5 months post concussion, will I ever recover?.. Feeling Helpless
 

Back in April 2010 I was a victim of assault and punched in the back of the head. I started to experience concussive type symptoms about a week after: Inability to concentrate, "foggy/buzzy" sensation. I seemed to be on the road to recovery about 4 weeks after the incident but i prematurely headed back to the gym and the symptoms came back.

After about another month things seemed to be getting better however i had a few drinks with some friends and again the symptoms returned. It has now been 5 months after the initial concussion and I am still getting the symptoms (though drastically lower). The worse part of it is that i am currently in professional school and it is very difficult for me to get any time off. I have taken a 2 week leave of absence hoping things will get better.

I am so worried that it has become permanent and that i will have to live with this for the rest of my life. It has been a really frustrating experience. I am constantly depressed and all i do is think about the concussion. I just want to be able to focus on school and get my life back to normal.

What are the chances of me getting better? What kind of things can I do to get better? What should i avoid? It would be nice to hear some stories of people who had symptoms pertain for so long that got better, any hope would be great.

Sorry to hear of your injury. We're here for you.

I was assaulted in a similar way on June 23, 2000. I got whiplash and a concussion. My wife says my personality changed.

There are a few things you need to look out for. Is you neck/upper neck still symptomatic? You may need to find an Upper Cervical Chiropractor to check this out. NUCCA.org has a referral list.

How are you sleeping? Do you dream and wake up refreshed? If not, your sleep needs to improve. My neck is still a problem if I sleep with it in a bad position.

Of course, you have learned the hard way about alcohol. No more than one serving ( a beer, glass of wine, no hard liquor) per sitting. Try to limit your caffeine to one cup per day.

I swear by vitamins and other supplements to help my brain work at its best. B-6, B-12, folic acid, all of the anti-oxidants, Omega 3's, Vit D3, etc. I and others have many posts about nutrition. Do a search. The injured brain needs extra levels of these supplements, first to overcome existing deficiencies, then to heal.

The road is long and slow for some of us. Get to know the new you, at least for the present. Work with your recovering brain, not against it. Slow down in your study intensity. take breaks from the books frequently. Avoid pushing it when you feel foggy brained.

Focus on lowering your stress load. The injured brain does not heal when under stress. It needs good REM sleep and lots of it.

I hope this helps. It is easy to get over-whelmed with a concussion that persists.

My best to you.

Hey thanks for all the help it is really appreciated and nice to hear from someone else who has been through it. How are you doing now? Have things improved?

Luckily for me sleep hasn't been an issue. I am feeling pretty refreshed when i wake up and sometimes it seems sleep is the only escape from all this. However with things getting busy, it seems my time to sleep can get limited.

I never had any issues with my spine in terms of pain or anything. Do you think it is still a good idea to see a chiropracter? How about exercise, i so badly want to get back to the gym.

Anyways thanks for your advice. I am definitely going to pick up some supplements.

First off, you do not need to feel discomfort to have an upper cervical problem.

There is a BIG difference between an Upper Cervical Chiropractor and a generic chiropractor. You want to avoid any chiro who does the twist and pop neck adjustment. The C1 to cranium and C1-c2 joints can be out and not corrected by normal chiro techniques.

You can also get an injury to a major brain artery (vertebral artery) when struck at the base of the skull. Neck inflammation can slow this blood flow.

Regarding exercise, I would suggest getting a wrist type blood pressure monitor. You want to keep you BP and pulse at lower than normal exercise levels. Do a search for "buffalo" on this forum. There are plenty of posts about the Buffalo protocol for concussion.

Regarding sleep, you must make time for good sleep. You will not heal without lots of it. The neurons only heal and recuperate from the days activities during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Bosses and instructors need to know how important good sleep is for you to heal.

If you do not allow your brain to heal, it will take years to get any better, if at all. You can't heal a torn ligament by continuing to use it under load. Same goes for your brain, except your brain does not generate new cells like structural body parts. It needs to repair the damaged cells. They can only repair will resting.

Your screen name looks like you may be military, possibly a Staff Sargent. Tri-Care should have good help for Post Concussion. It is a big problem with the troops.

Regarding my condition, I am on permanent disability. I had my first severe concussion in 1965. Since then, I have had many minor bumps and a few moderate bumps, the assault and hitting my head on an overhead beam. I have Post Concussion Syndrome from Multiple Impact Syndrome.

I have been knowingly living with PCS since 1971. My daily function is very high even though my dysfunctions are drastic. I have very little immediate or short term memory in both visual and auditory areas. I use the computer screen as my short term memory to help me keep my thoughts going. I have central sleep apnea so it is difficult to get consistent REM sleep.

I would suggest to anyone who is reading this to make every effort to avoid the next head impact. Studies show that subconcussive impacts are more problematic that the rare concussive impact. Subconcussive impact are devastating football athletes.

My best to you.

I am such a hypocrite. This evening, I will be watching the Boise State Broncos beat up on the Virginia Tech Hokies. Hope their brains survive.

the assault
 

hello and welcome

the assault is and issue and something that may be hindering your recovery.I got my brain injury in an assault I cant remember much of it , but the fact someone else . was responsible. can really gnaw at you, and develop into ptsd or worse

cant say I have had much help in this direction . but if you can, get some help it may. clear the way for you

I truly am sorry to hear about your assault and how you are feeling now.

In your post you mentioned you are enrolled in a professional school. I am a teacher with PCS. I fell in March 2010 and have not returned this fall to teach.

Have you notified your teachers of your condition? It is important that they know. They are there to help you in your studies and make accommodations (more time while testing, even breaks if you get too tired, extensions for papers, etc.)

Go see your academic advisor also because you might be able to lighten your course load for the time being until the symptoms become less frequent. I know how important staying on tract for graduation is because I have 2 kids in college and one doing his masters.

I hope this helps. Please keep us posted and keep asking questions. I still do because there is so much to learn in order to redesign my new life after the fall.

Peace
Grady Lady

Thanks for all the help, i really appreciate it.

I am finishing a up a 2 week leave from school in which all i did was rest and go for occasional walks. This has made a big difference. I'll be heading back to classes on monday and I will take things slowly. I will continue to take things slowly one step at a time.

Again thanks.

i have serious concussion problems as well. I am 23 years old and have had two blows to the head, both times i was pushed over backward onto the back of my head, both times hitting my head on a concrete floor and both times were associated with alcohol. last christmas was the last incident. I play competative hockey here in my city and took from xmas 2009 until october 2010 from hockey and up until last week felt i was back to normal

i played hockey last sunday and where its a full contact league i was involved in several body checks for which now I am reconcussed. I am dizzy, unfocused, headaches neck pain and really depressed. I havent seen my doctor about this but i do know that she will tell me i cant play hockey anymore and im in denial about that. I have played another game since and feel even worse today and have realised its over I cant play anymore.

both times that i hit my head was from a friend being a moron and pushing me while out partying oddly enough. Both times i went 4 or 5 months with symptoms of dizziness, headaches, i couldnt eat i would gag when i tried, memory loss, angriness, very unfocused and agitated and extreme sensitivity to sounds.

i love hockey im so bitter as to why i cannot play it anymore it isnt fair. when i drink or am hungover i feel the same gag reflex feeling i do as when i have concussion symptoms.

I feel your pain i cant physically do the thing i enjoy most in the world and im only 23 years old. I am engaged and have a life ahead of me that could potentially and probably already has been hindered by concussions.

Im going to try and take time off until xmas and hopefully try to rejoin my hockey team again if feeling normal

is it safe to say regardless of how long i take to recover if its 2 years or 6 months im going to reconcuss myself from a body check ? is it unavoidable?

depressed... id say so, say what you want that hockey isnt significant but it is to me, i live for sports. concussions are the worst. i havent been able to communicate all week at work, im so off..

Yes, Yes and yes again.

You have already reached your limit of concussions. Being drunk during a concussion made them even worse. You body check concussions were most likely better labeled sub-concussive impacts. You will likely be sensitive to sub-concussive impacts for the rest of your life.

You likely had many previous concussions or sub-concussive impacts during a life of hockey. You just had not reached the critical mass of damage to get to where you are now. Concussions are cumulative. Sub-concussive impacts are cumulative and combine with concussions.

Too make matters worse, I would bet that you started partying with alcohol during your early teens. This is know to cause the brain to be subjected to an injury similar to a concussion, except from a chemical toxicity cause. It can contribute to your sensitivity to any kind of insult to your brain.

You and your fiancee' need to sit down and have a very serious talk. You need to decide what is acceptable behavior and recreation for your future. Time to MAN UP. Read up on living with PCS with your fiancee'. There are plenty here who can recommend good books about living with PCS.

You have so much to look forward to. Being able to be a productive husband to your future wife and a good Dad to your children far outweighs any enjoyment from hockey.

btw, I am sorry to hear you have been so injured by the irresponsible behaviors of others. PCS is a tough condition to live with.

I've been living with Post Concussion Syndrome since 1965. I wish I knew then what I know now. I can get 'reconcussed' be shaking my head NO. I know many others who have the same kind of sensitivity to quick head movements.

You also need to get some serious diagnostic work done for your neck. The injuries to your neck can make the concussion symptoms much worse.

Stay away from the booze and those who get drunk. Their poor judgment has already caused enough damage.

My best to you as you struggle with the future.

i have a bit of insite to offer....post concussion syndrome is really just a head injury which causes a bursting of a membrane inside the inner ear, namely the oval window or round window....which then causes the vestibular system to malfunction giving one a host of strange symptoms related to the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems manfunctioning and also vestibular sensory disturbance. doctor's just call things a syndrome when they can't figure it out...i have had surgery to fix the tear in the membrane but most people heal on thier own with bedrest, no valsava maneuvers/no straining lifting etc. and also with supplementation of wound healing accelerators like b vitamins & iron. best of luck you will heal if you allow your body the rest it needs

Hockey Injury
 

Craig,

I understand what you are saying completely. I injured myself snowboarding 1.5 years ago. I too am an avid hockey player. I have not yet fully recovered from my concussion. I am a passionate hockey player and haven't played for the past year and a half. I won't play at all this winter again. I have decided I won't play again until 100% fully healed and maybe even then I won't.

I'm not as young as you (39) but love hockey. Read this carefully "you should not play again until you are 100% better". Have you noticed what's going on in the NHL right now - go look at the injury list of different teams - PCS is dominating. You are nuts to go and play contact hockey let alone non-contact until you are 100% recovered.

I am also a surfer and snowboarder. I have snowboarded a little but just with my kids at relatively slow speeds. I've surfed a bit in conditions where I'm in complete control. I don't want to be a hypocrite as there is some risk with those things but I feel it is not high - unlike hockey.

You must make that decision re: hockey. It is not worth it. When you do recover you need to play non-contact only.

Try to find other things - I work out at the gym, weights, run and am pretty fit. It sucks compared to hockey but it's something. For the first year I was nauseated every single day all day so I understand. As I write this I'm having a bad day and am light headed and nauseated. I am keeping hope one day it will go away - it's not as bad as it was and you need to look at things on a longer horizon - easy to say but hard to do.

I'm not recovered yet and just deal with feeling like crap often during workouts. You have to maintain your self-esteem.

If you want to chat more send me a private message. I completely understand how you feel.

Regarding the comment

<...post concussion syndrome is really just a head injury which causes a bursting of a membrane inside the inner ear, namely the oval window or round window....which then causes the vestibular system to malfunction giving one a host of strange symptoms related to the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems manfunctioning and also vestibular sensory disturbance. doctor's just call things a syndrome when they can't figure it out..>

Some people with PCS may have this injury but it is by far not the main cause of persistent PCS. Diffuse Axonal Injury is the main culprit. There are small tears or strains to many of the billions of axons that connect the neurons. This causes poor communication between brain cells and even cellular death.

A common symptom of PCS is the delayed onset. This is due to the inflammation and cellular death that takes days to weeks to happen. The brain does not like misperforming axons and neurons. It sends out signals for the injured axons and neurons to shut down. This takes time. There is also a cascade of chemical processes that becomes improper. Glutamate is the most common misbehaving substance from my reading of the research.

Yes, there are many who have vestibular problems that can be treated. Many have posted to this forum. But, vestibular treatment/therapy does not correct all of the array of PCS symptoms.

I wish it did.

My best to all.

Don't do it again...
 

Don't worry....
I know that sounds bad, but you are only on month 5. The first question is have you every had a concussion before and if so how long ago? Second question if you did did you have PCS?
If you say yes to the two previous questions then you could have this for a while, but if you said no then the odds are with you. The key is drink only a little and don't do anything that raises your blood pressure too much until you have felt absolutely not even the slightest sign of the symptoms for at least two weeks (and if you want to be safe a month) Then, try to do a little something...go for a light work out or something like that...and see if it has gone away. All the docs I saw this was their advice...unfortunately I had seven or eight concussions within a year so I have very small hope for a full recovery, but first timers have a very good chance of full recovery!
Good luck!
Margarite

Listen!!!
 

Listen this guy is right...I had 7 or 8 concussions in a year and each time I thought I was almost better so I did just a little something and some weird thing happened and I got hit again for example swing dancing I was dipped and another girl nearby was also dipped and kicked me in the head...not fun!
I have found that anything that raises my blood pressure causes a headache I have not found a good cause for the nausea, dizziness, and clouded thought. Medications don't really work except for large doses of advil which I don't dare to take daily. In January it will be one year since my last concussion and in February it will be two years since my first concussion.

The first one was caused by me falling off of a horse and hitting my head on the frozen ground...I am told that I blacked out for about 5 seconds. I don't remember the horse though I do remember mounting him (I had been riding him for an hour or so). I fell off at about 3:30pm and don't remember any of the happenings of that night until about midnight. During that time I went to the hospital, had a CT scan, went to dinner, my classmates had fun telling me stories about how I fell because I would forget about every five minutes and ask all over again what was wrong with me. All of this I have been told and don't remember. Two weeks later I was sitting at a picnic table studying and someone kicked a volleyball from about 40 feet away and hit me in the head.

3 months later someone knocked heads with me while I was laying down and they fell trying to catch a ball. Three months later I was dancing and was kicked. Two months later I was dancing and was dropped. Two months later I was almost all better and went sledding, I went over a few big bumps that jostled my head just enough to make me sick for the next five months. Two days later I leaned my chair against the wall and it slipped out from under me and I hit my head on a metal heater that stuck out from the wall and then hit my had on the back of the chair...I still have a lump in my skull. That was January 2010.
I have not hit my head since...I am starting to work out a little, because I am tired of being out of shape from lack of activity. But every time I almost fall down from dizziness or feel so nauseated that I almost have to leave. I always have a spitting headache for the next 24 hours and then I do it again...
Such is my life...Such is so many of ours...Hopefully medicine will find an answer...SOON!

Last thing. I have been to eight doctors. One was a neurologist. I had 2 CT's and two MRI's of my head and neck. No one knows what is wrong...the neuro gave me some meds that take away the pain but make me so nauseated that they are only worth it if the pain is so bad that it is causing nausea anyways.

The moral of the story is don't hit your head again....I am only at 21months not years...but DON'T HIT YOUR HEAD and DON'T HIT IT MORE THAN ONCE!

Good luck to all!
Margarite

Margarite and all,

There are two strong reasons to avoid risks of head bumps, especially after a head bump.

The dysfunctions that can follow after a concussion or sub-concussive impact can cause an increased risk for a following head bump. Many sports programs use this as their primary goal. They often ignore the issue of Second Impact syndrome (deadly) and Multiple Impact Syndrome ( a life of struggle) Their main focus is returning a player to the field who has balance and coordination problems.

Too bad they often ignore the latter and most important issue. But, its problems don't show up until after the game or season is over.

Margarite has shown you all a great example. I doubt she thought she was putting her head at risk. She know better now.

Keep up the good words, Margarite.

Bumped brains need lots of repetition before they start to grasp an important message.

I am currently in the same condition you have described. How are you doing today? What did you do to get better? I realize this is a long-shot to receive a reply, but any information would be very much appreciated.

usa555,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You have found a good place for support and knowledge.

Please tell us a bit about yourself so we can offer support and help.

How long ago were you concussed?

What symptoms are your biggest struggle?

My best to you.

I am 21 years old. In September 2011 I got a whiplash concussion playing intramural football (no helmet). It was my first concussion since April 2008, (healed within a few days) and my 2nd possibly 3rd concussion overall. Since the concussion in September I have had the classic post concussion symptoms, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, feeling bogged down. I seemed to be on the road to recovery but was never able to heal, I believe due to excessive drinking and working out. A couple weeks into February my symptoms had gotten considerably worse. I also began experiencing upper neck pain for the first time, something which I believe was originally caused by the whiplash. I have been going to physical therapy for my neck and head at a concussion clinic near by. Since my latest wave of symptoms I have stopped drinking and have only been lightly working out. I was advised by a neuropsychologist to "get back in the swing of things", meaning a return to school, (missed a week of classes) and a normal college life. What should I be doing to get over PCS. Is it beneficial to be pushing myself both cognitively and physically in this stage of the recovery? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

USA555,

No you should not be pushing your brain and body. Consider that your continued drinking prevented any healing from even getting started.

Getting wasted is very similar to getting a concussions, especially if you get wasted after getting a concussion.

You should stop all contact activities. Limit exercise activities to low impact and low pulse efforts. Your class work should be minimized to lessen the mental load. Your college play time is probably too stimulating for your brain. use this extra time to settle down and study in a more leisurely manner and location.

Ask the Disabilities Department if they have a tutor to help you with some study needs. Hopefully, they have some idea of how to help you.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, MSG, artificial sweeteners and preservative (No Diet Cokes or such) and get some nutritional supplements started. There are plenty posts about vitamins and such. Your brain needs to detoxify before it can start healing.

What advice has the concussion clinic been giving you?

Not all concussion clinics are created equal. Some concussion clinics know their stuff. Some just know how to tap into a lucrative market for billing insurance companies.

btw, The NeuroPsych likely told you to get back into the swing of things because there is nothing he can do for you to justify continued billings.

Hope this helps.

My best to you.

The concussion clinic has advised me to return to normal everyday life (keeping in mind to take breaks, possibly a mid-day nap), in an effort to ease the anxiety/depression that has come on due to the prolonged post concussion symptoms. In addition, I have been doing physical therapy there on my upper neck, and soon to start vestibular therapy. I have been in contact with the school administration, and am given special circumstances to complete assignments. Besides eating well, taking vitamins, and getting plenty of sleep, is there anything I can do to ease the symptoms, particularly the headaches and mental fatigue? My symptoms get worse as the day progresses, and my recovery seems to be very sporadic, as I am not making steady progress as time goes on.


Thanks

Just looking for an outlet/an ear...
 

Hi folks,
I found myself seeking out answers on the internet when I came across this forum. I am two months in following my injury and am feeling super down. Although, I am trying my best to be optimistic it is still hard to adjust to the change in lifestyle. I have also had to miss out on several special events/occasions, another which is coming up this week. Mainly, my closest friends and family live out of town so I use to regularly travel out there to visit on weekends and now I cannot do that anymore. They do visit me, but as they are the ones with small children it is a bit more difficult. I've had to postpone a fitness/training plan. Which is difficult when you end up physically doing the opposite of pushing yourself. I try to reintegrate into the social world, but it has had to be in very small doses. The worst part is that although you are feeling fine, it is only after that you feel the surge of symptoms hit- and then its too late. I optimistically make plans and have had to break them. I feel guilty expressing these feelings when many of you have suffered for years, but this is still my own individual battle, so I mean no disrespect and am sorry for all of your struggles. I guess I am still in the adjustment stage. And it is so frustrating.

Thank you for the BP advice; didn't even think of that! I love learning new tidbits from your posts.

And...I love the humor you add, as well! Thank you Mark! (I did literally Laugh Out Loud on that one!)

:winky:

PCS sufferer
 

Hello, I'm writing because I am a very worried PCS sufferer.

My symptoms have been present for the past 7 months and I am starting to doubt if I will ever recover. I am only 21 years old and live for sport, mainly soccer. I have been browsing the forum and noticed your comment.

If you could get back to me with any news on how your condition has altered since posting in 2010 I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I sincerely hope you have made a full recovery or are at least happy in your life.

Jake, UK

jake,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. None of the posters on this thread have been around in years. But, you still have plenty of people here to help you.

As an avid soccer player, I bet you have suffered a fair number of concussions and a magnitude more sub-concussive impacts. This makes your situation a challenge.

It is really counter-productive to try to compare individual outcomes. Even the researchers can not find a reason for the disparity in recovery times.

Please tell us about yourself, your symptoms, struggles and what you have been doing to help your brain recover.

My best to you.