It's not getting better? For most Vietnam veterans with PTSD, symptoms worse over time!

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 08:56:59 -0400

“An important minority of Vietnam veterans are symptomatic after four decades, with more than twice as many deteriorating as improving,” the study says. That finding raises policy questions about access to mental-health services and attention to the stresses of aging that may amplify symptoms.

It is also key to predicting the future of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, in which troops have been diagnosed with PTSD at similar rates, said Dr. Charles Hoge of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, who wrote a companion editorial for JAMA Psychiatry, a publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association, which published the study Wednesday.

http://www.stripes.com/news/study-for-most-vietnam-veterans-with-ptsd-symptoms-worse-over-time-1.359194

Study: For most Vietnam veterans with PTSD, symptoms worse over time

More than 40 years after fighting in Vietnam, about 11 percent of combat veterans still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, a new study finds, and far more of them are getting worse than are getting better.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jul 23 at 2015 9:03 AM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 09:03:54 -0400

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. Mine comes and goes. I get treatment and get better and it comes back. The main thing is to get it treated. I also have something called Ataxia which eats away my Cerebellum.

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Jul 23 at 2015 9:07 AM

CPO Jon Campbell — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 09:07:34 -0400

Interesting article. It used to be believed that PTSD lessened after about 10 years, or at least suicide was more likely before 10 years. That may not be the case now.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2015 9:37 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 09:37:24 -0400

Jan. One of the reasons is that Veterans are afraid to call the VA because if they do and they have issues with suicide or violence they get arrested. I have heard it from Veterans at the VA during counseling and the red buttons situated in the classes which testify to the stigma of being classified as

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2015 10:08 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 10:08:37 -0400

Good article....not great new for those of us dealing with recent War issues...sets a potential bleak picture for 40 years from now......

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jul 23 at 2015 10:21 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 10:21:35 -0400

"Chronic PTSD" is a real thing, there is no argument there but the question I have is are the results of the study a result in the failure of the DoD and VA to offer support to these men and women following their time in Vietnam? Are we, in the most general of terms, putting Veterans as risk by allowing this stigma cloud to surround PTSD? Is there something we can do now to prevent this repeating in the Post 9/11 Veteran Community 40 years down the road?

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jul 23 at 2015 11:44 AM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 11:44:36 -0400

No Shit? Where's my freaking M-79 anyways? And just because I put constantina wire and signs around the perimeter of my home doesn't make me more fu--ed up, does it?

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 23 at 2015 12:06 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 12:06:41 -0400

I've been reading On Killing by LTC Dave Grossman (thanks to a recommendation that I found in another discussion thread on RP) and my view of PTSD has altered drastically. I wonder if anyone in the psychiatric community in general or the VA in particular has read it. After all, it's difficult to treat any disorder that is not understood and it seems that killing is an important component. (At least that is LTC Grossman's finding.)

I began reading the book because I'm an author who has written about killing and didn't want to be like so many others that Grossman describes as being like virgins describing sex. Fortunately, I discovered that my intuition didn't fail me and my descriptions are more or less accurate. However, I was startled to find that I had little more than intuition to go on. My understanding of the subject was seriously lacking. I suspect that many of those charged with caring for the service members who deliver lethal blows are also virgins.

LTC Grossman observes that we had far greater success dealing with sexual dysfunction after we studied it scientifically. Killing, another intimate act that also has languished in the shadows because of social taboos, is still misunderstood. Maybe we can better treat those who suffer PTSD if we bring the source of their malady into the light...

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Jul 23 at 2015 12:39 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 12:39:01 -0400

There are a lot of psychosocial factors that go into why Vietnam veterans' PTSD symptoms are worse now. These include:
Aging: as we get older, move into retirement, and confront new and ongoing health issues, a lot of grief comes up. This can aggravate PTSD, which many have repressed.
The treatment of Vietnam Veterans was abominable. They now witness how post 9/11 vets are treated, and it's like salt in the wound. This can aggravate things.
With retirement, comes more time on your hands. This almost always leads one to discover what's going on inside.
With the Nehmer decision in 1997, Vietnam vets are now getting benefits they've been fighting for, for decades. With the actions required to pursue these disability benefits, old wounds are often stirred up.

There are many other factors as well; this is hardly conclusive. Nonetheless, our Vietnam vets ARE suffering, and it's incumbent on all of us to ease their pain in whatever way we can...

Response by COL Ted Mc made Jul 23 at 2015 1:04 PM

COL Ted Mc — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 13:04:46 -0400

PTSD is (in some ways) like Diabetes. Once you have it you never actually get rid of it.

The most you can hope to do is to weather the occasional crisis and learn how to adjust your life style so that you can live reasonably normally in almost all respects.

Even then you are going to have "bad days".

The trick is to remember that they are only bad DAYS and not bad LIFETIMES.

Fifteen years down the pike and I still have days when I want to hang out the "I am having a REALLY bad day but I'm more than willing to share it with you - if you want me to." sign. I don't expect that to change.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 24 at 2015 2:45 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 02:45:40 -0400

That is why it is so important that the VA continue to be funded, especially for mental health treatment!!!
It is a damn shame that our Vietnam veterans have to suffer.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 25 at 2015 7:52 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 19:52:10 -0400

We never gave them a chance to get better.

Response by SFC Larry Shook made Aug 7 at 2015 12:21 PM

SFC Larry Shook — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 12:21:22 -0400

It does seem to get worse. 3 tours in Nam, and 22 years in the Army. Lately I have been getting worse. VA finally did give me 40% for PDST.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 15 at 2015 2:49 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 14:49:42 -0500

I am sure many Vietnam Veterans never got the chance to cross the bridge and are stuck with their ghosts.

Response by SP5 Sam Hollis made Jul 17 at 2017 6:50 PM

SP5 Sam Hollis — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 18:50:14 -0400

As we grow older and more information is available we are becoming aware of what has been happening to our minds and bodies. We were a very young group of men and women who wanted to do nothing but serve our country. We knew of hardship and we had respect , but we were NOT worldly . Most of us only knew of of a desease like polo that was cured and nothing about mental illness.
I believe we are only on the top of the iceberg of VietNam PTSD.

Response by LCpl Kim Kroeger made Jul 20 at 2017 12:29 AM

LCpl Kim Kroeger — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 00:29:41 -0400

I have observed many more vets from current conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan wars are actually worse in my opinion then us Nam vets. I see the IED over there keeps most troops on edge 24/7 and I work to help many in different arenas where the help coming back from multiple deployment's is making it worse. If we are going to send our troops into battle, why are they not getting the help they need when they come back? Are they going to be treated like us Nam vets with constant denials of the chemicals and other crap thrown at them like we were with Agent Orange ? IT is politicians and saving their sorry asses vs. our troops. I wish one day all the snowflakes will understand the BS all our troops go through starting with pay and using them as guinea pigs with inoculations and other crap because some chemical corporation or drug manufacture wants trails. All boils down to politicians and the money. How about spreading it around to take care of all of us that go through the BS system?

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Aug 15 at 2017 5:15 PM

SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 17:15:50 -0400

I have to agree with that, once I start treatment the demons started to go away but once I started medication I started to have tremours in my left hand and had kidney problems, different medications here and there but just so you no, the end result is, separation of my family, medication and counseling for life and there Your good and bad days when your demons come back.