Post Concussion 3 Years on. HELP!
 

Hi All,

I've read these forums for years but this is my first post.

I will start from the beginning. In short I was on a night out just over 3 years ago when after a few drinks I was carrying on and ended up being accidently pushed. I fell head first into a concrete floor. I wasn't knocked out but my head felt like it had been hit by a truck. I didn't think that much more off it and continued drinking.

The next day I was bed ridden for the whole day like it was the worst hangover of my life. I only got out of bed once and was nearly sick so quickly lay back down. I went to work that week and I managed to struggle though the first few days thinking I had the flu. I didn't want to phone in sick as there was a works party at the end of the week but in the end it got too much and I ended up being sent home on the Thursday with a terrible headache. I went to doctors, followed by A and E but was told they could not justify a scan and it would go away in a few weeks

It was then I finally realised it wasn't flu but was related to my head injury. Since that night my life has changed forever. I've went from a happy, fit, healthy, ambitious person to someone who is constantly depressed, very unhealthy and trapped in a job I can barely keep my head above water in.

I have tired everything I can think of to get better, you name it I've tried it. I have tried Vitamins, anti depressants, meditation, graded exercise, counselling, NUCCA (spent thousands of pounds), Bowen, hypnosis, healthy eating, no alcohol, had pituitary tests, brain scans, been to chronic fatigue specialists and nothing has helped.

I am now at the point where I almost don't have the energy and fight left in me anymore.

My main symptoms are lethargy, foggy thinking, mood swings, headaches, dizziness, irritability and a general feeling of being unwell. Much like a cold or flu.

There are times, for a few days that I feel ok but my life has been limited in so many ways. I cannot do any exercise other than walking or I can barely get out of bed in the morning. I also struggle to be out in the sun and find it extremely difficult to work in the winter months in a warm office.

Although I have had many theories over the years I have pinpointed the problem to one area and it is heat. When I am unwell the same things happen. My face is red, bright red, I can taste blood in my mouth at times, my eyes are puffy, I have a dull headache and nose is blocked. Almost like a cold. And one thing is always present I have been or am hot. Even after taking a cold shower which does help I am still bright red and it can take days or weeks for it to settle down. The worst symptoms are definitely after lifting weights, which I don't do anymore.

I guess my question is has anyone got any idea of the problem or suffered anything similar? I am at the end of my tether and at times have been as low as contemplating suicide. It feels like my whole life has been stolen away from me at such a young age and I just don't feel like I can accept that I will be like this forever.

Any advice or knowledge would be much appreciated. I am aware there are people out there a lot worse but sometimes I am in a bubble where I think why me?

Dean

Dean,

Welcome to first time posting.

You say you have had your pituitary tested but was that when you were doing good ? Hormone tests can have an up and down result.

How is your sleep quality vs quantity ?

I'm assuming you are in the UK. Have you been seen at the brain clinic, headway or something like that ?

Deano

Your problems sound so similar to mine. I had such problems with the sun and heat this summer (and I was a farmer and a surfer before my injury). Now it is cold and I get super hot at night just laying under blankets even without the heat up high. It is affecting my sleep too much now. It makes me lightheaded and dizzy and sometimes even panicky.

I, like you have, tried a lot of things. I just had my hormones tested by a hormone specialist and am starting the treatment. I am hoping that it will help with some of this. Acupuncture also helped me for a while, I am thinking about starting that up again. Have you tried acupuncture?

How long did you try the NUCCA chiro? I tried it for a while but maybe didn't do it for long enough.

Thank you for sharing and I'm sorry I don't have more answers. You are not alone.

I wonder whether taking a month off completely is possible for you. I'm thinking if you had a period of total rest, no weights or aerobic activity, just walking as exercise and lots of sleep it might help, it sounds like your body is struggling to cope physically. I can identify with the restricted sinuses and puffy eyes at night. Take one day at a time and don't be too hard on yourself, try and find something to look forward to however trivial, keeping a positive mind is hard but is a weapon in dealing with this.