I've only had one treatment, and haven't gone back for more. It's very overwhelming...and a lot of hard emotional and mental work...
I guess you really have to be ready for it...and I'm not there yet.

where you on different medication like tranquillizers, sleeping pills? Are you suppose to just live through these feelings till the next session ?
I believe if I can get through them no matter how long my quality of life will improve alot. I have to be ready, I can't live like this...

If you're ready...then I'd give it a shot. If not, you're not committed into having it done. I know some docs like to do it once a week, while others like to give a break in between, and do it every other week. I wasn't on anything when I had the one treatment...but I'm still not feeling ready. I'm ready to get rid of the horrid flashbacks and feelings of misery that I'm dealing with on a day to day basis...but I'm not ready to dive in that deep. Good luck...I hope you can find some relief from your ptsd.

Thank you NVDoula. Your information has really helped me. I hope everything will work out for you too.

I completed three months of weekly EMDR sessions. They literally saved my life. I am able to function at a level that I couldn't for nearly eighteen months. My therapist was wonderful, and if it was apparent that I couldn't handle any more that day, she let me just talk, about anything. She will never know the miracle she was a part of.
EMDR, is as has been said, intensely emotional and mentally exhausting. There was more than one day that I just curled up and slept on the way home- over two hours- then slept for a solid twelve or thirteen after that. It takes commitment and complete honesty with yourself, about yourself, the experience(s), and total honesty with your therapist. I found it comforting to have someone I trust completely there to give support. I also quit wearing makeup to the sessions....:) If you are willing to slog the road, the result is worth every tear and sob.

Thank you very much...It sounds like I may need a knockout sleeping pill to survive after a session.

I had EMDR a few years ago over a traumatic event that bothered me for 20 years. I was incapitated by it...but emotionally I felt trapped my the memories and much blame was put on me over the incident..The therapy helped me immensely. Going over every detail I was able to change how I thougt about it. I was lucky and I didnt experience it again until I met by stbx and he triggered it for me. He didnt understand the situation and he ended up going to counselling to deal with it. I think I have held it against him for saying those awful things to me when he didnt realize how much it would affect me and how it would affect our relationship. I worked hard on getting past it and had a lot of resentment towards him. It had nothing to do with him and had happened 25 years earlier... However my point I am making is how does one know if it is PTSD or something else happening to them?

This is a tough question to answer. Yes, EMDR works and, yes, I've had some bad experiences due to it.

I've had success in resolving several of the major (horrific) memories that, when present, would completely wreck me. I can now, pretty much, think about those events without falling apart.

The downside to EMDR is that it doesn't just target the mega-memories it digs up other memories that have been locked away. Then you have to deal with those too.

EMDR has had a lot of side affects for me including headaches, increased inability to sleep and muscle pain.

There are days when I want to quit. To never go back and never deal with or face my past again. But, the reality of allowing my past to undue all of my dreams and goals for the future (which is what this PTSD has been doing to me for at least the past 15 years) is an even worse reality. I want to be better, on so many levels. I know if I work hard, and face this pain, that I can be better ... I can be a success.

As to your point regarding "why more people are not able to receive this treatment." For me, it was difficult to find a certified counselor who took my insurance plan. In fact, my insurance's website had my counselor listed but NOT as an EMDR provider. I had to find my counselor on an EMDR provider website (www.emdrtherapistnetwork.com) and then cross reference her name to my insurance's provider list. I never thought my process would actually work but low and behold, it did! Thank goodness because I couldn't have gone w/o insurance coverage.

I don't know if my response has been helpful to you. If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to message me. I'll answer your questions to the best of my personal experience and ability.

Wishing you the very best.

I am getting ready to start doing EMDR next week. I am hopeful it will help me improve my life.

It might get worse before it gets better, but I am all for getting better, b/c living like this sucks.

EMDR is another thing therapist's have to DO on their own time in the sense that they have to get trained to do it, that costs money, and the equipment (if used) costs money...so if in private practice, can be pricey for the therapist. If in with a Pdoc, should be no big deal for the equipment, and maybe training.

A therapist would have to have an interest in Trauma work, and IMO, not many people have that interest, since it's so hard to find a good Trauma Therapist.

The Mainline of Therapist's today is CBT. Yet, there is a CBT-Trauma Focused Therapy Model, but that takes extra training too.

Have you checked EMDR.com to search for a therapist??

Also try:
http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

I am at the point I am ready to heal and get my life back, as much as possible...SO...Bring it on!

I don't understand those technical terms IMO CBT ??I can just guess corrective Behavioral therapy????

IMO = In my Opinion
IMHO = In my Honest Opinion
CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Did I give you the link EMDR.com ? Lots of info there on EMDR.

Thanks TLCDaisy.

I had a friend from here start it and her therapist refused to let her take any meds. The after the first session the therapist went on vacation. I watched her disintegrate and she just stopped coming on. Her therapist didn't even make herself available for emergencies.

I think that the key is to have a therapist who will be there for you when you are in crisis and knows how to leave you with some strategies for dealing with the emotions it stirs up. Also, being somewhat stabilized first would be good.

A really good med for panic attacks is propranolol. Have you seen the 60 Minutes video on it? It is a really old drug. Propranolol is the generic name. Inderal is the brand name. It's been around for 50 years as a heart medicine. It works by blocking the reception of adrenaline. The pill is SO SMALL and digests so quickly that you feel the effects rapidly. Low doses work best. It's been prescribed for stage fright for years. The script for stage fright is 40 mg, which is how my psychiatric doctor (pdoc) knew where to start. Typically, 10-20 mg is enough. What you'll feel is your heart slow down, the sweating stop, the shaking decrease - it's really awesome.

Prazosin is another old heart medicine that works along the same lines. It acts more on norepinephrine. I have never used it personally, but since they function about the same way, the effect should be similar. It's also been shown to reverse brain damage created by PTSD.

Geodon can be used with Propranolol. It is a newer drug and there is now generic. It works by blocking norepinephrine, dopamine, histamine and serotonin. It is compatible with propranolol because it works on different receptors. If you were taking Prazosin, you might want to ask about Serzone, which acts on adrenaline instead of norepinephrine. I have heard about side effects with Serzone, although I have researched it.

Geodon has an 89% effectiveness on PTSD. Pretty cool, eh? I would LOVE to see research results when it is combined with propranolol. I bet that number would go higher still!

Hope that helps you make certain you have what you need to do well with EMDR! :)