ptsd Is This Ptsd Or Just Plain Anxiety?

[Vync]

I have a couple of scenarios which I am not sure would qualify as being PTSD.

Motor vehicle accident

While in service, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident on a snowy road. At some point I think lost consciousness because I lost some time, but sought care in the emergency room on base and have not sought treatment since then. Lately, when I hear about potential snowfall in my area, coupled with the fact that people in Alabama don't know how to drive on snow, I become very nervous. Granted it doesn't snow a lot here, but when it does I tend to get very nervous, my heart races, not able to get the memory out of my head from the accident every time I blink my eyes.

Severe allergic reactions

While in service, I passed out numerous times while either being tested or treated for allergies. I also had an incident where our training sergeant ordered me to pick up grass clippings, because my profile simply said I could not cut grass. Under threats of discipline, I did what I was told, but woke up in the emergency room severely swollen with IVs in my arms. This is all in my service treatment records.

Last year, the VA nurse gave me an overdose of allergy shots and it was not only upsetting, but very stressful. I have had reactions, but not like that.

Now, every time I go for my shots, I am now double and triple-checking every detail to make sure I am not screwed over again. Sometimes the nurses get pissed at me for being so picky, but I can't take any chances. I am getting the needle, not them. It was getting better when they had one person doing it who I could trust, but they rotate people out all the time. Even though I go monthly for my shots, I am still nervous about the whole ordeal, never knowing if I will pass out or have to spend the entire day being treated for a reaction. Of course, after the shots, I am swollen and stuffy for several days, which doesn't help much either.

[Berta]

I have a topic here available under search feature

Definition of a stressor.

It will help you determine if these are stressprs for a PTSD claim.

[Vync]

I have a topic here available under search feature

Definition of a stressor.

It will help you determine if these are stressprs for a PTSD claim.

Berta,

I could not find a topic named "Definition of a stressor".

However, I did find:

For PTSD compensation you will need

1. medical diagnosis of PTSD.

2. Proof of inservice stressor

3. medical nexus of 1 and 2 with no other etiology for the PTSD but for the inservice stressor.

And I found:

The essential feature of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is the development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or other threat to one's physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate (Criterion A1).

The person's response to the event must involve intense fear, helplessness, or horror (or in children, the response must involve disorganized or agitated behavior) (Criterion A2).

The characteristic symptoms resulting from the exposure to the extreme trauma include persistent reexperiencing of the traumatic event (Criterion B), persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (Criterion C), and persistent symptoms of increased arousal (Criterion D). The full symptom picture must be present for more than 1 month (Criterion E), and the disturbance must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning (Criterion F).

And I found:

According to DSM-IV at 427-428, the first diagnostic criterion for PTSD is:

The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both

of the following have been present:

(1) The person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an

event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious

injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others;

(2) The person's response involved intense fear, helplessness,

or horror.

Is this how stressors are defined? If this is not it, could the list of stressors be made sticky on the PTSD forum?

Thanks!

[carlie]

Last year, the VA nurse gave me an overdose of allergy shots and it was not only upsetting, but very stressful. I have had reactions, but not like that.

Now, every time I go for my shots, I am now double and triple-checking every detail to make sure I am not screwed over again. Sometimes the nurses get pissed at me for being so picky, but I can't take any chances. I am getting the needle, not them.

Vync,

I spent a couple of years getting VA allergy shots - mine were

manufactured at Walter Reed and delivered to Bay Pines.

Once in a while I would get a little welt around the injection site

but nothing like you've mentioned.

It is OK and it is your RESPONSIBILITY to ask them to see your bottle prior to providing your injection - as you said - it's going in your bloodstream not theirs.

Also ask them if they have washed their hands.

Even though I go monthly for my shots, I am still nervous about the whole ordeal, never knowing if I will pass out or have to spend the entire day being treated for a reaction. Of course, after the shots, I am swollen and stuffy for several days, which doesn't help much either.

Vync,

Perhaps you should purchase and carry an Epi-pen (sp) with you.

carlie