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Some good help for PTSD following medical tauma

Posted , 4 users are following.

mary47679
mary47679

My PTSD was triggered by a cancer diagnosis, memory of surgery and treatment, and near-death from a dramatic puncture bleed after biopsy. So I tried many things. Talk therapy does not work for this. Exposure therapy (reliving it with a therapist) seemed sadistic. My doctor advised against it. What worked?

EMDR -- an eye movement desensitization therapy done in the therapist's office. That and high doses of Zoloft (sertraline) -- at least 100mg a day but you have to start low and go slow. Strong scents when panic of flashbacks overwhelms you works too -- I mean ammonia or frankincense! Both are hard to carry with you so you need some fallback methods.

2 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Meg222
    Meg222

    Posted

    Hi

    I've just started EMDR after years and years of searching for something to help me. Have had 2 sessions and will keep going tho finding it quite stressful. I can't take any kind of antidepressants as my blood pressure shoots up and my pulse does the same so they've advised me not to take them again. I've tried about 8 different ones. I do hope this works as it's ruining my life being like this. Nice to hear it's worked for you.

    • jessica05
      jessica05 Meg222

      Posted

      hey Meg did emdr EMDR work for you 

      I wish you all the best 

    • Meg222
      Meg222 jessica05

      Posted

      Hi Jessica, well, I'm still having the trauma treatment at the moment. I'm told the person running the sessions says its working and doing what it should do. You feel like it's not doing anything much whilst you're having the session but in the week that follows all sorts of horrible thoughts come into my mind and so makes me even more nervous and jumpy. It does pass and then settles, so I suppose it is working. I never realised how much your mind can hold on to. It's certainly worth a shot as my family really think it's helped me, but you know what it's like, when you're going through it yourself you're not sure until way down the line when you notice a bit of a difference. Good luck if you try it out.
  • emma46070
    emma46070 mary47679

    Posted

    Have you guys considered DAT ? (Dolphin Assisted Therapy)
    • Meg222
      Meg222 emma46070

      Posted

      No, never tried that. Not sure I could really afford it, but would be nice to have a go!
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