PTSD Post Transplant....Anyone?

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Permalink Reply by Nelson Freytes on July 22, 2008 at 8:03pm

Rebecca,
Please forgive my ignorance, but what does "PTSD" stand for?

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on July 23, 2008 at 7:33am

Nelson, you are by no means ignorant my friend! PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

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Permalink Reply by Nelson Freytes on July 23, 2008 at 8:10am

Heh.. Thanks for clarifying. I had an inclination that way, but just couldn't make the abbreviation to line up in my head.

I think there are probably more people with PTSD than are themselves aware of it. An event like transplantation can be a traumatic situation that the subconscious mind can try to guard the individual from. Unfortunately this still will cause stress that can be more challenging to get to the root of.

I can remember certain events after my transplant, but I think in my case it was due to not having been prepared for a transplant beforehand and just being thrown into this new reality.

This is an interesting discussion topic I'll be following here as others discuss their experience with this here.

BTW, was the search you did in Google for PTSD as it relates to transplant recepients or for people who undergo a life saving medical experience in general? Feel free to link to the article here and post it if the writer allows it.

Thanks,
Nelson

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on July 23, 2008 at 1:03pm

Here's the link: http://groups.google.com/group/transplantpsychiatry/msg/8e5357da04b...
Since it is from a Google group and you have to be a professional to join, I didn't know who to ask permission from :) I hope that they don't mind us using the info here.
I agree with you Nelson. I don't think that ppl are aware of PTSD in the realm of Transplantation. I stumbled upon these messages just last week after having a rough morning. I suddenly questioned myself.."Is this PTSD?" Since I am also a former Army soldier I posted about this on a Veteran's message board. One person suggested that I see someone about "Survivor's Issues." Btw, I mentioned this to my mom and she told me that I did see someone for counselling three times after the transplant and all I did was sit there and cry. I don't remember any of this.
I sure hope that this info can help someone. I will be seeing someone at the VA about this issue soon.

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Permalink Reply by Imelda Vasquez on July 28, 2008 at 8:49am

Hello there Rebecca. You are not alone. My name is Imelda and had a heart/double lung transplant on June 1, 2007 at UCLA. I have not been diagnosed with PTSD, but I have had several dreams....that are awful. They usually have to do with me being still pre-tx and some feeling like when I was in the hospital. I do not have them that frequently, but still have them. I do notice that my dreams now are a lot more realistic and vivid. Sometimes I don't want to fall asleep being afraid I will have some of these dreams. I do know of several other post tx friends who have been diagnosed with some form of PTSD for which they are seeing a counselor and or have their anxiety/depression medications increased. I believe all tx pts take an anxiety/depression medication. I myself am on Lexapro. I have a lot of memories that I feel are not my own, of people and places I've never met or been to. I often hear this could be memories from the donor....I don't know whether that is true or not, but I never had dreams like this before my tx!

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca on July 28, 2008 at 10:48am

Hi Imelda and ty for your reply. I was diagnosed with dysthymia a few yrs ago (a low-level, on-going depression) and took Celexa for it. The Celexa was great but I discontinued taking it (after 6 months) because my liver enzymes were rising and my dr. wanted to rule out the Celexa as the cause. It wasnt the cause and I hope to go back on it soon. I have read that some anti-depressents can cause vivid dreams...don't know if you had heard that. I am glad to know that this is not something that I am "dreaming up." When I learned I was sick it had already been a whorl-wind of a yr. Within a four months time frame I had re-enlisted in the Army, turned 20, gotten married for the first time, bought a house, and then was hit with being told that I was severely ill, needed a liver transplant, and was going to be retired! It was too much for me to take I suppose. I have never really picked up the pieces of my life since then. I just go with the flow. I see a psychologist on Thursday at my VA.

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