Post Traumatic Stress - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Message Board

mp509 · 07-08-2007, 11:22 AM

Last year I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress. Believe it our not it occurred from to many surgeries and treatments from cancer. In the last 4 years I have had 5 surgeries, 33 radiation treatments and over a 100 doctor appointments. I guess all of this pushed my system to respond by having anxiety attacks. Anxiety usually starts the day before an appointment. I become extremely upset and make a zillion trips to the restroom. Twice I have had major panic attacks. I have tried deep breating, visualization, and relaxation but none seem to help. All that I have found to work is anxiety medication a day prior to an appointment. Has anyone else experience this doctor related anxiety (PTS) and how do you deal with it? It bothers me that my body turns against me and does this without my permission. I hate losing control. Does anyone know how I can resume control and take back how my body reacts? MP

sher66 · 07-08-2007, 01:39 PM

I have some major illnesses in the last few years. And i too suffer from panic and anxiety. For me, I feel it's the whole thing that i have anxiety over, not just the dr. appt. That feeling that my life is out of my control and how unfair everything is. I would much rather being doing other things!! My therapist validated for me that it's normal to feel overwhelmed when you have things going on in your life that are not under your control. You are not abnormal!!! I have found that i have to take anxiety medicine to deal with my life right now and thats ok! The medicine allows me to have the comfort that i need to make it through what i'm being delt right now. Hang in t here!
sherr

ICC · 07-09-2007, 02:55 AM

Good morning all......Yes PTSD and physical issues can go hand in hand . If you have PTSD sometimes physical problems will flare it up and sometimes PTSD actually causes the physical issues. I was injured over a year ago and about 3 months later had a major PTSD flare up. Just had surgery 10 weeks ago and my physical recovery is not going well and feel in the last week or so the I am having a flare up again. My counselor told me this is very normal for those with PTSD.

ICC

pw2837 · 07-30-2007, 11:37 AM

I have PTSD from an assault. The boy was 11 and I was his teacher. Couldn't see why DR's appointments brought on my symptoms...but they did.

I think it may be because in these situations we feel vulnerable...as if everything is out of our control...which I guess is what PTSD is. A loss of control...and that happens in many different ways. For you perhaps the loss of contol comes hand in hand with the treatement...so a sort of double whammy.
Well done for sticking with it.
Pat

JACKFLASH · 07-30-2007, 11:38 PM

I still have a hard time going to the GYN doctor because my first exam was a rape exam. Every time I have lots of axiety and the exam itself is painful. It is better now that I have an ob/gyn that I trust and have told about my problems. She is better about being careful during the exam. Maybe you could tell your doctors about your anxiety.
Jack