PTSD/Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), Meds and Gear

[<Raven>]

So my fiance and I have had our share of problems like everyone else but apparently she's addressed my temper as a problem. I'll admit that I've done my fair share of damage to sheet rock, my steering wheel, and various inanimate objects but I've never laid my hands on her (well with the exception of one time where I picked her up, carried her out of my office, tossed her on the couch and locked myself in my office to end a fight, which i thought was pretty civil and mature). I admitted to her that yes I do have a temper and I do say things that I dont mean and explode when the right buttons are pushed...I just thought I was a normal guy. I mean whether your a pitbull or a poodle...you get poked enough times your gonna bite. I dunno maybe I do have a problem. Anyway, in the sense of satisfying her concerns and taking care of our relationship I went and saw a doctor today. I was honest about everything and told him what I've done. He asks all these questions and immediately keyed in on my military service as well as that of my father and grandfathers and their ptsd and so on and so on. According to her my temper increased after I got out. In the end he tells me I suffer from fits of rage due to my fight or flight..blah blah and ends up with ptsd or IED, interestingly named such. Anyway I have to go back to another session with her and a list of things that piss me off and he's talking about medicating my ass. This isnt roid rage bc I'm the same on or off cycle.

My question is if this asshole medicates me, what effects will it have on my training and or gear? If it will I'm gonna toss the damn things down the drain every day and be on my best behavior just to make everyone happy. I dunno I just wanted some expert opinions on the effects of these drugs from a training/gear perspective and whether or not they will ruin me. He's already put me on ambien for my sleep.

heres a link to the mayo clinics list of drugs, I guess he's gonna pick one of these.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/int...ents-and-drugs

[Twist]

new girl. that's what i do. start to fight I choose flight

[RANA]

I have had PTSD for years. I have learned to control myself, but I have never been the type of guy that punches or breaks things. I do fly off the handle and I notice on gear I have a short temper. Part of the issue is learning to control your anger. I have to step back and or walk away.

Meds will affect you on gear; either it can suppress certain emotionals or your chemical make up.

This is nothing against you but be a stronger man and learn to control yourself. Regarding sleep, I have not sleep normal in many many years, but I can live with that. Ambien is fine for now, it's when the doc wants to give you stuff for your depression that is when you have to worry about it.

Like I said, control your emotions and be a better man or it will eat at your soul.

[spywizard]

ummm.. why would you allow someone to medicate you???

Unless you have a criminal record and you beat people at random I'd say you were normal...are you a passive marsh mellow like her father?? probably not.. are you going to allow them to put you on paxil so that your sex drive is destroyed forever?? in an attempt to make you more acceptable to her?? and her ideals of what/who she wants??

She should look for the attributes that she wants in a different person..Unless you are set that you want to change those characteristics for your own desires... If you can't please yourself, you will never be able to please anyone else.. ]

Point really being, if she wants to change you that much through medicating you, you need to kick her to the curb...

sorry to be so blunt..

[spywizard]

And what the hell are you thinking letting a doc "identify" you as having an rage issue??? that is part of your medical record now..

imagine 2 yrs from now, you are in a fight and the guy dies, or is maimed.. court ordered medical record review to determine mental capacity..

or goodness forbid you have a child and the wife divorces you. want to bet that your medical records and your "psychological disorder" wont' become a big part of that??

just be careful

[busaboy27]

blame her.. thats most likely it.. get a new girl and i bet that wont happen

[lebronjames]

hahahah lol.......busaboy27 funny...........I have PTSD too this is what i did though......they put me on meds and I just flushed them down the toleit and stayed on cycle and I kept a level head and checked myself and stoped flipping on people, the only pill I took was the ambien......

[<Raven>]

I appreciate the thoughts, Rana I appreciate the advice and I think youre right on target. I need to look at how to step back and take control of myself as a man. Like I said before, I've never been violent physically towards her but theres no excuse for breaking shit and losing control. I think a large part was just bringing the issue forefront and admitting that some of the things I do arent cool. I don't need a chemical excuse to step up and treat her better.

Spywizard you have a couple of points too. Fortunately I have a much better time controlling my temper in outside confrontations and my lifestyle has changed enough that Im not brawling in bars anymore. Anything could happen though and youre right I did put myself into a situation of having this on my permanent medical record. Then again, she doesnt want me to change as a person...she just doesnt want to feel verbally abused and scared shittless everytime we have and argument so with respect to how much I do care about her addressing the situation was worth it.

I dont really subscribe to the whole ptsd saga that I see in the VA today but the sheer volume of diagnosis thats been taking place isnt really going to set me apart into some stereotyped population. Thanks all for the advice

[SmallGuy0341]

I have been on meds for PTSD for 2 years . I just took myself off them. Before I started them I was allways fighting and getting in trouble and my command was worried because I would sit outside and drink till I fell asleep. I lost about 45 pounds while on meds. I lost my appitite and the meds actually made me worse to the point where I would stay in my room for days and isolate myself. I just wanted to get back over seas. I did 4 combat tours with the marines yet I didn't feel like I did enough. Trust me the best thing to do is not take meds unless is the ones to help you sleep. A good nights sleep will do wonders compared to the combined 2-3 hours you most likely get now. Other than that I would suggest to not do things or go places that you have to drink in order to feel comfortable. Well I hope you do well. I have to go start a thread on "if test will wrk for me". Later bro.

[ektome]

Small guy...is that your MOS? I was an 0341 myself. Any how to stay to the point. I was never Diagnosed because I never went. I suffered anger problems before going in and I think I am actually a little more level headed now. No thanks to anyone but the gym. I havent cycled yet i will start in two weeks but the best meds I took were a couple plates on each side of the bar and thinking about some F**ktard telling me I have problems when he has never even been oustide of his office and the closest to combat he has come is watching a serious episode of MASH. Stay away from meds and Dr's. My cousin and best friend who I deployed with lost alot because they were Unstable supposedly. My best friend from the marines lost his kids, house and most of his money...shortly after that his sanity because he let the navy Dr's diagnose what they said was PTSD, it wasnt he was just a typical wired up jarhead. Well his wife started cheating on him his second tour he came home found out, got pissed and kicked her out and kept the kids. Well im sure you can figure the rest out, she used it against him in court and stated that he was abussive and what not so in the end he lost everything for nothing. Ambien is the only good stuff they give you. I know they give you a ton of it because they gave me some before I even came back from over seas...lol. Seriously, I know that kids are not involved but your sanity and everything that you have worked hard for are on the line. She knew how you were before going in and it sounds like she is covering for some insecurities she may have. Not to be harsh towards her or anything but seriously man maybe she needs to go see a shrink to see if she has issues and that is why she feels it necessary to push your buttons. I hope whatever you choose man it makes you happy. My Gunny used to say " no one cares about you more than you" so take that and run with it man. Its about how you ultimately want to see yourself at the end of the day.

[SmallGuy0341]

yea meds can screw up your apitite. trust me i went from 5'8'' 165 (im a endurance athlete . i run the 3 mile in 16.40) to 118 and depressed as hell for no reason at all and never wanted to work out. ive been off my meds for almost 2 months and im back to 140 and im back to getting in shape. working out is how we have to deal with things . as long as your putting it to a good use. my friend is even trying to get me into mixed martial arts to help relieve some of my anger problems and to have some fun. look for something that you can focus your anger on without getting in trouble. thats what im doing now that im off my meds and im getting better.

oh yea .. i am a 0341