What’s improved and what’s still a problem at 2 years off

I’m days away from 24 months off which seems like a big milestone in this journey. At this time the symptoms that have disappeared or significantly improved include DP/DR (gone), insomnia, nerve pain, dizziness (sometimes get it but much improved), nausea, air hunger (not gone but better), head pressure.

 

Now the symptoms I still struggle with on a regular basis are fatigue (bad), depression, anxiety, still have some memory issues but no where near as bad as it was.

 

I just wanted to see if anyone can relate and what’s improved and what hasn’t where you’re at.

Hi Sunshine, 2 years off was a real nigtmare. At the moment 27 months of and today I am in a wave. When in a wave it’s still very rough. My symptoms come and go, even in year 3. So for me it’s not a matter of lessened symptoms, it’s more that waves are getting shorter. But stronger. Underneath I see a baseline improvement. Every 4 weeks I have some progression. Last week even some symptom free days, only to l back to acute for 1,5 day approx. We are strugling forward. Take care! 

Sunshine, I'm not yet 2 years off - just want to congratulate you on your milestone. You've hung in there, and that by itself is HUGE. You've already beaten the odds. You've seen some significant improvements. I think you're doing beautifully, though it's understandable that you're not necessarily feeling it right now.

 

I speak to Baylissa often, and she confirms that the symptoms you describe are normal for some of us - she had similar at 2 years out.

 

You've put in lots of solid healing time, and you've come a helluva long way.  You're a survivor - I hope you feel proud of what you've already achieved. Congrats to you!

Hi Sunshine,

 

I’m 2 years off next Friday and here is where I’m at:  overall I’m functional and definitely the worst is behind me. It was for sure the most severe thing that has ever happened to me.  Some of the severe memories I have of panic, chaos, and pain will take years to process.

 

Mental:  usually I realize I won’t die, but I get easily overwhelmed at work even tho know one knows it. I have to coach myself thru feeling overwhelmed by so many screens and tabs on my computer.  I have proved 1000 times that I can handle it but the thought still presents itself.

 

My marriage is on autopilot and I recently was swept away with attraction to someone else.  My new project is to understand that better.

 

I still tend towards depression where I never did before. Anxiety too but that is more familiar.

 

Physical:  I still have tinnitus, and I don’t like it at all, but it doesn’t split my head open like it used to.

I still have a tingly prickly sensation in my legs and arms sometimes, but the severity has lessened.  I would describe it as burning, and sometimes it feels ok, like majorly tingly but not horrible, and sometimes it hurts.

 

Resolves sxs:  insomnia (thank God), all the involuntary jerking ones, flank pain, closed or closing throat, severe panic, overwhelming coldness in limbs, terror and intrusive thoughts (except for this guy I’m crushing on).

 

Hope this helps, would love to hear others’ experiences.

 

It DOES get better it just takes a LONG A$$ time to heal.

 

 

Tiny

 

 

Congrats on making it to two years, that's a huge deal. I, unfortunately, fell into a horrible wave when I hit my two-year mark. I had just recently been reminiscing about how much better I had been doing and all of the mental symptoms that I had recovered from. Somewhere in month 23, I felt like I was on my way to being fully healed until I felt into this most recent wave. Still struggling with obsessive thoughts, rumination, intrusive thoughts, general hyper-awareness OCD of thoughts, DP/DR, etc. I'm hoping that I have a better future around the corner and it gives me hope that there are those that came before us that had a difficult time around the two-year mark and made a marked improvement during year 3.