Worried about dh - he had an accident and keeps reliving it

[wilbur]

On a weekend away about 3 weeks ago, dh had a nasty accident. He tripped over a low stone wall at our hotel in the dark and fell about ten feet down a steep drop onto some stone steps. Amazingly, he didn't break anything (although maybe cracked a rib) but his head was badly cut all over, needed 60 stitches and a load of staples, and he was battered and bruised all over. Physically, he has mended well, although he will have a couple of nasty scars on his scalp and forehead, but last night he said that he keeps waking up in a cold sweat, imagining what might have happened if he had not been so lucky - a broken back or neck, paralysis or even death. Dh is not given to introspection, just likes the world to tick along nicely, and I think he is very disturbed by all this. I don't know what to say to him, especially as I can't bear to think about the possibilty of worse injury (I did all the imaginging bringing him home in a wheelchair or coffin when we spent the night in hosp after it happened, waiting for the MRI results). Does anyone have an experience of this - should he talk to a doctor? Wait for the whole thing to subside? Please help.

Three weeks is not very long so it's not surprising that he's still shaken and shocked. The cold sweats and bad dreams should slowly get less frequent and less severe as he heals up. I would suggest talking to the GP if they seem to be getting worse rather than better after a week or two. In the meantime if he wakes up with the horrors in the night it's best to get up, go to another room and put on the lights and do something like read or listen to music till he feels sleepy again. That helps to prevent your body getting used to lying awake and miserable in bed. Hope he starts to feel better soon

Something like hypnotherapy might be beneficial.

Wilbur - my dh suffered flashbacks too after an accident where he was left in a burning car. He saw a psychologist and was prescribed Seroxat by the GP. He made a claim obviously for the accident and the PTSD was part of his claim.

God that sounds awful jampot, what a horrid thing for your dh. How long was he on the Seroxat for - did he feel it helped? Not sure what dh would think of AD's, but then he's never felt like this before.

dh had never been on ADs before but they certainly did help him - he definitely needs to keep records of these instances and go see someone - they can only help him. What a terrible fright you both must have had