Hello everyone,

As is custom on most every forum I have ever frequented. I am here to introduce myself.

Yep, I am a Veteren of Iraq. I was in country from June 2005 to June 2006. I served as a Medic. I did Medical Evacuations for our Task Force.

I have been in the National Guard since 1996 and served as a medic the entire time. In my time in the National Guard I have been deployed twice. Bosnia in 2002-2003 then Iraq 2005-2006.

For a few years I worked in Emergency Medical Services as an EMT-B. 1997 untill 2001. Currently a NREMT-B, KYEMT-B, PHTLS advanced provider and AHA BLS provider.

Now I work at a kids home( residential treatment) for abandoned, abused, neglected and behaviorly challenged boys from 6-18.

So enough background. I have PTSD. My deployment to Iraq destroyed my marraige and I saw and was involved in many thing I am proud of some and not so proud of others. I survived. Coming home was difficult .

Ive been in therapy a year in October through the VA. 2 weeks a go I started on Medication which I tried to avoid hoping to be able to fight the good fight on my own but I needed help. I belive all mey experiances over the last 10 year have contributed to my PTSD. I have only worked in high stress jobs my entire adult life. I hope to learn many things here. Ill try to stay in my lane and remember my place as the new guy.

Thanks you,

Welcome to the forum Medic!

bec

Welcome, Medic! Good for you for working in a helping profession. I really admire that. I hope you can find ways to destress and learn a lot here, as I have.

Welcome to our humble forum! I am a Desert Storm Army vet, now 100% SC disabled at home, I am from NC, living in NM. Welcome home! You have done more for our country than most and we are so grateful to you, we can never repay you. I hope that the VA is good to you. The VA I have here is shit quality so I refuse to go there; I got sexually assaulted there by an employee and the VA police did nothing to help me. I refuse to go back there. The VA really treated me wrong. They cover everything up, even federal crimes.
I got 60% the day I got out of active duty, then 70% six years later, then you know, immediately applied for 100% and got it, then applied also for Social Security Disability too, and got it immediately too. I can tell you how to do that too. All my disabilities are physical. The list was long enough to get me 100% even before they got to the PTSD!
Anyhow, you have come to the right place to heal.

Welcome aboard.

Welcome to the forum medic....

Welcome up in here, medic. Thanks for joining. I hope that you find it a help.

hello! welcome. (yeah i suck at this - i'm really trying)

Hi Medic

I am a nurse and can totally identify with what you have described - in fact, it amazes me that more healthcare professionals are not on this site. Good for you for finding a job that does not trigger you and for finally accepting that you need some help. I fought going on meds for a long time. PTSD is a neurologic disorder - and like diabetes - sometimes we need medicinal help to allow us to regulate our sympathtic nervous systems. Being locked into "fight or flight" only allows us to survive - not thrive.

Welcome to the forum - may you find some healing amonst our stories. Take care!

Sorry for taking so long to get back. Thank you for all the kind replies. Things are better. I stopped taking ZOLOFT( sexuall side effects cause a quality of life issue) and began Remeron, lopressor, and topomax now this combination is working very well. The Remeron helps me slows me down a bit helping me sleep. the lopressor while actually a blood pressure medication helps with my anxiety and palpitations and the topomax help with my binge eating from the Remoron and stablizes my mode some. I've decided to leave the service (decided not to reenlist) as it was a huge trigger for me. I am going very well. I have started College ( which without a disability rating I am paying for myself) but Iam going pretty well right now.