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Are these symptoms of C-PTSD?

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ae16

New Here
Hi, I'm new, but I've been lurking these forums for a little bit. I have what I believe is C-PTSD. Technically I have been diagnosed with PTSD in the past by a psychologist, but she agreed it was on the atypical scale. Even my obsessive compulsive disorder and various other things I struggle with have been labeled atypical. I don't know why my brain reacts this way, which makes my symptoms ten times more confusing and scary.

I should start with my childhood. I was always anxious, had school phobias, etc. I was sexually abused by someone in my family at a young age, and many therapists have believed that my trauma response to this developed into digestive problems (food sensitivities, acid reflux, constipation, etc.)

There were many years where I was very sick. Spent most of my teenage years and early twenties in doctors offices, therapists, inpatient, outpatient, etc. Suffered from OCD, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and health anxiety.

There was a turning point after almost losing my life a couple years ago. I was severely malnourished and underweight and that experience in itself was pretty traumatic, but I healed and got a lot of help.

However, I've had a set back. My panic attacks have returned, my health anxiety is in full swing, I'm having a hard time leaving the house again, and things easily stress me out. I experienced a rape last summer that really messed me up. When I was first sexually abused as a child, it manifested with my digestion. I felt sick all the time, nauseous, had sensitivities to foods and drinks, and experienced many, many physical symptoms. After this new rape, it all came back, but in a new form.

Now, I'm experiencing nausea and gagging often. (The day after I was raped, I went out to eat with my family and threw up afterwards. I had to excuse myself from the restaurant and everything.) I'm having constipation issues and weird aches and pains. I've been to the doctors, they try to rule things out for me, but I'm never satisfied. The symptoms stay, I find new things to worry about, and my health anxiety has returned. After years and years of being sick as a kid, I'm being reminded of that time again and it's freaking me out. Is this normal? I've looked up the signs and symptoms of PTSD, and while I have intrusive thoughts, anxiety, hypervigilance, etc, I've never really heard anyone talk about feeling sick, nauseous and sometimes vomiting. Is it normal?

I'm back on medication, I'm back in therapy, and I'm finding a million different ways to heal. But I'm just wondering if trauma can manifest this way. Thanks for helping, I appreciate it.
 
I've never really heard anyone talk about feeling sick, nauseous and sometimes vomiting. Is it normal?
I'm really sorry you are experiencing these symptoms and it's really common. You know that is something that has improved with me over the last little while. I'm not getting nauseous and vomiting anymore. I think it's just one way our bodies express trauma. the sympathetic nervous system I believe is involved in things like nausea, constipation, vomiting...etc. In times like that, we want to encourage the parasympathetic through breathing or tapping your knees.

I used to think that every time I vomited it was just one less time I had to do it in the future, getting the funk out.

Hope you are feeling better...but it's for sure normal.
 
I'm really sorry you are experiencing these symptoms and it's really common. You know that is something that has improved with me over the last little while. I'm not getting nauseous and vomiting anymore. I think it's just one way our bodies express trauma. the sympathetic nervous system I believe is involved in things like nausea, constipation, vomiting...etc. In times like that, we want to encourage the parasympathetic through breathing or tapping your knees.

I used to think that every time I vomited it was just one less time I had to do it in the future, getting the funk out.

Hope you are feeling better...but it's for sure normal.

Thank you for letting me know. It's so concerning sometimes. I've noticed I get shaky a lot, too. My hands will shake. I know this is normal too, but when it's happening, it just doesn't feel normal. I understand that's your bodies way of riding of all that energy though. The nausea thing is so stupid, though. I feel like I can't handle myself in public. What helped you?
 
What helped you?
You are friggin brave and a badass.
I think breathing and grounding exercises helped most. This is a great technique to get the body back into the parasympathetic and it can easily be done in public or your car or desk or wherever you may be. Also, take a look at youtube for breathing exercises. Breathing from the abdomen can be really effective.

Do you mind if I ask if you are in therapy right now?

 
You are friggin brave and a badass.
I think breathing and grounding exercises helped most. This is a great technique to get the body back into the parasympathetic and it can easily be done in public or your car or desk or wherever you may be. Also, take a look at youtube for breathing exercises. Breathing from the abdomen can be really effective.

Do you mind if I ask if you are in therapy right now?


I'm definitely into breathing exercises, I do them a lot, and meditation. Thanks for the tips!

I am in therapy again, and I'm looking for some more people and things to help. But it's been hard, this relapse. Thanks for calling me friggin' brave, though. I think it's awesome you take the time to respond and help people out! You're badass!
 
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