But also on June 16, 2013, a startling discovery was released, linking post-traumatic stress disorder to stroke survivors. One in four have something else to add to their list, as if stroke isn’t bad enough. And I am the one in four.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an intense physical and emotional reaction to a traumatic or life-threatening event, typically associated with combat veterans and sexual assault survivors. Now, it’s stroke survivors, too. If you’re a stroke survivor having a problem obtaining disability benefits, this post may be the missing piece.
In fact, the study, published in the journal Public Library of Science, also discovered that people who had PTSD after a stroke could have a greater risk for heart problems or another stroke because of the physical, psychological, and emotional problems they must endure.
The study main honcho, Dr. Donald Edmondson, is an assistant professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. He said the data showed that experiencing a stroke, or any other life-threatening condition, can pose grave physical, psychological, and emotional manifestations, thus, severe mental problems that often go unacknowledged by physicians and family members.
They were all there, those horrific PTSD symptoms. Depression, suicidal thoughts, laughing or crying when the situation called for the opposite response, rapid heart rate, frustration and anger over the smallest of incidents, nightmares, flashbacks, palpitations, chills, severe anxiety, irritability, difficulty sleeping, headaches, negative self-image, all or part can last a few months or even the rest of people’s lives. I feel sorry for the military and rape victims who have PTSD, but welcome to the PTSD of a stroke survivor, too. I experienced all of those symptoms for 3 years. Now, 7 years post-stroke, I still get frustrated and anxious above the norm.
Said Dr. Edmonson, “We walk through our lives with the naive belief that we’re invulnerable. Often what is traumatic is that such unspoken assumptions are broken. People must adjust to the shock of what has just happened. PTSD [in a stroke survivor] is a huge detriment to quality of life, a debilitating disorder in its own right, and deserves to be treated. There is something different about PTSD after a stroke because the threat is inside your body.” Indeed it is.
Unknown–you are a person of strength to not only attempt to write despite your symptoms, but also, you are helping others to ease the pain of a miscarriage or an unplanned pregnancy with all the stresses associated. My book, "The Tales of a Stroke Patient," is available on most online booksellers websites, but the book is cheapest on Amazon. Thanks so much for your comments!
I was just recently diagnosed with PTSD. I saught out treatment, no doctor recommended it was what I had. I nearly died in childbirth in 2004, my baby died, and I've had physical problems ever since. I'm grateful to be alive. I had felt like I had signs of PTSD but was never diagnosed. Then 2.5 years ago I suffered a mild stroke post operative lay. I had severe migraines for 22 months straight along with. Other symptoms. I still have them but they are not daily and are manageable. I started having migraines with the severe pre-ecclampsia in 2004. That was a constant re-triggering of my loss and suffering before and after.
During my down time I began working on writing a book to tell my story and help myself and others. Then I faced my fears and began volunteering as a RN with pregnant women, performing ultrasounds, and helping women through miscarriages and unplanned pregnancies. I have done well but could feel my stress level elevated. Then my best friend and her husband were just killed in a hot air balloon accident a month ago. Their death triggered panic attacks I hadn't experienced since my baby's death and my near death, my stroke, and now this. They just put me on Minipress and it's helping a lot. I feel calmer. It's suppose to decrease your risk of stroke and heart attack.
I would love to read your book. I too wrote my book under great distress and pain through perseverance. I voice dictated a lot of it and that served as my speech therapy since my head hurt too bad to stare at the light from the computer screen. I'm in the editing phase now. I'm very thankful and so happy that you shared this blog entry and I came across it. Best wishes to you as you heal and continue to move forward. I too had some very bad experiences with various medical disciplines and felt very let down as a patient and a nurse. I had a stroke while in the hospital and it was dismissed until a week after my discharge at my one week follow up. The PA said I was fine. There was no discussion with her. I'd love to read your book. God bless you and thank you for educating and informing us.
Kudos to you for being an understanding partner, and to his doctor who, above all else, cares about his patients. I have met many physicians myself who didn't care at all. Best wishes to your husband that he'll improve as time goes on. Remember–you can only tell how much you've improved by looking back to where you started.
I certainly can see how PTSD can happen. My husband was also diagnosed with it after his bilateral dissection of the carotid with the left side being 100% occluded. The constant underlying fear of knowing that at any given moment your life could end. Not to mention the stroke symptoms, which have been mostly cognitive and speech and the thousands of other hidden little deficiencies he feels. His dr has been very gracious and understanding and has fought for him like a valiant soldier. We have all fought for him and with him as we attempt to make life as pleasant and peaceful as possible.
Good for you, oc1dean! That is how it's done!
On a facebook post I was told that it was impossible for stroke survivors to have PTSD. I pointed to that research and she shut up.