Us doctors have made a new drug that can possibly help with PTSD, at least they are trying unlike here in the UK where we are supposed to just `pull ourselves together` and have a nice cup of tea. I wonder if my GP would proscribe these for me? Well when I started to have dizzy spells last year and I collapsed thinking I was having a stroke or a brain haemorrhage and being taken to hospital by ambulance after my partner dialled 999, he shrugged his shoulders and said it was just stress. He may have point as I believe stress can lead to a number of conditions, which has been proven in the US. I had to pay £150 to go private to see a specialist and he put me in for an MRI brain scan. I was relived when the results came back negative but I was diagnosed with menieres disease and I was proscribed more drugs to alleviate the symptoms. Earlier this year I had a break down just out of the blue one day and I was crying uncontrollably and felt suicidal. I saw my GP and asked for specialist help, he just shrugged his shoulders again and said `Stress.` So that’s typical of how ex servicemen are treated here in the UK. I am constantly sent forms to fill out where I have to outline why I have PTSD dragging up my painful memories. Last week I was sent for a medical where I was interviewed by a Polish lady who read questions off a computer screen asking me things like `Can you make a cup of tea? I wore my Regimental blazer and medals and she seemed almost embarrassed having to ask me those questions.On one occasion a few years ago I was told by a DSS doctor "You look alright to me" Can you imagine if a woman had to relive the horror of a rape on an annual basis to prove she was still affected? Well they seem to think its ok for veterans to relive their horrors. They should just put a camera in my bedroom and monitor me during the night. I have written a letter to my local MP John Hutton who is also the Secretary of state for Health outlining the problems veterans have to face. I believe any benefits that a veteran is entitled to should be administered from the VA, as the DSS treat everyone like shit, make you feel like a criminal because you are ill, at least at the VA you can talk to someone who treats you with a little respect. This Government has just made me feel like a burden on my country especially on this 25th anniversary. It is no wonder so many of my Falklands veteran colleagues have taken their own lives. I really do understand what drives you to that decision. He wrote back and has sent my letter to the Minister for Veterans Affairs.
Read the article Here
© Mack (RG) The thoughts of a Falklands War Veteran.
socialized medicine is evil. they want to do that over here and i am soooo against it. if there was something I could do to help you out, I would. in a heartbeat. i cannot believe that your va does not treat people for ptsd. it has been scientifically proven for years.
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ReplyDeleteThanks Ron,
ReplyDeleteThe trouble in the UK is people thinks PTSD is an American invention from Vietnam, even though in the first world war thousand suffered with shell shock, there way of treating it then was to shoot you at dawn. This Government hopes we all shoot ourselves and save the VA a few pounds. As a Doctor Charles Figley has stated
A "tsunami" of mental health problems resulting from the war in Iraq is "headed our way,"
Lets hope the War doesn’t come and visit someone who thinks PTSD is load of bollocks
So in the UK War veterans are assessed by Foreign doctors who probably have no idea what PTSD is and where the Falklands was? I used to think England was a great country what has happened?
ReplyDeleteThe labour party my freind.
ReplyDelete300 + suicides from the Falklands is way proof enough of PTSD. I wonder what would happen if the Royal Princes get PTSD , private confidential care and kept secret?
ReplyDeletewe did not invent it, we just were the first to realize it was out there. Vietnam was a tough war compounded by the anti war movement back home. i cannot imagine how bad it would be to come home after fighting in the jungles, just to be spat upon and called horrible names nad accused of atrocities. Especially since most American soldiers tried so hard to fight communist attrocities. Some people need to have some sense beat into them.
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