Living With ARDS

Some people fully recover from ARDS. Others continue to have health problems. After you go home from the hospital, you may have one or more of the following problems:

• Shortness of breath. After treatment, lung function in most people who have ARDS improves within 3 months and is back to normal within 6 months. For others, it may take up to a year or more. Some people have breathing problems for the rest of their lives.
• Tiredness and muscle weakness. Being in the hospital and on a ventilator (a machine that helps you breathe) can cause your muscles to feel weak. You also may feel very tired following treatment.
• Depression. Many people who've had ARDS say that they were depressed for a while after treatment.
• Problems with memory and thinking clearly. Certain medicines and a low oxygen level in your blood can cause these problems.

These health problems may go away within a few weeks or they may last longer. Talk to your doctor about how to deal with these problems. Also, see the suggestions below.

Getting Help

You can take steps to recover from ARDS and improve your quality of life.

• Ask your family and friends for help with everyday activities.
• Go to pulmonary rehabilitation (rehab). A rehab program can show you how to return to normal activities and stay active. Rehab may include exercise training, education, and counseling. Your rehab team may include doctors, nurses, and other specialists. They will work with you to create a program that meets your needs.
• Join a support group for ARDS. The ARDS Support Center, the American Lung Association's Better Breathers Clubs, and the ARDS Foundation are examples of support networks that can help you learn about and cope with your condition.
• Seek help from a mental health professional if you feel depressed.
• Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.