Advice on a potential PCS symptom I can't seem to find anywhere or describe
 

7 weeks ago I face-planted from a standing position to the ice. I was wearing a helmet and full metal face cage. Other than my brain hurting like hell and a bloody inner lip, no other symptoms at the incident.

• 0-3rd week symptoms where all minor - head pains/aches, light sensitivity, spacey feeling, disconnected, tinnitus (rarely), "motion sickness" (see below)
  
• 4th-5th weeks I felt good. Returned to sports/ normal activity.
  
• 5th week-TODAY has been AWFUL for me.

The most debilitating symptom, that I can't efficiently describe, is I feel spacey/ spaced out/ out of body/ like I'm on medication. I feel like I've consumed 3 beers but WITHOUT the euphoria (******)...only the blah feeling remains. It's almost like motion sickness at rest...meaning just sitting at a computer and turning my head to the side makes me feel ill. Holding any of my 3 children, especially my infant, is a struggle as they wiggle, move, etc. It isn't a balance issue, I rarely feel dizzy, it's more of a "I just got off a rocky boat" type feeling, an overall ill feeling.

However, I can drive, ice skate, perform yard work, sleep like a champ, etc. I don't feel nauseous but am eating less.

I visited my DR for the third time last week and he noticed I had some inflammation/ stuffiness in my sinus area and suggested this might have re-irritated my concussion recovery/ symptoms. I have no reason to doubt him and I don't; but I just feel like it's an easy answer. 10 days into this "sinus inflammation" and I still feel ill.

Does this sound like a PCS symptom? Could the face-plant have caused inner-ear damage? Could this be a result of anxiety (no history of anxiety but this experience has been trying)?!
What type of symptom does this most sound like? Would a visit to an ENT be unreasonable?

I've been reading this forum for weeks now and have undertaken many of the recommendations for concussion recovery (thank to all who have made suggestions). I just feel like my situation is vastly different from many so I question if I even had a concussion or if this is some type of inner ear thing/ neck injury (I did face-plant without bracing myself).

qwerty02,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You said, "The most debilitating symptom, that I can't efficiently describe, is I feel spacey/ spaced out/ out of body/ like I'm on medication." This is a classic concussion symptoms. It is not uncommon for new symptoms to manifest 7 weeks after a concussion.

You would be wise to take it easy like you did right after your injury. I think you returned to too much activity. It is a good idea to wait a week or two after feeling better before adding old activities back to one's daily activities. Then, add those activities one at a time with a week wait before adding another activity.

Since you recovered so well already, taking it slow this time should serve you well.

btw, The slightest bit of an illness, cold, sinus infection etc. can make concussion symptoms come roaring back.

My best to you.

Mark, thanks for your reply. I've read many of your posts and find them very helpful.

I made an error in my post, the most debilitating symptom for me is the motion sickness at rest aspect of my post. It's almost like a sensory/movement piece of me isn't working so when I make a movement, I get this ill feeling. It's so incredibly frustrating to describe because it's caused by my own movements/ motion and NOT by external movement (ie driving a car). So to call it "motion sickness" isn't fully accurate. However, it doesn't affect my balance, so I'm hesitant to call it dizziness or vertigo. It's like sea sickness but only when I move from a resting position. Once I get going (ie doing yard work, ice skating, etc) I don't notice it anymore.
I'm just looking for that one keyword or phrase to accurately describe it.

The "spacey/ spaced out/ out of body/ like I'm on medication" feeling is definitely it's own symptom however it's manageable for me. I just tend to group it in with the other symptom from above when I probably shouldn't.

I think I understand your issue. I have had to be slow when getting up because a quick 'get up' can leave me tipsy. Some times, it is a low blood pressure issue but usually it is more live a motor control wobbliness. I chalk it up to a slow proprioceptive nerve response. These nerves communicate body and muscle position. If I have been still, it takes a moment for them to catch up. For me, It means I need to get up in two steps. First, I move forward to where my weight is ready to be picked up by my legs. After a couple second pause, it's like my muscles say, " Oh, we're on the move. Wake up and pay attention."

I developed this symptom after having orthopedic surgery with general anesthesia. For me, it has improved but never gone away completely.

I hope this helps and relates to your struggle.

My best to you.

Mark, do you think a visit to an ENT would be wise? Is Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy something that could perhaps assist in this area?

I truly do hope this "cold" is to blame but I'm about 14 days into it and I don't feel much of a cold sickness anymore however the motion sickness/ ill feeling is going strong. Extremely frustrating. :confused:

Vestibular therapy may help or maybe the Epley Maneuver will help. You can see YouTube videos of the Epley Maneuver and have a friend help you follow the steps. A therapist may be better if the do it yourself Epley does not work.

I know what you mean
 

Qwerty02 I too experience the "spacey" kind of disconnected feeling you describe. I am new to this site and this will be my second post. My concussion symptoms have come from several diagnosed concussion in the past two years, the worst concussion coming from a hockey hit I suffered playing in goal. This happened in January of this year and it took me a while to return to a somewhat normal activity level. I had gotten to the point where the lingering symptoms of poor balance, memory issues and sensitivity to noise were almost tolerable with certain modifications I made to my daily activity. Then I hit my head on a door and the symptoms immediately increased. The impact test showed I suffered another concussion and this time my reaction time was so bad my doctor restricted me from driving. I has been about three weeks and things are improving slowly but I am still unable to drive. The one constant in this whole experience is the feeling you describe of being "spacey". I have learned that I need to listen to the doctor and follow his instructions closely. In January I tried to push myself too fast to get better and it caused my recovery to be delayed. I believe I will get better it just might take a little longer than I would like. Just take your time, don't push yourself and listen to your doctor. The extra week or two you take it easy will pay off in the end with a better recovery, trust me.

Querty, I have a similar situation where I feel like I'm going to fall over, sick to my stomach, and woozy... UNLESS I am moving. Once I am moving -- at a pretty brisk pace -- I am fine. People remark that I'm one of the most active and "driven" people they know, but what they don't realize is that if I'm not moving at a brisk clip and keeping busy and active, I feel like crap.

So, I just keep busy.

The one thing I do need to be careful of, is that I don't overdo it and make it even worse when I stop. Last weekend, I was in the middle of a whirlwind yard cleanup project -- really making good progress, faster than usual, and feeling great -- then I stopped to catch my breath and felt like I was going to pass out. Falling and hitting my head is not worth it to me, so I took a break, drank some water, and caught my breath. Then I went back to work at a more leisurely pace.

You're the first person (other than me) I've ever heard describe feeling this way. It's very odd. So long as I'm active and engaged -- actually doing something -- I feel pretty good. It's when I stop that I feel terrible.

Oh well... I guess that's what keeps my life interesting...

The problem for me is I work in an office and in front of a computer. Plus, I have 3 small children.

It's during these times, which encompass 75% of my day, where I have the most difficulties.

I've trying describing it to my Dr. and it's just impossible. It feels like a motion sensor is broken inside me. So while the rest of my body is reporting accurately, this one sensor is telling my brain inaccurate information. It's not inaccurate enough to affect my balance or prevent me from being active but it IS inaccurate enough to me make feel ill when I'm just walking around the house.

Check out BPPV or nystagmus....as the relate to brain injury. I have what you describe...it gets better with time and therapy

Same
 

I have the same symptoms. I have had them for 14 months to varying degrees. Today it's bad. I feel as if my brain can't understand the movements of my eyes or body.
One doc explained that my brain wasn't receiving accurate messages. Sometime I feel like my brain is just off by a second in picking up info. Someone else explained it like my gps system wasn't working. Lots of my problems are related to eye issues.
Su