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Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

Hi @Appleblossom  Yes, it is hard work getting on top of PTSD and having pain on top of it is a double whammy.  Hugs to you.  Heart  

Is there anything that relieves the pain, stretches or anything?  Or is it pain that just doesn't go away?

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

Very true @Appleblossom. The hard work has started for me, but needs to continue. We'll hopefully all get there. xx

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

@Former-Member

Been active in rehab & movement therapies since back & neck issues began in late 1980s. Wanna talk nerves, dystonia, disc bulges arthritis and fascia? Was fit then, but overworked and stressed but given no relief. Tried more stretches and body modalities than the average punter. Best thing has been living on my own to isolate all stressors and manage them one by one. I now call the "events" and usually am crystal clear about onset and cause .. but each neck event is crippling, so I need to be very careful. Somehow people have "difficulties" when I politely ask for calm, or mention it, and they presume a great deal ...

Baseline pain is moderate but constant... 24/7 for 25 years... its why I dont take pain meds ... last resort .. do music for pain relief.

Today it was just gardening .. and out in the sun to get me Vit D ... it was good to use my body constructively and raise a sweat. 

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

@Former-Member Really sorry to hear that you are still feeling awful, even after the nap.

I am just up from a nap myself, which I had after I got home from work around 2pm.

I do some pilates stretches too, but there are times I am unable to do even those without further aggravation, so I just need to be careful.  Times like now I just tend to dose up a bit more on the anti-inflamatories which helps me get through.  They do make me feel sick though, so I try not to be on the strong ones for very long.  Shortest time possible.

I know what you mean about becoming more stressed and anxious during therapy.  It happens to me like that also.  Therapy just seems to keep everything so 'up front and centre' in our thinking, that it just keeps it all so fresh in our mind I guess.  And the hard work and any progress as a result of therapy, is often not felt until it ceases for a time and allows everything to settle down again.  Which is where I am currently at with my ongoing therapy.  So far my break has been 7 weeks.  Hopefully there is still some improvement to come.  

And of course all the triggers you had over the weekend ......... well that never helps, does it?  It just succeeds in keeping you on high alert and in a high state of anxiety all the time.  All I can suggest is what I tried to do ... and that is to keep distracted as much as possible.  Keep busy.  For me work actually helps that side of things, even though its bad for my pain levels.  But I also try to go walking and get some fresh air and get out there and do some mindfulness in nature, take Holly out for a walk.  That often helps.  Otherwise I try to find a decent movie on television to watch and take my mind of things for a bit.  And I also like to do Sudoku puzzles and Crossword puzzles.

And thankyou so very much for the offer to chat here when hubby is away.  That really means a lot.  Although I am often up around the 2am to 3am mark, so I do hope that you arent up then too.  Woman Sad

Yes the doors and windows will all be locked.  And I will have my little guard dog cuddled up alongside me. Ha ha.  I dont like leaving any lights on though, as I have no chance of sleeping if I do.

Thanks Bridget.  Heart

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

Sorry if I take a while to answer @Former-Member. 💕
Sometimes I don't have much to say, especially when I'm feeling low.
I try to distract myself. I use most of my energy doing errands, chores etc. When I have time to myself I don't have the energy to do fun things.
I do go out with daughter for lunch, shopping, walks etc.
The anti anxiety meds I use for emergencies are helping me with anxiety a bit, but making me feel way too tired. So I'm going to have to stop taking them and learn to live life without them. I have a break from them and know that they're there if I really need them. 😊
Thanks for chatting.
I need a nap now.
Are you feeling ok? 🌷🌻🌼

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

Hi @Appleblossom 🌷🌻🌼
Sorry for not replying to your message the other day.
I did read it, then got distracted. 😯

Sounds awful that you have pain 24/7.
I guess I'm lucky that I can mostly relieve my pain with pilates stretches.
Years ago I didn't know this and had pain 24/7.
Glad you have your music. 😊



Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

When I get very low, I tend to write poetry.  Here is my latest effort which I wrote yesterday about Anxiety.

 

Anxiety

Why is it that my anxious brain simply will not allow me to forget?

Some images and fears are still so vivid that I break into a cold sweat.

 

Therapy has helped me see that things are not always as they appear.

I've challenged my inner thoughts, and know there is nothing to fear.

 

Medication I take to reduce adrenalin which is needlessly produced.

Attempts to slow my heart and the hope that a restful sleep be induced.

 

But still this anxiety is a part of me, day and night, tearing me apart.

The shaking, inability to catch my breath, and madly beating heart.

 

It seems that anxiety will never leave me, so embrace it I must.

It is my body's natural alert system, and now I must learn to trust.

 

Woman Sad

 

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

Hi @Former-Member, been wondering how you are with your partner away. Hope you are finding good things that feed the soul to do. 

I am about to embark on a furniture project - have a bedside table, an old cane chair and a bedhead that I am going to spruce up with new paint. i have been hanging out for clear weather and I think it has finally arrived. I am painting with oil based paint (becaus eit survives knocks much better) so need to paint outdoors. Also all the sanding! The prep work is the grumph part.

Hope you have found some calm int he storms.

Moongal 

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

Thanks @MoonGal. It sounds like a good project. I hope the weather holds out for you. I am in NSW and we are expecting rain off and on over the coming days. Hopefully you have better weather where you are.

So this new project with the furniture. Is it for use in your own home or do you have plans to sell it, give it to someone, or some other plans?

I am managing thanks. I wouldnt say managing well, but I am getting by.

Not long back from work now, where I nearly fell asleep at the computer. Thankfully I had a few people coming in and out of my office this morning so it meant I couldnt nod off for long.

I am about to go lie down now for a while. Just so tired from not sleeping any more than a couple of hours over the past week.

Enjoy your project.

Re: My introduction - Living with PTSD

@Former-Member, sorry to hear you are not sleeping much. But glad to hear youa re getting by.

The project is to refresh some furniture and harmonise it all to the same colour for the bedroom - it's all different colours at the moment, black, cream, white. So they will all become a Honey Buff colour. The walls are white so it should warm the room up. Something to look forward to. 
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I like a 'project".  I painted our kitchen retro '50's last year... took six weeks but I got there!

 

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