flashbacks

[dolphincrazy316]

Well its been over a year since we lost baby Alex. Here lately I have been having these flashbacks of being in the hospital. Its like it just happened! I keep going back to the doctors rushing me in for an emergency c-section and I feel like im loosing him all over again...has this happened to anybody else and what did u do? Could this be PTSD? please help

[cmccaffrey]

I have no idea what it is, but I have those a lot too... I don't even know how they trigger. I could be standing in line at the grocery store and it will wave over me. I will ask my therapist about it when I see her because if you're anything like me, those visions/feelings really mess up my day and make it hard to do anything else.
Hope someone else has more answers.

[jean]

This happens to me ALL of the time!:~( I relieve every horrible moment of it over and over again and I can picture it like it just happened. It is so miserable. (It's been a year for me too)

[kerisue]

Now I only have a Bachelors in Psych, not a PhD, but if you ask me, YES it is PTSD. We went through a huge trauma, a trauma that resulted in the ultimate loss, the loss of our child. I hate it. Mine dont occur frequently, but when they do it's usually when I'm trying to go to sleep

[kristina]

Yes it happened to me as well. I saw a therapist and they said it's PTSD. Just after I lost our child it was quite regular, but it gradually got less and now I don't get it at all. I don't specifically know what helped me, maybe it was talking to a therapist about it, maybe it was just time. I remember I was quite terrified when it happened so often and I felt like I was losing my mind, but my therapist assured me my feelings were normal and from my experience it went away. It's been over 3 years for me since we lost our child. The pain of losing my child will always be with me, but I don't get flashbacks anymore. Like kerisue said, we went through a huge trauma and that affects one on many levels. You are not alone. Hope it helps a little bit.

[angieb]

Mainly I'd start having flashbacks when I was driving to work. Random idle thoughts wandered into something about her/losing her/ etc. and then it was like reliving it. Never the same bad parts, it was always something different.

For me, they've stopped, probably around the 1 year mark about.

[dolphincrazy316]

For me the last several days have been awful. The flashbacks are coming more frequent. I have suffered from panic attacks for a really long time..now everytime i have aflashback, i end up having a panic attack..i just dont know what to do..I have been to the dr several times for the attacks but the meds they put me on doesn't seem to help at all..so now i just dont know what to do about it...any advice is welcome...thanks in advance!!

[kerisue]

Anti-anxiety medication can help with panic attacks though it sounds like you may already be on that. Have you tried counseling as well? I have a friend who also experiences panic attacks (not grief related) and her therapist has tried a combination of talk therapy and practical techniques (how to prepare for an attack, how to minimize it, how to deal with it in the moment) that have really seemed to help her. A local organization has folks who have also experienced pregnancy/infant losses that I can call anytime of the day or night. That's really helped me. Maybe your area has something similar? Good luck.

[rosemary]

Have you called your doctor and discussed the meds that you are currently taking? There might be something else that might be more beneficial. Maybe give them a call and let them know that you're continuing to have panic attacks.

It's already been mentioned, and I second the thought about counseling or a loss support group. Your physician maybe able to suggest a counselor, and local hospitals often have connections with support groups.

Wishing you peace and healing. (((HUGS)))