Troubles Tonight - Coping With Trauma Hysterics

[Deleted member 93]

The only pill (mild tranquilizer) to chill me out and calm me was xanax. Valium, Kloplin (sp?), Ativan were not good at treating me though do well for others. All are addictive. I honestly do not think there is one out there non addictive. If so most would be lined up for them!

Yes, a lot of experience coming off the xanax. It is not fun as for me I was very ill, would lose weight and get sick, extreme muscle pain and rebound attacks. Thing is I am pretty certain doctors are unclear if it is actually a withdrawal symptom when the panic attacks get out of hand again or just symptoms returning. One thing absolutely certain is they will have to keep upping the dose to achieve the same results. Mine were incresed at a very fast rate.

But if only used in the most dire of circumstances and not daily then it can prove useful to help get your bearings. But sometimes the attacks are so out of hand you have to take it daily at intervals to get a grasp and why addiction kicks in. But to keep the desired result up goes the dose.

I really think I needed it to help me get a grasp, but thing was they had me on very high doses before sending me to a shrink as my regular doc gave it to me. I did not have therapy yet. But with therapy in place it may be a safe choice if used cautiously and it be understood it is only going to give a temporary break, the pain will come back. Therapy helps teach you to have a handle on your symptoms. But you need a break most of the time from the symptoms for you to be able to work on therapy.

Seemed to go in circles didn't it? That is exactly what it does. Just what ever Evie chooses I hope it is throughly discussed, all the pros and cons weighed and the best for her as she is currently. Meds are not evil, but they sure are in the wrong hands! They can be very useful tools in learning, again with the right doc and a smart one.

 

[Jim]

Klonopin you mean? That's what we give Evie occasionally. Puts her to sleep. Sorry you had such a bad experience with xanax. I do appreciate you sharing with it me. I will certainly keep your experiences in mind. What you said makes good sense. We will be cautious. Ultimately it is Evie's decision. We have no plans to force her.

My major worry is not the fits themselves, as I am learning to handle them quite well. What concerns me is the remorse she feels afterwards. To the point where sometimes she wants to kill herself. That's mighty distressing.

Jim.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Yes that was it, I have the generic name in my list on the board of polls on meds.

If she can learn in therapy to handle the fits she will also learn not to carry so much guilt for having PTSD and its normal symptoms in the process. The guilt of what we do to our loved ones is a heavy load to carry. So it may need a med used here and there to control them to give therapy a chance to start working. And working on the guilt aspect too. Good luck I know y'all have her best interest at heart as we all do.

 

[Jim]

I do look forward to the day when the guilt is not such an issue for her. Thank you again veiled, your advice is appreciated.

Jim.

 

[Jim]

Well. Evie seems to have had a good day for a change. Took her to 2 support groups, both of which were good experiences for her. Now she is sleeping peacefully. Though I'm sure she'll be up around 3 am as usual, driving me crazy.

When she has a good day, the wife and I wonder if we are overreacting, wanting her on medication. Then she has a bad day again, and we wonder why we haven't put her on it yet! It's disconcerting, going back and forth. Christ, I don't know how Evie's going to be able to make up her mind if we can't!

In any event, glad she had a good day.

Jim.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Funny Jim, it is on my good days that give me the strength to not be overly medicated... I know I can have them. So I strive harder to work on me to have more of them. The support groups sound great and sound like they are doing wonderful for her. I told her I would probably want to borrow you for my new shrink appointment ha ha. But yeah the alternating good and bad days make it hard to sort out the med issues. But long as the groups help and keep producing days like this she may be lucky enough to avoid them. They just make an extra obstacle later to go over. I hope she does not have to have them though admittedly some of us need to. (Like me.)

 

[becvan]

Jim I am curious why the drug to put her on is Tegratol.. that is an anti-convulsant used for epilepsy.. .. so wondering where that came from...

bec

Ugh,, okay ignore that.. LOL have no idea where I got tegratol from.. *shakes head at self*

 

[Jim]

Funny Jim, it is on my good days that give me the strength to not be overly medicated... I know I can have them. So I strive harder to work on me to have more of them.

That sounds very good. Keep it up. I hope the same for Evie.

The support groups sound great and sound like they are doing wonderful for her.

Indeed. Very pleased to say she made a friend her age there today. Between Kathy and myself, we're trying to get her to as many of those meetings as possible, in hopes it will improve her overall outlook. I still maintain a big part of her problem is seeing the same 4 walls day in and out. Would drive anyone batty. Unfortunately I can't do much about that since her health is poor. If she was well I'd have her at the lake. Or back in Newfoundland on our acreage. Put her to work taking care of the animals.

I told her I would probably want to borrow you for my new shrink appointment ha ha.

Is that so? Expecting your new shrink to be a bastard? Well. Don't take any crap from those damn doctors. I never do. Learn as much as you can and then surprise the shit out of them. Works for me.

Jim.

 

[Jim]

Ugh,, okay ignore that.. LOL have no idea where I got tegratol from.. *shakes head at self*

You are correct bec. It is Tegretol. Also known as Carbamazepine. Yes it is used to treat epilepsy, but also the mania portion of bipolar disorder, although Evie is not bipolar. It is a mood stabilizer. Apparently rage is a form of mania, being an extreme emotional response. Hence why they recommended the drug for Evie, her having rage rather than just normal anger.

Jim.

 

[becvan]

Well thanks, as I was really wondering about myself there! LOL

Hmmm well I can say that I hated Tegratol, I was on it for epilepsy.. and It sucked. I seen triple on it.. made me sicker than a dog.. yeah mood stabilizer.. makes you a zombie.. Sorry know that sounds aweful but that was my experience with it.. I was on it for epilepsy when I was younger..

that crap always makes me nervous...

bec

 

[Jim]

I hated Tegratol, I was on it for epilepsy.. and It sucked. I seen triple on it.. made me sicker than a dog.. yeah mood stabilizer.. makes you a zombie.. Sorry know that sounds aweful but that was my experience with it.. I was on it for epilepsy when I was younger..

No apologies necessary bec. I appreciate hearing your experiences with this medication. Helps us with our decision. I've tried to research it, haven't been able to find much on its effectiveness regarding PTSD. Seen a lot about its use with rage in patients with brain injuries however.

I'm not big on medication. Mostly just concerned with Evie not hurting herself. Her rages are quite terrible. Some of the worst I've seen to be honest, and I've seen more than a few angry people in my career.

Jim.

 

[becvan]

When I was younger, in my teens and early twenties.. I had horrible rages.. I would get extremely violent, black out.. kick in things, pull knives on people, I was scary. I could take down a man triple my size, weight and strength.. I still have that in me.. I just learned to stomp it down as I don't want to hurt anyone, I could've killed someone. So yeah, I get the horrible rages. I don't know what the answer is because the right button could make me snap. I know that I have to deal with my anger someday.

I hope that you, both of you, find what works together.

Thinking of all of you,
bec