sue in oz

Hi waterbabe, Yes it is hard coming to terms with going from being extremely capable to being very dependent. I joke that the stroke has made me a boy (sorry guys) because I can't multi-task anymore LOL I too was diagnosed with PTSD, mine post stroke. I was just able to hold my emotions together (save for a couple of times) whilst in hospital but thing just started to get worse at home. Thoughts just kept going round & round in my mind & I'd end up in crying "fits" that would last for an hour or so. I am seeing a Clinical Psychologist who uses amongst other therapies a technique call EMDR (you might like to Google it) which helps to appropriately process all those errant thoughts & help even out the emotional triggers, etc. No drugs are involved, just a willingness to address the "problem" thoughts. I do understand that some people need drugs to help them cope with emotional issues but I wanted to let you know there are options. HTH

Hi Josh Thank you for supporting your wife so fabulously. I'm sure that it is appreciated even if not verbalised. There has been lots of great info given above but I thought I would add my little bit as it has a bit of a different slant. While I was in hospital I knew that I had some significant emotional issues to deal with but waited until I got home ~3 months later. I too would have melt downs, tanties & exhaustive crying fits that would last for hours. I felt frustrated, guilty, not brave, etc. I'd changed my husband's, son's & my lives forever & boy did I feel guilty. I saw a psychologist I had seen before for depression (so I know I am pre-disposed) & he diagnosed PTSD. Basically there were quite a few events & thoughts that I wasn't processing normally & they would just go round & round in my head, getting worse with each trip The main treatment was EMDR & some counselling. I had no meds for this. The difference that it has made to my life has been tremendous. It has given me the emotional stability I needed, the strength to keep moving forward & to help others where I can. My advice to all the strokees I visit at the hospital is that if you are getting stuck in an emotional rut, please get some help. You get help for your body, there is no shame in getting some help for your psyche - some things you just can't snap out of. So please keep loving & supporting your wife & if you think she might benefit from some psychological help, please organise it. HTH

Hi CB, First of all congrats on opening the bottle A+ for giving it a go & A++ for succeeding. I'm on the optimistic side of the fence. Sure I have a bunch of deficits, but I continus to work bloody hard to claw back what I can. So I will get better - maybe not completely but certainly improved. So what if the qwacks say one won't improve - prove them wrong & give them some positive data to add to the "negative" data they are quoting. Keep up the good work & I hope the driving is going well. I do my test on 11 September. HTH