PTSD flare - AIBU to contact GP?

[cantsettlemyself]

I don’t know who I phone .

I recognise it as I’ve had a worsening a few times, normally something triggers me and I get a few days of derealisation, paranoid thoughts, feeling generally very weird and spaced out .

The trigger was a few days ago I think but I’ve been feeling weird all day and bits of yesterday, panicking and not sure what to do . I’m not feeling good at all, very jumpy and feel as if I’m dreaming or watching a film . Thoughts of the past keep churning round my head.

I’ve got up and cooked a big meal, talked on the phone then as soon as I sit down it floods back and I’m getting near constant flashbacks, tears .

I’ve had diazepam for this before now - several times, I think five or six times in the last 12 months . I’m scared of asking for more although I know it helps, I’m scared it will cause brain damage .

I’ve got a MH team but they’re in hours only - I’m also away from home (still in U.K. - temporarily resident at another surgery) just now, so I don’t know if I ring MH team tomorrow, my usual GP or GP here (who knows me - I’m at my parents house), or 111? I don’t know what to do .

EMDR sorted me out. Have you tried it? If mine came back I think I could use the methods at home.

If you know your parents’ GP I’d call them if you feel you need an immediate prescription. Hope you feel calmer soon.

@MatildaTheCat

EMDR sorted me out. Have you tried it? If mine came back I think I could use the methods at home.

If you know your parents’ GP I’d call them if you feel you need an immediate prescription. Hope you feel calmer soon.

I haven’t, no, NHS keep saying they can only do CBT and can’t afford private, although I’ve always heard good things about EMDR . My GP suggested it years ago .

Thank you, I hope so - it’s daft, I know it can’t hurt me, it’s a cycle of panicking then feeling very strange then panicking about that… I can’t even figure out what’s triggered me so badly .

I also had EMDR. It's helped, not totally fixed it in that I still can't do what the trauma relates to but I don't go on the merry go round of doom all the time and my brain doesn't constantly replay the trauma all day everyday like it did. It's a noticeable difference.

The plus side to EMDR is that you won't have it for ever, like you could be with talking therapies, it's intense but relatively short. I had one a week for 6 weeks so it was just about financially viable. My therapist also keeps you on her books for ten years in case you need to 'check back in' for anything.

How long are you away from home? NHS primary care psychology services are GP based so if you’re there for a while you could call the local service. You can usually self refer which is quicker than going via your GP but waiting lists are usually a few months for trauma work so won’t help in the immediate.

EMDR is a bit of a lottery, we offer it in my service as we get a lot of referrals for PTSD so helps to have as many people trained as possible but harder in the less populated cities.

There’s a self help book here that has some relaxation and grounding exercises that might help in the moments of re experiencing and dissociation. www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health/mental-health-self-help-guides/ptsd-and-cptsd-self-help-guide

Hope that helps

Definitely call GP - I'd say call the one who knows you, explain you're temporarily resident elsewhere but as they're your normal GP and familiar with your history could they issue a prescription for diazepam to get you through the next few days.

(Occasional diazepam use is fine and you'd be using it for its exact purpose - it's regular/daily use like they used to have in the 70s that's dangerous!)

Give yourself a couple of days and see if that helps, use any grounding or coping techniques you've got (or look some up if you haven't - even just simple grounding techniques might help when flashbacks happen). Make some plans if you can, keep busy, and look for a GP appointment when possible to ask for some trauma-centred therapy. If you've been diagnosed with PTSD it's entirely reasonable under the NICE guidelines to expect them to consider EMDR, and even if not that, some areas CAMHS teams offer online PTSD therapy programmes/interactive modules (with therapist support) that are accessible 24/7 and other types of support.

If the GP pushes back, it might be useful to have the NICE guidelines available - while it does say that trauma-focused CBT should be offered, it also says:

"1.6.18 Consider EMDR for adults with a diagnosis of PTSD or clinically important symptoms of PTSD who have presented between 1 and 3 months after a non-combat-related trauma if the person has a preference for EMDR. [2018]

1.6.19 Offer EMDR to adults with a diagnosis of PTSD or clinically important symptoms of PTSD who have presented more than 3 months after a non-combat-related trauma. [2018]"

That's from here, by the way.

So you've got room to fight your corner if you don't think CBT would be helpful.

But in the immediate term - call GP or 111 and ask for a short-term prescription (I think you'll have better luck with GP, but if you feel you're hitting crisis point then absolutely call 111 or the local crisis team), and make sure people around you know what's going on (if you feel comfortable/safe to do that) so that you can be offered support or distraction as needed.