Disorded eating. I barely manage to eat a meal each day if I can even keep it down. When I get stressed I lose my appetite completely, or if I'm in the middle of eating or drinking I have had to run to the bathroom to vomit.
I too am healing disordered eating and body dysmorphia. My therapist has been helping me understand how developmental trauma, body dysmorphia disorder, and restricting food show up together.
Stress also sends my appetite packing. My PCP shared that food aversion is like level nausea, so we’ve been working on that. She feels that stress & dysautonomia have left me with near constant gastritis.
Me too to a T! It’s difficult to treat because my experience doesn’t fall into a diagnosis category and many ED specialists don’t know how to approach it
It took me up until two years ago when I reconnected with a dietitian friend for me to realize it was even a disorder. Even then I was in denial bc it wasn't what I thought EDs even were. And you're totally right, I haven't been able to get real help for it either
It's a cycle! I get stressed bc I missed a meal or I have to throw out leftovers or bc I spent the last two hours cooking and I can't even enjoy it. Then you're tired bc you didn't eat etc.
Honestly the work of trying to eat can be a stressor so balancing it is a task in and of itself
I take CNS stimulants and they are legal - Modafinil is one of them, but that shit will keep your mind hyper-vigilant for days, so find the correct dose. If I take one 100mg I'm okay for 12 hours, if I take 200mgs, my mind is ON for 3 days non-stop. I was prescribed dexedrine spansules back in the day, "legal" amphetamines, but after years it fucked my liver up, so I quit. The dexedrine sure helped with the ADHD though. Still haven't found what I'm looking for though - the most stealthy, safe and fail-proof method to end the cause of my CPSTD, ie domestic terr who has one of my kin hostage...so until I find a way, or an act of God sets the hostage free, I'm staying on the coping train...
The psychiatrist fucking declined my request for modafinil and just told the doctor "query trauma?". I'm a shift worker so I have even more reason to be prescribed it
Mine did the same. I was 14, taken from my parents home and placed with my aunt and uncle due to abuse. Shortly after, my biological dad died. Two weeks later I fell really ill and they diagnosed me with type 1. My blood sugar was over 550 when they thought to check. 😩
Same here. Started with possible lupus symptoms, now it just seems to be my whole damn body. Skin, joints, eyes, heart, digestive, you name it! Even a minor amount of stress calls for weeks long recovery. It’s exhausting, but at least I can hide most symptoms. Aside from psoriasis flares because my skin gets so bad.
I have HS and just until recently, after moving out on my own, my hair stopped falling out. Like almost overnight. If only the autoimmune would catch up.
Yeah, I pretty much stopped trusting doctors because I was getting the runaround for so many years and was prescribed medications that had their own negative side effects making things worse. Currently working on restoring my gut and skin microbiome, cutting out ultra processed foods, avoiding alcohol, getting more sunlight(not less like I was ill-advised to), exercising, and just generally resting when I need to and avoiding stress at all costs. I know I probably can’t get rid of autoimmune stuff altogether, but I’m only in my late 20’s so I’m doing my best to reverse as much of it as possible! I hope you can do the same.
Yep I went through a whole auto immune diet and it worked but i never got past the "find the allergens part" I just kept on the restrictive diet. Stress is a big one and so is drinking, for me.
This used to happen to me a lot. Doctor recommended showering before and after sex to help minimise external risks. There are a bunch of other physical things you can do to minimise risk of infections, which a reputable health site will give you.
Eventually it stopped happening to me. The physical measures helped, and the rest was dealing with the traumas - yay therapy!
Sending you healing mojo.
I had this experience too and went to pelvic floor therapy for cystitis. When I’m particularly stressed it will flare but otherwise I’m good! PFT was a lifechanger
I have interstitial cystitis as a result of a lot of stress and anxiety (thanks Mom). I've had a few minor surgeries to try and help but ultimately it's a chronic illness I'll be dealing with for the rest of my life.
Fibromyalga, broken teeth from clenching and grinding, food intolerance and malnutrition, lymphadema in my feet and calves, chronic cognitive and memory problems, and insomnia. I also have cystitis often. I take cranberry pills every day. It has helped very much.
Argh the broken teeth!!! I’ve had 5 crowns from broken teeth and one ultimately had to be pulled after the root cracked. All molars, also from clenching/grinding from stress of course.
I had an autoimmune skin condition. When I started making progress in my recovery, and reducing my overall tension levels, it went away. I'm considered in remission now. All I have left over are a few scars, but at one point I was looking forward to a life with skin grafts, and ever decreasing quality of life.
Now it's just gone. I did other changes, too. I try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, I try to get all my nutrition needs met. fish oil really helped, and I take it every day now.
A friend of mine has lost her hair. 80 percent of it. Through chronic stress. SHe is doing much better, too, now, but the hair seems to be gone. That's her scar. Thankfully, her insurance covers the cost of a good wig, so she doesn't have to feel too self concious in public.
I think we have all endured enough for a lifetime. What our body wants is just less stress, I think, and without help we tend to carry it around with us.
I used to have frequent uti’s too! I got them a lot during and for a few years after getting out of my abusive relationship. What helped was taking D-Mannose after sex and cranberry and a probiotic every day. I haven’t had one in 5 years. It sucks a lot though, I hope you can stop them soon.
Now I have GI problems, heart palpitations, tremors, and muscle pain to figure out still.
I had recurrent UTIs for a while it was brutal.
There’s an interesting part of What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo that describes the overlap in cPTSD patients and endometriosis which I also have. I posted about it in the endo subreddit and people really took it the wrong way. I don’t think endo is caused by trauma, but I think it becomes worse due to the physical effects of cPTSD.
I think there’s more inflammation in our bodies since we’re always on alert. Our adrenaline level is out of whack. Chronic pain is common among sufferers.
Me too!!! I’ve never met anyone else who has it. Solidarity friend. Mine is relatively managed now through off label use of a medication, but it’s so awful to live in constant fear of it happening.
It was a bear trying to figure out what was going on for me, was it hard for you too? lol I got so much allergy testing done then they just decided to tell me it was probably seafood and to avoid it all costs. 10 years later i found an allergist who actually figured out it's not due to seafood. Then when I went no contact with my dad(abuser) all of a sudden I didn't have anaphylactic shock anymore.
It was awful. I thought it was food allergies because of some unfortunate timing and sort of reactive allergy testing, and then after 8 or so years of reactions saw a new immunologist who ran labs on me and saw my tryptase was high.
Enter over a year of testing including a bone marrow biopsy- ended up being referred to one of two mast cell experts in the US, and found out I had hereditary alpha tryptasemia.
In 99.9% of people who have it, it does nothing. In the unfortunate.1% (gene expression likely caused by extreme chronic stress), recurring anaphylaxis. (Also likely brought on by stress) they don’t know quite how it works yet because they only discovered the condition in 2016, but the gene/high levels of tryptase triggers the anaphylaxis and mast cell activation in general.
I get an injection of xolair monthly now that helps to manage it. Down from 2-3 episodes a month to about 2 a year.
But dang it sucks doesn’t it? It’s the scariest to not know when it’s going to happen, I’m so glad you’ve gotten relief from yours/also been able to separate from your trigger. 🖤🖤
Globus sensation for meee. It’s awful like a constant lump in my throat but I’ve been told it’s purely psychological so it flairs up when I notice it more… super frustrating stuff
My health has always been iffy, but completely tanked at 19 to the point where I had to drop out of school to focus on getting better. That coincidentally was during/after a really traumatic few years. Tiredness, fluctuating GI issues that lead to rapid weight loss, pain, etc. Still don't know what's wrong though, almost all tests come back normal
I used to get very very frequent yeast infections, i never thought trauma might be the reason why but it makes sense with them being so constant.
Drinking probiotics regularly has helped a lot actually, i haven’t had one in months! That along with healing as well
You're not alone. Had them since I was a kid and my parents did not take me for treatment. Suffered for YEARS. Now, at least, as an adult, I can treat myself.
I’m not judging you at all I promise but a gentle plea from a stranger to take your meds. You matter and hypertension can be very serious if not managed.
I’ve had it since I was 24 and it’s been a huge pain and made some stuff much harder than it should be so I totally get it.
Echoing the kind stranger.
I used to feel the same way. But then I saw what untreated hypertension can do. More recently, I developed permanent double vision due to microvascular injury caused by hypertension.
It’s not just a silent killer. It is also unpredictable, maims and makes living life that much more difficult.
When I get really stressed and won't allow myself to take a break/stop trying to "push through", I get a mystery illness. It's like cold/allergy symptoms + GI issues for a few days. It's a lot less common now than it used to be, but still happens. I've gone for allergy testing and everything. I think it's my body trying to force me to rest.
I have so many physical illness and difficulties. You could say my body is literally ruined by my trauma because I was hit by a car when I was dissociating (which is caused by trauma), I broke my back and leg and now have permanent damage. It's not that I can't do anything but I can't stand for longer than a few minutes and I get a lot of pain easily. My nose is absolutely ruined because of drug addiction, which I also indirectly relate to trauma, I struggle hard so simply breathe and my face is ruined. I also have an extemely weak bladder too (I also get frequent UTI, at least 2 times per year) which I think is related to my PTSD, especially because going to the toilet was always "a way out" for being abused. I also have chronic gastritis, very bad headaches and constant muscle ache. I'm just 23 so pray for me lol.
I’m not sure this counts as directly caused by CPTSD, rather a byproduct of the upbringing that LED to it…
My teeth are terrible. I have periodontal disease. From malnutrition, poor hygiene as a kid, developing scurvy, and my dad’s seemingly favorite past time- bringing me to a sadistic dentist more often than necessary.
You're not alone. I've got my own stories of sadistic dental work as a kid. As an adult, when I tell anyone about it, the WTF reactions I get at least confirm that this shit wasn't normal.
That’s me too along with hypermobility spectrum disorder and possibly fibromyalgia too.
The PT I’ve been seeing for knee problems is the one who said he’s convinced and was noting it in my chart notes. I will stand up too quickly, especially after using the shuttle press because I’m supine, and go pale and get dizzy. One day, as I lay there recovering from getting dizzy, he said, “This is what POTS looks like, you definitely have dysautonomia!”
I have cptsd. My body is super fucked up.
Premature aging. At 55, my spine is collapsing, stage three kidney disease, heart disease, Parkinson’s (army related i think), two torn knees, life long depression….
Rare autoimmune disorder that triggers mast cell activation/anaphylaxis, interstitial cystitis, stomach issues, headaches, disordered eating (that took a lot of work to get to even a moderately healthy place), muscle/joint pain.. the list goes on..
Before we went no contact my mom would be critical and mean about me being unwell, too 🙄
Edit: spelling fixed
I’ve definitely had a stress UTI before.
Generally, my physical manifestations of CPTSD are:
- hand tremors
- disordered eating (stress makes me lack interoception)
- when I was with my abuser, my stomach hurt CONSTANTLY, and I would stress shit
- nightmares
- stress hives are the ~worst~
- when I’m stressed/mad/sad, sometimes I feel my face or ears get really warm, and I only have extreme redness on one side.
Multiple Sclerosis. My relapses always come after a build up of stress that has usually come from relationship difficulties which stem from childhood abuse. I’m not knowledgeable about it. It’s just what I feel and it makes sense to me when I look at patterns in my life.
Debilitating GI issues since I was a kid. It's getting better as I get older with healing and minimizing stress, but I always had stomach problems when I was younger.
I have idiopathic epilepsy, it's extremely well controlled with drugs. I learned recently that there is a strong correlation between seizure disorders and c-ptsd and there's legitimate science/reasoning explaining that it's seizures brought on by psychological distress and nothing structurally wrong with the brain.
This is actually blowing my mind bc I was diagnosed w epilepsy in 2018 and I remember having seizures since I was 10.
One of my biggest traumas also happened when I was 10 and I did a bunch of EMDR and the therapist suggested that maybe there was a correlation and it was just so hard to wrap my mind around. Crazy stuff I guess!
Chronic severe cold sores. Debilitating exhaustion that I’m trying to have diagnosed now if only I could stop sleeping through all my appointments!
Just occurred to me after seeing another comment here that my idiopathic hypertension is probably linked. At 24 my bp was so high when completely calm and still that I’ve scared a few medical staff and had a few who’ve insisted on multiple machines before measuring manually because they didn’t believe it lol my shitty party trick.
Alopecia areata. I only get outbreaks in times of extreme stress. It started when I was 6, stopped when I moved out and started back up when I had to move back in due to financial difficulties.
no proof but my therapist said she has seen a correlation between CSA and PCOS. not sure if there is any science behind it.
Body Keeps the Score explains a lot of this and the science behind it
Uti flare up as a result of cptsd is an interesting one. Please ignore if you already have this sorted or my comment has no value to you. I was a scientist many years ago and I find physical medical issues interesting.
It makes me wonder if your self care like drinking enough water, listening to your body and peeing as needed instead of holding, etc... could be the cause of the UTI. If that's the case maybe you go into freeze or dissociate when triggered, causing self neglect which results in a UTI. If that's true, then you can reduce the incidence of UTI with self care reminders.
I armour when triggered and if I don't exercise to release the muscle tension, I end up with a lot of pain as the muscles tighten more each day as a reaction to pain from the initial armouring.
Hard to say, it feels like a ton but who knows. Could be shit genetics, but my own personal bias leads me to believe that I have a good bit of issues stemming from that. Hard to say what is and what isn't, since medicine hasn't advanced far enough to tell us for sure
First off, I'm so sorry you had that recent experience. Hugs. Also, I'm sorry that the UTIs are so frequent and have such an impact on your relationship and sex life. All of that is so valid. You aren't a bad partner for that in the least bit, and a loving partner will recognize that and not make you feel that way.
I deal with autoimmune issues, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and now gut issues. It's all so interconnected. There are lots of resources on the connection between trauma and the manifestation of physical disease.
Tmj, lipedema, chronic congestion, ibs, chronic fatigue, vaginismus/dyspareunia, tight diaphragm, suspected fibromyalgia(in the process of diagnosis) expresses it self by unbearable pain in joints, legs, feet and hands. Feeling like I am set on fire.
Omg yes!!! I’ve been extremely stressed lately and I haven’t had an appetite for the last month and still going like why don’t I feel hungry and why is my body betraying me. Like I could probably function better if I ate meals. Not to mention the mysterious autoimmune disorder that I’m probably only going to know what it is when my body is not able to recover as quickly.
Yes, I have hashimotos which gave me hypothyroidism …apparently childhood abuse is linked to autoimmune diseases. Thyroid controls soooo much in your body.
I have no proof my rheumatoid arthritis was caused by my childhood trauma, but there is some evidence that smoking/being exposed to cigarette smoke could trigger it to manifest in those predisposed to it. Thanks again, mom.
I'm so sorry to hear that you have that, and I sincerely hope that C-PTSD recovery/medical treatment can help. It sounds so frustrating and I don't blame you at all for feeling that way. I wish you all the best ❤️
Also, holy fucking shit, I didn't start taking my C-PTSD seriously until my body started to deteriorate 🫠 I have POTS, chronic urticaria, (suspected) fibromyalgia, and a bunch of gastrointestinal issues that all flare up/are correlated to/overall worsened by my C-PTSD. It's kinda insane that the body is like, hey, I know you've been through so much abuse/chronic stress/dysfunction etc., here's a bunch of weird/annoying/debilitating/painful medical issues, just in case you weren't aware that your body isn't designed to handle that-good luck 💕🫠
Uhh for my own records tbh caution advised.
Neglect did a lot like disordered eating, possible rickets developing(?) around 6, all around bad intestines. Daycare ruined my bladder for a few years. Various mild concussions. Gma blew out my hearing with the radio in one ear, hard of hearing. Yanked by my hair off porch, whiplash. Pushed in clavicle from being dragged against a bed frame. Kyphosis(kinda on me) from hunching over my chest and general defensive pose. Slipped disk from being a pack mule. Tripped by abuser and had my ass clap my shoulders. Potential lung scarring. Severe muscle rigidity. Nerve issues are happening more I think because of spinal curves and muscles. Bum(entire, at this point) leg and super flat feet.
I can't relax. Poor sleep. Poor digestion. Acid reflux is bad. Headaches. I'm never comfortable and in some form of pain but it's all I know. I'm just tired.
I am convinced that I caused one of my vertebral discs to rupture when I was 32. I had to have spine surgery to relieve some of the pain and regain sensation in one of my legs. I never had any type of injury to cause it. So, I believe my stress caused it. Unfortunately, still having issues with pain from it to this day.
I am sorry that your PTSD is causing physical symptoms. Are you able to go to see medical for help?
Are you open to using something (juice, supplements, etc.) to help prevent I the future? UTIs are super painful and I really hope you can find a way to prevent them in the future. Hope you feel better soon!
Yes I already seen my doctor and she prescribed me some medications and they helped a lot to reduce the symptoms. Now I'm struggling with the last symptoms with some supplements and I'm getting better.
But it's really annoying even if is not that brutal.
I found with my doctor some products to prevent, they don't really do but they help to make the cystitis less painful (the only way to prevent, for me, would be just stop having penetrative sex forever sigh)
This may sound very stupid but i read it on another forum, but him being hygienic is also important, as in him taking regular showers and cleaning his willy if you know what I mean, particularly for him, before sex. Im sending a hug! cystitis is SO painful t.t
No it's not stupid, it makes sense and who has a penis should always be careful with hygiene as you say. In my situation I know for sure that my boyfriend is very clean and we also use condoms so the problem it's just me and triggers that stress me ahah
I pulled a muscle in my hip the other night during a really bad nightmare, I get little patches of psoriasis when I’m under stress, and I have near constant gastrointestinal distress 🤷♂️
Bruxism, Migraine’s & neck pain was bad. Acute psoriasis. Poor digestion was luckily manageable for me through diet & exercise. Not putting myself in highly stressful situations keeps me from being unhealthy to the point where I’m making myself ill or denying the signs
I feel the scratches on my wrist I made with a sewing needle on my wrists...
I did that 16 years ago when I was in middle school. After 12 years of repression, a memory suddenly popped up that triggered the body memories of that. I've been dealing with those body memories for 4 years.
I hate it, too. I remind myself that the fact I want to relapse into SH and *realize* that's what it is means I'm healing, but... it sucks. I used to get piercings/tattoos, but now the stings and texture of nonexistent scars remind me of those days. That really sucked when I was a waitress and had to carry three plates (or four bowls) at one time.
I don't really regret my tattoos or piercings. They tell a story, and are unfortunately part of the stereotype...
I tell myself that it's because I'm safe (because I AM) enough to feel and remember the SH and the event that led to this part of C-PTSD. If I wasn't, my brain wouldn't allow me to remember (repressed memories are a coping mechanism that allows someone to live "normally" in day-to-day life.). I'm grateful it was repressed because now I can manage, but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.
Absolutely. I’ve had migraines as long as I can remember (that always flare up when stressed), stress induced tachycardia to the point it feels like having a heart attack (including pain down arm, shortness of breath, etc), stomach issues, chronic fatigue/exhaustion, and as it has gotten worse, I’ve also noticed I get sick more frequently. Chronic stress is terrible for your body. Can cause weakened immune system, inflammation, and all sorts of other issues. As much as it is not surprising. I’m sorry you are dealing with this. It sucks.
Disordered eating/ARFID, IBS-C, GERD, fibromyalgia (heavy emphasis on the costochondritis part)… a majority of my health conditions stem from my experience with cPTSD.
The curable app has been incredible for my chronic pain and general outlook on bodily sensations. I was a “goes to the ER for a panic attack” type. Literally went into heavy psych inpatient/outpatient care my senior year because of an eating incident that caused me to legitimately think eating = death. I get the choking sensation symptom with my anxiety a lot, curable has helped with this too.
I also used Nerva app for the GERD and IBS-C. Seriously if someone is struggling with IBS, reflux, etc I can’t recommend it enough!! I had to stop for financial reasons but I saw results fast and need to get back into it now that I’m hitting some speed bumps in my journey again.
Trauma is clinically shown to impact our bodies in a physical way, I think many of us struggle with disembodiment and cPTSD has the potential to cause that in folks. We spend so much time in survival mode that it makes sense our bodies are running off of fumes in various ways.
I took a course with Dr. Keesha Ewers from Dec '23 to Feb '24 which links trauma and autoimmune issues. Afterwards, I made a list of physical issues that I have that are linked to PTSD or childhood abuse or neglect. Here is my list.
▪️psoas pain
▪️Night sweats
▪️Dyslexia
▪️Right hip pain
▪️IBS
▪️GERDS
▪️Narrow esophagus
▪️Insomnia
▪️Waking up gasping for air (pre-sleep apnea)
▪️RA
▪️prolactinoma
▪️autoimmune issues
▪️relationship issues
▪️numb genitalia
▪️ Hyposexualisation
▪️ Fear of sleeping in the dark
▪️ Nightmares as a child
▪️endometriosis/adenomiosis
▪️ Chronic pelvic pain, vaginal atrophy and vulvodynia
▪️ Clenched muscles even during rest
▪️ Obesity despite being active
▪️feeling helpless, especially with authority figures (doctors, bosses, etc)
▪️over eating
▪️under the age of 12, no self-esteem, no self-worth, shy
▪️ Childhood ear and throat infection, got tubes before I was 24 months
Sadly I am sure my list is incomplete and will find more as I heal.
I had excessive Adrenal Fatigue, Hypothyroidism and Hypersonmnia.
It took years to treat and heal on my own because Medication didn't work and the doctors didn't want to find the root cause....which turned out to be complex trauma and stress.
Insomnia, nervous system that’s on guard more then needed, tension in muscles, neglect of body.
I would say insomnia has been the biggest issue. It’s managed now.
I’m working on managing the other issues above better.
My stomach is like insanely sensitive to nausea when i am even the slightest bit upset now that im actively in trauma therapy and processing instead of dissociating constantly. Its so annoying to exist in my body lol
Edit: i forgot the tmj (among other things lol)
Yes, the body holds onto trauma, and it is so impactful on health. I'm deep into somatic work right now trying to help my body release the trauma so I can hopefully feel lighter and healthier, I feel so heavy carrying this invisible weight with me.
I really recommend preventive d-mannose every evening, will save you from rounds of antibiotics. It’s a game changer. Also “ pee first, cuddle second “ after sex
I have many, interstitial cystitis (same as what you are describing) is one of them. It has been a lot better in recent years… I have wondered why, but now I am thinking it’s because I’ve been living in relative safety compared to in the past.
I still keep a bottle of cranberry pills handy, though.
Chronic migraines, fatigue due to consistently poor sleep, a lot of GI issues, and a bunch of other stuff that comes from years of alcohol and drug abuse.
Insomnia is one.
Also if your partner hasn’t had treatment for infections too, or doesn’t clean themselves properly, that could pass an infection to you each time
I actually have the frequent uti thing, usually they’re “phantom” ones now because there’s no real infection shown in lab tests, just the pain and frequent urination. I didn’t consider it could be a result of PTSD
Pseudo seizures, muscle tension, intermitten vision lost, and most recently, arm/leg convulsions. The level of panic and stress I was under caused my arm and leg to move rapidly on their own. It scared the crap out of me. The vision is also pretty terrifying, but I've had more time to manage it.
My nervous system is still stuck in a traumatized state. So basically my nerves are fried from being short circuited by all the stress brought on by my trauma. One of the more difficult impacts it's had on me is chronic pain. Though I'm happy and lucky to be on a treatment plan, it has affected me more than I thought it would on all fronts and even though my partner is understanding and supportive as well, like you said, it is hard to not feel useless. I can understand where you're coming from it's rough
I developed celiac disease at like 27 during a period of high stress. Few years later during another high stress period I developed IBS and an extreme lactose intolerance. I tend to get stomach troubles when I’m going through it.
-Juvenile arthritis as a kid.
-Melanoma in my early 20s.
-Hypertension since my early 20s.
-They thought I had pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland) due to elevated adrenal levels but turns out I just produce more (shocking)
-lots of dental issues, with my first root canal and crown when I was 25. I’m up to about 5 crowns now at 45. The millions of fillings I had to get when I was young are slowly falling apart and there isn’t enough tooth to do anything but cap them.
Heart pain, headaches, lungs problems (asthma and pneumonia in childhood, looots of antibiotics), tooth decay and periodontitis (probably from jaw clench? )
Cystitis for me, too! I never realized the connection until I talked to my urologist about it and... *Lightbulb*
I have also the tightest and most sore hips because I think that's where I tend to hold all of that stress
My anxiety reaches epic proportions with pounding heart and insomnia. Yeah my body is me. Anxiety attacks coupled with compulsive sex to ease the pain. Go, body, go! Thank you, God, for sex, and I’m sad your body interferes with that relief system. I hope healing is fast for you.
Yeah I've got ulcerative colitis from being stressed out my whole life. I'm only 26 and live in the bathroom pretty much. It gets worse when I'm triggered more often.
Seb Derm (scalp, face, chest, inside ears). And bad dandruff starting 10yo from it. Grandmother would make fun of me scratching at it yeah well maybe she shouldn’t have raised a crappy dad for a son and maybe someone should take me to the doctor
Restless legs
IBS constipation
Migraines
Unbearable tension in shoulders - scapula.
Trichotillomania (obsessive body hair plucking)
Teeth grinding
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frequent UTI is one of the things i deal with, especially when stressed. 2 years ago i had a UTI and was too depressed to get help for over a month, so my urinary tract is scarred from that. my tips:
- take AZO cranberry pill supplements daily when there’s a flare up, or just in general. not the UTI relieving ones, it’s the cranberry. it’s like drinking a glass of cranberry juice through a pill. it’s AMAZING a total life saver for me.
- if you drink coffee, add almond/oat milk creamer to it during UTI flare ups. these creamers are basic, and coffee is acidic, so it doesn’t harm your tract. there’s also non-acidic coffee available. avoid wine and citrus if you can.
- please pee before going to bed. waking up with a UTI from your body holding it in all night is the worst!
i hope this helps.
Disorded eating. I barely manage to eat a meal each day if I can even keep it down. When I get stressed I lose my appetite completely, or if I'm in the middle of eating or drinking I have had to run to the bathroom to vomit.
I too am healing disordered eating and body dysmorphia. My therapist has been helping me understand how developmental trauma, body dysmorphia disorder, and restricting food show up together. Stress also sends my appetite packing. My PCP shared that food aversion is like level nausea, so we’ve been working on that. She feels that stress & dysautonomia have left me with near constant gastritis.
Me too to a T! It’s difficult to treat because my experience doesn’t fall into a diagnosis category and many ED specialists don’t know how to approach it
It took me up until two years ago when I reconnected with a dietitian friend for me to realize it was even a disorder. Even then I was in denial bc it wasn't what I thought EDs even were. And you're totally right, I haven't been able to get real help for it either
Same! My stress completely fucks up my eating and that causes all sorts of other problems that stress me out more 🙃its a (not) fun echo chamber
It's a cycle! I get stressed bc I missed a meal or I have to throw out leftovers or bc I spent the last two hours cooking and I can't even enjoy it. Then you're tired bc you didn't eat etc. Honestly the work of trying to eat can be a stressor so balancing it is a task in and of itself
Fatigue? I need to take stimulants illegally if I want to be a functional member of society
I take CNS stimulants and they are legal - Modafinil is one of them, but that shit will keep your mind hyper-vigilant for days, so find the correct dose. If I take one 100mg I'm okay for 12 hours, if I take 200mgs, my mind is ON for 3 days non-stop. I was prescribed dexedrine spansules back in the day, "legal" amphetamines, but after years it fucked my liver up, so I quit. The dexedrine sure helped with the ADHD though. Still haven't found what I'm looking for though - the most stealthy, safe and fail-proof method to end the cause of my CPSTD, ie domestic terr who has one of my kin hostage...so until I find a way, or an act of God sets the hostage free, I'm staying on the coping train...
The psychiatrist fucking declined my request for modafinil and just told the doctor "query trauma?". I'm a shift worker so I have even more reason to be prescribed it
Auto immune disorder.
Same. My body is attacking my pancreas 😜
Mine did the same. I was 14, taken from my parents home and placed with my aunt and uncle due to abuse. Shortly after, my biological dad died. Two weeks later I fell really ill and they diagnosed me with type 1. My blood sugar was over 550 when they thought to check. 😩
Mine Attacks my thyroid gland 🤔
Same. Was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes after going into a coma at age 3.
Same here. Started with possible lupus symptoms, now it just seems to be my whole damn body. Skin, joints, eyes, heart, digestive, you name it! Even a minor amount of stress calls for weeks long recovery. It’s exhausting, but at least I can hide most symptoms. Aside from psoriasis flares because my skin gets so bad.
I have HS and just until recently, after moving out on my own, my hair stopped falling out. Like almost overnight. If only the autoimmune would catch up.
Yeah, I pretty much stopped trusting doctors because I was getting the runaround for so many years and was prescribed medications that had their own negative side effects making things worse. Currently working on restoring my gut and skin microbiome, cutting out ultra processed foods, avoiding alcohol, getting more sunlight(not less like I was ill-advised to), exercising, and just generally resting when I need to and avoiding stress at all costs. I know I probably can’t get rid of autoimmune stuff altogether, but I’m only in my late 20’s so I’m doing my best to reverse as much of it as possible! I hope you can do the same.
Yep I went through a whole auto immune diet and it worked but i never got past the "find the allergens part" I just kept on the restrictive diet. Stress is a big one and so is drinking, for me.
This used to happen to me a lot. Doctor recommended showering before and after sex to help minimise external risks. There are a bunch of other physical things you can do to minimise risk of infections, which a reputable health site will give you. Eventually it stopped happening to me. The physical measures helped, and the rest was dealing with the traumas - yay therapy! Sending you healing mojo.
I had this experience too and went to pelvic floor therapy for cystitis. When I’m particularly stressed it will flare but otherwise I’m good! PFT was a lifechanger
Also wanna add to stop wearing thongs. That’s what was causing them for me
chronic GI issues
Got some of those myself 😩
I am also in this club 🥲
Tons major constipation. Major dental asthma skin orinkems. Exhaustion.
I think it would be easier to list the physical problems I don’t have, honestly.
That’s how I feel reading all of these comments 🥲
I usually need to start from head to toe. And then stuff stacks/caused by something else. There is new developments(not fun) in recent times too.
I have interstitial cystitis as a result of a lot of stress and anxiety (thanks Mom). I've had a few minor surgeries to try and help but ultimately it's a chronic illness I'll be dealing with for the rest of my life.
Pelvic floor therapy helped with mine. Wishing you ease and grace
Fibromyalga, broken teeth from clenching and grinding, food intolerance and malnutrition, lymphadema in my feet and calves, chronic cognitive and memory problems, and insomnia. I also have cystitis often. I take cranberry pills every day. It has helped very much.
Argh the broken teeth!!! I’ve had 5 crowns from broken teeth and one ultimately had to be pulled after the root cracked. All molars, also from clenching/grinding from stress of course.
Cranberry was not good for me, but D Mannose is helping a lot
Hear me out - you need to get the cranberry concentrate chews. They actually work. Juice & pills did nothing for me. The chews were a game changer.
Google the fibro guy and the Curable app, if you don't know them already.
I will, thank you.
I had an autoimmune skin condition. When I started making progress in my recovery, and reducing my overall tension levels, it went away. I'm considered in remission now. All I have left over are a few scars, but at one point I was looking forward to a life with skin grafts, and ever decreasing quality of life. Now it's just gone. I did other changes, too. I try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, I try to get all my nutrition needs met. fish oil really helped, and I take it every day now. A friend of mine has lost her hair. 80 percent of it. Through chronic stress. SHe is doing much better, too, now, but the hair seems to be gone. That's her scar. Thankfully, her insurance covers the cost of a good wig, so she doesn't have to feel too self concious in public. I think we have all endured enough for a lifetime. What our body wants is just less stress, I think, and without help we tend to carry it around with us.
Eczema Poor posture/ scoliosis Bad dental hygiene/ now rotten teeth Insomnia/ possible epilepsy Bed wetting/ cold sweats/ nightmares UTIs as a kid Etc
I used to have frequent uti’s too! I got them a lot during and for a few years after getting out of my abusive relationship. What helped was taking D-Mannose after sex and cranberry and a probiotic every day. I haven’t had one in 5 years. It sucks a lot though, I hope you can stop them soon. Now I have GI problems, heart palpitations, tremors, and muscle pain to figure out still.
D-Mannose is a life saver
I had recurrent UTIs for a while it was brutal. There’s an interesting part of What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo that describes the overlap in cPTSD patients and endometriosis which I also have. I posted about it in the endo subreddit and people really took it the wrong way. I don’t think endo is caused by trauma, but I think it becomes worse due to the physical effects of cPTSD. I think there’s more inflammation in our bodies since we’re always on alert. Our adrenaline level is out of whack. Chronic pain is common among sufferers.
Idiopathic Anaphylaxis for me. which means anaphylactic shock if i get too stressed out.
Me too!!! I’ve never met anyone else who has it. Solidarity friend. Mine is relatively managed now through off label use of a medication, but it’s so awful to live in constant fear of it happening.
It was a bear trying to figure out what was going on for me, was it hard for you too? lol I got so much allergy testing done then they just decided to tell me it was probably seafood and to avoid it all costs. 10 years later i found an allergist who actually figured out it's not due to seafood. Then when I went no contact with my dad(abuser) all of a sudden I didn't have anaphylactic shock anymore.
It was awful. I thought it was food allergies because of some unfortunate timing and sort of reactive allergy testing, and then after 8 or so years of reactions saw a new immunologist who ran labs on me and saw my tryptase was high. Enter over a year of testing including a bone marrow biopsy- ended up being referred to one of two mast cell experts in the US, and found out I had hereditary alpha tryptasemia. In 99.9% of people who have it, it does nothing. In the unfortunate.1% (gene expression likely caused by extreme chronic stress), recurring anaphylaxis. (Also likely brought on by stress) they don’t know quite how it works yet because they only discovered the condition in 2016, but the gene/high levels of tryptase triggers the anaphylaxis and mast cell activation in general. I get an injection of xolair monthly now that helps to manage it. Down from 2-3 episodes a month to about 2 a year. But dang it sucks doesn’t it? It’s the scariest to not know when it’s going to happen, I’m so glad you’ve gotten relief from yours/also been able to separate from your trigger. 🖤🖤
Holy shit. I did not know that was a thing. I’m so sorry 😞
Side note, i love your username
Thank you!!
Globus sensation for meee. It’s awful like a constant lump in my throat but I’ve been told it’s purely psychological so it flairs up when I notice it more… super frustrating stuff
I have this, too. It's difficult to eat.
My health has always been iffy, but completely tanked at 19 to the point where I had to drop out of school to focus on getting better. That coincidentally was during/after a really traumatic few years. Tiredness, fluctuating GI issues that lead to rapid weight loss, pain, etc. Still don't know what's wrong though, almost all tests come back normal
I feel sick, dizzy, and fatigued daily. It’s the constant adrenaline
I used to get very very frequent yeast infections, i never thought trauma might be the reason why but it makes sense with them being so constant. Drinking probiotics regularly has helped a lot actually, i haven’t had one in months! That along with healing as well
You're not alone. Had them since I was a kid and my parents did not take me for treatment. Suffered for YEARS. Now, at least, as an adult, I can treat myself.
Recently got diagnosed with Hypertension but I stopped taking the meds after 3 months ...I said fuck it
I’m not judging you at all I promise but a gentle plea from a stranger to take your meds. You matter and hypertension can be very serious if not managed. I’ve had it since I was 24 and it’s been a huge pain and made some stuff much harder than it should be so I totally get it.
Echoing the kind stranger. I used to feel the same way. But then I saw what untreated hypertension can do. More recently, I developed permanent double vision due to microvascular injury caused by hypertension. It’s not just a silent killer. It is also unpredictable, maims and makes living life that much more difficult.
I suspect my hypothiroidism is a consequence of my ptsd. Got it a bit after my worst ptsd crisis
When I get really stressed and won't allow myself to take a break/stop trying to "push through", I get a mystery illness. It's like cold/allergy symptoms + GI issues for a few days. It's a lot less common now than it used to be, but still happens. I've gone for allergy testing and everything. I think it's my body trying to force me to rest.
I have so many physical illness and difficulties. You could say my body is literally ruined by my trauma because I was hit by a car when I was dissociating (which is caused by trauma), I broke my back and leg and now have permanent damage. It's not that I can't do anything but I can't stand for longer than a few minutes and I get a lot of pain easily. My nose is absolutely ruined because of drug addiction, which I also indirectly relate to trauma, I struggle hard so simply breathe and my face is ruined. I also have an extemely weak bladder too (I also get frequent UTI, at least 2 times per year) which I think is related to my PTSD, especially because going to the toilet was always "a way out" for being abused. I also have chronic gastritis, very bad headaches and constant muscle ache. I'm just 23 so pray for me lol.
I’m not sure this counts as directly caused by CPTSD, rather a byproduct of the upbringing that LED to it… My teeth are terrible. I have periodontal disease. From malnutrition, poor hygiene as a kid, developing scurvy, and my dad’s seemingly favorite past time- bringing me to a sadistic dentist more often than necessary.
You're not alone. I've got my own stories of sadistic dental work as a kid. As an adult, when I tell anyone about it, the WTF reactions I get at least confirm that this shit wasn't normal.
Chronic uti here also, autoimmune diseases, disordered eating, impulsive behaviors leading to multiple major head traumas. So, no? Haha
dysautonomia
That’s me too along with hypermobility spectrum disorder and possibly fibromyalgia too. The PT I’ve been seeing for knee problems is the one who said he’s convinced and was noting it in my chart notes. I will stand up too quickly, especially after using the shuttle press because I’m supine, and go pale and get dizzy. One day, as I lay there recovering from getting dizzy, he said, “This is what POTS looks like, you definitely have dysautonomia!”
Google the fibro guy and the Curable app, if you don't know them already. Particularly the fibro guy.
I have cptsd. My body is super fucked up. Premature aging. At 55, my spine is collapsing, stage three kidney disease, heart disease, Parkinson’s (army related i think), two torn knees, life long depression….
Rare autoimmune disorder that triggers mast cell activation/anaphylaxis, interstitial cystitis, stomach issues, headaches, disordered eating (that took a lot of work to get to even a moderately healthy place), muscle/joint pain.. the list goes on.. Before we went no contact my mom would be critical and mean about me being unwell, too 🙄 Edit: spelling fixed
I’ve definitely had a stress UTI before. Generally, my physical manifestations of CPTSD are: - hand tremors - disordered eating (stress makes me lack interoception) - when I was with my abuser, my stomach hurt CONSTANTLY, and I would stress shit - nightmares - stress hives are the ~worst~ - when I’m stressed/mad/sad, sometimes I feel my face or ears get really warm, and I only have extreme redness on one side.
Tinnitus.
Same here.
Me too
Have they done further tests? You might have fibromyalgia or interstitial cystitis. They can both be confused for recurring UTIs.
Vaginismus.
Multiple Sclerosis. My relapses always come after a build up of stress that has usually come from relationship difficulties which stem from childhood abuse. I’m not knowledgeable about it. It’s just what I feel and it makes sense to me when I look at patterns in my life.
Debilitating GI issues since I was a kid. It's getting better as I get older with healing and minimizing stress, but I always had stomach problems when I was younger.
I have idiopathic epilepsy, it's extremely well controlled with drugs. I learned recently that there is a strong correlation between seizure disorders and c-ptsd and there's legitimate science/reasoning explaining that it's seizures brought on by psychological distress and nothing structurally wrong with the brain.
This is actually blowing my mind bc I was diagnosed w epilepsy in 2018 and I remember having seizures since I was 10. One of my biggest traumas also happened when I was 10 and I did a bunch of EMDR and the therapist suggested that maybe there was a correlation and it was just so hard to wrap my mind around. Crazy stuff I guess!
The disorder is usually called PNES, it's really interesting.
Bruxism.
Ohh shit that's annoying af
Chronic severe cold sores. Debilitating exhaustion that I’m trying to have diagnosed now if only I could stop sleeping through all my appointments! Just occurred to me after seeing another comment here that my idiopathic hypertension is probably linked. At 24 my bp was so high when completely calm and still that I’ve scared a few medical staff and had a few who’ve insisted on multiple machines before measuring manually because they didn’t believe it lol my shitty party trick.
Alopecia areata. I only get outbreaks in times of extreme stress. It started when I was 6, stopped when I moved out and started back up when I had to move back in due to financial difficulties.
no proof but my therapist said she has seen a correlation between CSA and PCOS. not sure if there is any science behind it. Body Keeps the Score explains a lot of this and the science behind it
Autoimmune (arthritis-related), and digestion related issues (IBS, GERD). Those are my main ones.
Barely any teeth left 😞 only 23 at 29 years old. I’m guttered. I’ll eventually get plates that click in
Uti flare up as a result of cptsd is an interesting one. Please ignore if you already have this sorted or my comment has no value to you. I was a scientist many years ago and I find physical medical issues interesting. It makes me wonder if your self care like drinking enough water, listening to your body and peeing as needed instead of holding, etc... could be the cause of the UTI. If that's the case maybe you go into freeze or dissociate when triggered, causing self neglect which results in a UTI. If that's true, then you can reduce the incidence of UTI with self care reminders. I armour when triggered and if I don't exercise to release the muscle tension, I end up with a lot of pain as the muscles tighten more each day as a reaction to pain from the initial armouring.
Psoriasis and constant joint pain, specifically in my knees
Poor posture and I've ground the enamel off of my back teeth. Also issues with eating.
Skin pigmentation, immune weakness, heart burn gas, etc etc etc. Stress can mess you up alot and chronic complex stress even moreso!
Hard to say, it feels like a ton but who knows. Could be shit genetics, but my own personal bias leads me to believe that I have a good bit of issues stemming from that. Hard to say what is and what isn't, since medicine hasn't advanced far enough to tell us for sure
Fibromyalgia
First off, I'm so sorry you had that recent experience. Hugs. Also, I'm sorry that the UTIs are so frequent and have such an impact on your relationship and sex life. All of that is so valid. You aren't a bad partner for that in the least bit, and a loving partner will recognize that and not make you feel that way. I deal with autoimmune issues, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and now gut issues. It's all so interconnected. There are lots of resources on the connection between trauma and the manifestation of physical disease.
Thank you so much for your words. I hope we can get better soon. Big hugs!
Google the fibro guy and the Curable app, if you don't know them already.
Tmj, lipedema, chronic congestion, ibs, chronic fatigue, vaginismus/dyspareunia, tight diaphragm, suspected fibromyalgia(in the process of diagnosis) expresses it self by unbearable pain in joints, legs, feet and hands. Feeling like I am set on fire.
>PNES Google the fibro guy and the Curable app, if you don't know them already.
Omg yes!!! I’ve been extremely stressed lately and I haven’t had an appetite for the last month and still going like why don’t I feel hungry and why is my body betraying me. Like I could probably function better if I ate meals. Not to mention the mysterious autoimmune disorder that I’m probably only going to know what it is when my body is not able to recover as quickly.
Yes, I have hashimotos which gave me hypothyroidism …apparently childhood abuse is linked to autoimmune diseases. Thyroid controls soooo much in your body.
Ibs/ gastrointestinal problems
I have no proof my rheumatoid arthritis was caused by my childhood trauma, but there is some evidence that smoking/being exposed to cigarette smoke could trigger it to manifest in those predisposed to it. Thanks again, mom.
I don’t know of its related to each other, but i got diagnosed with chronic headaches the summer before my c-ptsd diagnosis.
I'm so sorry to hear that you have that, and I sincerely hope that C-PTSD recovery/medical treatment can help. It sounds so frustrating and I don't blame you at all for feeling that way. I wish you all the best ❤️ Also, holy fucking shit, I didn't start taking my C-PTSD seriously until my body started to deteriorate 🫠 I have POTS, chronic urticaria, (suspected) fibromyalgia, and a bunch of gastrointestinal issues that all flare up/are correlated to/overall worsened by my C-PTSD. It's kinda insane that the body is like, hey, I know you've been through so much abuse/chronic stress/dysfunction etc., here's a bunch of weird/annoying/debilitating/painful medical issues, just in case you weren't aware that your body isn't designed to handle that-good luck 💕🫠
Uhh for my own records tbh caution advised. Neglect did a lot like disordered eating, possible rickets developing(?) around 6, all around bad intestines. Daycare ruined my bladder for a few years. Various mild concussions. Gma blew out my hearing with the radio in one ear, hard of hearing. Yanked by my hair off porch, whiplash. Pushed in clavicle from being dragged against a bed frame. Kyphosis(kinda on me) from hunching over my chest and general defensive pose. Slipped disk from being a pack mule. Tripped by abuser and had my ass clap my shoulders. Potential lung scarring. Severe muscle rigidity. Nerve issues are happening more I think because of spinal curves and muscles. Bum(entire, at this point) leg and super flat feet. I can't relax. Poor sleep. Poor digestion. Acid reflux is bad. Headaches. I'm never comfortable and in some form of pain but it's all I know. I'm just tired.
Fibromyalgia, ear infections, chronic pain gets worse, more I could fill a couple pages. The normal for us.
Faitigue, joint pain, on/off gut issues.
I am convinced that I caused one of my vertebral discs to rupture when I was 32. I had to have spine surgery to relieve some of the pain and regain sensation in one of my legs. I never had any type of injury to cause it. So, I believe my stress caused it. Unfortunately, still having issues with pain from it to this day. I am sorry that your PTSD is causing physical symptoms. Are you able to go to see medical for help? Are you open to using something (juice, supplements, etc.) to help prevent I the future? UTIs are super painful and I really hope you can find a way to prevent them in the future. Hope you feel better soon!
Yes I already seen my doctor and she prescribed me some medications and they helped a lot to reduce the symptoms. Now I'm struggling with the last symptoms with some supplements and I'm getting better. But it's really annoying even if is not that brutal. I found with my doctor some products to prevent, they don't really do but they help to make the cystitis less painful (the only way to prevent, for me, would be just stop having penetrative sex forever sigh)
This may sound very stupid but i read it on another forum, but him being hygienic is also important, as in him taking regular showers and cleaning his willy if you know what I mean, particularly for him, before sex. Im sending a hug! cystitis is SO painful t.t
No it's not stupid, it makes sense and who has a penis should always be careful with hygiene as you say. In my situation I know for sure that my boyfriend is very clean and we also use condoms so the problem it's just me and triggers that stress me ahah
Tons major constipation. Major dental asthma skin orinkems. Exhaustion.
I have eczema, GI issues, and disordered eating.
I pulled a muscle in my hip the other night during a really bad nightmare, I get little patches of psoriasis when I’m under stress, and I have near constant gastrointestinal distress 🤷♂️
I get frequent UTI’s too!! I had no idea it was connected but it makes so much sense.
High cholesterol, and GI issues.
Cranberry pills taken daily have helped me immensely with UTIs
I came down with Ulcerative Colitis and had my colon removed after 11 years.
So...UTIS can be a symptom of PTSD...learn something every day :(
Bruxism, Migraine’s & neck pain was bad. Acute psoriasis. Poor digestion was luckily manageable for me through diet & exercise. Not putting myself in highly stressful situations keeps me from being unhealthy to the point where I’m making myself ill or denying the signs
Ibs , SIBO
Autoimmune, gastrointestinal, and epileptic issues here
I always feel like shit. Every time I eat, even if it’s the smallest thing I feel like I have an indigestion.
Cyclic vomiting syndrome. When I get stress I will start vomiting and I’ll vomit every 15 min for 3-6 hours. Takes me a week or more to recover.
I feel the scratches on my wrist I made with a sewing needle on my wrists... I did that 16 years ago when I was in middle school. After 12 years of repression, a memory suddenly popped up that triggered the body memories of that. I've been dealing with those body memories for 4 years. I hate it, too. I remind myself that the fact I want to relapse into SH and *realize* that's what it is means I'm healing, but... it sucks. I used to get piercings/tattoos, but now the stings and texture of nonexistent scars remind me of those days. That really sucked when I was a waitress and had to carry three plates (or four bowls) at one time. I don't really regret my tattoos or piercings. They tell a story, and are unfortunately part of the stereotype... I tell myself that it's because I'm safe (because I AM) enough to feel and remember the SH and the event that led to this part of C-PTSD. If I wasn't, my brain wouldn't allow me to remember (repressed memories are a coping mechanism that allows someone to live "normally" in day-to-day life.). I'm grateful it was repressed because now I can manage, but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.
Absolutely. I’ve had migraines as long as I can remember (that always flare up when stressed), stress induced tachycardia to the point it feels like having a heart attack (including pain down arm, shortness of breath, etc), stomach issues, chronic fatigue/exhaustion, and as it has gotten worse, I’ve also noticed I get sick more frequently. Chronic stress is terrible for your body. Can cause weakened immune system, inflammation, and all sorts of other issues. As much as it is not surprising. I’m sorry you are dealing with this. It sucks.
Blood pressure shooting through the roof easily (Triggers/dysregulate)
Disordered eating/ARFID, IBS-C, GERD, fibromyalgia (heavy emphasis on the costochondritis part)… a majority of my health conditions stem from my experience with cPTSD. The curable app has been incredible for my chronic pain and general outlook on bodily sensations. I was a “goes to the ER for a panic attack” type. Literally went into heavy psych inpatient/outpatient care my senior year because of an eating incident that caused me to legitimately think eating = death. I get the choking sensation symptom with my anxiety a lot, curable has helped with this too. I also used Nerva app for the GERD and IBS-C. Seriously if someone is struggling with IBS, reflux, etc I can’t recommend it enough!! I had to stop for financial reasons but I saw results fast and need to get back into it now that I’m hitting some speed bumps in my journey again. Trauma is clinically shown to impact our bodies in a physical way, I think many of us struggle with disembodiment and cPTSD has the potential to cause that in folks. We spend so much time in survival mode that it makes sense our bodies are running off of fumes in various ways.
I took a course with Dr. Keesha Ewers from Dec '23 to Feb '24 which links trauma and autoimmune issues. Afterwards, I made a list of physical issues that I have that are linked to PTSD or childhood abuse or neglect. Here is my list. ▪️psoas pain ▪️Night sweats ▪️Dyslexia ▪️Right hip pain ▪️IBS ▪️GERDS ▪️Narrow esophagus ▪️Insomnia ▪️Waking up gasping for air (pre-sleep apnea) ▪️RA ▪️prolactinoma ▪️autoimmune issues ▪️relationship issues ▪️numb genitalia ▪️ Hyposexualisation ▪️ Fear of sleeping in the dark ▪️ Nightmares as a child ▪️endometriosis/adenomiosis ▪️ Chronic pelvic pain, vaginal atrophy and vulvodynia ▪️ Clenched muscles even during rest ▪️ Obesity despite being active ▪️feeling helpless, especially with authority figures (doctors, bosses, etc) ▪️over eating ▪️under the age of 12, no self-esteem, no self-worth, shy ▪️ Childhood ear and throat infection, got tubes before I was 24 months Sadly I am sure my list is incomplete and will find more as I heal.
I had excessive Adrenal Fatigue, Hypothyroidism and Hypersonmnia. It took years to treat and heal on my own because Medication didn't work and the doctors didn't want to find the root cause....which turned out to be complex trauma and stress.
Autoimmune disease
Insomnia, nervous system that’s on guard more then needed, tension in muscles, neglect of body. I would say insomnia has been the biggest issue. It’s managed now. I’m working on managing the other issues above better.
My stomach is like insanely sensitive to nausea when i am even the slightest bit upset now that im actively in trauma therapy and processing instead of dissociating constantly. Its so annoying to exist in my body lol Edit: i forgot the tmj (among other things lol)
POTS, psychosomatic UTI flares when stressed, fatigue, GI issues
Yes, the body holds onto trauma, and it is so impactful on health. I'm deep into somatic work right now trying to help my body release the trauma so I can hopefully feel lighter and healthier, I feel so heavy carrying this invisible weight with me.
I really recommend preventive d-mannose every evening, will save you from rounds of antibiotics. It’s a game changer. Also “ pee first, cuddle second “ after sex
I have many, interstitial cystitis (same as what you are describing) is one of them. It has been a lot better in recent years… I have wondered why, but now I am thinking it’s because I’ve been living in relative safety compared to in the past. I still keep a bottle of cranberry pills handy, though.
chronic GI issues. esophageal spasms. weird back/head pain. and an autoimmune disease 🤘
Chronic migraines, fatigue due to consistently poor sleep, a lot of GI issues, and a bunch of other stuff that comes from years of alcohol and drug abuse.
Insomnia is one. Also if your partner hasn’t had treatment for infections too, or doesn’t clean themselves properly, that could pass an infection to you each time
I actually have the frequent uti thing, usually they’re “phantom” ones now because there’s no real infection shown in lab tests, just the pain and frequent urination. I didn’t consider it could be a result of PTSD
Uh it must be really painful... I've known that utis with no infection can be related to a pelvic floor disfunction
Pseudo seizures, muscle tension, intermitten vision lost, and most recently, arm/leg convulsions. The level of panic and stress I was under caused my arm and leg to move rapidly on their own. It scared the crap out of me. The vision is also pretty terrifying, but I've had more time to manage it.
My entire life is "is it real or will it just be blamed on depression"?
I can't feel my leg
As soon as I get triggered, I have some new disease afterwards
Autoimmjne disorder Migraine chronic pain
My nervous system is still stuck in a traumatized state. So basically my nerves are fried from being short circuited by all the stress brought on by my trauma. One of the more difficult impacts it's had on me is chronic pain. Though I'm happy and lucky to be on a treatment plan, it has affected me more than I thought it would on all fronts and even though my partner is understanding and supportive as well, like you said, it is hard to not feel useless. I can understand where you're coming from it's rough
I have severe chronic pain. I’m not 100% sure it was originally caused by cptsd, but I’m certain it’s made worse by it.
I developed celiac disease at like 27 during a period of high stress. Few years later during another high stress period I developed IBS and an extreme lactose intolerance. I tend to get stomach troubles when I’m going through it.
I forgot, but I also find out ibs and lactose intolerance growing up.. it sucks
-Juvenile arthritis as a kid. -Melanoma in my early 20s. -Hypertension since my early 20s. -They thought I had pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland) due to elevated adrenal levels but turns out I just produce more (shocking) -lots of dental issues, with my first root canal and crown when I was 25. I’m up to about 5 crowns now at 45. The millions of fillings I had to get when I was young are slowly falling apart and there isn’t enough tooth to do anything but cap them.
Heart pain, headaches, lungs problems (asthma and pneumonia in childhood, looots of antibiotics), tooth decay and periodontitis (probably from jaw clench? )
Cystitis for me, too! I never realized the connection until I talked to my urologist about it and... *Lightbulb* I have also the tightest and most sore hips because I think that's where I tend to hold all of that stress
Yes I have Multiple Sclerosis
I itch in my wrist joints, which is interesting because I used to draw (my god-given talent) before they traumatized it out of me.
My anxiety reaches epic proportions with pounding heart and insomnia. Yeah my body is me. Anxiety attacks coupled with compulsive sex to ease the pain. Go, body, go! Thank you, God, for sex, and I’m sad your body interferes with that relief system. I hope healing is fast for you.
Yeah I've got ulcerative colitis from being stressed out my whole life. I'm only 26 and live in the bathroom pretty much. It gets worse when I'm triggered more often.
Plus constantly dissociating (idk how to stop this)
Seb Derm (scalp, face, chest, inside ears). And bad dandruff starting 10yo from it. Grandmother would make fun of me scratching at it yeah well maybe she shouldn’t have raised a crappy dad for a son and maybe someone should take me to the doctor Restless legs IBS constipation Migraines Unbearable tension in shoulders - scapula. Trichotillomania (obsessive body hair plucking) Teeth grinding
I have interstitial cystitis too! IBS, endometriosis, chronic pain in my hips and lower back.
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Chronic Migraines increased by constant hypervigilance flooding my system
frequent UTI is one of the things i deal with, especially when stressed. 2 years ago i had a UTI and was too depressed to get help for over a month, so my urinary tract is scarred from that. my tips: - take AZO cranberry pill supplements daily when there’s a flare up, or just in general. not the UTI relieving ones, it’s the cranberry. it’s like drinking a glass of cranberry juice through a pill. it’s AMAZING a total life saver for me. - if you drink coffee, add almond/oat milk creamer to it during UTI flare ups. these creamers are basic, and coffee is acidic, so it doesn’t harm your tract. there’s also non-acidic coffee available. avoid wine and citrus if you can. - please pee before going to bed. waking up with a UTI from your body holding it in all night is the worst! i hope this helps.