Do I ever get a "cure"?

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  1. profile image54
    Once had a lifeposted 14 years ago

    I was diagnosed with severe PTSD in 1998 by DRs in Sydney Australia.  I was told that I fit into the 2% category which do NOT usually survive.  I must admit, this has been the wildest roller coaster ride that I've ever been on.  Blackouts, "waking" as if from a nightmare, only to find myself in places that I  didn't even know where I was. Almost always had been drinking and don't remember drinking at all.  I've  wakened in hospital ER's, once in an ICU, having been told that I had tried to commit suicide.  I have no recollection of this episode beginning.  And one time in a pasture 2 miles away from the facility that I was being treated in.  I was found hours later and had no idea how I had gotten there. 
    I know most of my triggers and continue to avoid these items, sounds, places and use all the coping mechanisms that I have ever found to work.
    For the past 3 yrs, I've been fairly free from blackouts, occasional nightmares and continue to have the moderate amount of fear of people, places and things and don't always put 2 and 2 together as to why..  I stopped drinking a few years ago, but still get the urge every now and then.  This is NOT the person I was. 
    At one time, in my life, I was a wife, mother, Midwife with a thriving Birth Center Practice.  Now, I'm a wife to a wonderful, patient man, but not another part of my previous life is with me anymore.  I loved my life before and feel that it's not fair that I have to miss out on so much. 
    I guess, I'm asking.....Will I ever be me again?  I know I'm fortunate to be alive, but this is the pits. It makes me quite angry, or as my mother told me-----.You're allowed to be righteously indignant, as Jesus was from time to time.   Do I have to continue to fear that these episodes will haunt me for the rest of my life?  Will ever feel safe and in control as I was before.  Of course, noone is really in control, but at least I dealt with things Heaps better.
    I have partial disability coming in now, but it's not even 1/4 of what I could make if I was working.  My fear is that I will try to gain employment, work for a short time, have a terrible episode and in the meantime, lose all the disability that I have now.  Work gone, disability gone and then what?????

    1. yoshi97 profile image56
      yoshi97posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I wish I had the answers for you, but sadly I don't. My fiancee suffers from complex PTSD (which is what you've described) and is hospitalized periodically over her episodes. It's difficult on me and the kids, but we still love her. Still, it does feel like it will never end on a good note.

      I don't say this to discourage you, but rather, to let you know that you aren't alone. And if there was a cure I knew of that was guaranteed to work I'd gladly offer it up. All I can offer is that you should attend therapy regularly and have a good support group around you for when things seem bleak.

      For Shelly (my fiancee) she can function as long as she isn't left to herself. When alone, her mind perseveres on all that is dark and she gets overwhelmed by it. However, it's impossible to watch over a person 24/7, especially when you need to work to pay the bills, so what are you to do?

      Learning what triggers you is an excellent way of doing your best to avoid the potholes. We do the same with Shelly, but it seems impossible to steer around them all. Still, recognizing the situation exists and doing your best to cope with it are the two best things (in my book) to coping with PTSD.

      There are times I have considered writing a hub on complex PTSD, based on my seven year experience of living with someone who suffers from it, but I can't bring myself to wedge through the pain of it all to write it, unless I can offer some solution.

      Granted, I could write it from the textbooks how anyone can be cured over time through therapy and medications, but I would want to see definite firsthand proof of that first, as I already know there is a lot of difference between regular PTSD and complex PTSD. It's named differently for a reason, as the complex version highly resists treatment and often (though not always) results from continuous childhood trauma at an early age - typically brought on by someone the child knew well and trusted. sad

    2. killrats profile image60
      killratsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like you have tried every thing. Try a product call NONI Juice " Mirinda citrifolia" It is a fruit juice made from the Noni tree.
      I know it sounds strange ( a Fruit juice) but just do research, this stuff is amazing. They and find the reports done by a Dr. Soloman in the US.
      They tell me it works vis the glands in the body and this makes LOGICAL sense to me. I used it a few years ago for a very bd back problem and it sorted it within frankly just a few days. I also used it on the cuts on my legs and chest after a by pass op and the healing results were amazing. You have nothingto loose but a few bucks if it does not help

      1. profile image0
        Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        I saw this too and want to try it.

        1. Lynda Gary profile image60
          Lynda Garyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I tried it.  I won't buy it again.

    3. Faybe Bay profile image66
      Faybe Bayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Once had a life, you've got mail.

      Gotta go to bed, night all

    4. profile image0
      B.C. BOUTIQUEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have lived 33 years with severe PTSD and it has not killed me and will not..

      I take my meds and deal with the issues..

      I do not think you have to worry about dying...seriously

    5. nikki1 profile image61
      nikki1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Try to get other opinions. Always bond with your family. Never give up. Do lots of research. There are lots of cures out there. Good luck.. I am root'n for ya. Find a support group in your area that treats this. Go to your local hospital for support groups,.

    6. profile image50
      Panicposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      PTSD is a complex problem with a host of symptoms that can cause difficulties in the daily lives of those who suffer from it.  Massage, performed by a therapist who is educated and respectful of the special needs of trauma survivors can provide comfort and help to foster a sense of hope for those who have been severely impacted by traumatic events.

    7. smcopywrite profile image61
      smcopywriteposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      really and truly you will never be the person that you were. accepting that part of your diagnosis is the hardest. you can still have a life, a. different life. you can still have a life and not an existence, remember that. try to receive your full disability. here in america, disability will give you a trial period of work. you contact them and advise that you want to try and work but dont know if you can. they will allow a trial period of work. i am not sure how many months. you will continue to receive your disability while you try to work. if at the end of the trial (or before) you determine you cannot work, you are still receiving your disability.
      for your full disability, check with a disability attorney to find out if your benefits can be increased if you cannot work. disability attorneys typically dont get paid if you dont win. in addition, they typically dont take your case unless you can win and you have merit.
      i hope this helps

  2. earnestshub profile image81
    earnestshubposted 14 years ago

    Is hypnosis or psychotherapy useful? smile I would like to learn more about this. I wish you well, you must be so frustrated!

  3. Faybe Bay profile image66
    Faybe Bayposted 14 years ago

    I am on the research end as my mother did have seventeen episodes in sixteen years that put her in institutions. She never knew when she "woke" up why she'd been put there.

  4. earnestshub profile image81
    earnestshubposted 14 years ago

    Well I see several therapies listed.
    It seems like a hard road for those with this disorder. Hypnosis does look like a possibility and I have some experience of cognitive therapies and maybe they would help along with affirmations. I do hope help is forthcoming. smile

    1. Faybe Bay profile image66
      Faybe Bayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I sent an e-mail, it is a book that was written about people with this disorder before it was truly given this name. A book I still have, techniques I learned that I still use.

      My mother was "sick" they called it then, my whole life and we as her children, have all found various routes to avoid the "sickness"

      My sister even became a psychologist because of it.

      The biggest point is you can't be cured, not totally. But what you can do is become educated, find out what works for you. It is not as bad with me, as  this dear lady here. I have never had a blackout.

      I think if my mother had lived later it would have been better. I wish I could have given her this book, it saved my life.

      1. earnestshub profile image81
        earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        Tough when you mom is ill. I had the same sort of experience in a way. My mom was a diabetic and constantly had blackouts which were very deep coma like states. It scared us kids so many times. smile

  5. profile image0
    Pani Midnyte Odinposted 14 years ago

    I suffer from PTSD too. I'm also Schizophrenic. The hallucinations I have due to my Schizophrenia often trigger my PTSD. My PTSD can also trigger my Schizophrenic "episodes."

    There have been many times where I don't remember anything when I "wake up." I've tried to commit suicide multiple times without knowing it. I've hit my own mother without knowing it. My roommates say that I often scream out in the night, always the same word, "NO!" I often wake up screaming or gasping for breath.

    My Schizophrenia? Well, that makes it even worse. Time from one event to the next often has to be told to me. If something happened a year ago, I may say it happened yesterday. "Tomorrow" is a word I use to describe things I am planning weeks in advance sometimes. For months, while I was hospitalized, I believed the whole place was a figment of my imagination and I'd "wake up" at any moment. When my PTSD is triggered, the memories, flashbacks, and nightmares are so vivid that I can actually feel my body going through them again.

    You're not alone and there IS help out there. Don't be afraid to accept the help of family members and friends. If you know your triggers, avoid them at all costs. Back when that song "Rockstar" by Nickelback was popular, I had to avoid bars and parties because that was a trigger. That movie with Nicole Kidman and the two kids that can't be exposed to sunlight is another one of my triggers and friends/family have thrown out every copy of that movie they had. One of the hardest triggers to avoid is a cologne called Axe-Phoenix, or something like that. My brother had to give up wearing it, even though it was his favorite cologne.

    I know it seems rough right now, but you really are NOT alone. There are people out there who sincerely care about you. You CAN make it through this.

    1. couturepopcafe profile image61
      couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Please read a book called "The Edge Effect" by Dr. Eric Braverman M.D.  It talks about neurotransmitters we all need in balance in the brain and when lacking or severely out of balance, can cause some of the symptoms you describe.  Worth a look.

  6. earnestshub profile image81
    earnestshubposted 14 years ago

    Courageous and generous post. I think you are great, you certainly show a lot of empathy for others.
    You seem to be doing really well. smile

  7. Rafini profile image82
    Rafiniposted 14 years ago

    I am sorry to hear about your PTSD.  I suffered from a milder PTSD, and meds did their part, but mostly what helped me was therapy and journaling.  Maybe you could talk with your therapist and see if journaling would help you.

    what I did was, I had a different topic for each day to write about - sometimes I wrote 1/2 a paragraph and once I wrote 6 pages.  It helped me focus on my issues a little at a time, and I wasn't strict about my topics - they eventually became suggestions for me. I would write about my feelings during certain incidents, not the incidents themselves, and eventually I could remember them without fear.

    I shared with my therapist before or after, whichever worked best for the particular issues.  Some things I never got around to sharing, but that is ok with me. 

    I wish you the best of luck.  smile

  8. profile image57
    foreignpressposted 14 years ago

    I think everybody here would be surprised how many people suffer from PTSD. I think I've had PTSD since from 1971, but never realized it. And it's never been diagnosed as such. When I was discharged I had some serious anger issues. I wanted to kill people. I tried an encounter group but that was worthless. Now I'm having flashbacks of anger that are almost uncontrollable. I was able to help a returning vet recently (Iraq) with his anger. You have to find a way to justify being there. Anyway, this trigger thing is interesting. Never thought about what might trigger a flashback. I'll be watching for that. But there's lots of people out there that haven't been diagnosed that should be taking medication. I'm probably one of them.

  9. figment profile image75
    figmentposted 13 years ago

    Its hard I struggle with life and being happy everyday

    1. schoolgirlforreal profile image80
      schoolgirlforrealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      me too

  10. Maddie Ruud profile image73
    Maddie Ruudposted 13 years ago

    The best treatment available right now is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  This helps you to be exposed to your triggers in a safe way and learn to deal with them better, which opens up whole new possibities as far as where you can go and what you can do.  It's very difficult and scary, but if you stick with it you get the freedom it sounds like you long for, to go on about a more "normal" life.  I suggest you find a therapist who specializes in CBT.  Take things slow, give yourself lots of grace, but persevere.

    1. couturepopcafe profile image61
      couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I believe in this as well.  I've used it myself but have never been to war so can't speak from that extremem POV.  After being mugged at knifepoint, I suffered but maybe because it was an isolated incident, I was able to get over it.  At least the obvious parts like reliving the incident.   I've used CBT and brain wave entrainment and it helps quite a bit.  Also accupuncture, believe it or not. The channels need to be unblocked which have been blocked for many years.  Accupuncture has gone digital now so it's more accurate than it ever was.

      Daniel Carter talks about 'tapping' below which is a self therapy form of meridian unblocking.  The digital accupuncturist can use the scanner to find out where the big blockages are.

  11. Daniel Carter profile image63
    Daniel Carterposted 13 years ago

    Maddie is right. PTSD can come from a lot of different things, but in the end, your behavior toward is all that matters, and retraining your mind to look at it differently is the key. I highly recommend CBT. If you do a google search, you'll find out lots more. Look for links that are NOT trying to sell you courses. There are a few out there.

    There is another kind of "out there" treatment called EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy). It involves tapping with finger tips on various meridian points on the body. It supposedly  redistributes and realigns a lot of things in the body. I have used it only on a limited basis, but I have friends whose lives have been transformed by it. You can google it to find more info.

    Additionally, my PTSD was extreme enough to nearly blackout, but not quite. Instead, I would be transported back to the occurrence of the traumatic event and relive it. I would find myself an emotional mess on buses going to work as I had flashbacks I couldn't control. Mine was due to extreme childhood abuse aggravated by a very dysfunctional marriage. (I also contributed to that dysfunction from my upbringing.)

    Our bodies get hardwired the weirdest ways over time, and it takes time to get things realigned, but it can happen.

    In the midst of all the things I went through I was misdiagnosed as bipolar. However, now that I am well and haven't any episodes that mimicked bipolar in almost 6 years, the journey has been extremely difficult but wonderful.

    Noni juice is expensive juice. The things that it contains work for some people because they are shy of certain nutrients it has. Same with Xango, and other similar things. If you want to realign things and get healthy it has to be an emotional, spiritual, physical cleansing and healing journey that is ongoing for the rest of your life. Antibiotics, prescription meds, environmental toxins, trauma and more all contribute to these illnesses we battle.

    For those truly interested in healing the effects of these things, I recommend (from almost 6 years of experience trying, testing, adjusting and studying) that you investigate these things:

    • balanced nutrition, along with a powerful vit/min supplement that your body can use, such as Empower Plus (http://www.truehope.com/default.aspx) or Equilib (http://www.equilib.us/). These are highly chelated supplements and will make you sick if you don't follow protocol.

    • for panic and anxiety, you should know about inositol and choline as well as peppermint and a few other things

    • if you're going to change your diet, you need to modify one or two things at a time, not recreate a new diet all at once. That only causes misery and failure. It takes at least 6 months to establish a healthy diet that you can really live with the rest of your life.

    • if you are spiritually inclined, discover what it is that YOU believe, not what you were taught to believe. What are YOUR experiences in this area, and derive a healthy set of personal beliefs that will keep you and others around you healthy.

    • for healing past trauma there are lots of helps, but some of the better ones are about how to handle your reality right now. The best ones I have found include (but are not limited to) Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" and particularly Byron Katie's "Loving What Is."

    If you are vigilant about finding answers, you'll find them. If you insist on being a victim, then you'll be angry that no one is helping you. Helping yourself and learning from what life hands you and turning it into knowledge and power is the only healthy way to live.

    Sending kindest and best to any and all who have suffered with mental illness, PTSD and so many other things that I too, have suffered.

    BTW, I have no affiliation with the products or companies I recommended. I'm just paying it forward. I have hubs on some of these things, if you want more info. Not peddling. Again, just paying it forward.

    1. profile image52
      rroth128posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Is anyone familiar with Truehope, or has anyone tried the EMPower Plus for Bipolar Depression???

  12. geofawunyo profile image59
    geofawunyoposted 13 years ago

    I can see that you have tried many stuff, with my concern, check on the link below.. All the best.

    http://hubpages.com/hub/Panic-Disorders … -Treatment

  13. geofawunyo profile image59
    geofawunyoposted 13 years ago

    Hello my dear, I just remember that I was having blackout problem and breathing dificulty, especially  if I was in closed environment. I attended a practical meeting at the uckg helpcentre and after the meeting I felt very good and since then I never experienced blackout again, you can be healed, I was healed.This happened in the uk but they have branch in
    153 Northumberland Street, Liverpool - NSW 2170   
    PH: (02) 9602-9837
    Give it your maximum effort you will not regret, trust me..

    http://www.uckg.org.au/

  14. bukan profile image61
    bukanposted 13 years ago

    it's easy to say that always be happy. But you've to find out the ways to be happy.

  15. Dr Bill Tollefson profile image80
    Dr Bill Tollefsonposted 12 years ago

    PTSD: Is there a Cure?
    I do not know if there is a clear answer to this question. I think it is a matter of degree. I have helped survivors for over 25 years in my career and am a survivor myself from childhood abuse and trauma. The worse symptom of PTSD is the re-experiencing the event which is termed flashbacks or night terrors. To a survivor who goes through such a mental experience it is reported over and “it feels like I am there and it is happening all over again”. There is a way to reduce the effects of re-experiencing and if that symptom is reduces the all the other PTSD symptom.
    The main thing that I have learned through all of it is that PTSD is a normal response to an abnormal – overwhelming life event. PTSD is the aftereffects of a human’s mind and body symbolically disconnecting in order to survive an overwhelming experience. To accomplish that the recording or the memory goes unprocessed and  placed in a dissociative storage area in the brain, so as to not experience the knowledge or emotions that might harm the person at the time of the event. The process is a gift and a phenomenal process.
    Now to answer the question, how do you cure what is not a disease? My passion has been to develop a way to assist survivors in reducing the intensity of their PTSD symptoms. I have found that reducing intensity of the symptoms occurs if the recording or memory is processed as is non-traumatic memory naturally by the brain. I designed and tested for over 10 years (with survivors of severe abuse and trauma) a guided method to help survivors safely process dissociated memories. The results were extremely successful. So cure may not be possible because the recording remains but to reduce the intensity and effect is very possible.

  16. profile image55
    hyperimmunehealthposted 12 years ago

    I suffered from some of these symptoms but not all. There were sleepless nights, panic attacks and an inability to stop them for months on end. the last episode was some months ago but the culprit was a new anti seizure medication. I do medical studies and research in my spare time on many subjects so I was able to determine the cause of my condition.
    the original problem was due to psychological stress which was causing the panic attacks, adrenaline rushes, increased heart rate and breathing irregularity during the attacks. In the past ten years I have worked with a product called hyperimune egg. It has produced amazing resulted for myself and thousands of other people. If the condition is caused by an imbalance in the immune system this product may help in normalizing the body or what is termed as homeostasis of all systems. My main reason for using it was for arthritis. I needed a solution to the pain and mobility problem and found it.
      there are no guarantees it will work for everyone and help all conditions but I say it's better to have tried and failed than not tried at all. I won't swear that it stopped seizures but then I can't recall any episodes while taking this product.

  17. profile image53
    michelegoldsteinposted 12 years ago

    There are too many posts to check and see if anyone else has suggested the following. There are new techniques such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), EMDR and others like it that have done amazing things with PTSD. Look at emofree.com and watch some of the videos. The site will direct you to practitioners in your area. If you want the DIY treatment: Instant Emaotional Healing by Peter Lambrou and George Pratt and/or The Promise of Energy Psychology by David Feinstein, Donna Eden and Gary Craig (the creator of EFT), and their site is www.innersouce.net. There is also energy psych.org for resources.
    I hope you find the healing you deserve.

    1. couturepopcafe profile image61
      couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, I can't believe the awesome beauty and compassion in this forum.  After the political and religious forums, it's touching to see the empathy here.  If you people are an example, there is hope for the planet.

  18. profile image53
    michelegoldsteinposted 12 years ago

    I am touched that you are so touched, and I agree that the compassionate nature of the population is increasing and a good sign for humanity. Spread the word and the compassion and we CAN make a difference!

 
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