Doctors, nurses -- how to wake a patient?

[antares]

My character is in an induced sleep state with an IV. Now they want to wake him. What drug would the medicos use to wake him? How much?

[Maggie Ann]

I would be interested, as well. I also have in the same state.

[notthatamanda]

This made me curious, so I googled.

https://intensivecarehotline.com/questions/how-long-does-it-take-to-wake-up-after-an-induced-coma/

But that was really long, so I lost interest. Hope it helps.

[antares]

Thank you, but in my case it is not an induced coma but a medically-induced hypnotic sleep. It seems that with general anesthetic, the practice is to let it wear off and let the patient return to consciousness naturally. In this scenario, the patient is locked in the sleep state to the consternation of the medical staff, so they want to force him awake. Is there something that would do the trick?

This made me curious, so I googled.

https://intensivecarehotline.com/questions/how-long-does-it-take-to-wake-up-after-an-induced-coma/

But that was really long, so I lost interest. Hope it helps.

[Maggie Ann]

This made me curious, so I googled.

https://intensivecarehotline.com/questions/how-long-does-it-take-to-wake-up-after-an-induced-coma/

But that was really long, so I lost interest. Hope it helps.

Thanks, Amanda.

This was my answer for my character's situation.

"Your critically ill loved one is a “Straight forward” and/or “soft” admission to Intensive Care

If your critically ill loved one is a “straight forward” admission to Intensive Care after elective or planned surgery or is a “soft” admission to Intensive Care for a medical emergency on a ward etc… your critically ill loved one should come off the ventilator/ respirator and out of the induced coma relatively quickly within 12- 72 hours!

In those circumstances, your critically ill loved one should be on short acting sedatives, such as Propofol(Diprivan). Propofol(Diprivan) is a sedative that is widely used in Intensive Care to put Patients asleep and it is used as a short acting sedative, meaning that when switched off, your critically ill loved one should “wake up” relatively quickly sometimes within minutes or hours."

[notthatamanda]

Mmmm, sedatives...

[antares]

This does not do it for me. In my scenario, they turned off the anesthetic, and still he stayed under. I need something to wake him. What will do that?

This made me curious, so I googled.

https://intensivecarehotline.com/questions/how-long-does-it-take-to-wake-up-after-an-induced-coma/

But that was really long, so I lost interest. Hope it helps.

Thanks, Amanda.

This was my answer for my character's situation.

"Your critically ill loved one is a “Straight forward” and/or “soft” admission to Intensive Care

If your critically ill loved one is a “straight forward” admission to Intensive Care after elective or planned surgery or is a “soft” admission to Intensive Care for a medical emergency on a ward etc… your critically ill loved one should come off the ventilator/ respirator and out of the induced coma relatively quickly within 12- 72 hours!

In those circumstances, your critically ill loved one should be on short acting sedatives, such as Propofol(Diprivan). Propofol(Diprivan) is a sedative that is widely used in Intensive Care to put Patients asleep and it is used as a short acting sedative, meaning that when switched off, your critically ill loved one should “wake up” relatively quickly sometimes within minutes or hours."

[alhawke]

I think you're looking for the drug flumazenil. This is often used in patients having difficulty waking from surgery/medically induced sleep.

[Luke Everhart]

]This does not do it for me. In my scenario, they turned off the anesthetic, and still he stayed under. I need something to wake him. What will do that?

How about methylphenidate aka Ritalin?
Check this out:
http://news.mit.edu/2011/ritalin-reverse-anesthesia-0922

[antares]

Flumazenil will do. It counteracts anesthetics. Comes in a solution of 500 micrograms in 5ml of water. 1 ml = 1 cc. "Push five cee-cees of flumazenil and keep a sharp eye on his vitals." That'll work.

Thank you very much, alhawke.

I think you're looking for the drug flumazenil. This is often used in patients having difficulty waking from surgery/medically induced sleep.