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Has anyone had post concussion syndrome?
I have post concussion syndrome, from being assaulted by my husband, he hit me in the head with a beer bottle at the pool, then my chair went over and I hit my head on the cement.
Since, I had a X-ray of my neck because I have a 2 level fusion with plate and screws, and a cat scan. That was right away, and this syndrome occurs later. Plus X-rays don't show what a MRI will. The headaches are horrid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides other factors. My PCP is now ordering a MRI of my head and neck. I was just wondering if anyone has been through this type of syndrome or knows of anyone. Thanks, Nikko |
Yes, I'm going through one right now. I had a fall in august that was
just a fluke of a kind. But I have neck and shoulder issues that are causing me pain. I get headaches but thanks to my topamax I believe they are not near as bad. But I am in physical therapy and it is helping to a degree. I'm also trying to figure out if I've got to start looking at things like inner ear disorders, or things that might have been involved before for the vertigo and things. I've talked to a couple of friends who had post concussion issues even more severe than mine. And it sounds like you are dealing with yours the best you can. I've not found yet the support group that is needed. Donna |
My 15 year old daughter has PCS and I agree, the pain is horrid!!!
8 weeks ago she was hit in the eye with a soccer ball. Not only does the headache not stop, she still can not see correctly - it's like sunglasses convered with Vaseline. And yesterday, she blacked-out and fell. When her sister arrived home, she called 911 and they took her to the ER. If would appreciate it if anybody knows of any unusual/new treatments or pain medications to try. I'm talking about thinking "outside the box". Eric. |
Eric
I would get her back in to her doctor, but I would also consider taking her to a neurologist that specializes in Concussions. And I've been going to a physical therapist for my concussion because its been in my neck and shoulders and its been helping immensely. So I would consider having her seen by a physical therapist even though that sounds weird. It really sounded off the wall to me. But its really helped. And they are supposedly great for vertigo and things like that. Donna |
Possibly an expert chiropractor?
have you read about the C1/C2 adjustments? some info links- Chiropractic care info- a good one can help with many symptoms: http://www.upcspine.com/self.htm http://www.uppercervical.org/subpag...b/about_faq.php http://www.spineuniverse.com/index.html http://www.coloradochiropractic.org/.../glossary.html |
hi i recieved a blow to the head by my surfboard bout 3 months ago which from it im suffering from pcs.
haven't been to work since and life seems to suck at the moment. My vision is like fuzzy all the time now and it jus seems to be getting worse. I have seen an eye specialist and he reckons there is nothing wrong with my eyes.. does anyone have any suggestions or treatments etc that they know of. thanks heaps |
Hi, are you suffering from anything else, besides the blurred vision.
LIke do you have a sore neck. Dizziness? Do your arms, shoulders? something like this hurt. Do you have vertigo. I need some more information as to what other symtoms you have. Donna |
Coma and concussions
Hi all
I not sure if my problems r/t past head injuries or not, when I was child of 12years. I have accident. I was riding my horse, we hit head on by truck, my horse go into windshield, killing 8 year old boy in truck, I go fly over truck , hit tailgate of truck w/legs, both femurs broken...compound fracturs. I hit pavement behind truck....In coma 3 days. Now I 45..be 46 on 18th, I had 3 more concussions in last 7 years. My sister tell me she noticed I having word problems for lsat 5 years. I was working as a Charge Nurse in a skiiled bed unit, I take care of 24 people, I have some kind breakdown, now my doctor tell me I sound like person learning new language. always have right side headache, I have MRI done, see neurologist, she find nothing wrong....I not know now. |
Neurofeedback for Post Concussive Syndrome
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You may be interested in researching Neurofeeback for the treatment of Post Concussion Syndrom. I understand Post Concussive Syndrome can improve with the LENS Neurofeedback system. Take a look at this site: http://www.ochslabs.com/intro.php There are other Neurofeedback and Biofeedback treatments, I suggest you Google Neurofeedback. The LENS system seems to be unique in that the patient is only required to sit there. The LENS system helps rebalance the patients natural brain waves. Good Luck. |
Im so glad i found this place. Heres my PCS story.
I was at a paintball tournament in florida. It was two days before our team was scheduled to play. We were walking through the vendor area when a freak gust of wind blew one of the vendors balloons, about 10'12 feet in diameter, tethered by rope maybe 50 feet in feet in the air, it came down directly on my head. I didnt see it coming, i had no idea what had happened untill someone told me. I went to the ER, they xrayed my neck. Nothing was broken. They called it cervical strain, and said "physical activity as tolerated". Well, two days later my team needed me to play, so i indeed tolerated. The persistant headache i was having since the accident, I just assumed was from the extremely sore neck. About a week later, i noticed my vision was noteably worse. I woke up one morning and anything past 6 feet or so was extremely blurry. Like vaseline smeared glass. I was also have a hard time concentrating, which i blamed on the headache. So i went to the ER. They said the persistant headache unresponsive to pain medicine, difficulty concentrating was text book PCS. That it normally gone within 4 weeks. They said as far as the blurry vision goes i probably had bad vision and are just now noticing it. Which angered me, because up untill a week before i could see fine. Now i cannot recognize a friends face from across the room. I can guess with a high degree of certainty, but there have been several bad guesses. Including my GF of 5 years.The part that bothered me the most in the ER was that they treated me like pain medication seekers. I never asked for any kind of pain medication. They talked to me with a high level of disbelief in their voice. Granted i was rather miffed at the idea of having this pounding headache for possibly 4 weeks ( i wish at this point ). I had already tried ibuprofen and tylenol to no avail. They reitterated the fact that persistant headache unresponsive to pain medicine was textbook PCS. And then they have me 500 mg of ibuprofen. I wish i had thrown it in their face and told them to eat ****, but i just did as they said. I was desperate. They called it a "loading dose" as they chuckled at each other ( the two ER docs ). I was thinking "wtf you just said its standard for medicine to not help pcs headaches." They told me to keep taking ibuprofen to get it to "build up" in my system. Which i did for a couple days, which did nothing so i stopped. Now my normal pre-PCS self, i dont like taking anything for a headache, cause its normally gone within 6-12 hours. I just dont like polluting my body if not needed. So i wasnt going to keep taking the ibuprofen if it wasnt going to help. 4 or so weeks pass. Nothing had changed. I got a refferal to see dr. jane ( of christopher reeves fame ) who simply poked at me, and said it was the PCS, but he wanted to run an MRI to make sure it wasnt something else. I had the MRI ($2,200 for my uninsured self), then waited anxiously waiting results. After battling the UVA health systems automated phone system for some time I had a nurse of dr. janes call and say " dr. jane wrote on your record here, " mri does not show anything to explain the symptoms patient is having."" So im like ok, wtf? Dr. jane also reffered me to a opthalmologist for my vison problems. So a few weeks later i have my opthal appt. with dr. newman. An interesting fellow, but definitely a wound up guy. After his techs tested my eyes he came in, just shy of yelling said " your vision problems have nothing to do with getting sacked on the head, your visions been getting bad your just now noticing it." and left. Again, F you guys, i could see fine before this happened. I go get glasses, so atleast i can see. But my non stop headache, and problems concentrating are still there, and dr. jane says "mri doesnt explain symptoms". So i dont know whats wrong with me. So i go to my primary care doc. She was the first helpfull dr. and explained that it was PCS, and that it normally doesnt show anything on an MRI. And she had no idea what dr. jane was talking about. That with PCS theres nothing really you can do but wait. As far as the headaches, she suggested i try midrin, a mirgraine medication. Which i tried. It knocked me out, but didnt help my headache. Ive never had trouble sleeping, despite having a headache. If anything its hard to wake up, because when im a sleep its the only time i get a break from the pain. So i wasnt going to keep taking the midrin if it only put me to sleep. My PCP Dr. way reffered me to a neurologist at uva dr. perrin. She performed the same neurologic tests, squeeze my hand, watch my finger, whats todays date, where are you questions. She again told me theres nothing you can do for PCS except wait. When describing the headache as coming from the bottom half of my skull, she wasnt sure that it wasnt a torn ligament in my neck. I asked her if i should stop seeing the chiropractor, she said it would be a good idea untill the could rule out a torn ligament. My neck had still been bothering me so i thought i could be possible. So she ordered an CT scan. As far as the headaches, she said she didnt think i was at a point where i needed anti depressants, but she wanted to try a drug called Nortriptyline which would "lower my pain threshold". So i filled my prescription, immediately researched nortriptyline. Turns out its an anti depressant , also used for bed wetting. I decided id give it a try, i was desperate. time passes, i have the ct scan. ( $1600 ) Fight the UVA phone system again finally get dr. perrin to call me back. CT doesnt show anything. At this point my neck is killing me, so i ask her if i can go back to the chiropractor now. "no, i want to do an MRI to rule out any torn tendons". ****. The part that bothers me the most is knowing the extent of my injury, they could have just gone down a couple more layers when they were doing my brain MRI. But it doesnt work like that. So i get my neck MRI ( yes another $2200 ). IN THE MEANTIME - The nortriptyline, I started out at 10 mg a day, and supposed to go up to 20 mg. the 2nd week, and so on till i reached 50 mg. So, 10mg was bearable. It helped knock the headaches down a notch. But they were still there. Well when it came time to move up, at 20 mg. I could not stay awake. So i just stuck to 10 mg. I originially blamed the medication on feeling crazy. But now that ive been off it for a while, im just feeling crazy. So, i got hooked up with a neurologist named Dr. Isaacs. Did alot of weird neck manipulations. nothing like a chiropractor, no jerking or twisting. weird stuff like, head in his armpit, looking one direction, hand in my mouth, moving a foot. Holding my head. He then sat me down and asked me a lot of questions. Explained that while he was a neurologist, he studied osteopathy for many years, but emphasized the fact that technically he was not an osteopath. He said he wasnt sure it wasnt my neck causing my headaches. After the 1st visit my neck was 75% better! The 2nd visit he asked me to bring my GF. He asked her if i was irritable? Yes. Was i acting crazy? Yes. Then he manipulated my neck again. Same weird stuff. At this point my neck is 95% better! but it hasnt helped my headache any. He ordered a test to see what exactly my brains problems are, as far as concentration and abstract thinking and whatnot. Its not untill 4/25 so ill let you know afterwards. Dr. isaacs said i could stop taking the nortriptyline because it could just as easily be a hangover headache from the drugs. So i stopped. my head still hurts, but im glad to not be throwing chemicals into my body. MRI came back not showing anything torn. So thats about where im at. Its been 5 months. My head still hurts 24/7, i still need glasses, i cant concentrate, and im feeling crazy. Crazy because these constant pounding headaches just start to wear on you. |
Owen,
What a scene! My son has PCS and we also have ran into alot of ignorance from professionals. Did any of these people tell you to rest ( if that has been at all possible). You actually have a temporary disability. The problem with this whole scenario is none of them can do anything anyway. Time and rest seem to be the only treatment. One of the biggest challenges is not going crazy with stress and anxiety over how devastating this is. Check out some of the websites people have given in the posts. Specifically Michellecutloose. Good resources there. I would save your money and not get too many more MRI's. Probably the neck injury keeps confusing them and making them want to treat that. Ibuprofen did not help my son's headaches either, when normally before injury it worked fine. I'm sure there are alot of other symptoms that you had or have had that seems too hard to even describe. My son lately has been very sensitive to smells and gets pretty freaked out about small matters, very hypersensitive. He is 2 months from a wrestling injury and has not been able to do much. We are going to a neurologist who specializes in concussions in sports injuries, but it is all the same thing in the end. The end result in all our appts. is listen to your symptoms and back off and rest. They seem to feel very sure he will get better but even rest can make him pretty bad. Some days are really bad and other times I think he is back to his regular self. I am a Critical Care Nurse, so I see alot of weird things but this is a test to all patience. Very, very hard and hang in there. Save your money and look around as you have and find info. on line. Rest and time and staying relaxed make the most sense. It would be nice to tone that headache down, that may be why your recovery is slow because you are so uncomfortable and cannot rest. Find a neurologist who likes PCS patients. Treat your headache, despite what the ER docs say. you know yourself better than they do. Keep us all posted. Nancy |
The one thing I can think of to suggest that helped me a lot for both my neck problems, and my headaches with my PCS was Physical Therapy.
Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but even though I'm now done with the therapy in the hospital setting I went too, I have what is called a Tens machine that I use at home, it takes care of the tension and headaches that happen at home. The other thing that helped emensely when we thought nothing was going to, my therapist and I. Was to stretch my neck. With traction, it felt really good, and it relieved the headaches too. Donna |
Post concussion
The one thing I can think of to suggest that helped me a lot for both my neck problems, and my headaches with my PCS was Physical Therapy.
Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but even though I'm now done with the therapy in the hospital setting I went too, I have what is called a Tens machine that I use at home, it takes care of the tension and headaches that happen at home. The other thing that helped emensely when we thought nothing was going to, my therapist and I. Was to stretch my neck. With traction, it felt really good, and it relieved the headaches too. Donna |
I experienced whiplash almost a decade ago when I was 15. I went to a couple of chiropractors and an orthopedic doctor. The orthopedic and my PCP said my neck was fine. The adjustments fee for first chiropractor were incredibly enormous. The first one I saw want to charge an up front 1 yr $3000 treatment plan that included a couple of adjustments a week for a year. My mom thought that was ridiculous see we went to see another chiropracter. He did a few adjustments and sent me home with a cervial neck traction device, which is a device with an inflateable fulcrum where I lay my neck. This helps restore the curvature of the neck lost by the whiplash. It works well and you should try it. It really feels great after using the device and relieves the tension.
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Wow Owen - I commend you for your attn to detail. I don't have the same pain as you, but mine happened with an accident and has been 24/7 for almost 4 yrs. One word of advice: Take your "journal" to each provider. Search until you find a family physician who will be your advocate. One helpful thing for me: I'd do a short version of medical HX, failed TX and current meds. I'd give this info to anybody and everybody who was seeing me for the first time. My trigeminal nerve was damaged (facial nerve). From what I can understand you have a very narrow window of opportunity to "fix the problem". If you don't it becomes a chronic problem. Good luck and God bless. Janet
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Thanks for all the kind words guys.
My chiro was adjusting me and having me to neck traction and physical therapy. And it wasnt till i saw Dr. Isaacs, the neurologist gone osteopathic medicine did my neck actually get better. Its still not 100% but its close. But my head still hurts. I didnt really touch that much on symptoms. Headache stays at a pretty consistent 8 out of 10. One in a while it will jump up to a ten, and its hard to function at all. Ive tried everything short of narcotics and nothing even dulls the pain. The nortiptyline helped. It was still very much there, it just bothered me less. Not enough for me to want to keep taking it though. I have good days and bad days. Some days im just tired of trying to function like this. Other days ive got more of a fighting spirit. I have trouble forgetting what im doing. I have extreme trouble formulating a plan. Like im going to do this, and then this, and then this. Ive adapted to just doing things as i think of them. Im extremely irritable. Sometimes, just being touched drives makes me almost lose it. Ive started snapping at people. Things not normal for me at all. Im a bitter person now. The weirdest thing is that ive been having extremely premiscuous feelings. Now im a loyal guy,ive never cheated, so i dont understand where they are coming from. I havent acted on them, nor do i intend to. I dont know if im trying to fill this emotional void with sex? It causes me a great amount of distress. Should i seek a psychiatrist to sort this out? |
A psychiatrist can't hurt. But you would rather have a psychologist
someone to talk to about how you are feeling. A psychiatrist just prescribes meds. Donna |
Quote:
Oh and Excedrin helped More that you'd expect. |
I am also so happy i found this place--there's nothing to make you feel better like someone else who feels like they're going crazy, too.
I am on day 13 of the non-stop headache torment. I just got diagnosed with "text book" PCS, because of memory and concentration problems, dizziness, etc. My biggest frustration so far is that no one gets specific about the headaches, and docs don't seem to care that my headache is not like any other i've had before. This headache is so bad that it hurts to talk at a volume that's audible to most people, it hurts to shift my gaze, it hurts to walk down the stairs because of the bounce, it hurts when someone talks at a normal volume on the phone (i have to hold the phone away from my ear). I was a passenger in a small truck that was rear-ended by a bigger truck (going about 35 mph, i think). I hit my head on the back window of the cab, and had momentary confusion that hardly dazed me (notmal accident stuff).The headache was instant, and i've only had a couple hours of relief here and there since. My CT was normal, and i was sent away from the ER with "cervical strain." Has anyone else had this kind of headache? I cannot function at all like this, and I'm scared my life is never going back to normal because of a stupid fender-bender. |
Hopefully this will help me rid some frustration
My PCS story-ies are varied, but all equine related.
Like most sport enthusiast, I refuse to give it up. Mine are all flukes really any way. The last one was a level 3 concussion and I was out about 8 minutes. That was 3 years ago, and until about 1 1/2 years ago, I didn't know much about PCS. I still don't really, nor do most of the Dr.s in my little po-dunk area. So, the frustration is unbearable sometimes. The poor memory. Migraines (bad enough all I can do is sit in a dark room and cry). Ear ringing. Sometimes if I get frustrated even a little, its like someone flicks a switch and I get SO angry or SO upset I feel like I'm running wild circles inside, and can't get out. I still have days where for no reason, I'm so utterly exhausted, my limbs are literally heavy to move. You know that seriously run down feeling when you get really ill? I don't sleep. If I do, its for a few minutes at a time. A lot of times, I can't make decisions, and it frustrates the hell out of me because my family just think I'm being "flaky" or "silly". Its like I can SEE the answer to what is frustrating me, but I can't get it in to the shape of words. Does that make sense? I have days where I don't give a crap about anything. It's not being really depressed so much as I just don't care. Just very flat and dull in the personality that day? Oh, I DO have days that I am depressed. Most meds make me sick to my stomach, or break out in hives. I have problems regulating my temperature sometimes, and go through bouts at night where I shiver, or sweat. If I get too cold, my fingers go white from half way down to the finger tips. Probably loads more I'm not thinking of at the moment. I am an equestrian and I used to train horses. It sucks because that was SUCH a passion of mine. I never had a horse I was breaking or training hurt me. My accidents were mainly on the ground. A horse swung it's head to look, and I was in the way. Or helping a mare over in a stall that got wedged against a wall (the last "big one"). She jumped up, and threw me jaw first in to a concrete wall. Once I came too, went to a Walk In. They sent me across the street to the ER. Told me to bring the results right back. Plenty of time before we close, they said. Go BACK over to the Walk In. CLOSED. SO, BACK over to the ER to talk to someone in radiology. All the radiologist said was, "I can't say anything...but don't go to sleep." Super. Next day, I take the results to my family physician. Hairline fracture to my sinus cavity. Blew 80 % of my left ear drum. And torqued my TMG muscle. It really wasn't too excruciating from some of the wrecks I've had, but definitely the worse and the one that's most left it's "mark". I can't train horses any more. Or "break" them. I can't take the risk. And that sucks. My neurologist says "one more head knock, you'll be in diapers" The last one was my 6th concussion on paper, so...I guess at 33, I need to take it easier. I am more careful these days, and am much more aware of how big and how powerful my "co-workers" are now. Careful, but not afraid. Frustrated, and angry about ...well, I guess where do I fit in now? really. This is my business and my life. I used to compete hard, now I just don't have the energy. Any way...sorry about the ramble. Just happy I'm "not alone"...when I often feel very much on my own. ~Warm Regards, Mary |
Can concussions really do this much damage?
I am 27 and about 6 weeks ago was involved in a fluke accident at a bar where I was in the wrong place and wrong time, meaning some moron threw a beer mug across the room and it broke on my head. Besides a small cut in my forehead and feeling dazed I felt fine, if not worn out. The next week I was vomiting and had horrible headaches along with a lot of dizziness which kept me from being able to walk normally.
I have had a CAT Scan and an MRI, neither of which seem to show anything. I have a lot of trouble with lights, pain in my ear that comes and goes, and headaches that last forever. Somedays, I don't have a lot of these signs but I am always exhausted. The most frustrating thing is that my symptoms change from the nausea, headache, diziness, neck pain, ear pain and so on. Also it seems like I have a very low threshold on my emotions any time I feel any kind of stress. I am not depressed but I will feel low, or suddenly sad or suddenly irate over nothing at all. I tend to be a phobic in open places and have irrational thoughts about what dangers could be around. My Dr's have said that this will take time to heal and have given me come anti anziety medicines to help. I am going to the neurologist this week and hope that he can shed some light on this whole situation. At times I feel like I am actually going crazy from the overly emotional feelings to the physical symptoms that seem to pop up all the time. Though my Dr. assures me this is not due to me going crazy, it sure feels like it sometimes. It is hard for my bf to understand my sudden changes and the fact that I get phobic at times with no warning. Sometimes just being touched makes it all so much worse. Don't get me wrong, I have some days that are better than others. Some days I almost feel "normal" again. My concern is that I can not do a lot of daily things like grocery shoppping or driving without getting serious headaches, nausea, dizziness and ear pain. I guess I am just looking to see if everyone else had similar types of symptoms, how they dealt with them and any other suggestions that might help me out. I keep being told that it just takes time, but sometimes I wonder if they really even know. I just want to find some more ways to get my life back to normal so I can work and do the things I normally do! |
sorry to hear of everybody's misfortunes. I'm 7 months 8 days into my PCS.
I had to beat one of my neurologists to get him to explain to me that MRIs and CT scans dont show anything abnormal in people with PCS. I kept having them tell me after i was diagnosed with PCS that the MRI/CT scans that were done " did not show anything that explained the symptoms i was continuing to have." Well after digging through medical journals through online, doctors have decided that assuring that patient that the symptoms will reside shortly is the best action to take. Which is exactly what they did to me. ER doc: 2-3 weeks, 4 weeks tops. Neurologist: 3 months Different neurologist: 6 months tops. It was till recently that a doctor told me what i had read in several places. Could be a year or more or permanent. Which is a horrible prospect. Pounding headaches and difficulty concentrating for the rest of your life. Id be lying if I said i didnt think about suicide every day. But at this point theres still hope, so i trudge on. The truth is there isnt anything the doctors can do to fix it, and it is a wait game. But theres no way to know how long it can last. It could be permanent. It could stop tomorrow. So try to keep you head up. I dont check this forum as often as i should so, if anyone needs some moral support on wants to share notes email me at owenincville@gmail.com |
Hey Owen
Just curious as to what you symptoms are? My neurologist told me the progess you see at 6 months is a guidepost for the following six months and that after a year some might be permanent. Also wondering what kind of meds you might be trying?
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Just so you both know we have a forum specifically for this issue.
And its a very good one. Donna |
Owen: I don't know if you are still following this thread, but I must share my daughter's encouraging experience with you. She's now 15 and for over a year she had PCS symptoms including debilitating headaches, dizziness, extreme fatigue and lethargy, difficulting focusing and concentrating, light and sound intolerance. Notice I said HAD...Her doctor prescribed a low dose of Effexor XR to promote neurogenesis and I was able to finally convinced her to see an acupuncturist. Within 3 weeks her symptoms cleared up by at least 90%. The acupuncturist said that blockages in her upper back and neck were impeding blood flow to her brain, causing her symptoms. I don't know how it works, but I can tell you that it DOES. For the first time since this nightmare began I am confident that she'll be able to live a normal life.
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Just wondering if anyone suffering with this type of headache also has orthostatic headaches as a feature of pain. An orthostatic headache is an increase in headache pain when you stand up. Pain levels may also decrease or go completely away when you lay down. If you have this symptom as a feature to your pain, you should consider that you may have Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension. I'll post a link to an article.
I ask because SIH is a type of headache brought on by a CSF leak. CSF leak headache characteristics are very similar to PCS, but with orthostatic feature (although not always...). One remarkable similarity is that NO medication makes an orthostatic headache better or go away. My husband has suffered with orthostatic headache from a lumbar puncture 10 months ago. We went through all kinds of tests, treatments, etc. He's still suffering while awaiting the next 'go ahead' for treatment by his neuro team. It sucks! Here are some links to articles: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/466089_print http://www.treatment-options.com/art...icle&KeyWords= http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/405618_print Thought I'd throw it out there, because it IS treatable and it's something that doctors may not suspect right away. Good luck! Laura Weary Wife of a Leaky Husband |
Laura
You might want to go to the Post concussion syndrome area and post this too. Donna |
neck and pcs
I was sent for physiotherapy and massage to deal with the headaches that come from the bottom of the neck and roll up like someone is pulling a hood over my head. It took 8 months to get in to see neurologist after my fall that caused concussion and nobody told me that it could have anything to do with my neck but in the end it was the whiplash I guess that got the treatment not the concussion and the physio folks are wonderful. They explained that it is build up of tension the back and neck from the accident that sort of hardened. The dizziness is linked to the tension in the neck. I go twice a week and have been there for 2 months- one more to go. They use TENS machines to zap the nerves and wet heat, sometimes ultrasound on the back, neck stretching and most recently a sort of inner tube thing to stretch the neck. It has helped a lot with the tension and the headaches, but it is up to me to recognize when I feel tension coming on or headache and deal with the situations/causes.
I still have vision problems- blurriness etc and could not read for a long time-the letters bounced too much- mostly better but sometimes the contrast on charts or things with dark and light still created vision problems. I was told to not go to chiropractor because of violent neck snaps but to try cranial sacral or something gentler. I still get dizziness and the physio folks have a treatment for that too involving the tiny crystals on the hairs in inner ear but I have not done it yet. I find the dizzyness comes and goes- sometimes gone for months but then it comes back. Since physio though lots of the symptoms are better but I was off work for a while and worked half time for almost 8 months until I finally got referral. It still did not come from family doctor- or any treatment for that matter- she still says to just wait and see--but I would recommend getting the tension in the neck dealt with to help with the headaches that comes from back of head. The medical community doesn't really understand post concussion and I have found very little support but there are good books and lots on the internet that helped me to stumble my way through it. I am still dealing with it 10 months later- much much better but there are days that I forget about it and do too much - do what would be considered normal to do in the past and then it creeps up again with dizziness or fatigue or memory lapse etc. I have just learned to accept that it has altered who I am and I am working on dealing with living with the new me. |
I am a college athlete in my senior year of college and sustained a concussion back in october of 2009. It was my second concussion in the same year (first one was january of 2009). In late october I returned to playing, lying about my symptoms (idiotic of me I know) and ended up having major whip lash from running into a metal pole when I was running to save a ball from going out of bounds. It gets worse- I stood up into a metal pipe at my teams holiday party in december.
I have been struggling with severe headaches and fogginess since day one of my second concussion, and developed neck pain in january 2010 which in turn made my head feel like it was going to explode. That headache is different from my concussive headache which is more a pounding in my forehead, which has caused me to wear earplugs often and also keeps me from being able to even talk at times. No one has been able to address this foggy feeling I'm having--it's not that I cannot concentrate, i've never had issues doing that, but its this strange feeling, kind of like when you first wake up in the morning and things aren't entirely clear. The doctors here at my school have repeatedly told me that cognitive rest (no TV, no computer, no NOTHING, basically being a vegetable), is the only way I am going to get better. I've tried their way multiple times, with little to no improvement. And they have repeatedly come back at me claiming that the reason I'm feeling this way still is because I haven't done what I've been told--which has been absolutely infuriating. Laying in a dark room with nothing but my thoughts only makes me cry. It has been pretty depressing to say the least when I am missing my entire senior year of college- I don't go out, I've grown apart from all my friends, I don't even attend practices because standing on the sidelines is way to taxing and as I"m sure all of you can relate I often think I will never get better. I've had to take incompletes this semester in some of my classes and was planning to come back next year for a fifth year to play (I'm redshirting this year). But as the weeks and months go by I am becoming more and more doubtful that I will get to have my senior year. My mom has been my one and only advocate in this entire ordeal. My parents brought me home for a week so I could see some doctors at home, to get second opinions. I received some EXCITING news and thought this was my chance to get better and get to play for my senior year. It's something called the subsymptom threshhold recovery program-- It is a study done and performed out of Buffalo and one was done out of Montreal- It won't let me submit the link but Just google "Subsymptom Threshold Recovery Program" and It's an article by J. Leddy. It's some breakthrough stuff and they have found success with each person that has participated. A month later after seeing those doctors who introduced me to this research, the doctors here at my school are now just starting to administer the program with me. (actually starting tomorrow) They have been very difficult and reluctant to treat my situation in any other way but their own. I wanted to not only share my story but see if there is anyone else out there who is suffering from PCS with similar symptoms and if they got better. I hope that I will be able to report back to this forum that this subsymptom threshold recovery program helped cure me, for it is not only my wish to feel NORMAL again but to be able to have a senior year. |
Hi Erica... welcome to Neurotalk.
Your post has interesting information on it, and I bet it would help some of our posters at our Traumatic Brain Injury forum as well: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...aysprune=&f=92 I hope this new program works for you! |
We need to be heard! Yes, I have post concussive syndrome. It has been 10 years.
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Low self esteem is a problem because your symptoms may frighten others. Hang tough.** |
Yes I have post concussive syndrome
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The headaches are do to swelling in the brain. The blackout can happen again and again. This may be the beginning of what may be a long journey. Please note the following: Your daughters symptoms will be worse in the morning because the brain swells up over night and this aggravates the situation. It is best she wakes up SLOWLY. have her sit and listen to music. The reason it is imp. to wake up slowly is that when the brain is waking neurons are rapidly firing but your daughter's brain cannot handle the activity. have her drink Gatorade or G2 in the morning and during classes. Doctors will tell her she does not have seizures but anti seizure drugs may help and cognitive therapy. Please write if you need more info, doctor's names articles, etc... |
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I understand PCS for 10 years. Eyesight may improve over time. Cognitive therapy helps all symptoms BUT right after therapy sessions you may feel worse. Drink LOTS of water, gatorade or G2 in morning. Anti-convulsive meds may help. The headaches are because of swelling in the brain so avoid alcohol, caffeine if possible. Think of your brain as a coke can after it has been shaken. Need articles, doctors, please feel free to *message* me |
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I understand
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I have had PCS for 10 years. Note the following: Not doing anything is NOT the answer. You have to stimulate the brain in order for it to generate new neurol paths. If you don't get cognitive therapy, your symptoms may become permanent AND if you black out as well, your brain retrogrades after each episode. I have found taking Kaplan courses with online tests helps bigtime. Wake up slowly each morning, drink Gatorade or G2 and lots of water in the morning AND during classes. Do not drink alcohol. Anti-convulsives help if you stutter, have ticks, slurred speech, your feet hesitate when you walk... |
Yes. Over three months now, unfortunately. Hope you recover soon.
I'll be in the PCS section now (new member). |
I cant believe this is real!
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Hi I'm Megan and i'm new to this.
2.5 years ago i hit my head on a flat screen tv that was mounted on the wall. Don't know how it happened. Pretty much stood up off the ground in full force and hitting the corner of it on the back of my head. Didnt do anything about for like 2 weeks b/c i didnt think anything of it. I started feeling dizzy and my eyes were like slow. Pretty much felt like a had a really good alcohol buzz. I first got cat scan, which showed nothing wrong. Then went to the doctor and got referred to a neurrologist and put me on some drugs but they made me so tired so i stopped taking them. I went to a chiropractor and took xrays of my head and neck. Nothing was wrong. Nothing helped. Then i went back to my doctor and got referred to therapy. I went to a physical therapist, speech therapist, and a psyciatrist 3 times a week for like 3 monthes. By this time i was diagnosed with PCS and more symptoms accured. My mood changed, very tired, i got angery about the stupidest things, memory loss, personity changed, super dizzy, messed up eyes, dull pain from the area i hit my head. Tons of things changed, i'm no the same person anymore. I graduated from there and few monthes later i still wasnt doing good, so i went in to get a MRI, which showed nothing wrong. I saw a new neurrologist and did nothing for me. Then i was on my own a for a while, but now i doing bad again. I went to the doctor the other day and got referred back to therapy, but they rejected me. I'm gonna go to a balance center soon. Hopefully that will help. I'm at the end of my rope. I've been suffering with this for so long now and no one can give me any help or suggestions, I felt like a pile of crap after talking to them. I could really use some support from others who get what i'm going thru. Seems like no one gets it. As of today: i'm still super dizzy, eyes are still messed up, angery yet, very tired. And is it werid the part of my head is still sensitive to the touch where i hit it? Werid. |
Hello & welcome
For the newer members that are coming to this thread we have a forum called -
Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). here is the link to it - http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html You might want to place a copy of your post on that forum also. |
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