Hello All,

I am new here, and I must say that I am kind of relieved that I found this site. Before I go into my story, I just want to let everyone who reads my post to know that I am not looking for sympathy. With that said, I'll get right to it.

Last Wednesday, I was slipped and fell in my bathroom when I was getting dressed, hit right side of my head near my temple and landed on my shoulder. I blacked out for a bit and when came to immediately called my husband. He was concerned since he himself has suffered from more than one concussion. I didn't go to the ER at first because we both wanted to see if the headache and other things that were going on would pass, about three hours later they had not so I went in. After a CT scan and an x-ray on my shoulder, I was diagnosed with a concussion and a dislocated shoulder, was told that I was very lucky that I was only going home with a concussion and sent home with ibuprofen 800, a sling for my arm and the instructions to rest.

After two days, none of the over the counter meds were working and the pressure and pain in my head kept building, I was also unable to sleep for long periods of time and had trouble falling asleep even though I was tired. Finally by 3:00 in the morning the pressure and pain got so intense I was throwing up and had tears pouring down my face because I couldn't lay down, close my eyes or do anything without my head feeling like it was going to explode. Now I am used to having sever migraines, and this was nothing like that. I of course got very scared and went to the ER where they performed another CT to check to make sure that everything still looked okay. The Dr. this time told me that everything still looked ok, but that I had post concussion syndrome and that I should see a neurologist and was given pain and anti-nausea meds.

This is where my problem begins. I have no medical insurance, ours was supposed to start on the 2nd of this month but hasn't yet. I am supposed to see a doctor that I cannot afford since my husband and I have just moved into a new apartment, and even as I am writing this my head feels like it's in a vice and my stomach is rolling. I was doing fine on the pain meds for the first couple of days and was able to get some rest, however this morning I noticed that after taking them, the pain and pressure comes back a hour or two later.

I live in Virginia and was wondering if anyone knew of any programs that might help me find a neurologist that works with low income/uninsured patients. Also I am wondering if there are some things that have worked for others that I might be able to try just until I can get in to see a doctor?

Any information or tips would be apperciated