Multiple Concussions
 

My first question for you will require some serious remembering.

Do you remember having any concussions or even just head bumps that left a bruise or bump prior to the last three years? You will likely need to spend a few days thinking about your concussion history prior to three years ago.

Second, tell us a little about yourself. Your post sounds like you are female. How about your age?

Have you endured any serious emotional stressors lately?

How about any prolonged illnesses or a high fever?

There are a lot of factors than can play a part in your situation. The above questions may help find some answers.

Your concussions and or head impacts may just be a cluster or may be related to your awareness of impacts to your head.

From now on, I suggest you keep a journal of any symptoms or further head impacts. Include the other things that are before your impacts, such as poor sleep, waking up feeling groggy, late night out, emotional stressors, chemical stressors (alcohol, medications, etc).

Hopefully, we will be able to point you in a direction for help or understanding.

My best to you.

Hello and thank you for your reply.

I am a 26 year old female from MA. I have no history of concussions prior to 2008 and no history of prolonged illness or high fevers. My stress level is pretty much the same it has always been, emotional or otherwise.

I'm not sure if my injuries could be considered cluster headaches since most of the time when I hit my head I go to the ER and they tell me I have another full blown concussion.

I began to keep a record of my issues and symptoms after my first concussion and I have continued to do so. I have noticed that my injuries do not seem to coincide with any specific factor such as a late night, alcohol comsumption, feeling tired or groggy etc as you have suggested. From what I can tell they are random.

Hopefully this information helps.

Sounds as though your concussions have started at the same time as your teaching career. Could it be that you are distracted by or overly focused on your teacher duties and not aware of the risk if hitting your head? Some people can get so focused on the task before them that they lose focus on the other issues around them. My wife is like this.

If this is your case, it sounds like you need to somehow, learn to be aware of your surroundings while you are focused on your teaching duties. It can be a challenge to develop the mindset to be more aware of your surroundings but it can be done.

There are methods of training your eyes/brain to be more aware of your visual surroundings. An occupational therapist may be able to help.

Upon looking this thread over, I've realized that I made a mistake. My concussions began in 2009, not 2008.

All in all I've been teaching for about 6 years so I'm not sure it could just be related to that. Granted, some of my concussions have occurred at work but not all of them.

Thank you for the suggestion of using an occupational therapist. I will mention this to my doctor when I seem him in the near future.

Hi,

Your story resonates with me; I also have a habit of accidentally hitting my head.

It has been demoralising and have found myself wishing for a guarantee that I would never hit my head again. I find it frustrating as it makes work and also socialising more difficult; mainly through a loss of confidence rather than physical side effects.

It is random for me as well, though always seems to happen when I feel I am doing well, recovering and making progress from the last time it happened. Or so it seems, which makes it difficult to accept.

Owing to this anxiety, I have moved from being unaware of rushing to overly vigilant about hitting my head. I think the later is potentially worse, as it means I think about my head much more and when I do hit my head it is harder because it has become my greatest fear.

Unfortunately this anxiety has also led to not knowing quite when I have hit my head. Sometimes I think I may have hit my head, though cannot be sure and would re-trace my steps and check the angles, to gain reassurance that I didn't.

That said, slowing down and being more mindful about the task at hand does help to prevent it, or it at least increase the time until it happens again. Think Mark from Idaho is right about being more aware. Most of accidents can be attributed to a lack of awareness, although this is not always on my part. I have found it difficult to convince myself that I can be aware all of the time and avoid it, which has been a depressing and fatalistic thought.

Anxiety about hitting my head has played a major role in my life for eight years. I have had six concussions; four playing sport, two as a child growing up. I am also 26 and work at a Big Four 4 accountancy firm in London.

As I have my final accountancy exams approaching and a heavy 'work work' workload I have sought therapy to help increase the amount of time I have and reduce the amount of time thinking about my head.

I had my first session last week- the following helped:

First point was that thoughts determine feelings. If I think of myself as 'less than before' then I am only going to feel worse. So I try and avoid that thinking. It is a road to nowhere, which know from running up and down it.

Second point was that have to believe I can end this cycle of thinking and behaviour. If I believe then have a better chance.

This is the second set of therapy I have had. The first set followed a concussion whilst skiing. I managed on and off in between and always thought 'I will be ok as long as it does not happen again.'

The most useful parts of the first therapy sessions was the thought that:

Either you have done some damage to your brain and you need to accept it or you haven't damaged your brain and the problem is psychological, in which case you need to work on that psychological problem.

I was also encouraged to diarise and focus on good posture to improve confidence. Both helped/ help.

So- have found there is no magic bullet for this problem, but a combination of the right thought and actions can make you less conscious of it. If you are less conscious of it, you will be safer.

Aside from that, at work I find that single tasking is really helpful when doing my own work, though clearly teaching is a different role.

That all said, hit my head today, which is partly why I am here! Not completely though- hopefully the above is of some help.

'Fear sometimes makes the wolf seem bigger than it is.'

Yes
 

After my initial accident I was having what I was told were siesures. I would just find my self on a floor and not know what happend. while still working one time I know that i had to have been half way up a pretty big ladder to have ended up on the floor the way I did. I think many months later after having finaly been off work for a while I was feeling great and though it was all over. Unfortunately I do not know if it was another siesure but I came to at the bottom of stairs and from there started all over again. Then for the hole winter at least I could not stand up out side basicaly at all I think. Any thing slippery and I would almost do a flip and end up flat. A lot of times I would walk in the house and my girl friend would ask me what happend and I would not know what she meant. She would ask how I got another cut on my head or arms or legs or what ever and I did not know.

I remember reading a post here about being turned down for life insurance and also some where else or some one told me about how our life is expected to be a lot shorter just because we had a tbi and I always wonder if that is why. Because it gives us wors balance or eye sight or siesures or all of it and it is just probability that sooner than later one of them is going to finish the job.

Hi,

Thanks so much for replying. I'm sorry all of that has happened to you and that you hit your head again, that's rough. However, I do have to say that I am so glad to have found someone who understands what I'm going through. Your post was comforting to me because it makes me feel as though I'm not the only person this has ever happened to. Your therapy experiences sound promising and I'm glad you've found some coping strategies. Therapy is probably something I should seek out at some point. I've also got an appointment with an ophthalmologist next month to test my peripheral vision because I wonder if maybe that might have something to do with all of this.

Do you ever feel angry about it? Every time I hit my head now, I immediately become very angry. Disappointed in myself in a way because I allowed it to happen again. I try not to feel that way since I know it's an accident but I can't always help it.

Do you have PCS? I'm wondering if/worried that my doctor may tell me that I have it now. It's been 3 or 4 weeks since my last official concussion and I'm still having symptoms. I guess I'll find out in a couple of days.

Have you shared your situation with your family, friends and co-workers? If so, how have they reacted to it?

Thanks again for your response. Good luck with your exams!

I went to see my primary care doctor today and he referred me to a neurologist as I hoped he would. He said he thinks its time for another MRI to check out what's going on in my brain which I was also happy about. I can't have any more CT scans since I've apparently had too many over too short of a time span.

When my doctor checked my reflexes he noticed that they were asymmetrical. The reflexes on my right side are much stronger than on my left. I don't know what that means but it seems kinda scary so I'm hoping that the neurologist can shed some light on why that's happening.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Hey,

I used to become angry and think that I was cursed in some way; it was my fate to hit my head.

Now, it is more just a loss of confidence. I do not feel able to do time pressured or difficult tasks; or feel less able to do them as well.

I tend to need time to recover, which is usually time, which is quite self destructive. So instead of going to the gym, I would order a takeaway. Then recover at some point the following day- normally be being focused on something else. Even study can ok in that respect! Sometimes!

The therapy has been useful. The focus of it at the moment is writing down what my thought patterns are so that they can then be challenged.

There was also the point, that being very careful makes no difference as to whether I hit my head or not, so why bother. Potentially sound, but potentially danagerous advice. Not sure.

I don't think I have PCS. My last concussion was in Jan 08' and maybe had it then, in the difficult months after it, when I was worried about what had changed in me and what I could do in the future.

I have shared my experiences with my family and close friends, who have been very supportive. I told my previous employer when I had a concussion, to set their expectations about what I could do. They were understanding, which helped.

Fortunate in that have quite a strong support network, though their help has not cured the issue; they cannot change what has physically happened. They do provide reassurance and are a rational sounding board when read too much into a simple bump on the end. Therapy has helped though. Quite like it being independent of family and friends; it spreads the burden from them.

I think the descision to tell your employer is very personal and difficult one. Traditionally disclosing health issues, which border on mental health, was seen, as far as I've been told, as damaging to a career, as it might follow you around. Though attitudes change; would do what is pragmatic and tell your employer if you think it would help. From their perspective, they can't help if you don't tell them.

Aside from that issue, yes think if you do have access to it, then seek help early. There is a lot of good help out there and nothing to lose if the status quo is really upsetting, which it is, if and when focus on an injury.

Hope it all improves for you soon! You're definitely not alone. :)

diagnosis concussion?
 

where do you get a diagnosis of concussion? my partner fell down a flight of stairs, cracked his facial sinus bone, and required 18 stitches in his forehead, and still didn't get a diagnosis on his charts of concussion? We now figure this has been min. his 8th - and yet nothing in medical records history to show for it. Apparently its not unique, and very frustrating, you can have multiple hits to the head, and have cumulative damages, to the point where suddenly you have new behaviours, cognitive losses, pain, depression, anxiety, all of the above, and not have known anything about it. Be VERY careful, it seems like a bad joke, but putting on a helmet for everyday life, is now seemingly a good concept. you are not alone, but medically you might not get the help you need. listen to your own body, stay in the dark if you need to, sleep, repair the damages yourself. Good luck.

I'd suggest having your partner see his doctor and talk about what has happened over the years. Maybe he/she will suggest having and MRI done to see what's going on inside his brain. If the doctor doesn't suggest it, I would request it. Same thing if he ever ends up in the ER again with a head injury. I'd ask for a CT Scan or an MRI and be sure to mention his past injuries. Maybe that could be the first step in the direction of some answers.

I'm sorry you and your partner are dealing with all of that. Hopefully this is helpful to you.

This is ridiculous and its making me insane. I hit my head AGAIN today. Since my last official concussion diagnosis last month, I've been hitting my head weekly. I don't understand why this is happening. I'm trying my hardest to be so careful and it isn't working. I don't know what to do anymore. My head is throbbing.

I just started working out for the first time to see if it might be helpful for my symptoms. I've been taking it slow and just bike riding for about a half hour. Unfortunately every time I've done this so far I've gotten a nasty headache during and after. I drink water before, during and after so I know I'm not dehydrated.

Has anyone else had this issue? Am I pushing myself too much too soon? I'm not sure what to do anymore. My neurologist appointment can't come soon enough.

hi,

my post history is in here....I have pcs.....i would suggest you take time off.

work and try to feel better....you are doin too much...i tend to put my head at

risk for another bump when I feel like i am running around like a chicken with

its head off {no pun intent}...its like your body can't catch up with your brain..

i have learned patience the hard way...stay positive and try to relax

Meditation, Tai Chi or Yoga may help.

Do not think it has to be all or nothing. Perhaps start slowly with exercise, even walking and then gradually build up.

Eat well, sleep well and hopefully you will feel better. Don't think there is a magic bullet for it.

Best of luck!

Yesterday I went to the ophthalmologist for the first time in about 6 years. I explained what has happened to me over the past 2 years with the concussions and the fact that I've been seeing spots and am concerned about my peripheral vision. She was skeptical at first that I actually had suffered 5 concussions and asked where I got those diagnoses. I hate it because I always feel like no one believes me when I tell them that. I told her that I had gone to my Dr. or the ER each time I hit my head and everyone told me I had legitimate concussions.

She checked my peripheral vision and did a regular eye exam and determined that my eyes are fine but I do need glasses. I expected the part about needing glasses since I used to have them when I was in college.

Its just a little frustrating because one the one hand, I'm happy that she didn't find anything wrong with my eyes. On the other hand, I'm annoyed because I still don't have any answers for why I'm feeling the way that I do. I have my neurologist appointment next week so I'm hoping that she'll have some for me. I'm also looking forward to having another MRI so I can know what's going on in my brain. I guess I'm just really anxious to know everything. I just want to understand what's happening to me, why its happening and how I can fix it.

Another MRI will likely be a waste of time and money. They can not show the microscopic damage from a concussion. They can show bleeds but if you had a bleed, you would not be posting online. Actually, CTs do better at showing bleeds.

Your neurologist will not likely have any worthwhile information for you.

If you have the MRI, ask about getting a good view of your cervical vertebra. Undiagnosed injuries to the cervical vertebra is often a cause of persistent problems, even your asymmetrical reflex tests.

An MRI/MRA may be worthwhile. Ask your doctor.

You said <I just want to understand what's happening to me, why its happening and how I can fix it.>

And the ophthalmologist's questioning your concussion history is common. Many doctors do not consider any impact a concussion unless there are severe symptoms. I was being seen by a new doctor at Kaiser. I told him about the impact to my head where all I sense is a metallic taste in my mouth. I told him that I believe these are concussions. he agreed. he is the only dr to ever acknowledge this metallic taste as a symptom of concussion.

btw, I have experienced the metallic taste with other concussion symptoms and alone. Maybe they are sub-concussive impact. Either way, they are not good for my brain.

We all would like this. Chances are none of us will ever achieve this. Concussions are still not understood, even by the best neurological scientists.

bright&dark, You need to consider the fact that you are suffering from Multiple Impact Syndrome. MIS is much more likely to cause prolonged or even permanent symptoms. As mu neuro said, sometimes, the brain runs out of ability to compensate after a critical number of impacts or combined damage from multiple impacts have been suffered.

Sorry to hear about all your hits to the head. But you are on the right road getting your eyes checked and seeing a neurologist. An MRI will be just a confirmation that you dont have a bleed like Mark said....most people have perfectly normal MRIs and CT scans with TBI and PCS.

Sadly, this is our world now....anxiety, headaches, dizziness, feeling off, exhausted, seeing spots, photophobia, etc. What we feel is very very real for us....but no one else knows what we are experiencing. Its a lonely, scary feeling for all of us.

Rest and Time...and patience. Thats what your neurologist will tell you. And hopefully find meds to help with your headaches as our headaches are very unique and everyone responds differently. Good luck to you!!

By the way....im from Mass too....brockton. I used to work at a NeuroSurgery ICU at Brigham and Womens....the neurologists there are great!

I've had nine concussions, eight of which came through "legitimate" means :) ie: doing something crazy. The ninth came from lightly bumping heads with my 3 year old son. Got it just right in the spot where I'm most vulnerable.

I can tell you that I'm terrified to hit my head. If I accidentally bump it or brush up against something, the panic that washes over me is palpable. Just this past Saturday I was at a wedding, and a server absolutely drilled me in the back of the head with a full plate. I was ******, and I was really paranoid that the familiar concussed feeling was coming up next. It didn't, but living in fear is brutal.

I have experienced this same nervousness about if or when will hit my head again and still do, though to a lesser extent.

Also have the issue with being served when in a restaurant! Think the best approach is to stay still.... (Also admittedly don't like sitting on an isle seat in a restaurant with people walking behind me).

It has made me develop what can seem outwardly I'm sure like strange habits/ thoughts, which use to protect myself like:

- Ducking under lamps, even if they are reasonably high above my head
- Be quite apprehensive about walking in a crowd in rush hour and passing people quickly
- Be apprehensive about walking on the side of the pavement and getting hit by a bus wing mirror
- Getting into cars really slowly
- Being very careful of the car boot
- Opening doors very slowly
- Conscious when sitting on a bus of being hit by elbows or rucksacks as people move past me
- Checking whether I may have hit my head or not when unsure
- Being quite slow and ducking perhaps excessively on public transport, whether on a bus or train

All of the above, particularly checking if I may have hit my head are very time consuming. Whilst don't want to be careless and would not advocate that, I think if there was a scale between being careless on one side and hyper vigilant on the other, then need to move more into the centre.

These habits may have helped me to avoid hitting my head more, but equally might have made me more vulnerable to it too; think it is perhaps safer to be very careful at key times, not all the time. These habits certainly make me think about my head more, which often encourages negative thinking.

So to reduce the above, I worked on the conclusion that does not matter whether have these habits or not, it is still likely that will hit my head at some point. So why bother worrying about it; the choice not to worry is the right one.

Subsequently have been more assertive when walking down the street and more natural in my movements, which has made me more confident.

Also, happened to be describing the above habits recently to my best friend. Rightly or wrongly, we just ended up laughing at the abnormality of it. Would not laugh at another person in a similar situation; this whole challenge, which never expected or thought would have, has made me more emphatic, but found laughing at my behaviour, helped to provide some of the stimulus to stop the time consuming protective habits that have developed. Although for me, the roots of these habits are rational and lie in past experience.

The laughing point is a delicate one, and does not reflect overall attitude to those that are understandably fearful of hitting their head again, but since it helped, thought would mention it. Maybe it is preferable to crying over it and the seeming injustice of it all, which recently, have also done.

Hope your symptoms improve.

On Wednesday I finally went to see my new neurologist. She said that I do have PCS as I expected. She checked my reflexes and found no abnormalities and actually said that it would be a bigger red flag for my reflexes to be super strong rather than weak. That was a relief. She also said that I don't need to have an MRI because it will most likely be negative and I shouldn't have any CT scans for a while since I've had too many in the past 2 years.

She suggested physical therapy to strengthen my neck muscles and hopefully decrease the number of tension headaches I seem to be having. She also prescribed a muscle relaxer (Flexeril) for me to take for the next 3 weeks or so to see if that helps. The only thing that makes me slightly skeptical about the effectiveness of the medication is that there is a sticker on the prescription bottle that says that the medication can cause headaches and dizziness. Aren't those issues exactly what I'm trying to treat? Still, I'm willing to try anything so I'll see how it goes.

Thank you so much everyone for your support and replies!

Nightnurse: That's awesome that you're from MA too. I live near Newton and I've been going to Newton-Wellesley for all of my appointments. I know Brigham and Women's is great and I kinda wish I could go there or MGH for my care but unfortunately its too far of a hike for me.

I'm glad you're feeling better since taking a break from work!

i would be leary of flexeril in a pcs case. make sure that when you take it, you are not going to do anything that day. no driving. Flexeril tends to knock people out for a good chunk of time 6-12 hours. Especially if it is combined with a narcotic or sleep medicine. Dont take it during the day time if you plan on getting things done. What about elavil? have you tried that?

I understand what you're saying. As soon I heard "muscle relaxer" I got nervous. In my profession as a teacher, and I'm sure its the same for you as a nurse, it isn't great to be functioning at anything less than 100%. I was automatically opposed to this type of medication because I knew that I wouldn't be able to take it during the day and still expect to make it through work. The neurologist said that I should start with half a pill, take it 30 minutes before bed, and be sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. That plan makes me feel better but I know that I'm definitely going to wait until the weekend to start taking it. That way I'll be able to know for sure how it will affect me, without it affecting my work.

In regard to the Elavil that you mentioned, I have decided against taking any type of antidepressant again. In 2004 I was put on 10 different antidepressants within a year's time. I had a bad reaction to each one of them and decided it would be best to steer away from anything like that.

B&D,

The Flexaril has a half life of 18 hours. The earlier in the evening you take it, the less will be in your system during the day. It would likely be better to go to bed early and get up early so you have less in your system by the time your school day starts.

An important concept to remember with muscle relaxants is to be conscious of your posture at rest. You can make an injury worse of you rest in a position that allows your body weight to put strain on your neck or shoulders or an injured body part..

If you can, try to find a good position in bed where your whole body is supported in a good posture. If you can sleep in this position, you will have a better chance of letting your physical body heal.

It can take some time to get used to a thin pillow if you can sleep on your back or a very thick pillow so you can sleep on your side. Either one can help you maintain a straight neck position during your sleep.

My neck injury has been chronic since 2001. If I sleep with poor neck position, I will not get good rest and will have a very lousy day after.

Regarding the Elavil.. the dose for PCS issues is only 10 mgs, much less than the dose for depression. I can't imaging a year of trying 10 different anti-deprerssants. Your body never got a chance to clear the previous before being hit with the next.

You should seriously consider the nutritional supplements that are essential to getting the brain on a healing track. Not just a multi-vitamin or such. The injured brain often needs 4 to 10 times the RDA to help it purge the toxins.

My best to you.

Multiple Concussions
 

I've had at least 5 concussions that I can remember, the worst being last December (2011). These 5 don't include hitting my head in the car, on kitchen cabinets, desks etc... After that last one, I got a an airplane less than 24 hours after (two planes, 5 hours of flying one way = not good), was on my feet constantly then another 6 hours of flying back home and ended up in the ER frequently over three days.

My question is this - while I still think I have lingering PCS symptoms a year later, can multiple concussions lead to issues that would mimick say Fibromyalgia, Lupus or MS? I've had a firm diagnosis of one of these and in process on another.

The worst symptoms are headaches and migranes (more frequently than ever in the past), painful neuropathy in my legs, lack of coordination, dizziness, nausea, confusion, loss of memory, anxiety and inability to sleep. I've also ended up with high blood pressure all of a sudden and a lot of weight gain since the last concussion. Another bad side effect is stuttering or loss of thought which has not changed since the concussion and has been a huge battle to deal with at work as I present a lot (daily) to Senior Management.


My scans (CT and MRI) were OK in December, but I've had a ton of other health issues since.

I'm back on amitryptiline (25mg), and also take ritalin and painkillers (butrans patch and tramadol) for joint pain, lisinopril for the blood pressure and ambian to sleep. Probably going to end up on effexor for the neuropathy if I can't get anywhere with amitryptiline.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I've thought of going back down the neuro route, but I'm not sure that it will provide me any "new" news. I already spend a ton of time at my Rheumatologist and now endocrinologist.

lilduk99,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to here of your struggles.

I think all of your symptoms could be from your concussions. More specifically, from the combination of concussion and the neck and upper back injuries that usually go undiagnosed after a concussion.

I suggest you find a physiatrist ( Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist) who has good experience with concussion and whiplash. You need a thorough evaluation of your whole body.

If your CT and MRI were clear, MS should not be considered. It shows up like a bright light in an MRI . I went through a similar scare but my neuro put me at easy based on the clear MRI.

What conditions are the rheumatologist and endocrinologist treating you for? Rheumatoid arthritis? You may be having symptoms that overlap leaving the doctors down the wrong path. Plus, the drug cocktail you are on sounds problematic. Your brain needs rest, not stimulants. Plus stimulants and strong pain killers can be rough when the brain is struggling. And,,, your brain is surely struggling.

It sounds like you need to take some time off to recover. Do you have some vacation and sick time available? Some time off with some massage therapy, maybe some physical therapy or chiro or such to help your spine relax and heal will be good. Plus, no caffeine or other stimulants or alcohol (maybe a single serving per day) plus good nutrition and vitamin supplements (strong on B's) can help your body and brain detoxify.

You need a doctor to quarterback your care. A good physiatrist may be able to do that. Finding that one doctor can be difficult but well worth the effort in research and time. Understanding the mix of drugs you are on should be high priority. You may want to have a talk with a pharmacist, too.

Try to slow down and rest. You and your brain need it before you have a serious collapse.

My best to you.

Well, here I am again.

It has been several months since my last post and my last concussion. After that last post, I decided not to follow my neurologist's orders and did not take the muscle relaxer she had prescribed because my PCP and I were both nervous about the effects that it would have on me. About 2 months after that, my PCS symptoms disappeared completely and life went back to normal...until last week. I suffered my 7th concussion last Thursday. I can't tell you how embarrassed and foolish I feel that this has happened again. I really fought the urge to even see a doctor because I knew what they would tell me but after a week of my fiance trying to convince me, I went to the ER. They told me what I already knew and said the same thing they always do, "you really need to be more careful." They of course couldn't give me a CT scan since I've had too many, so I just went home and dealt with the pain. I haven't told anyone about this except for my fiance. I didn't miss a day of work either because as usual, I was helping to cover for other people, and I honestly don't wanna hear anything they'd have to say about it, because I know people wouldn't understand. I also always worry about the fact that people will just think I'm lying when I say I've had another concussion. After telling people about my 2nd concussion a couple of years ago, my co-workers told me, "it's just a headache", so I made the choice to not even bother anymore.

I've become so good at putting on a front that no one even notices anything's wrong. I even try to take on extra work so as to not look like I'm slacking. My fiance says I've been confused and forgetful, and I've noticed that I do seem a little scatter-brained at work but I just have to keep going. I know it's probably the worst thing I could do for myself and I definitely pay for it at the end of the day but honestly, its better than what everyone would say if they knew.

My symptoms this time have been similar to the previous times. My sleep has been pretty good this time though, which helps. The confusion part is always the hardest to deal with because it scares me. I've also had this metallic taste in my mouth from time to time. I know other people have mentioned that they get that too.

I'm scheduled to go back to my neurologist next week and I'm looking forward to following up with her, even though I didn't agree with what we discussed last time. I figure I'll try her out again and if I'm unhappy for the second time, I'll go see someone else.

I guess I'm not sure how I feel. I'm angry and sad that this has happened again, and feel somewhat alone because I feel like I can't tell anyone I know about this.

Right now I'm just looking forward to having a restful weekend, and trying to heal.

This is seriously getting beyond ridiculous. I hit my head again today, twice! I'm really starting to feel like I can't leave the house ever again. I don't know what to do and I'm incredibly frustrated. This morning I hit the back of my head (the same place I always hit) on the sharp corner of a door frame, then on a wall a few hours later. I didn't hit either thing hard at all; most people would think nothing of it and at first, I tried not to either. Then about an hour later, it was like someone was repeatedly hitting me in the back of the head with a brick. I felt so dizzy and nauseous and I just wanted to go to sleep. I took some extra strength Tylenol as soon as I could and was able to get out of work a little early. I went home and laid on the couch for about 4 hours. I had zero energy and I kept falling asleep. My fiance had to keep waking me up. The Tylenol helped a little and I was able to eat something a while after, but still felt kind of queasy, dizzy and sleepy.

I have no idea what to do. Apparently I can't stop this from happening no matter how hard I try. I'm still having pain in the spot of impact from the first time I hit it a few weeks ago, and the pain increases whenever I lean forward. I've also noticed that any kind of jostling gives me instant head pain. Yesterday I was in the car and had to stop quickly and immediately my head started throbbing. The headaches have been coming and going but after what I did today, they're back to being just as bad as they were before.

I've also started thinking about the long term effects all these concussions are now/may someday have on me. I think about little things, like my intolerance to flashing lights, and occasionally struggling to find the right words/stammering. Are those the effects of all of these injuries? How would I even know for sure?

I just want to scream and throw things! Ahhhh!

Bright&Dark,

What meds are you taking now? Could that be contributing to some coordination issues?

The symptoms (other than head aches) are relatively easy to live with. Flashing lights are a common problem for many people. The word finding and stammering will not stop you from pursuing a full life.

As you note, developing way to avoid more head bumps will be valuable but it should not be a source of anxiety. Anxiety will only make it worse.

Learning to move about with a more deliberate direction can be a big help.

I had to learn to move with deliberate moves long ago. I don't even jump up from sitting down. It only takes a second to deliberately plan each move. It is more of a focus than planning. If you have ever had a twisted back, you needed to move a bit more slowly to avoid causing more pain. This is the focus to use.

I hope this helps. I still bump my head from time to time but I know I have reduced the frequency.

My best to you.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your suggestions.

I'm not taking any medications at the moment.

The ease with which one lives with certain symptoms probably depends on the person and the severity of their particular symptoms. I'm not worried about not having a full life, I am just wondering about the effects all of these impacts are having on me.

I try to move as deliberately as I can but it's tough when you're working with small children. If one of them is about to get hurt, you tend to move quickly without thinking of yourself first. I really feel like I'm trying, I just get angry when it doesn't seem like it makes a difference.

If you work with other peoples children, maybe you can get some help from the other adults to establish some better decorum. My wife worked with small kids and found that they will rise to the level of behavior that is expected from them. You will be surprised how well that can act when you explain the need to perform to a standard then recognize them for meeting that standard.

I have worked in nursery and toddler classes for years and see the same results. Then, mom or dad shows up and the other behavior returns.

Plus, children are quite resilient. They can take a fall or bump much easier than you can.

When they learn that they are responsible for their own bumps and bruises, they quickly learn. If they learn that they may cause you to be injured, they will likely be even more careful and disciplined.

Mark,

Please do not make this thread about something that it is not. I am here to discuss TBI and PCS, not how I do my job.

That being said, I'd like to talk about my symptoms over the past couple of days. They seem to have varied greatly from Monday and Tuesday to today. I know stress has something to do with it. Monday was a pretty low key day but I felt horrible as I mentioned in a previous post. Yesterday I was super busy and my stress level was high. I ended up having a bad headache and mild nausea for about 11 hours straight. I feel like maybe the weather played a part as well. It was so humid and warm that I wonder if that added to the pain. Today was better though. Less humidity and less stress. I still got a headache about half way through the day and it stayed with me but it was mild in comparison to yesterday and Monday. The only new thing I noticed today was that I've started seeing flashing lights again, every time I blink. That's been coming and going though. Does anyone else have this symptom? I saw flashing lights a lot after the concussion I had in August.

I'd really love to just take a sick day and rest since I haven't been able to do that, but we're understaffed again and it never seems like the right time. Maybe next week.

I am sorry if I offended you. I have worked with kids since 1976 and thought I could share some of my experiences with you. Now, I am a grandfather and need to be just as careful around my grandkids. I am sorry you do not have an opportunity to reduce your risk level at work.

I have had the flashing lights symptoms for so long that I stop paying attention to them long ago. Sneezes can make the flashes very bright. I don't notice them much during the daylight but once the lights get low, the flashes are much more evident. I have been told it likely has something to do with pressure around the optic nerve.

I can't help you any, but I can say that I can relate at least somewhat.
I fell off of a horse in March of my Freshman year at college in 2009 and I have been hitting my head ever since. I have hit my head noticeably about 13 times and as you say each time different symptoms become more prominent or dominate. It was not until my 6th or 9th (I hit my head 4 times in one day :rolleyes:) that the nausea really came on and that was in January of 2011 (I think). But each concussion since that time has had a different effect. With that one in Jan '11 I was nauseated for 5 months and then went back to the just normal headaches. With the last couple that I have had I have been so sick for about a week that I can barely leave my bed and can't swallow any food during that week (good news is that I lose a little weight :D). With the last one I got, my ability to follow a coherent story and my ability to focus have been so hurt.
Anyways, need to go to bed.
Just wanted to say, we need to avoid any more head hitting, because it is hitting us too hard (pun intended) :)
Good Luck!

Wow, I am so sorry this keeps happening to you. I can only imagine how very very frustrating it must be.

I am a teacher, too. I taught high school prior to my concussion but have been unable to be in the classroom since my concussion. Between the painful physical symptoms, the cognitive difficulties I was having being able to multitask and respond in a timely manner, and the emotional lability, the classroom was just a totally inappropriate environment for me after my concussion. I am hopeful that someday I will recover to the level that I will be able to teach again, but at this time it is just not possible.

I "pushed through" my symptoms for the first week after my concussion and ended up making things much worse for myself. So, just make sure in your eagerness to do your job and have people think well of you that you don't end up hurting yourself in a more permanent and damaging way. If you were a PE teacher and kept injuring your leg, you would not keep pushing yourself to run with the students just because the school was short-staffed. Just because your injury is not visible does not make it any less real or valid.

As for the recurrent head bumping, I'm wondering if you have had any vision therapy or a vision efficiency evaluation? After my concussion, my eyes had difficulty working together. I could imagine that something like this might make it difficult to tell exactly where you are in space. Vision therapy or possibly prism lenses might help.

You can find a doctor who does VEE testing at http://www.braininjuries.org or http://www.nora.cc

Good luck, and please do take care of yourself. You're important!!

Scared for my life!!
 

Hello there im only 18 years old and i've had five minor concussions!! The first i hit my head on a statue in boston but i got up and kept running around. Next was in hockey two months after that one! Then the next year I simply was knocked in the head by a helmet in hockey . I rested for three weeks after that one and started exercising but felt sick all the time!! My fourth one happened in that same month. I was standing in a basketball court talking to my friend when someone missed a shot and it hit me in the head. I played it off cool but i was so sad inside i just wanted to die. I had been feeling better how could this happen to me. It was terrible from there. I had to do school ( someone how i still managed honors) i was so scared to hit my head i distanced myself from everyone. My last one was this spring. I was sleeping at a friends house and it was pitch black. I got up from bed didnt realize there was a very low wall right above my head. Since then i've had the worst symptoms for two months. Visual Snow, flashing lights, headaches, dizzyness, fatigue,and concentration problems ( cant go to college anymore wanted to be a nurse) Im so scared of hitting my head again. I hit it again though on Saturday and have been feelign worse. I bet I have second impact syndrome. God will protect me though.

bobbicat,

I doubt you have Second Impact Syndrome. It is life threatening. It causes the pressure inside the head to increase to deadly levels.

You likely have Multiple Impact Syndrome which is the cumulative effect of all of your concussions and the progressively worse damage caused by each succeeding impact.

A problem I have had to accept is that I have severely reduced spacial memory. This means I will not remember obstacles that were obvious during a previous observation. To apply this to your situation: You likely noticed the overhead obstacle when the lights were on but your spacial memory did not remember this obstacle. Voila, you smack your head.

I say this to encourage you to try to learn to avoid these situations. I know I have a need to not rely on visual/spacial memory. For example, I would often realize that the low ceiling was a bad place to be in the dark. I would make an effort to find a different location.

It is a complex problem to solve but we need to make adjustments in our lives to live with our limitations.

It appears your 5 concussions took place over less than 2 years time. Is this correct?

Anxiety about head knocks
 

Hey Bright&Dark. I've been lurking on this site for awhile and just decided to make an account, because so many different descriptions of symptoms resonate with me. I too experience the serious, stress-induced up-and-downs of the headaches, fatigue, and other PCS symptoms. Like Xandar, I worry constantly about bumping my head, even going so far as to always stand up on public transportation (because of the jolts up and down) and constantly be aware of my surroundings and potential risks. Anyways, I would just like to offer my $.02--I truly don't think that any of us hit our heads any more than normal people, we just clue into it so much more. Our threshold for realizing our heads have been bumped becomes so low that EVERYTHING is a sub-concussive impact. I'm not sure how much of this is recovery-induced sensitivity and how much has to do with anxiety, but I've just come to accept that head bumps are a fact of life. I still try to prevent them, but try really hard to take it in stride, even though I just want to scream and destroy things every time it happens.

Not sure if any of that helps, but you're definitely not alone.

Yes they all did. Do you think i will get better though? I've recovered from all the other one's. This one is taking forever. I had so many dreams for myself i guess none of them will come true now.