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So, So, Tired. So Lost, So alone, Need Someone

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Thanks again for the much needed support. I was thinking of getting off the meds. I missed today as I slept most of the day. My neice talked me out of it. I might start cutting it in half though starting tommorrow. They are not going to fix my problems at home and if I have to make another huge life change I just might. I miss my kids, hubby hardly ever comes home. I wish life wasn't like this after seven years together but I just can't handle it. With or without meds.
bye for now
Joannag
 
I am also one of the "minority" that is medicated and thankful for it

You posts sound like me before my medication was stablized.
It's only been a month or so since my last increase, and the voices have stopped,
Just like Rick, I feel like it's the break I needed.
It's been a long road to find the right "combination" but... it's so worth it.

I'm not promoting medications, I just want to let you know
that it can and does work for some people.
 
ya, do you mind if i ask what you take. i can't get the voices to stop completely, better, but not gone. i take wellbutrin and cymbalta, just got off of lexapro as well. i would like to get off of everything by christmas, but i would take one if it would hold them off. i am so tired of feeling crazy.
 
Joanna, I sit on the fence when it comes to medications, and when I say that, it means I look at both sides from the middle out, not one far side with bias that cannot see the other side, ie. pure naturalists that can't see purpose in conventional medicines, and then pro conventional medicines that can't see purpose in natural alternatives. This is the best place to sit when talking medications, and let me explain why.

Some people use excuses, and this is as blunt as its going to get, being me and all. People will toy with conventional medications until they find the right combination, could be years of doing this, then they sit and say, "medications make me stable" and things like this, however; you will often find that those persons are not living life, instead they are just coping with it, don't do this, don't do that, limited all over the place, because if they expose themselves their symptoms rage, thus the medication no longer works, and it breaks their beliefs in those products. This goes for both conventional and natural medicines. People get on one side or the other, and they rave to the world about it, however; they look at it with bias and not provide the full facts. Both types of medicines ofter advantages and disadvantages in one form or another.

Factually speaking, conventional medicine is cheaper and more readily available than natural alternatives, however; conventional medicine often comes with addictive properties, withdrawal symptoms, man made chemical compositions going into your body, side effects both minor and major, etc etc. Facts are, if you have a very good prescribing doctor who knows what the hell they are doing (which equates to probably 0.1% of physicians in the world), then conventional medicines can help you for a short period, being a year, two or three even. The body will become immune to the drugs after a period of time, thus you would have to increase dosage or change drugs, which means withdrawals and huge side effects. Conventional medications if prescribed correctly, will take the edge of your symptoms for you, allowing you some needed room to breathe in order to begin therapy and hitting your trauma and PTSD head on. That is the idea. Conventional medication is not a cure, nor a long term viable solution to PTSD management. Never has been, never will.

Natural medicine is the far superior as such in regards to next to nil side effects, only natural products, herbs and extracts used, alternative therapies do actually work such as acupuncture, yoga, homeopathy, etc etc. Natural medicine has it all over conventional medicine, however; natural medicine comes at a significant higher price than conventional medicine, often more than the average person could afford for constant treatment in regard to PTSD.

For example:

Conventional medicine with therapy monthly:
  • $100 a week for therapist = $400 a month
  • $20 - $100 a month for prescription medication
End of story cost wise per month for conventional medicine with side effects, addiction and withdrawals.

Natural medicine with therapy monthly:
  • $100 a week for therapist = $400 a month
  • $200 - $400 to visit naturopath / homeopath for medication monthly
  • $200 - $300 for acupuncture per month
  • $50 - $200 for exercise classes, aerobic classes, etc etc
End of story cost wise per month for natural medicine, though without side effects, addiction and withdrawals.

The next huge issue with this, is that the majority of health care funds do not cover natural therapies, though will conventional medicine. Money is the biggest factor to achieve the same aim, it just depends on how your body is treated during it all.

The end result though is still the same, in that neither method will cure your PTSD, or hold your symptoms in control. The only way to effectively treat PTSD for longevity, is to deal with your trauma head on, no tip toeing around it, then learn how to manage PTSD by itself for the rest of your life, and lifes stressors that it will throw at you.

So both types of medicines can achieve the same thing, one is just more dangerous and unhealthy than the other, though the dangerous one comes cheap, the quality one costs far more. Neither will help you in the long term though, only you can help yourself for the longevity of PTSD.
 
I agree with Anthony, conventional medications may give you a "break" but they cannot "solve" your problems.
And if you take a medication that your body doesn't agree with... there can be some pretty nasty side-effects!

After reading Anthony's post,
I realized that I use both natural and conventional medical methods to help me deal.

To answer cookies question... these are the "remedies" or medications that I use. (cost is per month)

Effexor XR - 1 dose of 300mg daily - *** $99.00
Seroquel - 3 to 6 doses of 25mg throughout the day, 50mg at bedtime (total 125-200mg) *** $98.68
Temazepam - 15mg at bedtime *** $7.00
Neurontin - 3 doses of 300mg (total 900mg) but this is strictly for NERVE damage and pain, not PTSD. *** $85.79
psychotherapy - once a week - free!!! (through pysch clinic at hospital)
pychiatrist - min. once a month for medication reviews - free!!! (through hospital again)
physical therapy - twice a week (includes workout and massage) - $840
family doctor - min. twice a month - free!
walking my dog - FREE!

monthly total - $290.47 (meds) - $1130.47 (everything)

keep in mind that my body has gone through alot of physical trauma.
And I do not plan on being on all this forever.
 
I think that all meds (whether natural or not) are to be used as a TEMPORARY tool to help cope while you learn effective coping skills while in therapy.

Plain and simple. They are a temporary fix until you learn what you need to use to get off of them.

The only think that will actually help us, long term, is facing our trauma and learning new coping skills with an adjustment in lifestyle.

Bec
 
Even though I am on the paxils, and am out of lorazepam for three days now. I feel a lot better. My head seems to be accepting the paxils and most of the side effects are wearing off. I think I am going to continue without the lorazepam as I feel better without them. This is my third relapse and believe me when I say I put up wih a lot of extreme stress and trauma the last three years of bring this on. :crazy-eye

As I said in my other post I have called to get into counselling, and find a good psych, hubby is behaving quite well at the moment he's coming back home and I believe he will go to counselling or at least read some of the info Anthony's site and all you guys great advice. I believe I am over binging without needing therapy for alcohol withdrawls. Hubby and I have agreed to ban all beer for the time being from the farm. I doubt I will ever drink again as it is very gentic in my family and I know I can't drink just one or two and stop anymore, Now now anyway.

I will work on posting my story for you guys. There are many things I need to get out and the private forum seems to be the best place to post it. I don't think it is as horrible as some of the things you people have endured but the results are the same. I have to wait untill Nov 21 to see a counsellor hesitant about seeing my doc untill these paxils are almost out.

Must gather strength to return work Nov 1, talked to human resources today about coming back. They know I have an anxiety disorder now and I have resigned as union steward as I must cope with my own health right now.
At least it's not a hard job. Modified for years of worn out repetative wrists and thoracic outlet. Just really scared to face the people as it s a small town and the rumours have really been flying. Car accident, published in the paper, sons jury trial which they did find one guilty charge. Working in the same place as one of the prosecuting witnesses mothers. Yes still terrified and mind circles.

Sorry I am rambling all over the place, I really must write my full story for you guys to truly understand. Anyway thankyou again for all of your opinions, and helpfull advice.:crazy-blu

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