post concussion
 

Three weeks ago I slammed my head into a cabinet as I was picking something up on the floor (I do not have a memory of the event...my family told me about it). I went to the er and was told I have a mild concussion. I am still having severe headaches, just like I did when the incident first happened. I have a huge, hard bump on my head that hurts when touched and creates pain around my the top of my eye socket and toward the temple. The bump is on the right side of my forehead, near my hairline. I still feel nauseated, dizzy, depressed, foggy, cranky and I weep all the time. I have an appointment on the 30th, but I am concerned about my symptoms. Is how I am feeling normal or do I need to be concerned?

Welcome to NeuroTalk Corki! :Wave-Hello:

I'm so sorry about your injury but I'm glad you found us!

I hope you'll heal and the symptoms will eventually subside.

Hi Corki,

I had a lot of those symptoms after my concussion as well, so I don't think it is at all uncommon for you to experience those symptoms. It was very upsetting and frightening for me because I didn't know what was happening to me and I feared it might get worse. I had a lot of tingling and numbness in my hands and feet in addition to the symptoms you mentioned. And, sometimes I struggled to breathe in the beginning.

The first few months were the worst, but slowly I am seeing some significant improvement. It took almost nine months for many of those symptoms to resolve, but I still have a ways to go before I'm back to my old self. I'm getting more encouraged as time passes.

For me, it helped to put my recovery in God's hands and trust that He will heal me in time. I had to surrender my fears to Him daily and keep my thoughts on healing. I learned to be more patient with myself and to reach out to others for support and understanding. I'm still a work in progress, but now I have hope again. :)

I pray that you will find new hope, healing, and recovery soon. :)

Don

Hi Corki and welcome to NT!

I'm sorry about your injury. All of the symptoms you are describing are "normal" for a brain injury patient.

Your injury occurred recently and there is every hope that you will make a good recovery. However, I must caution you that there is nothing "mild" about a brain injury - and, frankly, it is not a good sign that you don't remember the accident. Many doctors are not well-versed in concussion, so I would urge you to educate yourself so that you get the best treatment possible.

During the healing process, it's important not to do anything that might hinder your progress. Rest and good diet are essential. It's also important to stay away from alcohol. I have no doubt that members more knowledgeable than I will chime in with good advice on supplements and treatment options.

Understanding PCS is an important step in recovering from it. Some excellent sources for further reading include: the Brain Injury Association of America www.biausa.org; www.tbiguide.com and our own TBI forum here on NT http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html If reading gives you headaches, there are a number of excellent TBI videos on You Tube. (Who knew it wasn’t just idiots surfing on cars?)

Do not take comfort in a "clear" MRI or CAT Scan. Standard MRIs and CAT scans cannot detect damage to the millions of tiny axons that control the brain. People who are obviously cognitively compromised often test "clear." If your symptoms persist, you should have a neuro-psychological examination to determine how your brain is actually functioning.

I hope I'm not scaring you: I just want to make you understand that there are treatments available, but you will have to be prepared to be your own advocate. People have made incredible recoveries from brain injury. For example, a woman who got a serious TBI from a fall in her teens is now a neurologist in Canada. Never give up!

Cheers

Hi Corki,

THe majority of people who suffer a concussion completely recover in 6 months. So as others have suggested, rest, a good diet, low levels of stress and plenty of water and sleep are the best things for you to do right now. If you are working or going to school, you should probably take a month off just to rest and return to action slowly.

If after 6-9 monhts you don't recover, then you need to intervene with therapies. Some therapies you could try are neurofeedback and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. You could also look into vision therapy if you have residual vision problems. However, if you have the money and time, you could also start these right away.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Hi Corki,

I'm sorry you have had this injury, but I'm glad you found this group. It has been very helpful for me to be a part of it. I had my injury 6 months ago, and am still experiencing the symptoms I had from the beginning.

The good part about it is that I'm managing my symptoms better, and learning more about what's going on with me. This gives me a greater sense of peace and I can give my brain a rest from all the stress and worry.

Keep learning about what's going on with you. I hope you will not have a prolonged post concussion syndrome. Hopefully with some rest and healing, you'll be better soon.

I hope your appointment on the 30th goes well, and I hope that you are meeting with a neurologist that has knowledge of brain injuries. Good luck!

Hi, one of the best things about finding this site is that you realise that there are others experincing the same as you.

The best thing that you can do is rest. I didn't at the beginning and I think that is the reason why my symptons are still with me 8 years on. I simply did not understand that while I was fighting the symptons for so long I was making things worse for myself. Dorothy Gronwall kept talking to me about "waiting to get better" - I never knew what she meant until after she had died. I don't think I was rational enough to understand!

My MRI and CT scan did not show anything. The only test which showed was the QEEG.

Has your eye socket been checked out - the sound of that does concern me. Perhaps you should go back and have that looked at.


Good luck
Lynlee

When reading the posts on this website, I feel like I was "robbed" of my recovery. My neurologist never really listened to me and never once told me the things I should/shouldn't be doing. After my fall, I went right back to work because I didn't have enough sick time to stay home. I used to take 1/2 hour naps at lunch time just to get through the rest of the day. So, I never did get the rest that I should have nor was I told not to work or given any kind of "release of work" memo for work. I was offered this after 4 months of severe headaches by my family doc. I just couldn't take that time off and not be paid my full amount. I'm just wondering if my first neuro doc would have given me some suggestions instead of pushing me out the door if I wouldn't be "healed" by now. Twelve months out and I am still having headaches daily and more so when working out. I know it is a no-brainer to not work out, but can become depressed without it. I feel that if I would have had the neuro doc that I have today, things may have been different. I also think that because the hospital is at fault for my fall that the first neuro doc did not want to acknowledge my PCS. She never admitted that I had it even though I fell off a gurney in the ER onto the floor. I am lucky that me husband is understanding of the situation and will stick by me. Otherwise, life would really suck.

Thank you for your reply. No your information did not scare me; it's always best to be fully informed even if it's not what we want to hear. I saw my GP and he just write up a referral to a neurologist who I will see on January 20th. The scariest part is the painful bump on my forehead that has not gone away (the accident was on 11/15) which hurts everyday and nothing works to reduce the pain. Unfortunately I was born with ITP (low blood platelets) so I cannot take NSAIDS. I've been taking fiorecet, which I normally take for my "regular" migraines, but it does not do anything for the headaches I have been having since the concussion.

Thank you for your reply. I am seeing a neurologist on 1/20. I wish that I had more time to rest. I am a high school teacher and have a 2nd job tutoring 2 hours a day, 4 days a week. I take naps every Friday and Sunday. My biggest concern is still having a painful bump on my forehead since the accident. I feel as if I have pressure starting at the bump which goes all the way to the back of the head.