Dealing with Medical PTSD: Seeking Advice

Oh my goodness I've never found others who have medical PTSD! I was held down and underwent many painful procedures as a child so certain things and smells from medical settings set off flashbacks and I still have nightmares about it to this day, years later. I have a great doctor now who is super understanding and kind but oh my gosh it sucks when you're a kid and nobody cares about your mental well-being and they just force everything onto you and act annoyed when you cry out in pain.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of PTSD; flashbacks, instrusive thoughts, insomnia, nightmares, panic, etc, you probably have it. It's not just soldiers. Other adverse life events absolutely cause PTSD or CPTSD. Its just soldiers is the demographic of people who get it in mass for obvious reasons.

Yes. Absolutely. I have PTSD from being SA by a doctor when I was 18. I experienced anasthesia awareness during my cesarian birth. And I spent like 20 years with doctors dismissing my symptoms before I was FINALLY diagnosed with PCOS and adenomyosis by a simple CT scan and sonogram to confirm and measure cysts.

100%. I have had over 50 surgeries since I was born and it’s definitely apparent in my life. It feels like a form of complex PTSD that is not talked about enough.

Nothing official but, dealing with everything and the pain that comes with it. I feel like no MD “gets it!” Like really “Gets it!”

I haven’t been diagnosed but I also have suspected medical ptsd. Sometimes even simple non invasive procedures can set me off. It’s hard but it’s gets better when you have a good therapist

I don't have anything official but in therapy I have discussed some of the situations I have been in with medical care and felt very validated when ny therapist referred to the situations as traumatic. I often feel like I got my hopes up with every new doctor and then was crushed when they wanted to brush me off all while living with this immense pain. I think ptsd could be applicable to someone in this situation and recognizing that can help to find more peace.