What can I do to improve my recovery?
 

Since my injury in June, I haven't been to any kind of therapy or had any kind of schedule or plan towards my recovery. I've basically just been going to see a faulty neurologist and staying at home watching TV. I feel like I'm just getting worse. My mind is breaking down to the point where I feel like I'm going insane. I have no physical symptoms like headaches, just psychiatric problems, cognitive problems (like foggy brain, feeling slow and dumb) and occasional dizziness. So I'm asking the people of this forum for some advice.

What can I do to improve my recovery, as far as therapy and other things I can add to my schedule that will speed up my recovery or at least make me feel better? I have plenty of benefits left with Victims of Crime (they are paying for my expenses) and I want to start using them wisely. I just don't know what to do....I know I want to see a chiropractor because my neck feels kind of messed up, but what else can I do? Besides a neurologist who else should I be seeing?

Forget about seeing another neurologist. Try a physiatrist (Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in the phone book). And get a work up done on your neck.

And see if you can see a therapist or church counselor to help you lower your anxiety levels.

My best to you.

I was referred to a psychiatrist when I went in for the MRI results. Going to call them on Monday to schedule an appointment. Also, it's funny you mention church counselor because my aunt texted me today, concerned with what my mother has been telling her about my condition and gave me some info on a pastor that healed her through prayer.

Have you been thinking about nutrition? My brother is a vet and told me I should really focus on antioxidants, which I looked up on the internet and have been doing ever since (leading to a massive juice habit!)

Weird that the most useful health professional I have seen has been my brother the vet, but I guess they do need to really know how the nuts and bolts of every body system works since they see it in so many unfamiliar forms...

Also, you might want to cut down on the TV. I spent many months thinking I was resting while watching TV, but actually high energy TV programmes like action films or music videos are making your brain work pretty hard.

When I realised this I spent a few months hardly watching any TV, or computer, or reading books. It was hard but I got a load of audiobooks on my ipod, or went for short walks in the park. My brain seemed to like this much better than constant TV.

Good luck

Helping a Little With Your Recovery
 

Hi Everyone:
I'm a mom of a 14yr old teenage boy who has been recovering from Post Concussion Syndrome for 1 1/2 yrs. He has also experienced 3 major setbacks (Does NOT play sports) and is now being tutored at home by the local high school.
I am also a MTBI Literate Integrative Health & Nutrition Coach and can tell you that what you eat is very important regarding brain health - as a matter of fact I have just finished a book for MTBI survivors about this important piece of the puzzle. It is a very easy to use guide and is being printed now.
Depression, anxiety and some "brain fog" can be caused by eating too much sugar and processed foods. May doctors, coaches, etc. do not really "get" that what you eat literally turns into your brain, your blood, your emotions, etc.
**

Warmly, Tina Sullivan

This is actually more dangerous than it sounds. Prayer may have positive psychological effects (which can be gained through other ways), but it will not heal you. Your body heals itself (or not), and sometimes medical intervention is needed. Staying positive is an important component, but don't think that praying will cure you; it won't. Pastors who "heal through prayer" are charlatans.

Religious leaders in your community are also typically ill-equipped to handle psychological problems. See someone who actually has training in the are in which you need help.

wakey,

I agree about the 'healing charlatans' but disagree with your opposition to prayer. My point in referring nwsmth to a church counselor was to help with his anxiety. A lot of anxiety is due to poor control of thoughts. Getting help with his thought life can reduce his anxiety. Praying for healing is also worthwhile. So, counseling regarding his anxiety and prayer life can be beneficial.

My best to you.

I wouldn't expect everyone to believe as I do nor would I try to push my beliefs on anyone but...

I had a car wreck in 1991 with major neck damage. I went thru 10 years of horrible pain. God healed me COMPLETELY in a church service. And, yes, there is medical documentation!

I concur with Roadrunner and Mark.

Mark, thank you, as always, for your thoughtful comment. Let me be clear: I don't oppose prayer. I think that it can be quite useful for some people. I oppose the idea that people should rely on church counselors and religious folk to help them "think the right thoughts." Positive thinking is useful--and much of prayer is positive thinking. So, by all means, pray away. But prayer, by itself, cannot deal head on with psychological problems like anxiety. One can't fix that by going to someone else whose only training is in reading the Bible, rather than, say, learning about the human body and mind methodologically. The best person to seek out in such a situation is someone who is trained in how the brain works. If the aim is for people to recover, they need to see the best trained people. I hope everyone on this board heals fast and well, and if prayer can help part of the recovery, then great.

wakey,

You are obviously not a believer. You have every right to your opinions and beliefs. My comment to nwsmith was in context with my knowledge of him as a believer. Prayer, for believers, goes far beyond positive thinking. Trying to explain the power of prayer to a non-believer is next to impossible. No offense aimed at you and no offense taken from your comments.

Needless to say, I will try to explain just a bit of the Christian position on thoughts and anxiety. I hope this post does not get edited because there are many believers who follow this forum.

The Bible says, "Take every thought captive....." and "Be anxious for nothing....." Also, my signature verse of "Be still and Know that I am God" or a better translation is "Cease striving and know that I am God."

I am only quoting the pertinent parts. I am not taking these scripture quotes out of context.

These are commands to the believers. God only commands believers to do things that He has already given them the resources to do. Some will need the help of counsel. Others will have the maturity in their faith to apply sound Biblical principles to respond to the commands.

Oddly enough, you made your comment to someone who has been considering writing a book for believers who need help at understanding the scripture verses about anxiety and thoughts. If I can get so I can stay focused on a writing task, I hope to start writing my manuscript.

I am not saying that some with anxiety may not need medical help. But, medical help alone or even with secular counseling will often fall short of a believer's needs.

The counseling industry has a treatment protocol called CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) This is no different that the Biblical mandate of 'Taking every thought captive.' The believer has an extra dimension of faith to add to the equation. CBT started in the 1960's and behavioral therapy in the 1930's. "

Taking every though captive " dates back millennia. It was widely taught in the first century AD and the other commands and teachings such as "Be still" date back a few thousand years earlier. The positive impact on society and individuals is well documented.

But again, you may choose to believe otherwise. Not a problem for me.

My best to you.

I'm an averagely spiritual person - no weird stuff - but I do believe in the power of prayer. If you really believe you are speaking to your creator you can learn about yourself and open yourself to true honestly which always helps.

I think it makes sense to seek help from God but also doctors and family. Exercise (gradual) and vacation (lack of household and work stress) seemed to help me heal in the most significant ways.

well put Mark.

Same to you. I do not mean to offend, and there should be nothing offensive about what you or I say. It's quite clear that whoever believes on this board will continue to do so, and of course that's their choice and right. You are also quite experienced with PCS, so I respect your advice and opinions. I know you are just trying to help people do their best to recover.

But I do think you are doing a great disservice to people by claiming that one can read the Bible as a scientific document--i.e., a document that can tell you how best to deal with emotional and psychological problems. Indeed, it is quite dangerous to do so. Those that have tried to interpret the Bible as a scientific document have been proven wrong over and over again. Galileo is one example. The Church tried to ignore the evidence he amassed against their theories (e.g., falling bodies and helliocentricity), which they claimed came from, you guessed it, the Bible. Darwin is another example.

The point is not that one shouldn't read the Bible. The point is rather that the Bible is a historical document that can't tell you how to heal, or the best methods for doing so. Prayer is a great tool for a great many people. That is fine. But thinking you can buttress that tool with exegesis of the Bible is silly and dangerous. There are likely many tidbits of information in the Bible that one can muster in support of a more general approach to thinking or healing (and likewise for terrible theories and actions); but there is no reason to think these tidbits are anything more than reading onto an existing method or theory, as you seem to be doing with CBT.

Also, trying to muster evidence for such reading is always challenging: "Taking every though captive " dates back millennia. It was widely taught in the first century AD and the other commands and teachings such as "Be still" date back a few thousand years earlier. The positive impact on society and individuals is well documented."

What has had a "positive impact"? Just these words, or some other meditative framework, or something else? To what extent? To whom? Under what conditions? How and where has it been "well documented"? By whom? When? For what purposes? Under what conditions? What does "well documented" even mean? These are conclusions, not evidence or reasoning.

Even if these phrases have been used as part of some larger meditation or prayer framework, it's not clear why reliance on the Bible itself is necessary. Indeed, cherry-picking phrases that seem to have benefits while ignoring the rest does not aid one's recovery or one's understanding of the Bible (or whatever document they are reading). One may be able to find a good way of dealing with pain by relying in part on some Bible verses. Indeed, if one is forced to cherry pick phrases and interpret them onto a theory, one wonders why those phrases are relevantly part of the exercise at all. The theory itself seems to do the work in these cases.

I don't understand why "[t]rying to explain the power of prayer to a non-believer is next to impossible." I think I understand it quite well. I understand what people are trying to do and what they think they are doing. I have (prior) personal experience in the matter, just like you. I think the exercise itself can be useful, but the method for doing it often presupposes a grandiosity that it simply does not require and does not exist.

Best to you, and good luck with your manuscript.

wakey,

You just proved my point.

You said: <Even if these phrases have been used as part of some larger meditation or prayer framework, it's not clear why reliance on the Bible itself is necessary. Indeed, cherry-picking phrases that seem to have benefits while ignoring the rest does not aid one's recovery or one's understanding of the Bible

I did not cherry pick the verses and take them out of context. They are just a small part of a much larger message.

(or whatever document they are reading). One may be able to find a good way of dealing with pain by relying in part on some Bible verses. Indeed, if one is forced to cherry pick phrases and interpret them onto a theory, one wonders why those phrases are relevantly part of the exercise at all. The theory itself seems to do the work in these cases.

I don't understand why "[t]rying to explain the power of prayer to a non-believer is next to impossible." I think I understand it quite well.


Your denial of my explanation shows your inability to understand the power of prayer. Faith is an essential component of Christian belief. Those without faith will struggle to understand and believe.

Anxiety is a combination of physiological events and emotional and thought events. Medicine alone cannot resolve anxiety. Spiritual strength can enhance emotional strength.

It sounds like your experience is with the charlatan 'faith healer' and 'pray it away' self proclaimed 'minister.' I can understand how such an experience can challenge one's ability to relate to a believer's comments. I am sorry if you have had such an experience. Religious leaders of all varieties can be both helpful and damaging. I have seen both sides.

I understand what people are trying to do and what they think they are doing. I have (prior) personal experience in the matter, just like you. I think the exercise itself can be useful, but the method for doing it often presupposes a grandiosity that it simply does not require and does not exist.
>

My position still stands. There is valid help available to believer's through spiritual counseling. Since anxiety can be such a large part of PCS, believer's should be willing to consider the value of spiritual counseling to strengthen their understanding of anxiety.

Re: cervical area
 

Please do look into PT and get the work up of your neck. If you are in that much pain, and not healing physically or mentally, do get help for both. Lots of good people here to help you through this. Prayer always helps, You will be in my prayers too. ginnie

nwsmith1984 - A chiropractor may not only make your neck feel better, but could improve the blood flow to your brain which would deliver more oxygen to it and *that* can make it heal faster.

On that note, there is definitely something to be said for exercise. I don't know what you are able to do, but if you can take walks or exercise at all, I highly recommend it because that will also increase blood flow to your brain. How about yoga?

The supplements I take to help me heal are a good multivitamin, B Complex, an additional sublingual B12, Omega 3-6-9, phosphatidylserine, CDP Choline, and I'm going to start taking BCAA's. Some of these supplements were recommended my neurologist and the others were recommended to me by an acupuncturist/nutritionist but my neurologist agreed with him once I mentioned them. (My neurologist would actually prefer I get B12 shots every day, but I haven't anyone in my life to administer them.)

I really like a web based program called Lumosity where they have games designed by neuroscientists for people going through tbi and others who just want to improve their cognitive functioning.

Speech therapy helped me a great deal. See if you can get a referral to a good one who can do cognitive exercises with you. The one I have does multi-tasking exercises and other things with me. There isn't a lot that can be done for memory other than waiting for it to get better. Mine also helped me with something called "word recall" which I would think would be related to memory, but it turns out it is not... In any case some speech therapy might help some areas where you feel deficient.

If you can meditate, or try to meditate, that might help you gain some control of your brain back. (I don't think it could hurt...)

Positive Thinking is HUGE! I try to have a running mantra in my head that goes something like this: Thank you for my healing, thank you for my healing, thank you for my healing...

:grouphug:

EstersDoll,

Of all of the natural sources of BCAA's, pork is an excellent source of balanced BCAA's.

The Lumosity programs are designed for cognitive enhancement but have not been researched nor shown to speed up recovery from mTBI's. As such, you should be cautious to not overdo you time spent with the programs.

I have the complete set of Posit Science software and know that it can be easy to over-exert my brain working the exercises. Both Lumosity and Posit Science can tend to show improvements due to the learned ability to improve with the exercises. By that I mean, you learn how to do the exercise and get better because of that learned ability, not from an improvement in cognitive ability.

There is also an enhancement of under-learned cognitive functions. By bringing these cognitive functions up to a normal level, the subject notices an improvement. The value here is enhancing the brain's ability to implement work-arounds and other accommodations.

I have learned new ways of accessing visual memory that are very different than the previous "mind's eye" visual memory where I could visualize in my mind and thus remember. Now, I have learned how to use a non-visual and more intuitive visual memory. It is like I have to ignore any attempt to visualize and instead use a more blind intuition of what I saw. It is like I see on the computer screen a shadow of the object in its proper location that I am trying to remember.
I don't know it this is a visual remnant on the retina or a remnant in the visual processing center of the brain. Either way, I find it works.

Both programs are designed for the aging community and even younger set that have become fearful of Alzheimer's Disease. The research shows that the exercises do not delay the end deterioration but do delay the onset of disabling symptoms. The progression is delayed until the end when it takes place over a shorter span of time. A worthwhile gain but not an extender of lifespan.

What ever way one works to improve, getting some level of improvement is what matters. I knwo that my measured abilities are the same as they were many years ago. But, my abilities to use other skills and functions to work at a higher level has allowed me to overcome many of my dysfunctions during the good days. My bad days do not seem to be any better or worse.

Re: shots B12
 

I got a bit lost on who it was that didn't have anyone to admisister B12 shots. Actually you can learn to do this. I have alergy to bee stings and a number of other things. I self admisister the epi pen. and for sure diabetics do it all the time. don't be afraid of doing this to your self. Once you do it the fear goes away. ginnie

**I do not see how this follows at all.

Wakey,

Can we just agree to disagree? Any disagreement you have with the religion you were raised in is particular to your personal situation. I am sorry for you in that you appear to have been seriously negatively impacted by that experience.

This is not a forum for arguing the different points of the value of religion as it regards PCS and anxiety. People have the opportunity to choose how they believe about this subject. Nobody is forcing anybody to believe a certain way.

I would like to discuss your response to my comment about anxiety
<Anxiety is a combination of physiological events and emotional and thought events. Medicine alone cannot resolve anxiety. Spiritual strength can enhance emotional strength.
**This in an empirical claim. There is no evidence for it.>

How do you see anxiety impacting PCS and recovery?

When you said <**This in an empirical claim. There is no evidence for it.> Was this just referring to my comment <Spiritual strength can enhance emotional strength.> or did you mean something else?

BTW. Empirical evidence is the starting point for much of scientific investigation and is a part of the foundation of any research.

Maybe you meant **This is a subjective claim.

Anyway, how are you doing with your PCS?

Hi ginnie,

I'm not afraid to inject myself, quite the contrary.

Yes, I have an epipen too and I know that it is administered in the thigh. I have had years of allergy shots as well.

I have spoken to my neurologist about self-injecting the B12 shots and she would prefer it if someone else administered them for me and will not allow me to self-administer them. She says it can only be done in the buttocks or the side of the arm and that I would be unable to do it myself. I don't know if her opinion that I can't do it myself is based on the level of cognitive functioning I have, including my dexterity (because all were affected with my injuries) or if she just believes that of all her patients regardless of their apparent functioning levels.

EstersDoll,

Have you had your B12 levels measured by a blood test? If your sub-lingual B12 is keeping your B12 blood levels where they should be, there is no reason for injections.

I was on weekly B12 injections for 8 weeks many years ago. They helped immensely. I continued with B12 tablets with no noticeable difference once the crisis was over. I take 380 mcgs of B12 daily in tablet form and my B12 blood level is at about 1000 pg/mL which my doctor thinks is just right.

The empirical evidence gained from a blood test should over-rule any personal preferences of injections vs sub-lingual vs oral tablets.

As noted, B12 is a necessary part of the BCAA processes.

faith healer question
 

Several years ago, I went to a faith healing service at one of our local Christian churches. Everybody was lined up to receive the laying on of hands and prayer over you. There were people in back of all of us, to catch when we fell over. I watched in amazement as people fell backwards into waiting arms. When they got to me, of course I wanted the prayer, but I did not fall over. Nothing happened to make me faint, or colapse. Everyone looked at me as if there were something the matter with me. I am always for prayer, but I don't fake it for anybody. If others have this exotic moment I am glad for them, but it didn't happen to me. I was grateful to receive the prayer, and that was all. This was my experience. Was there something the matter with me for not feeling this extasy of healing others felt? Just curious as I have seen this happen on TV before. ginnie

"Can we just agree to disagree?"

That sounds like the best idea. My PCS has not improved. Still a struggle, like for everyone out there. Trying times, to be sure.

Yes, Mark, I know you don't think the exercises are beneficial and you have brought up some excellent points to be considered (as usual!)

But I think lumosity is beneficial. Some of the exercises are similar to the ones my speech therapist does with me and I think that working with her has been the most beneficial thing out of everything I've been doing in an effort to heal myself due to this brain injury other than the spinal tap that relieved the pressure that was continuing to damage my brain!

Not only does lumosity make me feel like I am working towards getting better, which improves my mood a great deal. But I also get very bored and it is something for me to do!

I can also see HUGE improvements over the course of the last 8 months or so that I've been playing them. I can't say that lumosity is the cause for those improvements at all; it's most likely just the natural healing that would have occurred with my brain. I am significantly better than I was six months ago. I am driving again and working 20 hours a week! I can handle conversations better, etc. And lumosity has at least tracked my improvements in some way. Not only because I learned how to play the games, but also because I'm just getting better than I was.

Again, I don't know if lumosity has helped me to improve. But the other day I was having difficulty communicating with my BF who is my primary care taker and I couldn't explain what was wring with me, and I played some games and noticed a distinct decline in some of them and realized because of the game category that something was wring with my logical reasoning, which is what happens when I'm very tired! And so I was able to stop playing, let him know what was going on with me in a way that he could understand (because when I just tell him that something's not functioning as well he doesn't get it, when I say there's something wrong with my logical reasoning - which I couldn't put to words before playing the game - then he gets it and we get along better.)

And I do understand getting fatigued over playing too many games! But personally, I do not only need to watch my fatigue, I need to try to increase my stamina. This most likely has to do with me being in severe pain and on bed rest for about six months which is rare for people who acquire mTBI, and it's a fine line, so playing the games might be a good way for me to do that too.

And playing the games can help me recognize that I am fatigued, because sometimes I won't even realize it until I start playing a game and I notice a significant difference in the way I may have played them a few hours before or the day before and then I will rest. I used to work about 60-80 hours a week on stage, so I was very used to ignoring being tired and pushing through it and a game like this helps me not to do that.

Also, I've read that some neuroscientists believe that learning new games and playing video games that a person didn't know before acquiring a head injury is good for healing from one.

Whenever someone asks what they can do to help themselves I'm always going to recommend lumosity. And you will probably always out in your two cents - which I think is good. I think it's good for people to be as informed as possible.