ptsd Ptsd-mst

[rway]

Has anyone gone through In-Patient PTSD-MST Counseling? I know everyone will react differently. But, I would like to know what your experience was. Did it Help at all. Not sure if I can make that step right now. I do not want to give up my alcohol at this time it helps me. I would be going to Bay Pines, VA in Florida.

Thanks for any info.

rway

[carlie]

I have not done in patient at Bay Pines but I do continue doing out patient.

My opinion -- ha,ha,ha,ha,ha - for me it's a joke.

Living in the moment, warm baths, yoga and soothing music, cotton balls,

candy and rubber bands, have not lowered my PTSD symptoms from MST.

People do react differently to things -- I'm sure the

programs has helped some people to practice more effective

copeing skills, I'm just happen not to be one of them but I

have stayed as out patient because I only live about 15 minutes from Bay Pines.

You may find some help there, good luck.

jmho,

carlie

[halos2]

Holistic approaches may help some but I have yet to find any. The theory sounds good but actually the practice of the rituals and so called calming mantras have not accomplished anything with me. Have the facilities ever utalized a MST victim to head such programs?

Are there any MST victims who went on to receive their PhD's and practice these methods of treatments? Have any yet to counsel with a therapist who CAN truly understand the feelings of a MST victim without experiencing it?

Anyone can read articles on therapeutic ways to deal, focus, handle, live with the issues but until you have experienced it is just rhetoric. You can be open and receptive to all different treatment options, but finding the one or the one therapist to help you may be difficult.

My VAMC has a turnover rate that is ridiculous.

I will continue to HOPE there is something out there in the universe that can help me to tolerate all of the obstacles that continually stand in my way...there has to be something out there, somewhere, which can work.

Good luck to all, and if you find something that works for you be it medication, yoga, mantras, groups, whatever, more power to you.

I am open to all, but have found little with some. The best has gotta be yet to come.

[purple]

I've been dealing with MST PTSD for over 10 years and so far haven't found anything (or should I say the VA hasn't found anything) that helps.

The VA keeps wanting to send me to the 7-week in-pt program but I'm a single parent with absolutely no family support...so that is a no-go for me.

I have spoken with one women who did the 7-week program, immediately after the program she was great! She was happy, feeling great, etc, etc. Now a few months later, she is back to square one. I'm sure this may not be what happens to everyone, but just one instance.

I'm not a believer in a "quick fix"...which is what the VA is pushing now.

Good luck...hope everyone finds something to help.

[carlie]

As we frequently see from symptomology PTSD is...PTSD.

Irrelevant of the stressor, whether combat,MST it's still PTSD.

jmho,

carlie

[SouthernBelle]

Have you had cognitive behavior therapy? Have you found a therapist that you like and can actually talk to? I think the therapist has as much to do with it as the treatment.

[rway]

Thanks for everyones insight. I was not sure what types of things they did at in-pt besides a group therapy. It sounds just like the in-pt alchohol program I went through. Which didn't help. (A lot of B.S....Meditating, etc.)

I agree, the therapist means a lot!! I just have not found one yet. I have finally ventured out from the VA and I am trying to find one in our community. I have not been able to even look at the 3 therapists that I've had. I am not sure why, but I believe it is because I know they're judging me. Even though I want to talk, I only say one to three word answers. They have gotten no where with me. I am better on the computer, where no one knows me. I need a Computer Therapist.LOL

Thanks again all,

rway

[Pete53]

rway:

Sorry that you feel that your therapists are judging you but if they are any good they are evaluating you and trying to put together a treatment plan.

It took me a long time but I don't really care what someone who is not family or friend think of me anymore. I also learned it does not help me to Judge others either.

My motto is to take what a person says on face value and if they prove to be lying or wrong I have not lost anything but perhaps gained some insight.

I hope that you find someone to help and there are other ways than just showing up at VA. We all need help at one time or another.

I don't usually comment about this but if I were trying to find a therapist I doubt that I would open up a lot till the Doc earned some trust. Most of the therapy at my VA is done by amateurs or they call them Residents. Getting better is a process but it can be done once you reach the point that you are willing to do what it takes to get better. Just my opinion.

[john999]

The VA in Tampa has been trying to get me into an in-patient pain management program. What it is is that I think the VA has these in-patient programs and no one wants to participate, so they are trying like hell to get vets into these programs to justify they jobs. I don't want to sit in a VA hospital for 19 days, four vets to a room. I have been in the VA in-patient for mental condition and I did not sleep for days due to medication screw-ups and hostile attitude from doctors telling me I should be in jail. If for some reason I ever did go into an in-patient program I would be so sure that my medications would not be suddenly stopped by some idiot. This happened to me. If I really thought the programs would significantly help I would consider it, but I don't believe that.

[Pete53]

I did a 1 month in patient deal and never again will I be a patient overnight in a VA Hospital unless I have a heart attack or something while I am there. But never if I can help it.

[ruby]

Has anyone gone through In-Patient PTSD-MST Counseling? I know everyone will react differently. But, I would like to know what your experience was. Did it Help at all. Not sure if I can make that step right now. I do not want to give up my alcohol at this time it helps me. I would be going to Bay Pines, VA in Florida.

Thanks for any info.

rway

I haven't tried nor would I for my own reason an in-patient program. I do know someone who went to the Bay Pines program and said it was good and it helped them. They are still dysfunctional but they say they are better than they were.

By dysfunctional, I am saying they still don't have good coping skills but they are able to function better then before. Based on what I am told she believes the Vet Center has helped her too. She goes there 5 days a week from 9-4, they go places, take classes, and they are not allowed to discuss thier issues.

I know that being retired being alone is the worst thing for me, so I am trying to keep busy out of my home the other days.

[john999]

Pete

Ha,ha I would like to hear what they did to you while you were in the VA? I was convinced never to stay overnight when the just cut off my hydrocodone suddenly. I went into withdrawl,of course. No amount of talking or resoning with them would help. I was in the nuthouse so you know the louder you get the more they are likely to put the straps on you and tie you down. So I had to just suffer in silence wide awake until my wife could get me out via health care POA. It was a close thing because they were not going to let me out, or medicate me even though I went in on a voluntary basis.

[SouthernBelle]

THIS is why my husband will NEVER EVER EVER under any circumstances go in-patient at the VA.

Pete

Ha,ha I would like to hear what they did to you while you were in the VA? I was convinced never to stay overnight when the just cut off my hydrocodone suddenly. I went into withdrawl,of course. No amount of talking or resoning with them would help. I was in the nuthouse so you know the louder you get the more they are likely to put the straps on you and tie you down. So I had to just suffer in silence wide awake until my wife could get me out via health care POA. It was a close thing because they were not going to let me out, or medicate me even though I went in on a voluntary basis.

[halos2]

Guinea pigs...No thanks. Receiving grants to prove treatments work, and play switch-a-roo with peoples meds...heard too much from others so I decline. All know it takes a while for meds to reach a therapeutic level so switching around can be very harmful, and dangerous.

Statistics on the longevity of some programs is dismal, at the very best.

[ruby]

I will ask this person next time I see them if they took her meds away, I am not sure they do in the MST program at Bay Pines.

This person is talking about the MST program and not the pain program which I understand is poor there too.

[halos2]

They don't usually take their meds away, they just play adjustment games...add a little here + change doses here to get the desired results they want...sometimes zombie effects...they are not about to drop them cold turkey in the psych programs they would have major problems on their hands and many delirious people.

[Pete53]

Not only did they take my Meds away. They made me wait 7 days before they started them again. I don't think I slept more than a couple of hours a day.

By the time I was content sitting in the day room watching Operah I know I was frazzled.

And yes the purpose for being clean of drugs was to experiment on me.