Improvement after hormone therapy
 

I was blood tested as hormone deficient a month ago. Since then, I have started a therapy of DHEA and testosterone. After about two weeks of this therapy, I have started to fall asleep better, sleep better with fewer seizure/body jerks during sleep, have normal dreams and wake up more refreshed.

I don't recommend anybody just try this by themselves. A blood test can point the direction. My testosterone was within normal but at the low end of the normal scale. My DHEA was also at the low end. Most doctors would have not treated these low but normal levels.

The difference to me has been remarkable. I hope others with insomnia or other sleep issues find this helpful.

Has anybody else tried this?

Interesting. Have you noticed any problems with aggression since you started the therapy? My frontal lobe is so damaged that I have real trouble keeping my temper and impulses in check.

Anyway, I'm so glad to hear that you're getting some positive results. Keep us posted. :)

No, I have not noticed any aggression. I tend to over-react before the testosterone so I would expect to need to maintain the same levels of efforts to avoid aggression triggers.

I found to really helped to have someone else observe my behavior so that I could have assistance in getting reigned in. After a while of accepting my wife's observations and help, I became more apt to notice when my trigger was being pulled. Now, I am more in tune to exit the situation before an outburst.

I carry a slip of paper in my wallet for the time when I must negotiate a probable trigger. The noise and shouting at the TSA checkpoint at the airport can be a trigger.

My wallet note says,
Please be patient. I suffer from a brain injury that causes me to over-react when confronted with shouting or someone barking orders. I respond by getting loud. Any assistance to help limit excessive auditory stimulation is helpful.

I have learned that it is best to hand this note to the person. That way, they will actually read it. If I show it to them, they do not read completely.

I have been denied boarding once and almost denied two other times. An overly aggressive TSA agent got a bit too aggressive and 'personal' with a body pat down and my negative response got me denied boarding. Now, I refuse body pat downs. Instead I offer to go behind the privacy screen and disrobe and let them check my pants and shirt.

This almost got me denied boarding until a police officer decided to take me up on my offer. He took me behind the privacy screen and everything checked out OK. He has to overrule the TSA agent who still wanted to deny me boarding. My composure behind the privacy screen convinced him of my cooperation.

Another time, I was being shouted at by two different TSA agents at the same time. I responded loudly, "What do you want." The cop that showed up got very belligerent until I quietly said, "If you are trying to calm things down, you might try lowering your voice."

I am hoping to discuss these issues with a police chief who is concerned about his officers over-reacting to the many local veterans who have suffered brain injuries in Iraq. One vet almost got shot by over-reacting cops. Only his well honed skills at avoiding fire saved his life.

Maybe this should be a specific thread. I know of too many PCS/mTBI's who have had difficulties with police.

The common problem as I understand it is called "adrenal cortical hyperfunction." It is common to PCS/mTBI. We kick into 'fight or flight' very easily.

This same police interaction/over-reaction got too many PCS/mTBI's and vets killed in San Jose, where I used to live.

Yes Mark, this should be a specific thread.

As our injuries are largely invisible, people tend not to cut us any slack when we're struggling. They just look at us like we're jerks or adult "spoiled brats."

When I get frustrated, I can mutter at length over the object of my frustration. When this happens in public, I get dirty looks and helpful comments like "control yourself" and "grow up" - even after I say sorry and explain that I'm brain injured and I'm doing the best that I can. If I was in a wheelchair folks might help me with the problem (be it an item too far back on a shelf or a tricky turnstile) and say how it's too bad that the store or whatever isn't more aware of the needs of the disabled.

I've even been bumped with a cart for taking too long picking out a can of coffee. I don't know about the rest of you, but I can shop if I go to the store with a specific list. However, if they don't have the item I want, it takes me ages to decide on a substitute. Clearly, I must look confused because instead of just saying "excuse me," the occasional clod has to stare at me at length, hit my legs with his cart and call me a "freak" (sometimes in front of my young child).

I was never a person who wanted to draw attention to themselves in public. When these things happen, I get so depressed that I just want to curl up and die. It's not easy keeping any sense of self-worth when you're trying to navigate the world with the cognitive and speech deficits inflicted by a brain injury.

Telling people you're brain injured doesn't seem to help much. When they hear "brain" as opposed to "spine" or "leg," they assume our "choice" to act abnormally is a failure of will or character. I suppose it's the same sort of insensitivity faced by our friends dealing with "mental" health issues.

I like your idea of carrying a card explaining the brain injury. Maybe that way people wouldn’t think it was an “excuse” I’d just dreamed up to cover my aberrant behavior? I’d like to hear other’s coping strategies, too?

Cheers