Emdr, Physical Manifestations?

[MovingForward]

Hi all,

I have been doing EMDR off and on for 16 weeks. After my last session on Friday, one of the bigger and more recent traumas came up (a violent suicide where my life was threatened). I still cant put it into words, but for the first time, the sensations came flooding back during a therapy session. I felt hot and a prickly sensation all over my body in the session. Although I think I returned to equilibrium after I left, I have a blinding headache and am so nauseas that I can't leave the house. If these headaches/ nausea had not started within twenty minutes after EMDR, I probably would have checked myself into the ER they are so bad.

Does anyone have any advice? How concerned should I be? Has anyone experienced something similar? Most importantly, how do I get relief? I literally am incapacitated.

thanks.

 

[Brave Heart]

I am sorry you are in so much pain.

Here are two suggestions I hope can give you some hope and relief. Try using the Lightstream Grounding Technique. If you google it, you can find the written instructions online.

You might also try reading Francine Shapiro's new book Getting Past Your Past to provide yourself a better understanding of why you are experiencing what you are.

I hope these suggestions help.

This pain is temporary so please continue the struggle to regain your personal power.

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[amethist]

Hi Brave Heart

Have you tried these techniques and if so, did they work for you. ??

 

[Brave Heart]

I have tried all the techniques and they work very well. I hope you give them a try.

 

[Brave Heart]

Hi Brave Heart

Have you tried these techniques and if so, did they work for you. ??

Yes. They do work. And there are more techniques in Getting Past Your Past that will help you to further your healing pricess.

 

[amethist]

Not me that is the sufferer Brave Heart, but my husband.

Always looking at different ways to help him. Using Holistic Therapies along side the more traditional medical way.

 

[kimba]

This is probably why my traumas are considered too complex for EMDR right now. T is recommending a partial day program to get out of this loop I seem to be in. :( I am envious :alien: of those who have been able to do the EMDR because it sounds like an awesome tool.

 

[Sana Rabbit]

I have been doing EMDR for about the same amount of time as you MovingForward. My symptoms afterward really vary depending on the intensity of the session. I have had both nausea and headache on a few occasions.

Of course the eye movement alone could make some people nauseous but I would think you would have noticed that before now. You may need to stop and check your body symptoms during particularly intense sessions, it's easy not to notice how physically tense you are getting.

I will get really tense in my neck and I clinch my jaw which will give me a headache later if I don't stop and relax it every now and then. I will frequently feel really sore all over and sometimes a headache in the day or two after my session, like I had a really tough work out at the gym or ran a marathon. My T says "well you kind of did, an emotional one."

Hang in there, it's hard work. I hope you are feeling better now!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I am going to be doing Emdr. I am feeling nervous and hopeful and skeptical. I am desperate for something to help me deal with the anxiety. I have a lifetime of traumas and repressed memories. I do not want to tap into the repressed memories as I am a caregiver24/7 now.

I guess asking alot of questions and going by my instincts will have to guide me. I really hope it works.

 

[Sana Rabbit]

Good for you that you are going to try it Gizmo, I hope it works for you too.

I had tried exposure therapy briefly a long time ago and just could not handle the intensity of it. It took me 10 years to decide to try again. I was really skeptical about if EMDR would work and really nervous about how I would handle it but I am really glad that I did.

I have multiple events that took place over a two year period, all related to a physically abusive relationship. I have to say the one we have worked on the most so far, I have noticed definite improvements. I can think about it now and it's not a pleasant memory, by any means, but it doesn't invade my mind out of nowhere anymore. If I make myself think about it, it's certainly not the gut wrenching, panicky, spiral into hell that it used to be. While we worked on the same event for a while just to make sure it is thoroughly processed I noticed a quick reduction in the intensity over a few sessions.

While some sessions have been tougher than others. Overall, for me anyway, it's been tolerable. I just have to remind myself, or my T reminds me, that I have to cut myself some slack for a day or two after.

I am not incapacitated after. Although after the first session I did come home and take a nap for a few hours and I never do that. I think that time was some exhaustion just from the anticipation anxiety I had going into it. Now I just usually feel, especially at work, that I need more frequent breaks to rest my mind for a day or two. I do my normal intense life I just try not to be too hard on myself. I can tell that my brain is still processing after the session and I try to give it some space to do that. If there isn't someone that can give you a little TLC after, make sure you give yourself some!

Do you get any breaks during the day or is there anyone that could help you out, give you a break for a bit so you can have some down time the day you have therapy or the day after if you need it?

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Hi, thank you for explaining things to me. Yes I can take a break for a couple of days afterward if I need them.

I am really understanding the anticipatory anxiety. I get that before I have to drive on the freeway.

I will have to drive myself home. A nap sounds nice. I am not able to take naps and that sounds lovely. So I will plan ahead and not get all scheduled up for things that are hard and will take a time out for a couple of days afterward. hug. Thank you again very much.