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Medical Post Operative Ptsd Responses

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Mercy

MyPTSD Pro
This past January, I had surgery on a badly broken ankle to screw in metal plates. Post surgery, I was back in my ward and heavily sedated from the anasethesia and morphine. I heard the command, "Hit the dirt!" It was probably from someone's TV. I stood up in my bed, new cast, IVs and all, and dove off the bed sliding as far as I could along the floor. I broke my wrist in the process.

My question is about whether or trauma brain is put to sleep during surgery and recovery or not.
 
Are you unsure of how to create a new thread or where to post this thread?

There is a video that goes over making a new thread (it also includes attaching images, which I realize does not apply to you). [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/posting-threads-c-w-images.14346/[/DLMURL]

Does this help? Let me know and I can try to help further. :)
 
Hi Mercy

I have moved and edited this thread for you. You obviously know how to create a thread as you posted correctly in the Help Desk. I am not sure what you actually wanted help with - perhaps determining the appropriate forum to post it in?

Anyway, as per Pirate Lady's post - there is a help video and your thread is now moved so please continue your topic :)
 
Thank you both. The title was meant to be, "Post Operative PTSD Responses".

I wasn't sure where to post this, here or in the vets area. I think this may effect many of us.

This topic about post-operative safety is important to address. I'm relatively certain that had I been fully conscious, I would never have followed the command, "Bite the Dust!" as yelled by an actor on TV. But I was not fully conscious and consequently I broke my wrist obeying the command.


Our Vets are coming back with PTSD and orthopedic wounds which may require more than one surgery to correct. There needs to be clear postop hospital protocalls. After I dove off my bed, they put me in a lower bed and put a movement sensing pad under me. They also had an aid sitting with me when noone else was there. The nursing staff appeared to know something about safety.

I can list a few things that might cut down on triggers.
1. Pad instrument trays as they are in a dentist's office. This takes the surprise out of the clank of metal against metal.
2. Spend some time reorienting post op. PTSD patients to their surroundings, especially if they were admitted from the ER.
3. Do not leave heavily sedated patients with PTSD alone or unobserved. Many adverse reactions can be avoided or averted by a caring presence.

Anyone want to add more.
 
Has anyone else had difficulties being in hospital with things that are triggering?
 
This is an older thread, but I really relate to this experience.

I wish I would have been farther along in my therapy so that I would have been very clear with everyone in advance that I have PTSD. My triggers aren't military, but I had trouble coming out of anesthesia, flashed back and became hysterical.

The breaking point was when four nurses were doing four different things and I was immobilized. I managed to get them all to stop and told them explicitly that I had been attacked by multiple assailants and it was critical for my mental safety that they slow down, do one thing at a time, and narrate what they were doing to me physically.

I could have done a better job disclosing in the first place. I'm now much more upfront about it.
 
that they slow down, do one thing at a time, and narrate what they were doing to me physically.
As a nurse I would suggest they should have been doing this anyway. Sounds like an example of poor practice to me. You are right to suggest disclosure helps, but it shouldn't be necessary. Other people will have similar reactions because of sensory impairment - blind, deaf or simply because they are coming out of an anaesthetic. Every patient should be treated as if they can hear everything - even if apparently asleep- and spoken to with reassurance and clear explanation of what is happening and why.

Stories like this make me sad, because we are the very profession that should know better and should get these basics right.
 
@Lucycat , I don't disagree. For awhile I was really holding onto some anger and confusion about it - like, "why was I the one patient they couldn't be calmer with?" - until I realized that it's likely they were just slammed at the moment and were trying to deal with each of their tasks, with unfortunately all ending up in my room at the same time. To their credit, when I got them to stop and was slowly able to explain (whilst trying not to sob, it was a great deal of pressure) they were focused and calm and adjusted their behavior with me immediately. So at least there's a happy ending.

I have no forgiveness for the tech who was right next to me when I first woke up in the OR. I couldn't move my legs, huge trigger for me - and started by asking what was wrong with my legs, and simply got no response whatsoever, even after I switched to just "please help me". Massive trigger number two. Thankfully my surgeon rushed over, gave an order for a sedative, and told me I was ok and everything had gone fine.

A hospital is, I think, a foreign land, for those of us who don't work within it.
 
It's important you take a zinc supplimemt before and after surgery, as surgery depletes this. Also ptsd depletes magnesium so I think ZMA is perfect. Just my two cents.
 
Erm.. you only need mineral supplements if you are depleted in minerals. If you are physically healthy and eat a varied diet then there is no need for routine supplements regardless of surgery or PTSD. Remember when making sweeping statements like this surgery can be removal of a toenail or amputation of a limb or a million other procedures. No one piece of advice will fit all.
 
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