hi was diagnosis with ptsd does anyone else have??

Jena

New Member
hi

hope everyone's well and your little or big difficult child's are a little easier this week.

i was diagnosis with ptsd last night by new doctor. makes complete sense.

anyway she suggested i go on medications to stop the flashbacks or at least worsen the blow i've been experiencing for 3 days now since pandora's box was opened so to speak.

she said my thinking is also obsessional based it will assist with that. she wants me to go on strattera.

has anyone tried this? does it work? has anyone else been diagnosed iwth something like this?

my little difficult child was on strattera at one point it didnt' help her

thanks
Jen
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I have ptsd but dont list it as there is just so much else...lol. The medications I take for bipolar help but most of all its talking with my therapist who helps me most. It took me from 1980 to 2006 to start processing some stuff. I finally noticed on an important date for me in 2007 that I didnt even think about it until after the day was over. Big, HUGE step for me.

I have no clue about the strattera...hope it works for you.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
I had severe PTSD due to abusive x. I have been in therapy for about 11 years. Most recently we did an EMDR or hypno type therapy for about a month and it helped tremendously.

Mostly what helps PTSD heal is therapy and time - and knowing that you are NOW in a situation where the same things are NOT going to happen to you again. IF you have PTSD from your first marriage or childhood, you often seek out a living situation that mimics the abusive situation - you just don't realize it. Some things are different - but YOU are making the same poor choices - because no one has said "Here's how to make a good choice for yourself." That's what therapy is - learning HOW to make a good choice for yourself that dominoes and causes you to start making good decisions for your kids - and once they see that Mom is making good, healthy choices - you break the cycle of abuse - and hopefully (I was told in my situation) by the time I have Grandchildren the cycle is gone.

Without someone standing up and being so miserable with their lives that they WANT to change - everything stays the same generation to generation, grandparent, to parent, to child.....

WAY TO GO JEN - I am SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!! You came to the board, and asked for advice - took it and are DOING SOMETHING to make HUGE changes in your life and the life of your kids - The best gift you can give your kids is to take care of yourself, respect yourself, and love yourself.

Think about this - If you married someone abusive - and you never get out of that situation, and you have children that are raised in a home where the man is abusive - the chances for your sons or daughters to go out and abuse their spouses or s/o's is greater.

However; if you married someone abusive - and you have the courage to get out of that situation, and you just get out - and never go to therapy and never change - you will more than likely repeat the scenario, but maybe the next time on a lesser (but still abusive) scale -the chances for your sons or daughters to go out and abuse their spouses, or take abuse because it was allowed in their home (even if it was not wanted) or s/0's is less than if you did nothing at all but it's still a risk.

So if you married someone abusive - and you have the courage to get out of that situation, and you get out, take yourself to therapy, and start to change - you are NOT likely to repeat the scenario and your children are less likely to allow themselves to be abused by anyone - because through therapy we learn how to respect ourselves, how to make good choices, how to tell others NO, how to love our children enough to do the best things for ourselves and set an example of what WILL and will NOT be tolerated in our lives irregardless of where we are.

I think you are on the right path jen - I wish you great luck - success isn't easy - and some days you just won't want to go and talk about your shortcomings, it's hard, it can be painful at times - but isn't it all worth it to know that you FOR SURE will NEVER put up with the behaviors that made you have PTSD in the first place? And isn't it an even BETTER thought to know that because you are doing what you can - your girls will have less of a chance of choosing a man that would abuse them or that they will not allow anyone to abuse them? - I hope I know you when you get your confidence diploma - It's like an associates in life degree!! More valuable towards stopping heart aches before they happen then you will ever know.

Hugs
Star:laughing:
 

Jena

New Member
hi

thanks so much for sharing that with me, both of you. the flashbacks have been hard the emotions are flying back with them. my abuser is my father. i knew of it and saved myself many years ago and came back to new york on my own.

yet the story i told myself for years the way in which i viewed it was quite different from reality. it was pretty bad. boyfriend adn i got into conversation one night about two weeks ago and he is very blunt with me and i like that. he brought me somewhere mentally that no one else has ever taken the time to do. believe it or not with the way we both tripped a little in beginning made our mistakes both of us he has become my rock i have never allowed any man to ever be that. have wanted it but wasn't able to allow it. he is loving me through this through difficult child's issues bigger difficult child's issues in a way in which i have never experienced with sincerity and without judgement. he has been there for every ugly memory and held me close every single night i shook as they flew back.

i agree 100% on the abuse issue regarding our girls. i have stopped two levels of abuse which i am happy to say sexual abuse (because unfortunately statistics do show that one who has been sexually abused abuses, and also one who has been beaten both verbally and emotionally, abuse) so i've used great caution in my words to my older difficult child as of late.

it is very scarey to be almost 38 and to have memories from 2- 16 come back.

i am proactive in my pursuit of happiness and mental health at this point. boyfriend is supportive on all levels amazingly so. emotionally, financially.........

i am in the pursuit of controlling the obsessional thinking and the flooding memories via the drug use, i am also getting back my power now slowly by taking legal steps to pursue charging my abuser. it does not matter if it is never prosecuted the point is it's an intrical step in my healing process i have learned. abuse takes our trust our power and level of control away i have also learned.

i have also learned that i have made some questionable choices in my life due to all of this and the fact ive been running from it since 16 the final episode of it in my chapter. i chose the exact abuser in my marriage i sought extensive counseling regarding that and hence did not make same mistake. boyfriend has had his issues granted as many of us do the use of language in the house, etc yet after conversations with him regarding all he immediately put forth extreme effort in correcting the behaviors i found to be unacceptable.

i'm not going to lie timings bad difficult child's evaluation starts tomorrow i'm afraid now like never before the confident go get em' jen is down for the count somewhat noises affect me and scare me,etc. so i'm a little afraid of going alone to the hotel with her and stuff. boyfriend just continues to say to me (as no one else ever has) you can do it your a strong woman and you can do it. therapist new doctor feels that these issues and memories are resurfacing due to fact it is the first time in my life that i am in a relationship in which i am getting what i am giving someone is actually taking care of me for a change instead of me them. which has also been a pattern of nurturing that i seem to posses to an unhealthy level. he doens't need my guidance or talks or help with issues. he is helping me.

i do feel badly though he's gotten so much in his choice to be iwth me between difficult child's and now this it's alot on someone. our relationship believe it or not is still fairly new. yet with him i knw it's ok to ask for help. something else i have huge issue with. i asked him last night i said i need you now i need your support to get through this (to me this is admitting weakness by the way) and he said i love you i'm here i'm not going anywhere not always sure waht to do for yuo or how to help you but you let me know how you are feeling ie. scared alone insecure and i'll be there to walk you thru it.

i'm a prisoner in my own mind right now tha'Tourette's Syndrome the scariest hence need for medications at this point i truly believe. i can't get out of my head and i cna't stop the thoughts but i'm working really hard at letting them come and feeling my way thru them.

yes i do that if i can get thru this dark tunnel i'm in and get to the other side of it i will be as well my family stronger healtheir people for it. it's just well i kinda dont wanna go but i have no choice now.

thanks again for your words and kindness. this place has affected me on alot of diff levels. has made me see changes that need to be made, directions to go into.

lots of hugs to all of you

Jen :)
 

Jena

New Member
also i applaude both of you and wanted to say such, but ya know me once i start to ramble. it takes alot Occupational Therapist (OT) admit you have a problem and then begin the steps to help remedy it. not only for ourselves but for our kids.........

i have thought of hypno kinda thing yet doctor doens't feel its' way to go for me. there's alot of abuse there of all kinds so the memories seem to be doing a pretty good job at coming back piecey though but their there.

so for now i'm going to just do the one step at a time thing with it. most of all i'm going to try my hardest not to let it consume me. or become the focal point of our relationship.

thanks again!!!! :)
 

scent of cedar

New Member
It helped me to look at it as unraveling a puzzle, Jen. The pieces are all there, you are just naming and making sense of them so you can be conscious. They have been scaring you and motivating your perceptions for years.

Now, you get to know what they are. Once you know that, you can make a different choice.

It will be so worth this effort, Jen.

Barbara
 

Sara PA

New Member
Not sure why a doctor would choose Strattera to treat PTSD. Stratter is an SNRI antidepressant which wasn't found to be effective enough against depression to it being approved to treat it. There are a number of SSRIs which are approved to treat PTSD.
 

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
Jen~ I agree with the ladies here!!!
I am another here who has some major... PTSD and whose therapist suggested EMDR. I just have not had TIME!!! LOL
As one who also has been abused, sexually and physically... all of that fun stuff... been in the fun relationships etc.
It took a long time to see all of the junk and sort it out. I am still dealing with some of it. My Daddy left a lot of his junk, my Adopted daddy, and my Momma.
It is amazing what parents can do as well as SO's.
It is great that you are seeking out help. It took me a long time due in part to my Bipolar issues... I don't have any issues!!!
Huge denial!!!

Therapy is awesome. husband and I sat here tonight talking about how we need to as a family all go to therapy as well as couples therapy... so we can deal with the long term, his idea!!! Because he knows I have PTSD and Bipolar Disorder, and this is the only way we can make it long term!!!
I applaud you also!!! As far as medications??? I am tweaking mine... so who knows... I am ready for a Shaman and a sweat lodge with some sweet grass!!!!
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Yes to the PSTD, for various reasons.

I too am confused about the Strattera. Isn't that usually a medication prescribed for ADHD? I've had improvements with intensive therapy as well as past SSRI's. Also, a method of therapy called EMDR. Look it up, it's interesting and it helped both difficult child as well as me.
 

babybear

New Member
I have a friend with extreme anxiety with some Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tendencies, that recently started taking adderall. We both thought it was weird but it does seem to be helping a little. She seems calmer to me. I don't know how to explain it but she sticks to one topic/problem at a time instead of it mushrooming into multiple issues. So I guess the theory is helping with focus helps to manage the anxiety by reducing distractions??

It makes sense in a way. It will be interesting to see what comes of it for both of you.
 

Jena

New Member
hi

i thought the strattera was weird as well. i haven't begun drugs as of yet just completed difficult child's evaluation adn now i'mheading out of state next week to deal with the legal steps i spoke of.

the memories have slowed down somewhat and i have gotten more control over my thoughts not alot but more. i tend to take it all out on boyfriend the obsessional type of stuff. i wil def. start drugs after next week i will need to.

don't know how this will affect me. part of me thinks ahh why do this to yourself now add more drama to your life, etc. then another part of me says you know this is nt' going to just go away all of a sudden it's in there now and yes your right it's like a puzzle and i'n slowly putting the pieces together. i cna't get them all which is pissing me off lol...to be quite honest. yet my doctor feels that taking legal steps isn't for everyone but for me it's an important part of my healing process and finally getting done with this.

i mean sheesh 20 years and counting enough is enough already. he needs to know what he took from me bottomline.

strattera doesn't seem like the right drug to me either

thanks so much for all your input.

hugs to all
Jen :)
 
N

Nomad

Guest
I'm so sorry that you are suffering with this. I don't know what medications might help. Certainly antidepressants should be explored. Getting good sleep, exercise, etc. should be of help.

I've not been officially diagnosis'd with this, but one therapist said that I was showing signs of it. I had an abusive father and ironically, I took two sociology classes in college (BA degree) that somehow helped me through that. I think I did a little therapy on myself. For one thing, I married someone completley unlike my own father.

However, when difficult child business came into the picture, my nerves became rattled to the core. Therapy and self care has really helped significantly.

Please take extra good care of yourself. I liked what someone said about being "proactive," in pursuing our happiness.
 

Jena

New Member
nomad

good for you that's huge it sounds like you did all the right things. certainly isnt' an easy thing to overcome. i carefully swept mine under the carpet for 19 years.......oh what a big broom that must of been lol

yes i have to be proactive in my pursuit of mental stability and happiness. for me firstly adn then my family they need me i need me :)
 
N

Nomad

Guest
Thank you Jennifer. husband and I just came back from a family therapist. We go about once a year when difficult child is getting us stressed to the max. I also go to my own therapist. I have learned to practice self care. Please stay away from naysayers/grouches. Educate and nourish yourself.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Jen,

I want to try to help you clear something up - you are not creating MORE stress the stress is there already. You are CLEARING it up. Kinda like undergoing a massive total clean out of a kitchen.

If you take everything out of a kitchen at once to clean it - you only create another mess in your house somewhere else.

If you take a shelf at a time in one cupboard at a time - you only open a smaller more manageable mess that you can clean one shelf at a time, and when you are done with that shelf and cupboard - you shut the door and start working on the next one. No more extra mess - maybe a few things to throw out or donate to someone else.

Think of therapy and your abusive past like that - maybe it will help gain some perspective on what you and the therapist are doing - She's the organizer telling you where to put the leftovers and how to clean the shelves and you are doing the actual work.

Hugs
Star
 

Jena

New Member
star

thanks. i know your right. its just well doing something you know in your heart you have to yet have no how to guide to get there.

i took my first step tonight my first attempt at getting him to admit guilt. it was a 3 way phone call me here from new york the investigator in the other state. it was a bit unnerving we got nowhere with it, but we're going to keep on trying.

worst case scenario they may wire me send me in with-back up and i will go to his business. one step at a time. it made me feel slightly empowered.

thanks so much

jen :)
 

change

New Member
Hi...It's my first post. Very interesting site. I'm glad to find it. Thanks for sharing all your info. on this thread. My daughter just began EMDR therapy but we've only had 2 sessions. I really hope it works. (I was asked to stay in the room with her because of the trauma she suffered awhile back.) I find it very interesting. I'm hoping I can pick up a trick or two for myself. She has PTSD but due to the most recent event that led to it, I feel rather traumatized myself. The therapy is expensive though and our isnurance doesn't cover this therapist.

Thanks for listening.
 

Jena

New Member
change

hi and welcome

i'm sorry to hear that about your daughter. i have not done the emdr that people speak of i don't really want to remember it all to be quite honest.

i wish you luck though with your situation.

this is a great place alot of amazing souls in here

:)
 
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