Post Concussion Syndrome-Depression-Suicide
 

My husband had a freak accident at work in 2008. He suffered severe whiplash, loss of consciousness, amnesia and had a cut above his eyebrow. He didn't receive the proper care. He suffered with terrible headaches constantly. He couldn't remember the accident even happening. He was being seen by Workers Comp doctors who failed to order MRI"s etc. He had developed alot of other symptoms such as inability to deal with stress, mood changes, personality disorders, anxiety, and then severe depression. During the course of 2008, his symptoms worsened. By mid March of 2009 his business closed. His condition worsened with the headaches, dizziness, sweating, loss of sleep etc. He went to our family doctor where he then was diagnosed with PCS. The doctor sent a letter to the W/C carrier stating he was diagnosed with PCS and it was related to the work injury. Nothing was ever done. My fall of 2009 he was so severely depressed he was admitted into the hospital where he spent 11 days. He was discharged the beginning of NOv. 2009. From that time forward, he was to see a psychiatrist on an out patient basis. However, he never did. He only saw a Physician's Assistant who prescribed all of these dangerous anti psychotic meds and anti depression meds. I was at every one of his appointments and never once did he see the DR. just the PA. This PA constantly was changing meds, either increase/decrease this stop/start this. He was a real mess. Sadly to say on 072210 he took his life by jumping off a bridge plunging 190 feet to his death. All because this was misdiagnosed. NO MRI's. I truly believe he didn't need to be on these psych meds. He complained constantly of severe headaches. Not a migraine, not a cluster headache, not a neck strain headache but as he classified it was a"brain ache". I also believe had he recd the proper treatment for PCS he would still be here with me now.

Prior to this accident, my husband was a fun loving, loved life to the hilt type of guy. His smile was infectious. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. After the injury, he was never the same. I truly believe this PCS was the major cause of all of his problems but no W/C doctor ever listened to him. I'm a basket case. I can't sleep, eat or function. I'm under the care of two doctors. I miss him soo much.

Please help me.!

Hi.

I can't even imagine what you are going through. Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your husband. He sounded like a real good guy, full of life and before his accident, he sounded like he was your soul mate. You have suffered a tremendous loss.

I am including a link to our grief and loss forum. Please go there. You can copy and paste your story that you put on this thread and post it over there. You will then meet up with people dealing with loss similar to yours.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...aysprune=&f=51

I am saying similar because no one can ever know what another person suffers, but when we lose someone dear to us, and we have the support of others who have walked in our shoes, well we learn better coping methods.

We learn that one day, the sun will shine for us, we learn that maybe some day, we won't wake up and start to cry.

You have been through hell. It's still very recent.

I hope you have a good support system at home. Your husband was a wonderful husband, father and grandpa. I hope your relatives are now here for YOU.

Here's a hug because we should all hug each other once in a while.

:hug:

I wish you well, and please know that I just said a prayer for your husband.

Take care

Melody

wishing
 

[I wish I could hug you. I am so very sorry for your unimaginable pain and loss. You are going though hell, and I wish there were a way to make it better. I am glad you are receiving council, and that you have family close to you. I offer my condolences as another human being who has suffered a loss. My prayers are wth you. Ginnie

Great to have you with us!!
 

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Happy to see you have come to be with us. Just let us know if we can be of any help.

There are great number of fellow members here to assist as possible. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene :hug:

I am so sorry JMS55 :hug:

I can't even start to understand what you must be going though, but please know that are others here who've been through similar.

Our Survivors of Suicide Forum has a wonderful family of members who've lost love ones to suicide, or attempted suicide themselves and have come here looking for help. Do drop by and say hello.... you'll be very welcome. :)

Here's the link: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum29.html

Welcome to NeuroTalk JMS55, but I'm sorry for the reason that brought you to us.

i hear you
 

Dear JMS55,

There are members who will undoubtably respond more usefully, yet I am up early and thought I would at least let you know that my heart is with you today.

You have been, and are going through, what must surely be the most difficult time of your life. It's likely not what you ever imagined for your family and also is a horrible commentary on our healthcare system. More on this another time..

Yet you can and you will get through this. You are getting through this, with every breath you take in and let go, with every word you write, with every tear...

Keep doing what you are doing: let your anger and grief and sadness and pain and exhaustion (I can only imagine how tired you must be) wash over you, reach out to anyone and everyone for support, and trust that--little by little and nonlinearly--your life will be there to enjoy again, believe it or not.

Your husband was clearly lucky to have you there for him; now please be there for yourself.

Rose

Dear JMS55

Welcome to NeuroTalk , but I'm sorry for the reason that brought you here.

Such a tragic loss.......the people on these forums are overflowing with support and more than willing to help you get through this sad tradgedy .

SOS. Survivors of Suicide...is where i hang my hat...if you ever want to drop in for a chat....:hug:

David

So Sorry For Your Unanswered Grief
 

Dear JMS55-

I was post concussive syndrome diagnosed and referred to psychiatric follow through after a serious wreck in 2005. Many other injuries overwhelmed me simultaneously at that moment as well. So many doctors, so much by way of visits, but, I could not see my way to following through with the psych stuff on top of everything else. Just couldn't.

I was in the middle of prep for a trial which would involve hundreds of millions of dollars and I was in charge for my clients. Denial? Grandiosity? Likely. I felt indispensable at that time.

The headaches, I would call brain aches seemed to reach from within nearly to tear me apart. Others thought I was making "goofy" comments and decisions. Ultimately the complexity of my whole care required that I step down. Lost all career, but still had my family, my God. Striving to restart career now. Hope reigns in our home now that my cloud has passed.

Sure the MRIs done did ultimately prove my concussive injury, even so, I avoided the psych help that was scripted. I was too stubborn, a stubbornness unlike me at that time. I just wanted to bang my head against a wall somehow to stop the maddening headaches. Ultimately, 7 weeks after continuous head ache/brain ache, the aches ended in my head. Acupuncture had been tried, but I don't know whether this was what brought that cessation.

Nevertheless other injuries persisted. Many many surgeries later, I think Humpty Dumpty is put back together again. I had considered suicide during those so trying times...... but somehow my hand was stayed. I guess God had more for me to do, much more as the case has shown.

I so ache for you in your grief, as in my own extended family multiple suicides have occurred over the years. One never truly knows how to place them into perspective, except maybe through God's help to forgive not only ourselves but the suicide as well. Hard, so hard, the stuff of much counseling to overcome. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Continue for those who, around you, need your presence as one who understands and feels the ache. You have reached out here, a VERY BRAVE step, and a step that will bring much to many others.

My prayers now include you, my sister,:smileypray:
You have care surrounding you,
Mark56..... a survivor too. :)

I hope JMS55 comes back and reads the wonderful words of support in this thread. Thank you Koala for calling her to our attention. :grouphug:

rainy mornings
 

I woke up thinking of the others on this site that are hurting. Trying to still my own fears about my future. I was thinking of you and the loss you are experiencing. It sure doesn't let up over night. It makes me think of these rainy mornings, and the rain is the tears people are crying in their loss and bewilderment. It seems the worlds grief, comes down in a torrent, yet at the end of this rain, the sun will come out, and for some of us, we will be able to move forward once again in our lifes. I hope there is some light at the other end of the grief you are experiencing. I hope you read the posts and keep coming back to this site and connect again. I am another soul, that is right here thinking of you. Ginnie

So sorry for your loss and what you are going through because of a misdiagnosis. I can't imagine how you are coping. Sending thoughts your way.
I fell in early July and have had headaches and a constant ear ringing as well as some neck aches and inability to sleep well, among other things. My family doc said it was a concussion but never ordered any tests. I went back to the doc after a month as I was concerned and then the doc said it's not normal to have a headache for a month so she ordered an MRI (with my encouragement) which is coming up soon. When it first happened to me, I felt completely wiped out, tired, and the headache was worse. The headache has moved from left to right now and sometimes around my one eye.

It's amazing how we really have to watch out for ourselves. Doctors really aren't what they used to be in the old days which were "caregivers" as well as medical practitioners. We have to be our own caregivers now. Again, so sorry for your loss. Prayers go out to you.

JMS55, Please know that my thoughts and prayers are flowing your way. I can't pretend to understand what you are going through, but you have found a great support group here. You will find friends here that just "get" what you are feeling, and that it is okay to feel that way. For tonight, I will pray for a good healing sleep, easing of your grief, and the beginning of peace for you my friend. Lisa

I've had two serious head injuries and my husband has had a couple also. The type of damage and resulting personality/mood changes can be related to where in the brain the damage occurred...the frontal lobe is much more likely to cause anger, depression, etc.

I went through a brain injury recovery program which really helped. Almost every state had a Traumatic Brain Injury Association which can help walk you through the recovery. Many of them have regional support groups, many directed toward the significant others. Even though your husband didn't get the help he needed in time, you are just as much a victim and I'm sure will find much support.

I'm so sorry for your loss...

Jan

Dear JMS55

i am so sorry for your loss. the way your husband was treated is just unspeakably horrid. it never ceases to amaze me how many people are written off because of mental illness, and even worse when it is presumed, in the presence of clear symptoms and causes - in his case the "brain aches" following the accident with the amnesia etc.

your anger and anguish must be immense. i hope you will find comfort in these forums.

~ waves ~

CrainoSacral Therapy - Brain Curriculum
 

H - I had a similar injury and experience as your late husband. I'm feeling his suffering now and understand why he could not go on feeling this way. Western medicine offers nothing but further injury for this condition. The only cure that I have found is by using crainosacral therapy with a practitioner knowledgable in the brain curriculum. It can take years of this treatment to resolve the injury and I feel that the work needs to be done on a daily basis by the patient. This unwinding of the fascia allows the neurons to move back into place and function normally again. The practice is completely ignored by Western Medicine and needs to be promoted within the neuro injury patient community. To find a local practitioner schooled in the brain curriculum go to the Upledger Institute search page. I have other information about how to care for and maybe recover from this condition that I'm willing to share. Please let me know if you are interested.

Kind regards - Nancy