Hello.

In late November 2011 I visiting my local GP to have stitches removed from my ankle. The nurse did not tell me to look away when the stitches were being removed and being a curious person I wanted to see the damage! After they were removed I was walking to the counter to make a payment, however I was overcome with a strange feeling in my stomach, had hot and cold flushes and before I knew it it was as if someone turned off the lights and I collapsed backwards, hitting my upper back, smashing my head back into the concrete floor.

I wasn't aware of what happened next. My wife witnessed the incident and saw me pass out and the next thing I apparently suffered a seizure. The ambulance officers came and I began vomiting. Apparently I was in and out of consciousness for 6-7 hours. When I was finally released from hospital 5 days later I was feeling ok like I could get back to normal quickly. Compared to other people in my ward I seemed to be doing really well on the occupational therapy exams. I felt like I wanted to go back to work. However I was sleeping a lot and was quite fatigued.

On a day when I was feeling energised I made the mistake of going back to the gym. Little did I know that when you've had a concussion, lifting weights is a big error! I didn't investigate the symptoms involved in PCS.

I ended up taking some time off work and was feeling quite energised and well. I wasn't sleeping so much and I could concentrate on using my computer and reading books for some time. So I went back to work for a few days and found myself really tired.

I took another break for a couple of weeks again and went back to work doing 6 hour days. By the third day I was feeling funny on my left side of my head. I had a brain fog. I couldn't concentrate well. I decided to stop work and go back to rest. I slept heavily for 3 hours that afternoon. Clearly my suspicion is that I may have put too much pressure on myself thinking I was doing ok and that going to the gym might have pushed everything too far.

I believe I have either a) not fully recovered from the concussion or b) the serious fall has caused whiplash symptoms. I have had muscle symptoms on my left side, stiffness in my neck and the top of my shoulder.

The weird thing is I rarely get headaches. My cognitive abilities and memory is fine. I have no hearing issues or problems with light. I can watch TV and everything seems normal. But my issue is concentrating for long periods and the stiffness in my neck, shoulders and the weird feeling I get in my head on the left hand side. Sometimes the stiff feeling goes behind my left eye.

But again, everything was feeling fine until I went back to work again.

Can anyone relate? Have I done the wrong thing? Has anyone else had issues with prolonged concentration and how long did it take to recover? I am worried because I was planning on going back to study this year and now I may not be able to work at all.

Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups, fellow Queenslander.

I see you've found the Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome Forum. Lots of helpful people there. Hope you get some answers.

Hello and welcome, happy to see you have come to be with us, it a great place to be. As you can see we have a great number and caring fellow members here, we are a supportive and relaxing place. Have fun looking into the different forums. Our shoulders are here for support in many ways.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

Hello McMurphy and WELCOME to Neurotalk!

I see you are finding your way around!

If you have any questions or need any assistance please do not hesitate to ask, someone will always be around shortly to help in any way that we are able.

I look forward to seeing you around the board.

Abbie

Hi. I'm so glad I found this site. My 15 year old son began having headaches, dizziness and blurred vision over 3 months ago. We have seen multiple Drs and had MRI's and were finally diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome just last week. He plays football and apparently had a concussion that we were not aware of during the season. Like I said, it's been 3 months---his grades have gone down drastically and he still has daily headaches, dizziness, blurry vision and is unable to concentrate on his school work. We are glad to finally have a diagnosis and the Dr says he will eventually get better. He is starting vestibular rehab next week. Guess I'm just wondering when "eventually" will be.

Hi PCS15,
Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

I'll post the link below to the Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome Forum
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html

You might like to repost over there. Lots of very helpful people who might be able to offer advice and suggestions regarding your son.

This is just a note to let those of you suffering from Post Concussion Syndrome that there is some real expectation of getting better. I can't comment on your specific cases or your likely outcome, but I can describe mine which hopefully will allow you to apply to your situation as may be appropriate.

In June of 2010, I was wakeboarding behind my brother's boat. I am an active person - male, was 40 yrs old at the time, and an experienced wakeboarder. Was also in good physical condition. I normally ride behind my boat, so I wasn't used to the new boat, wake conditions, etc. In any event, I caught an edge and took a major face slap to the left side of my head. I was wearing a helmet with earguards at them time. I didn't lose consciousness, but knew it was a major hit, saw stars, and had to take a break. My neck felt immediately sore (which is unusual for a wakeboard whiplash, in which soreness usually doesn't show up until some time later). Felt a bit better afterwards, and actually rode a bit more that same evening.

The following week, I only had neck pain which was gradually getting better. The next week, I felt good enough to go wakeboarding again (on my boat) and had a fine day with no falls or anything unusual. However, the next morning, when I awoke, I had spinning vertigo (the room spinning, not me). The next several days followed with increasing neck pain, dizziness, brain fog and general malaise. This went on for weeks.

I was confused because I wasn't sure if the fall was causing my dizziness or the boating outing the week later (boats can sometime cause dizziness just from the rocking of the boat, which can last for a LONG time). It was strange because after the fall I was getting better, but after the boat ride the next week, the next day I got much worse.

Anyway to make a long story short, I went to an ENT doctor for the dizziness and an orthopaedic for the neck. X-rays, MRIs showed everything normal. ENT wasn't sure about an inner ear problem (head trauma can shake things loose in there). Dizziness and brain fog continued, but at least I was still able to work, but not do much else. Sleeping was sometimes difficult.

My condition lasted 10 months before I got better, which now is completely gone.

I self-diagnose myself with having a serious case of whiplash and a concussion. The dizziness and brain fog were a result of the concussion.

There are a few things I did that I am sure improved my condition and allowed me to cope:

1. Rest the first 3-4 weeks. So important. Give the body time to heal in the initial stages.
2. Prayer: why leave your brain's health to anyone else?
3. Exercises: The ENT gave me some motion exercises for the dizziness that I did religiously 2x day for months. I truly believe these helped. They actually make you MORE dizzy when you're doing them, but when you stop the baseline level of dizziness diminished over time.
4. Study: I spent hours on the internet researching brain injury, concussion, dizziness and whiplash. In my case this was a mistake. Prior to getting professional help, there's so much information out there it's impossible to know what your case is or what is causing it. I causes your mind to wander and assume the worst cases. If I had it to do again, I would go to my doctor first to get a diagnosis, and then target your study around that. No need to worry about a life or death aneurysm when a concussion is all that you have.
4. Believing my Doctor - My ortho was a professional, but his bedside manner was horrific. He kept telling me, "these things usually get better with time". As the months wore on, I didn't believe him. After 6 months, I didn't believe a word he was telling me. But he was right. I did get better. After 10 months. You have to remember, you have only one data point (your own), while your doctor has 100's or more based on his experience. I would qualify this point by making sure your doctor is as good as you can possibly access or afford. If you're not sure, a 2nd opinion is warranted.
5. Tests: I insisted on an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan as appropriate. It's likely they won't show anything, but in my case, the peace of mind in KNOWING there's not major structural damage was worth it, especially if the condition lasts for a long time.

I did wakeboard again, in time for the following summer. Almost as good as before, but with a sincere respect for the fragility of my body.

I am not a doctor or in the business of giving medical advice, just an active guy who's had a lot of injuries, and this one seemed like it might help out some others with a similar situation.

Hello and welcome, happy to see you have come to be with us, it a great place to be. As you can see we have a great number and caring fellow members here, welcome to a supportive and relaxing place. Have fun looking into the different forums. Our shoulders are here for support in many ways.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

My son age 16 was diagnosed with PCS on 1/5/12. He's an ice hockey player. He had to take time of from school. He has, depression, headaches, dizziness, can't focus or concentrate, light sensitivity, irritability, sadness, emotional, feeling slow and groggy, fatigue, bouts of anger, and balance problems.

He gets so annoyed that he can't do anything. He wants to play hockey, but the doctors say not for another 2 months. One moment he the kid i've know, so nice and easy to talk. then he becomes this angry, abusive kid I don't want to know. He keeps saying he's fine, even though I know he's not. He's lying cause he wants to play hockey.

His coach wants him to come back to the team. He say "I talked to him and he sounds fine. Let him play". My husband thinks I'm going overboard and should let him play. The doctors say, no way, not yet, not until he is symptom free.

Has any parent had to deal with this before?

Wow, many have posted on this thread.

To answer a few of the questions that are alike.

1. When you start to feel better, and want to go back to work.
a. I found its best to start back slowly, When I went back I
worked 2 to 3 hours a day. And only 2 or 3 days a week, and only
if I really felt good.

2. I could only increase my days to 4 to 6 hours after say 6 weeks.
a. But could work that many hours a day 1 day a week after a couple
weeks, but had to take the next day off.


Vestibular therapy, is wonderful for many. It was a life saver for me.
But it was honestly something that had been going on in my life for
50 years. There is no knowing what started my problems.

A. The PT was very good that I worked with. If I worked with one
that wasn't. I could make sure I got food ones the next time.


Exercise. The best way to do this, is to have your doctor send you
to Physical Therapy, just long enough for them to help you figure out
a home plan.

A. You can give them a idea what kind of equipment your gym has.
Lots of times they have things close if not just like it. And can guide
you to what amount is okay.

B. I did lots of this kind of exercise. I honestly miss this.



I have had many concussions, so I have learned many things. I have
also learned that its not good to send our children back to a sport to
soon. Please be careful that way. Their life is much more important.
And honestly thats all you need to tell them, or other family members.

Donna