Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group

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13 year old daughter with severe ptsd

christine74
christine74

My beautiful 13 year old girl disclosed sex abuse that went on from the time she was 6 to 8, by my abusive ex husband (not her father).   He left us in March, for a young woman with three little kid and all I felt was relief for it to be over.  He was bipolar and I'm now learning, a sociopath.  He was physically abusive to me and his son, but left my kids alone (so I thought).  She was his favorite.  He adored her and treated her differently than the others, which I attributed to her being the only girl and was just relieved he wasn't an asshole to her like he was to the rest of us.  Very emotionall, mentally, abusive and manipulative.   In June, my girl started cutting herself and revealed after questioning, sexual abuse.  Forensic interview revealed horrifying details and manipulation.  I slept on the hard floor between my then 6 year old girl and my 4 year old son, and she said when I would wake in the night and go to the couch, he would take her.  We now know that she didn't come forward for fear that he would kill us all.  Its a nightmare, and he's going to trial on March 11.  


My question:  They put her on 2mg of Prazosin for nightmares, which she said works "sometimes", and 75mg of Trazadone because she does not sleep at night.  The Trazadone does NOTHING.  Which is shocking to me because I have taken 25mg (when she's at Dad's) and it knocks me out for 12 hours if no alarm is set.  The therapist said that if she doesn't feel "safe and secure", no medication will get her to sleep.  She says she never feels safe.  They are doing EDMR therapy with her now.  Any advice or similar experience with teens with PTSD?

arfie
arfie
Hello Christine. Welcome to the forum.

For what it's worth,
I got help for myself over the course of trying to help my children going through their adolescent confusions. My own psychoses (pl) kept projecting all over their struggles and it is not a healthy development. Therapy support for myself made it much easier to sort my symptoms from theirs and to keep their symptoms about them. It sure is easy to distort facts when I am projecting my own symptoms.

For what it's worth. . . Every case is unique. . .

Gentle support while you sort what is right for your own case. Welcome aboard.
Stitch06
Stitch06
hello and welcome to DS though I am sorry for what brought you here. So... for me sleep has been a HUGE issue since i was four when it started for me. I unfortunately have never really been able to find what works 100% and i think hat might be because there just might never be that thing. But what helps tremendously for me is knowing I am safe... so i know it might seem silly. but keep telling her she is safe and that will go a long way. I actually can sleep med free when my boyfriends is home at times so... it can happen. Trazadone worked for me.. also knocked me out cold, even when i didn’t feel safe. So i’d maybe just ask to discuss different med options anyways because every bodies chemistycis different unless you rule out other factors no one can really know why trazadone isn’t working for her. If you need someone to talk to feel free to message me. hugs and love xxxx
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
I have severe PTSD from 3 categories of childhood trauma, christine74, sexual abuse from a pedophile, domestic violence in the home, and combat because I was a missionary kid in a war zone for 6 years.

Throughout my life, then, I've been on every medication possible for nightmares and sleep. Seroquel contributed to permanent kidney damage for me.

The only thing that has worked has been the Prazosin you mentioned, which I've been on for 2 years now. Perhaps you could discuss an increase it the dosage for that. If your medical advisers turn to Seroquel, remember I'm not a doctor, but from my experience I'd be mindful of permanent side effects like mine.
christine74
christine74
Thank you all for the advice. I am getting help for myself via weekly therapy and am doing the best that I can to improve all of our lives. I'm four semesters away from my BSN, and working hard to heal and help the kids. I just worry for her....for her lack of sleep and fears. I'm so sorry you all have had to deal with trauma. My heart goes out to all of you. Life can be so, so hard. I have a lot of faith and that gets me through.
StrengthofMind
StrengthofMind
It takes time, unfortunately. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Not everything works for everybody. i.e. EMDR didn't work for me but others have great experience with it. It's kind of a trial and error process. Just know you are doing all that you can. Something will help her. It's the hardest thing in the world to stand by and watch..
Kate1976
Kate1976
I can’t speak from the mom perspective. I was sexually abused by my brother from 6-?. As far as sleep trazadone didn’t help. Seroquil knocks me out. Prazosin helps for the nightmares. I have been doing EMDR and it has helped me a ton. Sending hugs.
Pukka-
Pukka-
That's great you're getting therapy for you as well. It had to be traumatic for you both.

It took me years to be able to sleep well. I tried all the medications and I only found about 50% relief. In fact, they made other symptoms worse because I was unable to process the emotions and most had terrible side effects. I stuffed as a kid and didn't realize how that would impact me as an adult. I believe that your daughter will sleep better when she starts to heal and feels less stress and fear. Stitch is right, making her feel safe is important.
AngelaJo
AngelaJo
I was a cutter for 12 years, abused sexually and other ways starting at 4 years old. i HIGHLY recommend DBT therapy if you can find it for her! I can not say enough good about it and how much it has helped me. I am 2 years cut free and it teaches you skills to deal with emotions etc. It is the best thing that happened to me! I am so so sorry this happened to your daughter! I am 34 years old and finally doing prolonged exposure therapy and it has helped a lot as well but nothing helped until i got DBT skills down first. I wish i had done it much sooner!
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
Yes, I did DBT therapy and exposure therapy, too, for a car bombing I survived overseas, and now I can mention it often here without flashbacks. It really worked for me, too, Christine, and I wish I'd done it sooner as well.
christine74
christine74
Thank you all for your responses, and my heart goes out to each of you and what you experienced as well. Any medications that worked for your sleep? She is on Prazosin for the nightmares, and we are currently weaning her off the 75 mg of Trazadone because it does literally nothing. School is very supportive, but she has missed 45 days this school year already due to lack of sleep.
AngelaJo
AngelaJo
I no longer take sleep meds because they just do not work for me. i am on prazosin but i am on 10mg of it a night but i also have high blood pressure so we can go that high without dropping my blood pressure. I sleep MOST nights without nightmares and when i do have them i dont remember them i just wake up in a panic. I do not like to feel drugged either from taking anything. my mom swears by mid night its OTC but you would have to check with her Dr first because of her age.
christine74
christine74
Well, she was admitted into the hospital after a suicide attempt. They put her on Visteril and it put her to sleep! And, they changed her Lexapro to Zoloft and raised the Prazosin. She said she just didn't want to be here anymore, doesn't want to deal with the nightmares. This is the hardest thing I have ever experienced in my life. Seeing her like that was just devastating.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
Oh, Christine74, so sorry that she attempted suicide. How heartbreaking. What a relief that she got help in the hospital in time.

I'm on Prazosin, too, and it did help me with my nightmares, so I hope upping her Prazosin dosage helps with her nightmares, too.

When I was 13 I collapsed from a panic attack in line for lunch in my cafeteria. I hadn't had any treatment from a car bombing when I was 9, nor from being molested by a pedophile when I was 11. It just all accumulated when I was 13.

They put me in the hospital then, too. It was the first of 3 hospitalizations for PTSD for me. I hope this one is your daughter's last, and that she comes out feeling better.

Much support to you through this crisis. We're here for you.
AngelaJo
AngelaJo
I am so sorry to hear but i am glad the attempt failed! I really hope that they are able to help her and the med changes help! You guys are in my thoughts and prayers
MarkS
MarkS
Christine74 you are the rock that your daughter leans on. She feels that you are doing the best you know how and that you love her. With that she can heal, because you are there for her. It may not be easy but you both can do this!
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