Sufferer 11 Years With Chronic Ptsd

[Scott Van Leeuwen]

Hello. My name is Scott. I have had Chronic PTSD for 11 and a bit years now and just spent 2 and 1/2 weeks at the Austin Hospital PTSD Clinic at the Heidelberg Repatriation facility. I was taken of my 200mg dose of Seroquel, 30mg of Valium and 30mg of Cymbalta over 4 days and put on Prazosin to help with Anxiety and Zoloft for the Depression. I felt I was discharged too early as I had not yet withdrawn totally off the Seroqel and Valium. I came home and felt out of sorts and then my left hand little finger and the one next to it started to get pins and needles sensation, so I had to stop Prazosin as one of the side effects is Numbness. I now only have Zoloft, which makes me nauseous and nothing for my anxiety. I cannot sleep as the Seroquel used to make me tired, but now I feel wide awake and it is 3:10am. I feel betrayed by what was supposed to be a great experience in the Austin Trauma Centre, but they were always short staffed of Nurses and programs were constantly cancelled. Our Mental Health System is in dire need of major funding as I had the opportunity to get some real help, but was pushed out because it is only a 20 bed facility and more patients needed to come in so 4 of us who were questioning why we were being discharged so early, were told we were ready. I disputed that and was given phone numbers to call if I needed to talk with a helpline. After 3 interviews to get into the facility, it really was a waste of time and I feel under medicated and do not know what to do now.

 

[Shorty]

You really need to speak to your doctor and say to him that you can't sleep and to give you some (zopyclone) and for the anxiety (Risterdrone) these work so well for me but the only problem is some times i can sleep for 20 hours straight.

It took me a while to have the bottle to say to the doctor do something NOW and he backed down after 10 years. It will take time for the doctor to find the best meds for you and u will go though some really bad times but it will work out good in the long run. Hope u find this helpful and hope you can get things sorted.

You can message me anytime
Many thanks
Shorty

 

[anthony]

Hey Scott, welcome to the forum. I lived just down the road from the Austin at one point... and have visited the PTSD ward there when another guy was in there I met.

I totally agree though... the system is broken, but to be perfectly honest, I think the system has always been broken with demand simply overloading supply, when it comes to health. I think most countries are in the same boat...

If you're a veteran, then the country has some excellent programs, and two of which are in Victoria, one at the hospital you were at, the other in Geelong.

Why did they take you off valium for? Were you abusing it or been on it a long time?

 

[Scott Van Leeuwen]

I was on Xanax for a long time and weaned myself off that drug and my Psychiatrist put me on Valium. As it is with all Benzo's, the body get used to them and you have to keep increasing to get an effect. I did not like the drug and chose to come off of it, although I did not expect it to be so fast along with the withdrawal from Seroquel and Cymbalta, my head is all over the place still.

 

[Notsowild]

Yes I agree with @Shorty you need some sleep meds from your doctor or psychiatrist. We can not function properly without sleep. Hope you get the help you need.

 

[anthony]

Medication can take months for withdrawal. Whilst the medication itself may only take x time to get out of your system, pharmaceutical theories don't cater for the actual period of time for your system to then get used to things without the drug... they seem to believe that once the drug is out, that is the withdrawal period and all is well... which we all know is far from the truth.

If you have stopped medications, then expect anything up-to 6 months for your body / mind to adjust and cater to things without them.

What you mention is why I don't like to take medication, for all the reasons you mention actually... you have to keep increasing dosage over time as your body gets used to it and loses effect, then also withdraw to change medication. Me personally, I like exercise to keep depression down, staying active does it as well... and if my anxiety gets too far out of control, I have valium that I can take a tablet, isolate myself and allow my brain and body to calm down.

I used to be in the cycle you are... and you will get out of it with time and hard work. I just can't disagree with anything you have said though, as what you are experiencing is why this forum was created... because even a course, inpatient, any treatment program, ends... and then you're out on your own the system pulls its support because they deem you no longer essential of it. I found from a veteran course I did for PTSD, that I got the best resolve from talking with other sufferers, than anything I got from a therapist or psychiatrist, who just wanted to stuff medication down my throat and see me for their next appointment to do f*ck all again.

 

[BlueOrange]

I've had quite a positive experience as an outpatient of the Melbourne Clinic (Richmond). Never any medications prescribed by my psychiatrist there, possibly because I've responded to talk therapy.

I assume there's some kind of aftercare once they've discharged you from the inpatient ward at the Austin? (It doesn't sound like it, but I'm kinda hoping?)

 

[Scott Van Leeuwen]

Hi @BlueOrange. I have Outpatient Psychology care at the Austin PTSD Clinic which I am into my 2nd week of. Just still finding hard to sleep and control my anxiety without any Benzo's.

 

[JustBe]

I detoxed from meds three years ago. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. It sucks for months, get worse before it gets better but for me it was worth the pain and struggle.

I take nutritional supplements, quit all processed foods and animal products, trained up a Service Dog to support me and have been been med free for three years.

My life is my own again. Don't give up. Meds aren't the answer for everyone.

 

[Namenotdiagnosis]

Hi I agree re meds free , but if it's the only thing that helps then who am I to judge. I've been med free for 15 years after I was discharged from a mental health unit. I wanted to rebuild my life and didn't feel that the meds were helping, I wasn't able to cope with the side effects of them regardless of r good medication management program from the hospital .i researched mental health and how to help myself naturally which is what I do, I changed my diet and started taekwondo!!! This helped me to vent out lots of stress and anger, I gave up alcohol which was making everything worse and started afresh. I am a cptsd sufferer and have been for 15 years, through rape and continuous abuse at every level for 7 years. I have had and still do treatment and therapy to help me with my flashbacks . To keep going I run 7 miles a day and in the eve I do really active exercise classes as well as keeping down a professional job. I basically wear myself out on a daily basis but I refuse to go back on meds. Zoplicine sleeping tabs leave a horrible taste in your mouth and I did become quiet addicted to them so was pleased I was weaned off them. I still have trouble sleeping Eventhough I'm probably over tired but I feel better without the tabs. Ppl deal with traumas differently , some needs meds nd others don't , have u tried EMDR it's really effective, very hard tho to cope with all the emotions , I find I get lots if support from here and I'm so pleased I joined, it's really interesting to hear other peoples journeys and be able to relate and tap into them and also recieve and offer support.