Survey Question From A Sufferer.

[JarHed]

Hi Ken

There is no cure, surgically or otherwise for PTSD. Anyone that would say so is either misguided or trying to sell something. Sorry to tell you this but I've suffered from it for more than 45 years. It can be managed through therapy and when necessary medications.

Please, don't take my word for this but do some research. When you find that the effects of trauma, either on the short or long term is that it physically changes the structure of areas of our brains. We literally become 'rewired'. The areas that control our reactions to those things are deep within our brains. The amygdala and pre-frontal cortex for example.

As Woody Allen once said; ' My brain is my second favorite organ '. I'm joking a bit but it's no joke to undergo the type of surgery that you've suggested. It would be wonderful if there were a 'magic' pill or surgery to 'cure' us but there just isn't. Having PTSD is for life and one must, as hard as it is, come to terms with that. When and once you do and can you can move forward toward better treatment options.

Life is a journey; enjoy the good times and figure out how to get through the bad. PTSD or not it is always like this.

JarHed

 

[Deleted member 20978]

They probably wouldn't take my crappy insurance, so no.

 

[DMerish]

Nope. Never!

 

[Jenfa]

Nope. Nature gave me this wonder. I wouldn't want to give away trade secrets ;)

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Uhm, I don't think they do "experimental" brain surgery!! Not on ethical, legal, or moral grounds!

 

[Ken Haley]

Thanks for all the responses so far.

JarHed, No one is trying to sell the idea to me, I am trying to sell the idea to doctors to try it on me. I have done research and while finding and destroying the areas holding the memories is not possible at this time, interrupting the fear response could be (I guess I should have said that is my only symptom that makes having a better tomorrow for me impossible). I knew (at age 13) that I was suffering a trauma related condition at least 12 years before I could convince the therapists and researchers of that fact, so yes, surgery to cure me is impossible as long as I rely of these dummies to control the course of research and my life.

Mine cannot be managed with therapy: I tried everything. I have to believe whatever is working for you has been tried on me and did not work. I am sure I've helped some doctors buy some nice cars and boats though.

Xanax is the only thing that works some for me. I have been on this "temporary" drugs to some degree for over 20 years. It works for the day, but helps make me worse in the long run, plus I don't consider living sedated living, as sedatives prevent one from feeling joy as much as fear.

I can't relate to the "Enjoy the good times" remark. I don't have any.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

No, I would not do the surgery.

 

[Ken Haley]

Solara, it is a hypothetical scenario (so far). Circumcision is unethical too, as it is an unnecessary procedure done without the consent of the patient, but they do that all the time. In a more pertinent example, a doctor in Ohio did brain surgery on a guy with OCD in 2007, which seems unethical, but it happened. Additionally, doctors are giving LSD and ?DMT? in research programs in the US, which I can attest can go horribly wrong. The ethical question seems to get left on the doorstep a lot.

 

[Ken Haley]

JarHed, Dr. Engdahl, a primary in the big MEG scan program at the VA in Minnesota was nice enough to spend an hour on the phone with me the other day and agreed to do a MEG scan of my brain. I told him my ideas for mapping the fear response and while he said they were not working in that direction, not only did he not say my ideas were impossible, but he gave me the name of a scientist in NY working more in line with what I am trying to accomplish. Just food for thought: You can take the scraps you are given or fight for better. I am in the latter camp.

He also told me that fear is not a common symptom in the vets he sees today, so if you are a vet, as your name suggest, and fear is not a big component of your condition, that may be why treatment works for you and not for me.

 

[Abstract]

t fear is not a common symptom in the vets

Sorry Ken but that is just plain strange. PTSD is mostly about being caught in a persistent state of terrible fear. Vets re living their experiences are obviously consumed with fear and often. I am not sure about some of the things you have been saying about others traumas.

 

[Ken Haley]

Abstract, I am only repeating what I was told by the VA guy and what I see from real vets on the news. I have never heard a vet on tv talk about fearful memories, but only about guilty about leaving comrades behind to fight or other non-fear related symptoms. I would suspect there would be vets with fear issues, but in my extensive attempts to contact PTSD sufferers I have never had a vet respond back to me that have fear issues either. You can call the VA in MN and talk to the same guy, because he said they are not looking at fear and any help I could be to get the focus on that would be great.

 

[anthony]

Fear is not a symptom of PTSD, it is part of the traumatic experience that encases PTSD.