolonged serious illness may experience greater challenges.
It is important if symptoms persist to get help early, as left untreated they can sometimes get worse.
What feature might I experience?
- Physical effects such as lack of energy, breathlessness, muscle weakness and longstanding health issues
- Brain effects including poor memory and difficulties paying attention and performing some tasks
- Psychological problems including poor sleep, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Help and support
Visit our Help and support section to find out additional information about help and support that could be available to you.