New here, in need of help and advice!
 

Hello

I'll tell my situation in detail in case something will matter.

I'm 26, male and in good health. I go to the gym 3 times a week to lift weights, and I also go for walks every day, and play football (soccer) a couple of times a week.

Anyway, just over 4 weeks ago I was playing football. I went up to head a ball and took a blow on my right side temple, which turned out to be an opponent's head that had collided with me.

Afterwards I was standing there in a lot of pain, and I just had to lie down.
I was very dazed, I needed help to get off the pitch.

I started to feel a bit better, but when I was in the changing room, I felt awful. My breathing was very quick, and I could hardly recognise people. I was very dazed.

I got taken to A&E and was seen by the doctor.
She diagnosed a concussion and I was sent home.

Over the next week I started to gradually improve - I went back into work on the Thursday (I work in IT)...but I obviously was not fully recovered as I had to go home as I was very tired, couldn't focus and still felt dazed.

I went home and rested. I improved over the weekend and went back into work the next Thursday as I felt fully recovered. The only symptoms I had at this point were a pain in my temple if I yawned or had to chew food. My temple was still quite tender at this stage.

I went to the gym on Friday, was active on Sat (painting some of my car), and went to the gym again on Monday. I was symptom free still.

However, on the Tuesday at work I started to experience the dazed feeling in the afternoon, extreme tiredness, an inability to concentrate and headaches.

2 points I would make here - I don't feel I drank enough water this day - usually I would drink probably 2 litres of water at work. I probably drank less than 500ml. I was also pressing against the tender spot on my temple a lot - which was still sore!

I went back to work the next day, and I felt awful still - very tired, feeling slow, dazed, hard to focus my vision, was close to tears and I didn't know why - and couldn't decide what to do.

I ended up being taken over to casualty again by my boss - where they did some reaction tests and examined my eyes. They also did a CT scan, which the doctor said was fine. He said I had post concussion syndrome...and said I should just try and 'get through it', which annoyed me a bit as I felt utterly wiped out. I explained that I work in IT and couldn't focus on my work. He seemed to think I was looking a sick line from him.

Anyway - I've been off work now for a week and a half since going to A&E. I get very tired, my head feels 'pressurised' and heavy where I got hit and behind my eyes, I feel dazed, irritable, find it hard to focus and concentrate, and I am thirsty a lot...I'm drinking a lot of water!

Sometimes I feel like I'm improving, but then I regress. If I'm being honest, I don't feel like I've improved much in the last 10 days since I've been off.

I'm just looking for some advice as to how I can get myself back to normal, as I'm beginning to get a bit fed up, and I hate having to take so much time off work.

I also have a few more specific questions if anyone can help:

1) What is the difference between an MRI and CT scan?

2) Is there any significance in the fact I felt completely recovered but then relapsed 17-18 days later?

3) Would the fact I have tenderness still in my temple be cause the dazed and fatigue symptoms? Would it point to me not having recovered fully?

4) Is it normal to continue to experience these symptoms after 4 weeks? Is the fact that the site of impact was the temple of any concern?

I must admit I am also scared and worried - I've read about the fact these symptoms can continue for months, even over a year. I feel stressed and like I will never feel myself again - even though it is only 4 weeks.

Any advice is most welcome, and also if you need me to clarify anything then just ask. Thanks

Sorry, I can't find anyway to edit my post. I meant 'HE said I had post concussion', not 'I said.....'.

Hi
 

If you could put a space between every 5 lines it would be appreciated. With PCS our vision is disturbed so we can not read your post.We could help you out better if we could read it.:winky:

Hi there,

Until the more experienced people reply, I would recommend total quiet rest. No (or very minimal) tv, computers etc.

It is totally normal to feel like you are getting better then relapse. I struggled for two years before I found this forum. I found you can't struggle through the symptons as they only get worse or hang around.

Since making sure I have total rest and less stress have I felt better.

If you can space like MiaVita said it would help a lot as I only read a bit.

Thanks for your replies. I did realise that my post was hard to read, but unfortunately I can't seem to edit the post :-(

"You may post new threads
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You may not edit your posts"

Hi
as a new member you are still in moderation and so you cannot edit your posts....if you need a moderator to help with edits until you reach full membership status, just send us a PM or report the post stating in the comment what you need done.

So sorry about your accident. Soccer (football) has the second highest rate of concussion (American footlball is number one).

I will port more later but it is very normal. But horrible. Rest! Rest and more rest.
Take care.
M

Hopefully the post is easier to read now! Thankyou to the admin / moderator who edited it for me.

Rest is the main thing
 

You are still relatively early in the recovery process, so you need to do everything you can to lower your stress level and rest as much as possible. You do not want this hanging on for months or years, and the best way to avoid that is to rest now and rest completely. Only do things that make you feel relaxed and that are not physically, emotionally, or mentally strenuous.

Once you start feeling better, and that will happen, wait two weeks before ramping up activity levels. Meaning, don't go right back to the gym if you wake up feeling fine one day. Your body may not be ready for it. Once you do start doing more strenuous activities, only do them for small amounts of time as you build up stamina. This syndrome is not something you can push through. The more you push, the worse you will feel, and you will stop yourself from getting better!

You might also want to read the Vitamin sticky at the top of the board, and you should stop drinking caffeine if you haven't already. It's not good for the healing brain!

Good luck! Take care of yourself!

Yes rest
 

This is the mantra.....brain rest

No or very minimal screens, get some books on tape or listen to soothing music on the radio.

You will need to have a very boring life for awhile. Try to sleep as much as you can.

Check out the vitamin thread at the top of the page and that will give you good ideas for brain nutrition.

Be careful of working out -- don't do that now, try to get off of caffeine or limit it as much as you can. It isn't good for the healing brain, and neither is alcohol.

Unfortunately, there is no timeline for how long this lasts. Each brain injury is different. There is no way to hurry it up either.

I wish you the best in your recovery.

Poetrymom

Hello, Welcome, it is good to see your initial post formatted for better read-ability.

As told: Rest, Brain rest, and more rest.

Good you like water, its very important.

Screen time limitation > very important.

Vitamin / supplement link > very informative.

Brainline.org > very informative site for you, family , providers.

Difference between MRI and CT > both useful as ruling out sources of possible tissue injuries and bleeds. Also useful in finding changes if symptoms change later in your process, especially MRI, dependent on having a competent Neuroradiologist on service in the testing facility/hospital.

Some reasoning of CT vs MRI:

Brainsource.com

UCSF Imaging

NIH 2005

Your relapsing episodes are totally normal. I've relapsed more times than I can count on one hand. It's usually after something stressed me out or I pushed it too much.

Be careful about sleeping too much. My neuropsych specifically told me to NOT take naps and to go to bed and wake up and the same time everyday, including weekends. This is coming from doctors who treat concussions all day everyday. Of course that could have been specifically for me but its important to get your body on a constant sleep wake cycle.

Worrying about your symptoms does make them worse. At first I never knew If I'd feel like myself again. But then some days I do and it gives me encouragement. Indeed you need to live a boring life for a while, but this is the only thing to do if you want to recover as quickly as possible. Keep your diet clean, rest, reduce stress.

Does your work have the option to work half days? I'm currently working 4 hour days which is about all I can handle right now. I'm pretty fatigued by noon but I feel it is helping

Thankyou to everyone who has helped - I saw my doctor today to get a note off work. He said I should 'start to improve' soon and that most people recover within 2 weeks - both not very helpful pieces of information!

I have been using my laptop quite a lot in the 2 weeks I've been off so far - so I guess I'll try and not use it as it does seem to make my eyes hurt.

Is caffeine free tea and coffee ok? I do drink coffee and tea, but if I have to stop taking caffeine for a while then I guess I can do that.

I will check out the vitamins thread and see what I can do in that way!
Thanks again, I really appreciate this - it seems to me like a lot of doctors don't understand this. When I was back at A&E for the 2nd time the doctor there told me to 'just push through it'...I was feeling too awful to argue at how ridiculous that sounded!

I have a doctor's appointment next week with a doctor who I feel is more sympathetic and someone I could converse with more easily. Should I ask to be referred to anywhere more specific?

Tpont21 - Thanks for your reply. I just wonder if I could check something with you - there is the possibility of me working half days I think - but I work in IT so I'd be at a screen all day. Would this be good for me?

Also - other posts say to get plenty of rest during the day - would you suggest 'resting' rather than actually trying to sleep? I have plenty of audiobooks here.

Sadly, The "soon" statement is a panacea many docs use....its a sooth-all used to give hope..........no one really knows when you will recover, or "be better". Sorry, for that.

Caffeine is out. Stop it, until you are really really far along in actual recovery...then maybe reintroduce it very sparingly.

<- this is one of the most ridiculous statements any practitioner could make to a freshly brain injured person there is. Pushing it prior to clearance from actual practitioners experienced with Brain Injured patients and therapists who have spent time with you is not only dangerous but poor practice on his part.

Spend time with yourself, Rest, try to enjoy Quiet time.

Best Wishes..........:grouphug:

Thanks for the help again.

I already feel like I've made small progress after resting more (proper rest!). I have less headaches and pressure, and the massive fatigue I was experiencing seems to be lessened. My head also feels a bit clearer and less 'slowed down'.

I've got myself some decaf coffee, and am cutting down on tea to only 2 cups a day. I drink quite a lot of tea so to cut it out altogether straightaway would be tough!

Also - started following Mark's vitamin regimen. No alcohol for the forseeable future....I had cut down a lot over the last year anyway, so it's not that big a deal. The money I've saved and been able to spend on my car and computer is more rewarding!

The fact I've managed to improve for the first time in over a week has given me a bit of hope, and I felt great for a couple of hours...although I'm tired again now! I realise I could relapse - but it was nice to feel almost normal for a couple of hours - it's all about progress now...light at the end of the tunnel is visible.

Thankyou for the support, it really means a lot :-)

So, I do not mean to discourage you, but I just passed the 4 year mark since my first concussion in March, and the one year since my last concussion also in March. Every day I have headaches, I'm tired, I have trouble concentrating, noises and light is extremely bothersome to me.

I don't know if rest helps because I have never really rested. "Resting" makes me feel guilty like I'm too lazy and that I need to move and do things. Irritable is definitely part of my life, but I was a little that way before the accident so I don't know.

The regressing thing is normal, though 4 years in it still scares me. I get really scared that something is wrong that the docs just haven't found, but life goes on.

The basic difference for us PCSers is that the MRI takes a more detailed view of the tissue whereas the CT looks at the general picture. CT is to make sure that you are not bleeding on your brain, MRI looks to see if there is any slight visible damage. I have had 2 CT's and 2 MRI's and a doc wants me to get another MRI and according to those tests there is nothing wrong with me.

As far as getting back to normal I would just say you may never be normal again. You need to know that. You will try always to get back to "normal" but that word will eventually have a new meaning.

Second, as I get used to it I go in spurts. I will feel a lot better for a month and then there will be 3 weeks of pain and sickness. Then I will be good again for a month and a half and then a whole month of feeling a lot worse. Sometimes it has been 4 months pain and 2 months relief.

I got used to this a little and I learned how to do my work just leaning my head in my hand or shading my eyes. It helps with computers allot if I invert the colors so that it is mostly black. With the letters in a light color. Night time is the worst because I am coming down from ignoring my head all day.

I try to go hard for a month or two and then take a 3-4 day weekend to just relax and then go at it again. Usually I get really sick so my body demands the rest.

I know that the side of my head where I have been hit the most times is more sensitive to cold and pressure, so I don't think the temple being sensitive is too significant, though I would check with a neurologist.

My biggest advise is DO NOT GET A SECOND CONCUSSION!!!!!!!!!!!
Every time you get a concussion it heightens your likelihood of never recovering and it could also in extremely rare cases cause death. Just don't give in to your desire to watch that volleyball or soccer game and don't jump up and down, and don't go sledding, and don't dive into water, and don't do anything where there is the weirdest chance that you might hit your head again!!!!!!!

I hit my head first by falling off a horse, then by a volleyball getting kicked into my head, then standing up into a low hanging chandelier, then getting kicked in the head while waltzing, then sledding (this time I didn't hit my head the hard up and down of going over bumps gave me a concussion), then falling and hitting three things with my head on my way down, then getting kicked in the head with a soccer ball.

Just don't let it happen to you. I am 23 and since I was 19 I have not known a pain free day.

I wish you the best of luck! You are very likely to heal as long as you keep doing what you are doing.
Live Long and Prosper!
In Christ,
Margarite

PS: I know a lot of what docs say about concussions doesn't seem to pan out, but I have had 2 docs recommend drinking 3-4 cups of strong coffee a day. You never know :)