Thursday 23 August 2007

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

We went to see a thyroid specialist. Just to check that an increase in thyroxine would not help with the depression. The specialist - a Professor, thought not. He says the under-active thyroid is now sufficiently under control. He believes My Man is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He thinks that all the symptoms: muscle weakness, constant fatigue, the sudden draining of energy, the intolerance of heat, intolerance of cold, forgetfulness and lack of concentration are all due to PSTD. My Man was impressed with his manner and his authority. But disappointed that there is no magic answer which will help him recover and return more to his old self. I do wonder whether he may feel more content with the idea of PSTD rather than 'just depression'. But after the journey to and from the hospital and the hour there, he has been far too tired to discuss it yet. I'm hoping that he will feel some degree of re-assurance that he hasn't some dire thyroid illness [ such as cancer] that is incurable. Strange how one who often feels 'there is no point to life' and so there's 'no point in carrying on' is so keen to make sure there is no lurking killer, somewhere in his body. That's when I realise how irrational is his thinking.

I'm getting wiser. I'm learning how to cope. I am beginning to work out how to avoid the little niggles and petty disagreements that usually start when he becomes over stressed. We accomplished a journey today without argument. I made sure I had the Sat Nav on. It was set to show just my speed. MyMan was then able to see that I rarely went above 45 mph and was always well within the speed limit. If I go slower then impatient drivers end up overtaking on a road that has many accidents. It's strange that speed worries him as his accident was caused while he was stationary. But everything outside of home causes him stress and irritation. It may be a day or two before he's recovered enough to talk over what he was told today.

5 comments:

Potty Mummy said...

Dear Lady Thinker,

it's uncanny how many people suffering from depression have an underactive thyroid condition. My father had it, undiagnosed, for years, and it was only once my sister was diagnosed with it around 5 years ago that the penny dropped and they tested him too. The drugs to treat it have definitely helped to lift his (and her) depression. What is also interesting is that they say it's not hereditary, and yet my father, his brother, and my sister all have it. Looking back on my dead grandmother's behaviour, she probably did too. But it's not hereditary. Apparantly...

Keep going - as I'm sure you know by now there's probably no silver bullet, but I'm sure both of you will slowly find more and more ways of handling this.

Mr Mans Wife said...

Mr Man doesn't travel well either. I have to remember to drive really carefully when he's in the car - drive slower, break earlier, give other drivers extra room and so on.

He gets paranoid that he has cancer too. Like you say, it's odd when he'd been suicidal for so long. One extreme to the other.


ps. you didn't add your 3bt's!

1. It's a beautiful sunny day
2 & 3 . I'll let you know - I got up late and my day has only just started!

Penny Pincher said...

Hello again potty mummy - MyMan is definitely a degree better now on thyroxine so there has been some improvement. As you say there is often a family link with thyroid probs.
There might be bullet but i've no gun! ;-)

Mr Mans wife - sorry too busy composing a poem to do my 3BTs - go have a look on
http://sidmouth-town.blogspot.com/2007/08/only-mad-dogs.html.
Funny - I don't know if you're like me - I drive less well as I'm concentrating so much on my speed!

Penny Pincher said...

Saturday's 3BT
A visit from a neighburs cat
A beautiful sunny warm quiet day
Ripe juicy sharp plums - 3 of 'em

Poetess said...

I hope things start to settle with a different diagnosis.

I like your 3 BT's. IOt reminds us to stay positive.

Poetessxxx