First session of emdr for ptsd. Feel awful after.

[delilabell]

Lots of letters in title!
I had emdr for the first time due to having ptsd. I have a high level 9f avoidance apparently. This is very true as I have buried the sexual abuse I had from a child ubtol I saw the counsellor.
The next night I felt awful. V low mood since the first session but then started to have hideous stomach cramps. I was shaking. White as a ghost felt like I was going to be sick and faint. This went on for an hour. I also had an uoset tummy. Head felt like it was going to burst with all of the things flashbacking into my head but really fast.
My husband say with me and talked things through and slowly everything calmed and I had a good night's sleep.
Is this a normal reaction. Has anyone had this before? I don't know if I can bare to continuw if it'll be like this.

I have no idea if it's normal, but this does not surprise me. Stick with it - obviously something is changing, and you actually WANT things to change. Things were repressed but they are now coming out so they can be dealt with. Visualise Pandora's box - you've been carrying demons around. Open the box to let them out and they run away.
Simplistic, I know, only trying to help by giving my spin on it.
Tell your practitioner next time you go in.
Might not be so bad next time.

Sounds like you has a massive anxiety attack! You've buried your trauma, so now it has to be unpacked so that you can deal with it - that process is never a nice one. My DS had EMDR, it took time (less than I thought) and we looked after him through some bad nights but the EMDR worked. DS's PTSD is now very well managed and very, very rarely triggered in any way.

I'd urge you to give it a chance, from what I've witnessed it DOES get better.

Yes it's normal I think it's part of the processing.
I was nearly too scared to go back to the second one but it wasn't as bad as the first and so on...
Keep going if you can, it got rid of my intrusive thoughts and if I could have afforded to finish the work I'm sure it would have helped a lot more.

EMDR didn't have this effect on me but I was told to expect high levels of anxiety whilst undergoing treatment.

When I started EMDR I felt like this. It is completely normal and part of the body and mind processing. It got much better after the first few appointments. It's really good that you had a good night's sleep. Do talk to your therapist about it at your next appointment

Thank you all. Its really reassuring to hear that. I've never felt so ill in my life.
I'm quite anxious abiut it happening again but my next appts not til the end of the month so I'm hoping I'll havecalmedby then.
Thank you all for your help and support and for people who have been through it too

@delilabell I get feelings of indigestion or like my insides are a bit churny. My therapist describes it as the body digesting the thoughts and letting them go. She always tells me not to be concerned if I have odd dreams / trouble sleeping / sudden thoughts, as it is all part of the process of letting go. Hopefully that helps a bit

Did you do the safe space exercise? Can you do something, either that or something else to relax you?

Also, while it is not common for other types of therapy, you could contact your therapist to let them know how much you're suffering. I would also recommend that your sessions are not spaced so far apart. Weekly is a minimum and twice a will might be better for you to get through the worst of it quicker. Feel free to PM me, I'm trained in EMDR.

Was the session complete or incomplete?

As has been said practice your safe place.

This is all part of the process and will resolve as you keep going. Physical symptoms are completely normal because the body holds onto trauma physically but as you get more into it you will process these symptoms. The Body Keeps the Score is a really good book that explains this.

Keep going you are doing a good job, remember it is all old stuff, like watching scenery out of a train window.

Thank you again for such thoughtful answers. Yes I did my safe place training. When it was really bad I couldn't think of it though as it just consumed me. I need to remember for next time. I think in retrospect I freaked out completly and forgot everything I'd been told.
There's a gap because of counsellors annual leave so I do feel a bit in limbo.
I slept most of the day yesterday and didn't want to go to sleep as I worried it would happen again so I took a Diazapam last night.
I think I under appreciated how much this would affect me.

Yeah it's understandable that your mind was preoccupied on other things so you didn't think to use it! For this reason, I often recommend people make a little reminder of several things which help them stay calm and grounded and put it in an obvious place where you are likely to see it, rather than having to remember to find it. Do you have anyone around for a bit of extra support when you need it? If so, it would maybe be a good idea to let them know what's going on and that you might need a little extra support. Xxx

I think (hope) Im ready for it next time.
My dh is amazing and he really helped to get me through it but no there's nobody else really. A few friends know o but aren't on hand really.
Do you think maybe my brain was trying to process it and I woke up before it could?

Yes, processing can and does continue beyond the session. How are you now?