Thoughts On My Symptoms???

[intellectualist]

Greetings, I am new to the forums and would like your thoughts and or reassurances. I am 41 years old and experienced a life changing event back in mid May. Am I allowed to discuss it? I hope so so here goes. I will keep it short.

A man I knew and I were running our hunting dogs one night at around 1AM and about 500 yds from the truck, he died almost instantly with a heart attack. We were alone with no phone and after attempting CPR I ran to the nearest house (brother and sis in law) to call 911 and liked to of never got them out of bed.

Anyway, that is what happened. About 2 weeks later I was fine and then bam, I had to go to the ER thinking I was going to die. I had no idea what was wrong with me. Felt like I was going to pass out. EKG and blood work was all negative so we decided it was a panic attack. I have never had one of these before and it is so scary.

Begin weight loss, diarrhea, easily startled, Walking around thinking I am going to die, ears ringing, trouble sleeping, so on and so forth. Physical and stress test with GP turned out good.
I am having a hard time convincing myself that this is stress or possibly PTSD. My GP thinks I have some depression setting in and treating me with 20mg Citalopram. That seems to be helping already after about ten days but I do not see how I could be depressed. I barely knew the man that died.

Are these symptons like anything you folks have experienced? Can acute stress disorder symptons still last longer than a month or is it automatically qualified as PTSD if it lasts longer than a month?

Thanks for reading my post.

<Full line space inserted between paragraphs by Amethist>

 

[Zipperhead]

Nothing is automatic. Wait for the experts to finish with their diagnosis. As far as hardly knowing the guy, about your age? Probably similar interests and activities? Suppose maybe you saw your self laying there? Can be a bit daunting when we realise we could be next.

 

[Spero3]

Intellectualist,

I don't know much about how long reactions to such stressful situations last, but a lot of your symptoms sound like PTSD. The problem is that every human is different in how we handle situations, and every situation (even if somewhat similar to another) may bring out vastly different reactions in the same person. When I read your post, the first thing that popped into my head was that maybe you are reacting to your own immortality - that this man's death caused you to realize it could have been you. I don't know if that is correct, but that is what I thought. You may also be dealing with the fact that he died and you were the one with him. Maybe you are dealing with guilt, too. I would definitely get a therapist.

I am sorry that you are experiencing these symptoms and for the trauma that caused them.

Spero

 

[Artfulone]

Dear Intellectualist,

Geetings and welcome to the forum. I want to say that many but not all GP's have a poor understanding of the mechanisms and diagnosis of trauma and PTSD in its' many forms. I definately recommend that you consider getting a trauma therapist i.e. someone who specialises in trauma work as they are more likely to be able to asses and assist you far more effectively than someone with a more limited understanding. It is also normal for doctors and mental health professionals to not rush at a diagnosis, as symptom profiles can change and are best assesed over time, thus giving a more wholesome and accurate picture.

I would like to say that metaphor is the language of the unconscious. This is to say that trauma and attachment that is not fully processed is rendered unto the unconscious mind, the unconscious mind tends to communicate and work through metaphorical means. Seeing someone else die unexpectedly often leads one to question one's own safety and mortality, this is a common occurance and it is perfectly natural. Try and accept what is occurring and work with it rather than reject it. In time you will be able to overcome your panic attacks and other symptom clusters, this will be more likely to happen more effectively and in a more lasting way with specialist trauma therapist assistance. It is common for many to resist one's own symptoms and what a diagnosis may entail. It is also common to delay/ dissociate one's reaction to trauma until after the threat has subsided/ until it is safer to deal with and process the occurrances. If your unconscious is bringing up the reaction now, then now may be the best time to start dealing with what is being presented......but I guess that's why your here.

Personally I have encountered complex traumatisation and delayed PTSD symptomology. My lack of acceptance and ownership of my reactions to earlier trauma slowed my healing down for decades. I also found it hard to accept that my trauma/ traumas warranted me having PTSD/ CPTSD. Best wishes on your journey.

 

[intellectualist]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess having never had a panic attack in my life, it got me to thinking "what if something is physically wrong with me and we are not finding it and it really was not a panic attack".

These are the pesuasive thoughts that keep me from moving forward I think.

 

[intellectualist]

I had one more question that I forgot to ask.

My GP said I could be looking at 6-9 months on the Citalopram. I am having a hard time finding information as to why this would be prescribed for so long if I am responding to it. Please help me understand.

Also, from reading these forums it is clear that I have experienced nothing like what most of you folks have. My thoughts and prayers are with each of you.

 

[intellectualist]

Spero,

What you said about immortality is exactly the same thing my sister said and may I just say she is wise beyond her years.

The similarity in comments is reassuring in of itself. Thank you.

 

[mamachick]

I agree that it sounds like the realization of immortality-and yes your sister sounds very wise.
Also, a panic attack is often our misinterpretation of symptoms as well.( If activity causes our heart to beat faster and we notice it, if we havent eaten and are a bit lightheaded or dizzy, etc) So the original symptom could be very real, but combined with the unconscious of the recent even, our mind interprets it as a huge threat and magnifying the symptom and making us think it is life threatening.

Since the citalopram is working, your dr may want you to stay on it so that you maintain being symptom free for this period of time. Without meds, often panic returns, because people actually become aftaid of the attack. Fearing them seems to actually bring them on sometimes.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, it is very appreciated

 

[Gamereign555]

Most of us just talk about the symptoms we have on a regular basis and not what we have experienced from the initial post traumatic stress. Like you I ended up having a terrible panic attack and had to go to the ER, was discharged with a diagnosis of hyperventilation syndrome. My breathing felt constricted, my face, hands and stomach started to tingle a lot and I felt in distress. I was given Lorazepam in the hospital which helped eventually. In a few days my doctor insisted that I be checked for a blood clot in my lungs, I did some expensive labs and scans to rule out things.

I was fine for a few days but I slept for a long time. I was able to go back to work and started to hit my stride again. Then 2 weeks later the anxiety started to come back. I was unable to sit or lay down without panicking, it was very difficult to get sleep because I was always in anguish. The tight feeling on my chest, the dizziness, fatigue, poor appetite and insomnia incapacitated me for 3 months, in that time I went to urgent care probably 3 or 4 more times. I also started going to a trauma therapist. She was reluctant to tell me anything about a diagnosis at first but after a few months seeing her she has diagnosed me as ptsd. I still have the symptoms, but I now recognize them as part of anxiety and panic and no days I have tools to fight back now and the confidence to know that these issues don't have to spiral out of control...

Beyond thinking that, really it has just been the need/want to get back on the horse and the exposure of regular everyday stresses that has helped me be functional again, I feel less raw now than I was 8 months ago when my life changed.
Between good therapy, one smart doctor, the support of my girlfriend and my own willingness to be more than what I was reduced to is what was needed. Medication also helps a lot but many of us know how long it can take for us to get that exactly right for us.

There might be other things this can be in your case still, but hopefully your therapist has experience in knowing how to tell what ptsd is or whatever else it could be. It is possible you have ended up with panic disorder or any number of things. I take citalopram also at 40 mg and it has eliminated the depression caused by 3 months of anguish the other symptoms brought. It is a tough time for you right now though, you have to wait for your body to adjust to the citalopram before diagnosis could be made, as antidepressants can worsen your condition briefly before it makes it better in the long run. There are some hallmarks of ptsd, that when taken together or when process of exclusion is used can eventually determine if you have ptsd, it is not something just anybody can or should do.

After that, I'm sure a determination can be made from a qualified trauma therapist or whoever else is qualified to make the diagnosis. Some doctors that worked with me knew what I was going through.. but weren't willing to really tell me much, I was eventually approached by a social worker in the hospital who noticed I had been there several times, she is the one who told me how to get into therapy and it only costs me 10$ a visit. It might be hard for you to do all this, I know just filling out the paperwork was not possible for me and had to rely on my girlfriend but it's so worth it to get that ball rolling.