[podcast]

hello,

i am not sure this is the right topic but i just want to give it a try.

a year and two months ago i had some symptoms like post concussion symptoms like headache and dizziness after rapid movement of my head. at first i feel dizzy for a couple days and then it diminished. Afterwards, my cracking headaches started. That headaches lasted for two months and i visited three neurologist. They all think that it is not a concussion and i have tension-type headaches and prescribed me some antidepressant medicines. I used it for a while, and then my headaches disappeared. But once in a while i used to have them. Unfortunately, About Four Months Ago, One more time, I did a rapid, sharp head movement by mistake (actually i did not mean to but it happened accidentally) and had nausea and headache for a few days. And then, my symptoms cleared at all but today i have some doubts.

normally, i do not have any symptoms but all time i can't help asking myself whether i have a brain damage and cannot be old self again. Because i used to be very successful and bright student, Still i can be considered as successful but not knowing my brain is damaged or not is making me crazy. by the way my CT and MRI is OK.

when i consume strong alcohol, i have sharp pain at the top of my head, and it lasts for a while. Pain is alleviated overtime and transformed into dull pain.

What can it be ? I am really scared and do not know what to do. I am like in infinite loop, i cannot break the loop, just thinking this issue again and again.

by the way i am 21 and male.

[PCS BULL]

I don't think you have brain damage at all with a fine mri and ct scan. and it doesn't sound like you have post concussive syndrome unless one of those rapid head movements was really really intense, what are they specifically? Sure some of those symptoms fall under PCS but they fall under many other headache and upper neck injury symptoms as well, and the issues you've had would probably have been more persistent than what it sounds like you described.
Also, if that medicine helped before, why not try it again? They use those "anti-depressant" meds sometimes with the intention of releasing pinched nerves and synapses in your brain and head, rather than for depression. That's why they prescribed it, so it almost sounds like you do have tension headaches. And even if you did have pcs (which i doubt), time would heal it, and at 21 youth is on your side.

P.S. I think you're over-thinking things too much, relax a bit

[Mark in Idaho]

pod,

Your post does not mention if you have any history of head impacts or even sub-concussive impacts such as heading a soccer ball, football play, wrestling, etc.

A clean MRI and CT is of little value regarding concussion. They will only indicate much more major injuries and such, strokes, bleeds, etc.

If you have a history of concussion or repeated sub-concussive impacts, you should be staying away from alcohol. Getting drunk does the same to your brain as a concussion. Combining both is a bad mix.

In fact, if you have had no concussions but have a history of getting blasted with alcohol during your adolescent years, consider those episodes the equivalent of concussions. The pre-adult brain is very sensitive to alcohol from a long term perspective.

If our youth just realized how getting blaster as a youth will reduce their ability to drink without problems in their adult years, they just might reduce their consumption a bit.

The anti-depressant you were prescribed is interesting. Often, the doctor prescribes them to relieve anxiety and the head aches that come from anxiety or stress tension. The most common anti-depressants take up to six weeks to become effective. Using them in an on and off regimen is not a good idea.

If it was Elavil (amitryptiline), a tri-cyclic anti-depressant that is commonly prescribed for PCS head aches in small doses (10 mgs), then it does not have the long 6 week use needs and problems like SSRI's and SNRI's.

PCS Bull is mistaken when he said <They use those "anti-depressant" meds sometimes with the intention of releasing pinched nerves and synapses in your brain and head, rather than for depression.>

Soma (carisoprodol) is commonly prescribed to relax muscles to relieve pinched nerves.

Regarding synapses in your brain, anti-depressants work by moderating the neurotransmitters that need to cross the synapses for proper function. They inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and nor-epinephrine across those synapses.

I suggest you stay away from alcohol completely for a few weeks to see what symptoms you have. Then, try to limit alcohol to just one drink serving per day.

[podcast]

thanks for your replies

Yes, i consume alcohol frequently in my adolescent years but did not have problems like headaches.

to be more clear,

except that two rapid head movements, i do not have any history of head impacts

that rapid movements was intense. however, i don't know how big acceleration is enough to call it intense. 3G, 4G ?? and even if i know it, i don't have chance to measure the acceleration forces in that movements.

all i want to know whether my intolerance to getting drunk has something to do with that rapid movements and if so, my brain is damaged irreversibly or not. Is there a way to know this ?

By the way, this alcohol intolerance thing have started in Christmas(at least i realized it then). After that, i have tension-type headaches one and half week. And now, whenever i drink more than four bottles of beer, i have headaches for 4-5 days(mostly in the top of the head, dull pressure). So, i tried staying away from alcohol for a while, but it seems nothing is changed.

[Mark in Idaho]

Trying to connect the rapid head movement to the alcohol issues will be very difficult. No doctor will take you seriously. They will just tell you to stop drinking or some such advice. Top of the head sounds strange.

You could spend thousands of dollars trying to resolve this and still have no answers, as you have after the MRI and CT.

Pushing for answers puts you at risk of being labeled a hypochondriac or cyberchondriac. The later is the former but with information from internet browsing.