Physical Health And Ptsd

[Changing4Best]

I thought it would be a good idea for us to have a thread in which we share things that help us with our physical health. This is because many of us suffer with some kind of physical ailment on top of our PTSD. Insomnia is a very common one, I've noticed, which affects all of us at one time or another.

What do you do when you have not gotten enough sleep and you have to go out and face the world?

Anxiety also affects the way I feel physically. I notice when I have it that I feel it in my body. It is not just a mental thing for me. I find that going out for a walk helps me when I am anxious, as well as praying for relief. Both are best.

What kinds of physical ailments do you have and what do you do to alleviate them?

I take an assortment of vitamins and minerals as well as my psych meds. The minerals especially have helped me to be calmer, I think.

I also take an herbal supplement to keep me "regular."

Thankfully I rarely get headaches, but if I do, usually some Tylenol solves the problem.

 

[MT Johnny]

I'm fueled by caffeine - way too much of it to be healthy, but it keeps me going in the face of sleep deprivation.

I have a poor track record taking medications - I tend to take them in spurts to treat things as they pop up, like my asthma ... Then slack off. I should take a couple of vitamins that I'm usually deficient in ... But that never happens.

 

[The Albatross]

I like the idea of the thread.

I have apnea so sleep is not an issue, quality sleep (REM and enough oxygen to my brain cuz I quit breathing for up to 2 minutes at a time 27 times an hour) is. I have my caffeine in the morning, two cups then nix caffeine and switch to water or herbal teas. I keep to a routine and go to bed at the requisite time reading quietly without TV, internet etc. and I stay in bed til it's time to get up. Very rarely (if totally restless) I will go to another room but not turn on any net or tv... I will sit quietly looking out the living room window and focus on calm.

I am med compliant as airway restrictions complicate the apnea. When I have busy brain I do physical activities to be body tired or fatigued.

I guess the key thing for me to keep my rhythms, is staying off the net, no tv, no music, just quiet.

 

[The Albatross]

P.S. " What do you do when you have not gotten enough sleep and you have to go out and face the world?" Allow that I am vulnerable for faulty thoughts/feelings/perceptions due to lack of sleep and filter whatever happens through that fact... and determine to try, try again tomorrow. Dogged persistence has served me well. We teach our bodies how to do that... just like elderly people can re-teach themselves via habit and new behaviors how to be continent of bowel and bladder and how to keep their circadian rhythms.

 

[HypnoticallyChaotic]

I deal with migraine issues. Sometimes dizzy spells too. Sometimes this weird pain on the side of my head that comes on suddenly but is really bad. Hurts my eyeball too.

 

[Chava]

Chronic pain is my #1 consistent concern. The right kinds of exercise and also rest helps. I also am really mindful of what I eat so I don't increase inflammation or add to my cranky moods during pain. It feels good to eat nourishing food and know I have enough control to take care of myself that way.

 

[Ocean5]

- insomnia, nightmares, night terrors & "serious" night sweats
- panic attacks (very physical like problems breathing)
- psychogenic fever (nothing like your body temperature rising because of anxiety. told nothing to treat it. i needed to learn to live with it.)
- seizures, passing out

what i do:
- take supplements and herbs. off to natural food store this morning to try some other things.
- have to take benzo, or i will end up in hospital with seizures from withdrawals
- try to exercise. went from "several hours" a day 30 minutes if lucky (thanks to recent triggers last couple years.)
- i don't watch news anymore. only podcast or internet. Too Many, or most, media outlet "sensitize" news.
(does a person really need to see people dying over & over & over & over again? all about making money and creating fear. the easiest way to control people is to create fear and control media. )
-stopped watching my favorite business channel after they sensitized that Jordanian pilot burned alive. I won't support such news coverage.

Why is it every time I get something physical it's always linked back to ptsd medicine or ptsd??? Wasted so much money on doctors.

 

[Changing4Best]

I had a really weird thing happen to me for a for few nights in a row: I got these awful cramps in my feet and they would sort of curl down or into their bottms. It is hard to explain. Thankfully I didn't have that happen last night. When it did happen, I could not go back to sleep, of course.

 

[greenleaf]

- "serious" night sweats
- psychogenic fever (nothing like your body temperature rising because of anxiety. told nothing to treat it.

Did you doctors test for Lyme disease? It is possible to have multiple issues of course... a friend with ptsd also had Lyme and the fevers were a big clue... doctors missed it for 8 years in her..

 

[Ocean5]

these awful cramps in my feet...

I use to get those in my calves...like you at night or when in bed mostly. If happened during day I'd end up on floor unable to walk. Pain was to extreme - hard to describe. When I tried to walk I fell to floor (and I'm an avid hiker and explorer.) It took everything not to scream, and wake up neighbors. Maybe it was from night terrors and excessive sweating.

What helped me was an Electrolyte supplement. Yet most are filled with extra things, and sugar.
Nutribiotic Essential Electrolytes (Dead Link Removed) helped me.

Wish you the best Sheila.

 

[Ocean5]

Did you doctors test for Lyme disease? ... a friend with ptsd also had Lyme and the fevers were a big clue... doctors missed it for 8 years....

I spent a long time living in Lyme infested areas. But I had moved. When I started telling old friend of symptoms she became VERY Concerned I had Lyme. Said many of her friends my age had similar issues (fever, etc) and it turned out to be Lyme in the end. Taking several years for a diagnoses.

Doctors in new state didn't want to test me for it. Even though I told them "repeatly" I lived in Lyme area next to a state park, and hiked a lot. Finally Infectious Disease Specialist ran test with great "reluctance." Basically told me with an attitude, if you "really want me" to run Lyme test I will. Said it came back negative.

But I learned since then test is known for being inaccurate (least from what I read. I'm not a doctor. Don't quote me on that.)

I still don't understand why doctors are so reluctant to test, or even talk about, Lyme Disease. Even when your history puts you in direct exposure.

But my fever did go away after months once triggers are less. Reason told it was psychogenic fever. But it's back higher.

 

[Changing4Best]

I've been taking some calcium and magnesium and that has helped my foot cramps to go away, thank the Lord!