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EMDR

Posted , 3 users are following.

mark47387
mark47387

Hi All

Has anyone out there had any experience with EMDR?

What is the experience like & has anyone out there had any success with it?

 

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • catarina28315
    catarina28315 mark47387

    Posted

    I was diagnosed with PTSD following a horrible situation at the workplace back in 2014. I saw a psychotherapist and did OK for quite some time, but then she moved away and I honestly thought I was fine and did not need to see anybody else.

    It turned out I was not fine...I started having blackouts at first. I was referred to a neurologist who diagnosed me with "atypical epilepsy" and put me on Keppra 500 x 2, to be increased every four weeks. I ended up taking 1000 mg x 2/day with no real improvement. 

    I was then referred to another neurologist who preferred Lamictal to Keppra. However, on as little as 50 mg of Lamictal daily, I had horrible side effects, the worst of which were hallucinations...the doctor told me they had nothing to do with Lamictal. I went off the drug against his advice and the problems disappeared within less than a week and have not come back since.

    I was then referred to my third neurologist who prescribed Vimpat, claiming it's a "kinder" drug than the other two...maybe it is, I have no idea. What I do know is that it did not help either. I continued to have blackouts, although not as bad as when I took Lamictal.

    I then decided to see a psychologist with EMDR training. And, after three sessions (180 minutes in total), I feel better than I have in years...calm, yet focused, no anxiety whatsoever. I feel I'm finally on the right track, after trying various treatment methods for more than three years without success. 

    I don't know that much about EMDR; I chose it mainly because of the raving reviews online. But I have to admit it seems to be working better than anything else I've tried so far...

    I am not sure what to think of all this...of course, I'm thrilled it seems to be working so well, but I cannot help but feel both disillusioned and disappointed that so many specialists misdiagnosed me and prescribed expensive treatment that turned out not to help, when all I needed all along was to follow my therapist's finger from left to right...!

    Any input would be most welcome as I have a hard time understanding this myself, but I cannot deny the obvious...EMDR really seems to be working when nothing else has so far...!!!

    • mark47387
      mark47387 catarina28315

      Posted

      Thank you so much for such a detailed reply! I do apologise for the delay. Keppra is one of the drugs I am taking for the epilepsy seizures, but they can’t give me anything for the dissociative seizures. I heard really good things about EMDR. Did you have any side effects? I was warned that initially it may make seizures worsen before getting better. 

      It sounds like it has made a great difference to you!

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