Physical Ailments with CPTSD - Part 1

[Dyess]

Anyone experience physical ailments more so now than ever? Seems like when I get really stressed my gallbladder gets sore and my stomach gets all out of sorts. I only eat one meal a day and I'm sure that plays with my sugar but I have been doing that for so long it's pretty normal for me. The headaches...oh my gosh, so many. The nausea and sometimes vomiting can be bad too.

Then there's the aches, especially in my back. My back muscles are rock hard and you can feel the knots in the muscle, so I've been told. Went to a chiropractor and they do massage but it was so painful I couldn't stand it.

Plus weight gain, and I haven't really changed my diet, but I have been less active. At work it was hit the floor running and it didn't stop until you got off work.

Anyone else experience any of this?

[Bluevermonter]

My cptsd ex had a whole laundry list of ailments.  Number 1 was the migraines triggered by stress, mostly from work.  She tried so much to alleviate those headaches.  I asked her to go to a migraine specialist.  She would not.  For 20 years, Her dentist suggested she get braces as that might be a contributing factor, but again no.

She also has hypoglycemia, and that affected her lifestyle in a major way.  Suggested she consult w a nutritionist, but no.

She never trusted anyone else to help her w her issues.

[keepfighting]

Yes, I definitely have some physical symptoms due to my CPTSD. My t explained to me that they are psychosomatic which apparently means that the symptoms are real but they don't originate in a physical disorder (when in doubt about any new symptoms, I'm advised to always check with my GP first to exclude any physical illnesses). It often manifests itself in the 'weakest link' of my body at the time (headaches, tummy/bowel problems....).

What works for me (tested, failed, tried again....) is a mixture of routine, eating habits that agree with me and exercising to help losen up my muscles. Exercising has an added bonus of serving as a flight response when needed (yay for that!) and keeping my weight under control.

Apart from that, I've mainly tried to change my attititude towards these kind of symptoms: "They might feel dangerous but they are not."; "I've done everything I can to help change the severity of the symptoms, I accept that I cannot avoid them altogether and that they will go away again."

(For me, the nausea for example is usually a sign that it's been too long since I've last eaten and a quick snack like a banana can prevent it from turning into something nastier. It took some time to figure that one out, as you can imagine...  )

But everyone is different so you'll probably have to learn to be more accurate in understanding how your body and mind interact and what triggers what in your case... It's really quite a journey CPTSD is making us take, isn't it? 

[Jdog]

I agree, CPTSD really does take one on quite the somatic symptom adventure.  For me, it is IBS (which only surfaced in the past year) and lifelong fun of psoriasis, which is an immunodisorder which is made much worse by stress.  Due to the number if triggers I have weathered lately, both conditions are in full swing.
I agree that exercise is a huge help in battling both the physical and emotional ills I experience.  I look better and feel better thanks to my running habit.  As a "flight" type, it suits me very well.  Others may find that swimming, weight lifting, or walking would be more to their liking.  Also, remembering that emotions pass through me and can't hurt me is a constant in my battle to remain balanced.

[Widdiful Falling]

I feel you with the knots in your back. It's awful. I've been able to beat them because I practice aikido, which requires relaxation. Something like aikido, yoga, or tai chi might help with those. I've found that aikido also helps me stay more connected to my body, so I realize when I'm tensing and can stop.

Try to work out what your body is telling you. Easier said, than done, but certainly worth it.

[Dyess]

These are some good suggestions. I'm sorry everyone has to go through this but it is somewhat comforting to know I'm not alone with this.
<<It's really quite a journey CPTSD is making us take, isn't it?    >>
Yes, Keepfighting it surely is. I wonder if this some kind of Karma come back from something in a past life. I try to be a good person and help others, try to be honest, so why this bombshell, why now? Why can't I get over this on me own?

[woodsgnome]

I can see correlations with cptsd and every health issue I've had (other than broken bones, I suppose).

Asthma--oh yeah, big time and EF's trigger that too. No medical measures can truly deal with the inner turmoil where the lungs and airways seem to contract along with the mood.

Bad knees--I noticed it early on, tried different things, and it kept recurring...I just felt so loaded down, so heavy I guess is the way to say it; like I was unsupported, reflecting the inner loneliness that's characterized too much of my life.

Glaucoma--sure, there are other factors with that, but it felt like I truly didn't want to see the visions which float through with the EFs. Now sure, there are weak eyes and then there are psychosomatic aspects and I was slow to realize the connection but feel it was there all along, this wanting to "freeze", as it's called, and not see.

General and frequent flat out numbness--the whole body just feels let down, pressed down, too banged up to want to feel, where relaxation (useful for the asthma anyway) and rest is all I want anymore--get me outta here is what my body says when this hits (often). So maybe there's one caveat--being addicted to relaxation is a better direction than some other addictions that come to mind (but which hurt the body in other ways).

I know I've had a constant mind flow related to disappointment--the pattern was set early on, and the resiliency of youth couldn't overcome it. I could never shake the heavy disappointment of just being in such a cruel world.  And then I'd turn on myself for not being able to do more and that whole inner critic not-so-merry-go-round would whirl me right back into deep depression. And it leaked over into the actual physical ailments I've touched on. The body anguish reflected the inner angst all along.

[Indigochild]

Im so super glad i found this thread.
And also sad.

Lately, i have been having physical problems.
I have always had a sore muscles in my back, knots etc. sore shoulders, but lately i have had stomach issues (constiation, dire), usually caused by anxiety and stress.
I have a few times, had a pain in my side - my left hand side near my left rib and in the middle of my waste at the side.
Not sure if this is the gall bladder.

After a week trying to suppress my constant rage and therapy session today, the pain is here again, as well as having to ...offload via the back passage more often, and the way this is happening is not normal.
Im not sure if it happens more when ive had bread twice that day ie. for breakfast, then lunch...i need to take note of the pattern.

Not sure if i quality for IBs. This happens more after stress.
I also have strange itchy red spots on my legs, and I'm not sure if this is due to holding anger in and suppressing it.
I also have had dry patches on the tops of my arms and get spots there and on my shoulders often. I also had what looks like a rash on the tops of my arms.

I get headaches when disassociated, usually the second day after being stressed. I know this is normal and that its the blood flow going back into my head after my head muscles being so tense.

Does any of this sound familiar?
All of these symptoms apart from the back ache i have never had until recently, since i was re traumatised back in march this year.
Do you guys think this sounds most likely trauma related?

My mum had to have her gall bladder out as it was causing her pain, and she had traumatic childhood too.
It makes me so sad that her pain could have been a bodily symptom of trauma, as she was angry at home nearly all of the time, and I am angry a lot of the time, now i understand how she must of felt, only she never tried dealing with hers.

Opinons would be welcome

[Indigochild]

ps. just did some research.
Anyone here experiencing complaints, i encourage you to get it checked out if you havent already.
I think i have acute gastritis. Maybe not the gall bladder. Someone (cant remember her name) said her gall bladder hurts...i thought it was this with me- might be- but i think i need to get some tests done, or see the doc at least and see what they think. I would hate for you to not too, its dangerous if not treated.

[Dyess]

I too thought for sure it was my gallbladder and all the test came back negative, well, they found my gallbladder empties at 80% but that would cause the nausea and pain that I was having. They never did find out what was wrong but greasy food will cause it to flare up. Keep looking into it.

[Kizzie]

A lot of the symptoms - headaches, sore, knotted muscles, nausea & diarrhea, rashes, tender/painful spots on the body are associated with fibromyalgia or Lupus.  Fatigue is a factor though, as is mental fog and sensitivity to light, noise and temperature changes  so don't know if that applies.  All symptoms flare more when under stress.  Just google neuro immune disorder - there's lots of info avail.

[Indigochild]

Thankyou so much Kizzie!! 

[Boatsetsailrose]

Oh my yes !
And yes have got worse

Headaches since a child and now chronic sinus with migraine
Pressure - tension headache
Yes very tight muscles esp in shoulders
Fatigue
Stomach issues

It all drives me mad !

[Jdog]

Hey, here is some good news from my world.  I have been prescribed Enbrel, an injectable biological compound, and my psoriasis is nearly gone in less than two months.  In addition, the IBS is ever so much better.  Not a coincidence, methinks.

[Indigochild]

Im sorry you suffer too Boatsetsailrose

I hope you go for massages etc to try  and receive some of the pressure, although thats not the total cure.