Hi IchBin. Thanks for your questions. I actually went to my local Pain Doctor in my city, as most pain clinic doctors perform SGB treatments all the time for pain diagnosis and management. I showed him the article I had found on the Web, and he, being an open-minded fellow, agreed to perform the block as designated by Dr, Lipov (right side at C6 vertabra). My pain doctor had never done the procedure for PTSD before, but due to other upper body pain issues, it was already not off-label completely for my treatment. The cool this about all this is that anyone (typically pain doc are anesthesiologists) trained in SBG administering can also help PTSD. My local doctor has also agreed to administer any booster SGB shots for my PTSD, should I ever need another. He was thrilled and excited by the results almost as much as I was. I tend to think the treatment may be permanent, however, based on the science I am finding.
Prior to the injection, I had Complex PTSD, beginning at infancy and with a dozen or so other incidents of abuse-driven trauma until the age of 22. I had suffered from social anxiety from not knowing if a trigger event would occur while with friends, long-term and often severe depression, frustration and obsessiveness/anxiety since the age of 10 (I am now 46). I was paranoid in the sense that the verbal abuses I had endured were self-exaggerative and easily believed to be true (I no longer verbally "abuse" myself as the painful memories fade more and more.)
As I may have mentioned prior, adrenaline is tied to memory, so the injection which snips down the adrenalin-producing neurons caused by trauma, also makes the trauma memories fade to a non-arousing "normal" memory status.
I am also now theorizing that many PTSD vistims may often obsess over stress-related activites due to the excess adrenaline and unconscious desire to "fix" the traumatic issues. If you are familiar with Cindy Sheehan, the American mother whose son died in Iraq, and who relentlessly pursues anti-war and anti-government causes, I feel she may be a good example of trauma-induced adrenaline looking for a "purpose". But I digress....
To answer your question, I was in talk therapy consistently from the age of 22 until this year, and also used EMDR, DNMS and other alternative cognitive therapies. I took all the meds and supplements for years. I did all the 'talk" work that could be done....over and over.
Since the shot, I have touched base with my regular therapist of the last 15 years and the head therapist at a regional PTSD clinic one time each, to tell them of how the injection has helped me. I am only 7 1/2 weeks post SGB, but have no urges to see a therapist at this time. I also stopped my meds a few weeks ago and feel great without them so far. I am convinced that PTSD has a biological component that only the injection could help.
I have tried to contact Dr. Lipov several times through email and snail mail but with no reply, so I have no experience with making an appointment with him. Had my local doc not agreed to do the injection, I would have sought Lipov for the treatment, however. I spoke with a local combat vet last week who is 7th on the wait list for a controlled trial by Lipov, and eagerly awaiting his turn...which is made available as funding for the study is available. I am not sure how a "paid" appointment works with his office, but would like to know if you can share his availability with me. Many have asked me about this and I am curious as to how quickly he can take patients now.
The only side-effect I have noticed is possibly more vivid and odd dreams, despite falling and staying asleep better.. Not nightmares, per say, but much stronger imagery. I am hoping it may be my brain processing over a great deal of information not previously "processable" with the PTSD interfering.
Kim
