[aggieteacher04]

Hello,
I am (was) a confused teacher who was assaulted at school on August 30th and ended up with a concussion.
I was unconscious for about 45 seconds from what I was told. I do not remember much of the day after I got the concussion, and I am only going off of what I have been told and wrote down in a journal.

My headaches didn't start right away, but I realized I had a headache by the time I got in to see a worker's comp. doctor. I was then told that this is normal for a concussion and it would go away. Most of the other symptoms either hadn't started or I hadn't realized (don't remember) I was experiencing them when I saw the dr initially.

I went home and tried to relax the first day with a release back to work the next day. On my way to work the next morning I was very naseaus and had blurry vision, ringing in my ears, no energy, and a horrible headache that has not gone away since.

I went back to the doctor who perscribed me Darvocet to help with the headache, and I was told not to go back to work for the rest of that day and another day. I had an appointment to go back the following week. At this appointment I told the dr that I was still experiencing all the same symptoms and I was assured that it was all normal for a concussion.

After another week of trying to work I went back, yet again, to the dr, and he finally sent in a request for me to go to a neurologist since my symptoms weren't getting any better and I was also confusing students names, very forgetful, and had difficulty sleeping.

Now remember this is all through workers comp so this process in itself is very stressful to navigate. The earliert I could get in to the neurologist was another week and a half so the primary care doctor decided to put me on half days at work to see if this would help. I finally got in to see the neurologist and he put in a request for a MRI and CT scan, which only took another few weeks to get approval and an appointment.

In my first meeting with the neurologist I was prescribed Nortriptyline and Treximet and Epidrin for break through pain. I have been taking the Nortriptyline ever since. I was taking the Treximet, and it seemed to help a little bit but my blood pressure started to go up so they took me off the Treximet.

All tests that have been run have come back normal, and I feel like nobody thinks I'm telling the truth about the pain. After being taken off the Treximet I was prescribed Relpax, which made me vomit, and Maxalt, which gave me no relief so I am back at square one. Through this whole process of different types of medicine making me sick I also started to realize that I was becoming very short with people and my moods were unpredictable.

Both drs have told me to try and get back to a routine, but if I do to much then I seem to be wiped out energy wise for a day or so after. They are getting to the point where the neurologist doesn't believe I'm ready to go back to work, but there is nothing else he can do so workers comp doesn't want to keep sending me to him to try different medications.

At the last appointment he did prescribe Topomax in addition to the Nortriptyline, but I only started that a few days ago, and it doesn't seem to be making a differnce so far. I also continue to find it difficult to concentrate and I feel groggy all the time. I just feel like a slower, less energetic, tired version of myself who is in constant pain with headaches. Sometimes it is difficult to tell what the symptoms are and what is side effects from the different medications.

This is another problem I have, I don't want to admit that I'm in pain so I try to justify everything, which I think makes the drs think I am feeling better even when I am not. Three weeks ago the neurologist referred me to a Psychiatrist to determine whether I was also experiencing symtoms similar to PTSD.

I have since gone to the Psychiatrist and he wants me to start taking something to help me sleep at night, but the workers comp adjuster has decided that I do not need to go back to the Psychiatrist or the Neurologist and I have healed as much as I am going to heal so it must be time to go back to work. I'm not sure how she has come to this conclusion, but there are many mornings that I can't even get out of bed, both for lack of energy and pain. I have tried to figure out how I will go back to teaching at the Elementary level in this amount of pain and experiencing all these symptoms.

I have been diagnosed with PCS, but I keep being told different information about what to expect. Doing some research on the internet has also been difficult because there is so much information, and it doesn't all align. I'm really glad to have found this forum, and I would appreciate any words of wisdom, advice, or anything else that anyone would like to share about their experiences!

Oh, I have reread this thread a few times and changed things up and tried to put it in order, but that is not one of my strong suites since the concussion. I repeat myself and tell things out of order, so I am very sorry if this is confusing at all.
Thanks!
By the way...I have been dealing with PCS now for 3 months and a few days now!

[vini]

I was a victim of an assault; going back to work was an absolute disaster for me if you feel you can thats fine , but if things do not improve, what then ? pcs is a mis noma in my opinion . but 3 months is not long with a head injury, I had a couple of concussions when I was younger, and I got over them in a couple of days, but longer residue effects suggests more trauma than the doctors can treat or see on scans

all I can say is rest rest and more rest until you feel up to returning to work . or you may find your self dismissed for not coping, and your injury will not be blamed I speak from experience

so welcome you will find you are not alone with this and NT is a helpful site

[Mark in Idaho]

I'm with vini with the recommendation for rest, rest, and more rest.

I'd also recommend finding a Work Comp attorney who has experience with mTBI. Work Comp is lousy at handling concussions/mTBI.

Does Texas WC law allow you to find your own doctor. In Calif, you can choose your own doctor after a short period of time. You might consider contacting a Worker's Comp attorney to protect your rights. An adjuster can easily steer you to doctors and tests that will look normal despite your continuing symptoms.

I just did a google search for "texas work comp head injury" It gets lots of attorneys. You need help with your claim. You are too overwhelmed with symptoms to protect yourself. Be sure to choose an attorney with closed head injury experience.

I agree with your concern about whether your symptoms are the concussion or side-effects of meds. There can be a big overlap between the two.

Amitriptyline is commonly used in small doses for PCS symptoms. Have you tried over the counter meds for the head aches? Avoid those with caffeine. I often treat my head aches with aspirin and Tylenol. Together, they offer strong relief.

If you can choose your own doctors, it would help to find an ENT who can do vestibular testing. Also vision testing. Women often get their hormones out of balance due to a concussion. Finding a doctor who understands bio-identical hormones will be helpful www.womensinternational.com has a referral system for finding one. look for the link in the left column under 'for patients.'

Now, go rest and then rest again.

My best to you.

[aggieteacher04]

Originally Posted by vini

I was a victim of an assault; going back to work was an absolute disaster for me if you feel you can thats fine , but if things do not improve, what then ? pcs is a mis noma in my opinion . but 3 months is not long with a head injury, I had a couple of concussions when I was younger, and I got over them in a couple of days, but longer residue effects suggests more trauma than the doctors can treat or see on scans

all I can say is rest rest and more rest until you feel up to returning to work . or you may find your self dismissed for not coping, and your injury will not be blamed I speak from experience

so welcome you will find you are not alone with this and NT is a helpful site

Vini-I do not feel like I'm ready to go back to work, that is the problem. The doctors are trying to release me since they do not understand that what I am feeling is real and not made up. I feel that if I am sent back to work it will be have a horrible outcome. I have been trying to get lots of rest, and then I feel a little better so I go out and try to do something which makes me feel so much worse. I need to just keep resting. Thanks for the advice!

[aggieteacher04]

Thank you so much for the valuable information. I am in the process of finding an attorney to help me navigate through all of this.

[July63]

Originally Posted by aggieteacher04

Hello,


At the last appointment he did prescribe Topomax in addition to the Nortriptyline, but I only started that a few days ago, and it doesn't seem to be making a differnce so far. I also continue to find it difficult to concentrate and I feel groggy all the time. I just feel like a slower, less energetic, tired version of myself who is in constant pain with headaches. Sometimes it is difficult to tell what the symptoms are and what is side effects from the different medications.

I can understand some paranoia and I would bet you have PTSD. My paranoia goes through the roof some times.

I did take Topomax for a short time and had worse concertration problems than without it, my doctor has me on provigil and aricept and I feel better with this combination.

[aggieteacher04]

So now the doctor's have all collectively decided to take me off all medications except those to help me sleep, which are still not working, and we will start over. There is some concern that all the medications could be masking some symptoms and possibly making others worse. Has anyone else had this happen or gone through this? Just wondering if I need to seek out my own doctors or continue trusting those I'm being sent to through workers comp.

[Margarite]

First of all, Relax...I mean it... Relaxing is the first key to being able to get better and deal with this.
Second, realize that this may be a long road.
Third, I don't know how much this is hurting you, but for me two things are absolutely necessary, I have to have something to get me out of bed in the morning (for me it is not worrying others) and I need to continue with life just as it was before so that I don't feel sorry for myself or fall into not doing anything at all. This seems ridiculous and absurd at first, but then it becomes a way of life. Every day keeping my life and trying not to worry family and friends, those two things get me out of bed no matter how I feel.
Now, for each person these may be different, but it seems really important to me to find those things and make sure that every morning those things will get you up.
After you can start acting more normally, you will find new strength and will learn how to become stronger because of your injury. Now, your injury might be so much worse than mine that this is not possible, I can understand that.
Now by acting "normally" I don't mean that exactly because you might have to make some changes. For me, I had to stop dancing (ballroom), running, and any sort of activity where my head would move too much or too quickly or might get hit. I am so excited because in just one month I will be concussion free for a year! After at least 6 if not more concussions in one year, this is exciting, it means that I can start to heal. Now, if I could go one day without a symptom I would scream for joy (and get a headache from that
Anyways, I will stop blabbering
Good luck,
Margarite

[Mark in Idaho]

aggieteacher,

Just noticed your post of the 15th.

You should check with an attorney before you go any further with the WC doctors.

The sleeping meds are all you need. And even then, you want to be careful. There are no meds that really make any difference with PCS besides low dose amitriptyline for head ache, sleep, and depression like issues. Nothing else has been shown effective.

Besides things like Neurontin for seizure, body tremors, and sleep issues, over the counter pain meds should be able to help with 'most' Post Concussion headaches.

If you do any serious research into may of the meds prescribed for PCS symptoms, you will find that many of them cause the symptoms that they are prescribed for. The WC idea of meds is to try to hide the symptoms to get you back to work and off WC as fast as possible. If they can drug you into a stupor that allows you to work, the WC docs have done their job.

WC docs are tasked with getting you back to work, not getting you back to health.

Work Comp protects Employers. It never protects the lowly employee. That is why you need to talk with a WC attorney.

Where I was injured at work in California, the WC regs prevent the employee from hiring a good attorney for head injuries by limiting the fees the attorney can collect. Thus, no good attorney will take a mTBI case because they take too much work for the meager pay.

I hope Texas is better.

Google concussion and Work Comp and you should find a specialist.

And, stay away from the WC docs until you do.

My best to you.

[aggieteacher04]

I have retained an attorney with experience in PCS and mTBI, and I am now just trying to navigate the system with some help. Just having the help has dropped my stress level.

I did notice, from the beginning, that most of the medications I was prescribed had the same side effects that it was supposed to be treating. I am not taking a sleeping pill regularly, but we still haven't found a dosage that doesn't leave me in a fog all day or doesn't allow me to get enough sleep at night. I have also found that most medications do not help with my symptoms. The Nortriptyline seems to help, but I also then feel completely out of it for the rest of the day.

You make a lot of sense when you say the WC doctors just try to mask the symptoms and get you back to work. I have just been faced with that, but fortunatly my attorney is helping with this as well. I am in the process of getting second opinions, with the state's approval, from doctor's that my job did not send me to.

Luckily I was approved to go to one specialist, but once again I've run into some roadblocks with that as well. It seems that once the original course of treatment didn't work he didn't know what to try next, but he doesn't feel I'm ready to go back to work. I was also sent to a designated doctor from the state who agrees with the neurologist that I'm not ready to go back to work, but the WC dr said "back to work" and I almost didn't fight it.

Fortunately I have some great friends who are more informed than I am, and they really helped me find a good attorney who is willing to fight for me! He is helping me find a doctor who will help me get better...not just back to work!!!

Thank you for all the advice and support in this matter. It has been 5 months now since the original concussion and some of the symptoms seem better, while others seem worse. It really just depends on the day. Ever once in a while I wake up feeling great, and usually end up pushing myself to much which causes me to then be down for the count for the next 2-3 days.

Every day I'm learning and journaling trying to find a pattern or a solution to my symptoms!

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

aggieteacher,

Just noticed your post of the 15th.

You should check with an attorney before you go any further with the WC doctors.

The sleeping meds are all you need. And even then, you want to be careful. There are no meds that really make any difference with PCS besides low dose amitriptyline for head ache, sleep, and depression like issues. Nothing else has been shown effective.

Besides things like Neurontin for seizure, body tremors, and sleep issues, over the counter pain meds should be able to help with 'most' Post Concussion headaches.

If you do any serious research into may of the meds prescribed for PCS symptoms, you will find that many of them cause the symptoms that they are prescribed for. The WC idea of meds is to try to hide the symptoms to get you back to work and off WC as fast as possible. If they can drug you into a stupor that allows you to work, the WC docs have done their job.

WC docs are tasked with getting you back to work, not getting you back to health.

Work Comp protects Employers. It never protects the lowly employee. That is why you need to talk with a WC attorney.

Where I was injured at work in California, the WC regs prevent the employee from hiring a good attorney for head injuries by limiting the fees the attorney can collect. Thus, no good attorney will take a mTBI case because they take too much work for the meager pay.

I hope Texas is better.

Google concussion and Work Comp and you should find a specialist.

And, stay away from the WC docs until you do.

My best to you.