Health is a gift that is a struggle to unwrap when you live with Post Traumatic Stress. As a dear in flight for its' life is the constant flow of cortisol in the body for one who has PTSD,
Trauma comes in many forms and is much more than physiological. I am very fortunate that the Psychiatrist that worked with me tried to also manage my cortisol with pharmaceutical drugs, namely a side effect of Lamictal. The drug was never approved by the FDA for this use. He treats many Vietnam Veterans and now others coming home from war have a tough time getting help with PTSD. War after War, remember the generations of homeless men and women unable to cope or function turning to booze or drugs to feel human. There are many types of war, battles may differ but the physical effects of it remain.
PTSD has a devastating effect long term on the body. I have spent a life time trying to learn how to stop this cortisol flush. Over responding to life and stress.
It has so wreaked my body. I have learned that the long term of Cortisol is directly connected to the Common Veritable Immunoglobbulin Deficiency CVID, The long term effect of constant flight flight being on. It is thought by some to be the latter stage of the exhaustion of the adrenal system.
A book called the Cortisol Connection, Why stress makes you fat and ruins your health. Written by Shawn Talbott, PH. D. GACSM
ISBN -13:978-0-89793-492-3
Hunter House Publishers PO Box 2914, Alameda CA 945010914
Available in PDF here
This is helping me to understand more about the cascading effects of this life long issue and the end results of it left incorrectly addressed. Now I am not saying that everyone with PTSD will get the CVID and need plasma infusions every four weeks like I do. It is my hope that I might help others to be able to address it intellectually and get a good fighting chance at health. A chance at stopping it before the latter stages of it.
As I read I saw that indeed I road out the couse to a 50+ year old, Now I continue all efforts at gaining health.
It was a fascinating study of how the interactions between hormones and other biological chemicals even the very fat cells react in a response to the flight fight of the cortisol flush.
Being of a homeopathic mind set the suggested supplementation complete with explanations of each one has given me hope. Aging just makes PTSD worse. So many Veterans and survivors have an end of life marred with hopelessness. Many I have l known even taking their own lives in desperation. Maybe this can help others have a hope.
As an elder of sorts the constant insomnia has a real drain on the plasma that keeps me alive, I am making all efforts to value this gift of life. Reading last night well into the wee hours advise withing this book . the advice taken, I slept by using not only the melatonin in my herbal stash but I added 5-HTP. Within 10 minutes the cortisol flash slowed and I went to sleep! This morning NO COFFEE to start the cortisol up again , but yogurt and fruit and soon some good multi vitamins, B complex, multi minerals. Water, exercise, nutrition and supplementation.
Cortisol overage effects other hormones that give us vitality, this is helped through some supplementation that allows our own bodies to unlock the absorption of needed hormones. Without the need of taking such hormones. There are to be found in the book several lists in chapter 9 of Foundational multivitamin and multimineral that is the first step. The next step should be targetted modulation of cortisol, HSD this is the signal that tells fat cells that famine is at hand making the fat cell cling onto every calorie, and testosterone (via PMFs, eurycoma, theanine, etc.). Then should come the reinforcements against episodes of stress in the form of a balanced adaptogen regimen. Lists, explanations and tables are found in the book as well.
I am swimming, weakly in the exhaustion of poor health with all hopes to help myself. I hope that this will help others. Left untreated it will continue a life held alive through monthly plasma infusions, inflammatory joints with fibromyalgia pain. I do not want to depend on pain medication and muscle relaxants.I have almost stopped all pain and muscle relaxants that have left me limp and fatigued.
Being pro active is best! After years of struggle with PTSD and the health effects it is my will to help myself live. It is the best success. I hope that this might help others with information to help yourself.
Study at many universities is ongoing.