ptsd from having had a stroke?

i have had ptsd from traumatic events in my childhood, including rape. i had a stroke a year and a half ago at the age of 33, which complicated my chronic major depression that is treatment-resistant. funny thing, recently when the word "brain lesion" crops up, all those feelings while i was still a medical mystery for many months came back to me. what makes this worse is that i'm having side effects of cymbalta that puts me under a heavy mental fog, making me prone to thinking that i'm still a medical mystery. in a couple of days, i will have the dosage of cymbalta reduced. for some strange reason, i'm terrified, and i don't know why. it's just been too long under this mental fog, since april when i first started on cymbalta. i guess, this fog is freaking me out and for some strange reason, this triggers the fear that i had after the stroke when i was still a mystery. at first, i had a brain lesion that the docs thought was a result of ms, then infection, and evolved into a stroke. took 5 mri scans to confirm that it was a stroke. didn't know whether if i would live or not. can't think straight nowadays with this fog (i didn't have this fog after the stroke). so, i guess, things get mixed up in my head.

Well, I'm glad you posted wickedwings, because now I understand more. Since you already had ptsd, then yes, especially with the fear of dying with the stroke, or being permanently disabled, it can compound the stress reaction with the ptsd. I'm not sure I said that clearly or entirely correctly...but you get the gist I hope.

Cymbalta doesn't work for everyone. It's one of those drugs either you love it or hate it. I hope you find some med to take that helps you more than makes you suffer.

TC

my mother had brain surgery in april this year for cerebral aneurysm. now she has a constant fear of head injury. panics at low flying birds or low hanging branches, anything she thinks might hurt her. so you are not alone. and some of the meds made her feel the same way. they have changed some of them and are still weaning her off of others. so i sympithize with your situation, i know it must me scary and unnerving. hope the med changes help you.

best of luck
recluse1

(((((wickedwings)))))

just wanted you to know i am thnking of you and sending good thoughts and prayers your way. i am sorry you are going through this. i am here and listening.

purplesecrets

I also have had a stroke... 12.5 years ago, at the ripe old age of 19... now I'm dredging up all the reasons for my PTSD, and the stroke follows all the various kinds of abuse. I went 9 years believing that I was a medical mystery... then I had a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung) and the docs finally ran blood tests like you wouldn't believe (14 vials) and found out I had a clotting disorder. You can have PTSD because of a stroke... it sucks, but it will get better over time...