Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
I cannot help but feel having a mental health problem negatively effects my quality of heatlh care in other areas. I have a dr appt tomorrow about my knee and I feel it will end in frustration yet again. I don't feel heard by many of the health professionals.
ex:
My mom and I both developed dry itchy skin this winter. Her's was diagnosed by her doctor as a dematitis and treated succesfully. Mine was diagnosed as an anxiety picking issue. It was explained to me that the itching was in my head. Funny the exact same issue my mom was having was not in her head? Frustrating
My rheumotogist asked me about my medications and then asked me about my mental health when she saw what I was taking. At the end of the appointment she told me that she did not think she needed to see me any further and that my family doc could request an appointment if I needed one again. I need one, and she is now refusing to see me because she is "to busy". Hummmm...I believe it is because I have a mental illness. She likely figures it is all in my head.
When my knee first started hurting I could not get a doctor to listen to me. They dismissed it as being part of my mental health. "sometimes the body will ache because of mental health". It took me 2 years to get properly diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
My rhuemologist refused to believe I had ankylosing spondilitis arthritis, her boss had diagnosed me years prior. She said I was just fat and she would be surprised if I had arthritis. When she took an x-ray it showed AS, no apology, just I don't think you have that and she diagnosed me with fibro. Seriously, I am not sure I have fibro. I think she just thinks I am stupid and she cannot be wrong.
My doctor refered me to the arthritis society and put on the referal I had mental health issues. Why? I got there, saw the physiotherapist and he said my joints moved well, just lose weigh, exercise and yes it is going to hurt but you have to learn to deal with it. I left feeling like I was being a baby about it. No follow up required because I was not realy bad. My pain level has me thinking at times that I cannot take it anylonger and fighting urges to end it to get out of pain. I cannot wait for it to get worse. Hummm...perhaps he thinks it is all in my head.
The ortho dr, had a nurse stand at the open door while he talked to me. He was nervous. My chart showed pysch visit but he could not access details because I had it sealed. He was scared of me and just down played my knee injury as being nothing to worry about. It was osteo arthritis.
The sports medicine doctor I know see tells me I am to young for knee replacement surgery. Just excercise and lose weight. We had a plan before he found out I had mental health issues. The plan was, 5 years in a brace, surgery to increase the gap in my knee which woud give me 10 years and then knee replacement surgery. Now he knows I have mental health issues, there is no plan, surgery is not the answer. Just lose weight and exercise. Surgery is major surgery and it should not be done. I reminded him of the plan and he said there was never a plan in place. bull crap.
Why is it so difficult to get help when you have mental health issue. Why do professionals and doctors assume it is all in your head. My frustration is growing everyday as I try and get relief from the pain in hip and knee. That is right, the knee is causing ankle and hip issues now. The sports doc acknowledges it is being caused by the knee but refuses to entertain the idea of doing anything about it.
Why bother going to see a doctor? They just tell you it is in your head or not listen to you or make you feel like you are just being a suck. It sucks!
I go see the sports doc tomorrow for a follow up. It is a huge waste of time. He will look at my knee. tell me to lose weight and exercise. I will tell him I have been in so much pain I have been unable to drive, never mind exercise. He will tell me, it is going to hurt but you have to do it. They do not get it....I CANNOT MOVE...I CRY IN PAIN and it is NOT IN MY HEAD!
I want my life back, I want to be be able to walk around the block. I want to walk without a cane again. I want to be able to hike again. I want to be able to drive again. This is not a good quality of life!
Sorry...bad night. Frustrated
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Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
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Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
I have also brought in notes from other specialists so they must stick to their word. I will take notes so I can say on this day at this time with this nurse present this was the plan.
My gastroentrologist does not want to change a medication because I am on to many. She refuses to speak to my psychiatrist. So I called and requested my records and stated I was getting a second opinion. They changed their attitude very quickly.
If you have xrays or notes from other doctors, I would say your taking notes during the appointment when they discuss a plan. Or simply call HR for the doctor that is "too busy". I know its extra and we shouldnt have to do that. However, if it means less doctors appointments or doctors listening to your needs and making a plan you both agree with. I say go for it. Hope that helps. Positive vibes and love your way.
Many blessings.
I found a really good family doctor who never minimizes any problems I have. I hope you will be as lucky as I am, Spiral. I wish you all the best.
Hopealways: I'm so glad you have the courage to stand up to them.
Wish I could to more than be incensed and pissed off along with you, but since I can't... What [bleep] [bleep] pieces of [bleep]! The lot of them.
I'm very sorry you're dealing with all that, and I hope some of them will develop sense and morals, and give you help you need. Supportive hugs.
i understand just how upsetting it is when drs behave so strangely, and then? i realise it is because they know i have PTSD. that is the most sad feeling - because they have no clue what that means - and what THAT DOESN'T MEAN.
i second what Nooy said about them developing a sense of morals. adding my hope and supportive hugs xo
The effect of PTSD on my general health for me is direct. Taking Seroquel contributed to a permanent 60% kidney loss for me, so I recommend Prazosin to everyone instead. It's processed by the liver and much safer while it's still great for PTSD nightmares.
I collapsed at work with the onset of kidney disease from my PTSD Seroquel medication, and lost that job. My fiancee told me I was lazy and broke up with me.
I got another job, came here to heal, and I now walk on a cane. I'm doing physical therapy at a hospital now so I can keep walking. Kidney damage from my PTSD Seroquel medication means my extremities don't get blood with oxygen to feed my nerves. So the nerves in my hands and feet and elsewhere in my extremities have all died.
I don't have intimacy any more, and I walk on a cane, but I do have my full time teaching job. And I'm writing this from Mexico, so I don't let it keep me from traveling, though I have to have wheelchair assistance to get through airports.
It's a straight line from PTSD to my general health, then, and to a loss of mobility and the ability to have a partner. But I'm making it on my own, with the support of DS PTSD. Hope you're making it, too, Spiral.
I do appreciate the support.
Pain destroys sleep. Lack of sleep makes pain worse. A truly miserable circle.
But hey...you don't "look" sick, so you can't really need help...right? (sarc)
1. She may have indicated mental health issues on the referral because medications they would prescribe would interact poorly with your medications OR cause suicidal thoughts
2. All those physicians encouraging you to do the same thing - lose weight - may be an indication that that would help you feel better physically in a lot of ways.
3. I don’t know how old you are but knee replacement is HUGE and they only last about twenty years. If losing weight may help and you can do it Id absolutely recommend trying that before surgery. So many awful things can happen during andnafter surgery. I learned the hard way that you can’t always trust the process no matter how good the docs are. My foot was causing debilitating pain. It took four years post op before I could wear a tennis shoe for more than an hour. It took six years for me to be able to run again. My foot is finally better than it was before surgery, but it will never be the same again. My mother had a hip replacement. The doctor made a mistake and didn’t want to admit it. By the time she got a second opinion the hip was already infected. She had to have a temporary hip put in and then a final one. That’s three hip replacements on the same hip, the second of which required her to give herself a shot every single day. Lots can go wrong with surgery. I have the same problem in my other foot and it’s been extremely painful lately but I will never have surgery to fix it. It’s not worth the risk to me.
All this to say that maybe your docs are right? Maybe your doc wasn’t scared I’d hiu but surprised you were in his office bc you’re so young?
That said, I’m not there. I’m just over here playing devils advocate wondering if maybe you’re overthinking. I hope this response didn’t upset you.
i saw my new primary on monday. he's been mostly very kind since he's been my new dr.
on monday though, he asked me if every so often i did this: and he pantomimed a little.. i guess it was a comic sort of pretend standing seizure, sort of.
i'm still wrapping my head around that one. i almost laughed at him - it was so ridiculous. i shook my head and said, no, if i've done anything that looks like that i've been unaware of it while it happened.
it sure made me feel sad though. drs can be pretty cruel.
the new chiropractor is kind : )
i wanted to come back and give you a hug, ((((Sprial))))
However, about a month ago I met Aranovich Boris who showed me how I can fight against my problems without doctors in traditional medicine. So I went through https://club100online.com/index.php/bioenergy-healing-course/ this course in bioenergy healing and I feel much better.
Dear, there is always an exit from, as you may think, hopeless situations.
Please, take care.
https://seecure.com/examining-the-costs-of-telehealth/