A little over a year ago, my husband was stabbed while at work. He was a maintenance technician for an apartment complex and had gone into a "vacant" apartment when an African American Male jumped out of a bedroom, slammed my husband into the wall and stabbed him in the arm with something sharp! The police came with k9, but they were unable to catch the guy, who is still on the loose today.

My husband developed PTSD very shortly afterwards! He began having nightmares immediately, was getting physically sick daily on his way to work (he stayed at that complex for a couple weeks after the stabbing), he became paranoid about leaving the house and going out in public. He constantly watched over his shoulder, started sitting with his back to the wall so no one could "sneak up" on him and was suddenly very dependent on me, always wanting me near!

He has been thru several different medications, and several mental health doctors. It's been a struggle finding someone who actually listens and who truly is trying to help him! He's gone through several jobs since then, all as a maintenance worker, which haven't lasted more than 3 months because the apartment complex environment seems to be a trigger for stress/anxiety for him, especially if their apartment layout is similar to the one he was stabbed in. Random people, especially those of African American decent causes extreme paranoia and panic attacks. Being startled by someone, even me, brings on a panic attack!

This past December, I rushed him to the ER because we thought he was having a stroke! He was even treated as if he had a stroke. Stuttering/slurring of his words, paralysis on his left side (face, arm, leg), massive headache, confusion, extreme pain in his left arm and hip, loss of vision in one eye, and seeing "sparkles" in his line of vision are just some of his symptoms. Over the next few months, we made several trips to the ER for stroke-like symptoms. Finally, in March, we got the Conversion Disorder diagnosis, which on one hand was a tremendous relief to know that he wasnt having all these strokes, but on the other hand, is extremely frustrating, especially for him! To be told you have this "illness", but that there is no treatment or cure and even though these symptoms are extremely terrifying, there really isn't anything wrong with you or anything they can do! There are no medicines to treat it and pain medication for the pain wont do anything because there really isn't any pain, it's just your brain telling you there is. Basically, they are saying "it's all in your head" (no pun intended). Your brain is messed up due to large amounts of stress/anxiety and you brain is converting the stress/anxiety into physical symptoms, as a way of dealing with the stress/anxiety. There really is no reason for the speech difficulties or the paralysis or the pain! So they just send him home after determining that it's not a stroke.

Has anyone every been diagnosed with Conversion Disorder? If so, how have you dealt with it? Are there any suggestions on what he and I can do to help him manage this disorder, so that he can function as close to normal as possible?

I've researched the disorder until I'm cross eyed, but we've never heard of this disorder before or know anyone who has it. Even the majority of the doctors seem to have come to a dead end on how to treat it. At this point we are willing to try almost anything to make it more manageable, so any advice would help!