Dealing With Head Trauma & PCS
 

I am hoping that the help of this forum can shed some light on what I have been feeling. This is my first time posting. I am a 28 year old male.

About two weeks ago after a night of going out with friends I drank a few beers, nothing liquor related and headed home with my girlfriend. In the middle of using the restroom I began to feel very shaky and dizzy. I woke up to my girlfriend crying over me and I had no idea what happened. She told me I hit my head on her bathroom sink and passed out. She also told me that I was shaking a little bit immediatly after the fall. I felt the back of my head and there was a very sore spot and a large lump. I was not bleeding.

I got up and she and I talked. I fell alseep a little later with her checking on me constantly and had no problems. A few days later the PCS symptoms began to come into play. I was dizzy, felt sick, had trouble walking, uninterested in doing anything and felt hot.

Again, since this was a few weeks ago some things have really changed. Besides giving up drinking and taking better care of my body in general i have not felt sick in weeks and i have never thrown up even though i felt like i might. I hate my job and it is stressful and because of that my symptoms increase 10X only at work. when Im at home, in bed or out having fun I almost feel 100% normal.

The worst symptom for me is feeling warm and hot. I have done a little research and have found that "hot flashes" can and do occur, but for me they are the main source of my trauma. If I really push myself (I like to exercise and play music as well) i get hot after a few minutes and have to completely stop. Has anyone experienced this?

This is by far the worst injury of my life but I thank God that I havent lost my memory or ability to be a human being. I can write, I can speak and I can eat and I am forever thankful for that.

I am only looking for advice and comfort. I have done research and it seems that I have some common symptoms but not others.,

My current symptoms:
Feeling warm, off balance on occasion, blurry vision in one eye some times.

My past symptoms:
Feeling sick, sleepless nights

Symptoms I have never had:
Loss of memory, throwing up, headaches.

Thank you.

There are some hormonal imbalances and thyroid or other metabolic dysfunctions that can cause your hot flashes. If they continue, you may want to get some blood work done.

Thyroid, blood glucose, and the other hormones plus B-12 and folate are a good start. A fasting glucose test would be worthwhile.

My glucose can cycle wildly from time to time. With it comes hot flashes and moodiness. I have been experiencing this wild cycling the past two weeks for the first time in a long while. Likely caused by a screw-up with my meds from three weeks ago.

Thank you Mark. Could this trauma later develop into diabetes? I dont know if that is a dumb question or not. But, I notice you mention glucose and it got me worried that this could develop into a life threatening disease.

I am going to try and answer this question, because I have some experience and training in the subject.

There is a separate system in the brain, that involves insulin.
That area cannot be tested yet at this time, with a blood test.

A blood test will show the rest of the body however.
Sometimes fasting insulins are elevated (as well as fasting glucose), but the person is not severely diabetic yet. A better test is the HbA1C which shows trends of 3 months or so. If you HbA1C is below six, you are in a good place. At 7 and above that is worrisome. In between you would be considered "borderline" and need to watch diet more closely.

The failure of the cells in the brain to produce insulin (yes they are separate from the pancreas), can happen. This is called Type 3 diabetes,now, and is thought to be connected to PD, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

This is an article about it:
http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/ind...rticle&id=2582

Extremely low blood sugars are also problematic because the brain really needs glucose to function properly.
Low blood sugars can precede diabetes, and they are called insulin resistance. Very low blood sugars are serious where the brain is concerned.

Today we still don't have much knowledge about the brain--and the internal production of insulin, however. It is still a new finding.

so this could very well develop into diabetes?

I don't think anyone can truly answer that yet.

I just wanted to show you that the two systems are SEPARATE.

If you test as diabetic with a glucometer, that will not tell what is happening in the brain as well.

I have not seen work or papers yet on brain injury and type 3 diabetes (in the brain only ).

Anyone can develop regular type 2 diabetes anytime, and even when at a younger age now. Some teens who are very overweight or obese are developing it. So really, eating well and avoiding sugar and lots of starchy carbs may level blood sugars out so they do not go very low or very high. The Zone diet is one that does this. You can look it up on the net or read Dr. Sears' books.

Eating or drinking sugar sets up a cycle of rapid blood sugar spike followed within an hour of a rapid fall and low, which is perceived by the body as anxiety, sweating, shakiness and muscle twitches. By eating slow carbs, and protein in better ratios, these swings can be avoided, and you feel better.
Sugared drinks and juices are to be avoided. Candy, etc.
Slow carbs are beans, legumes, nuts, pasta, carrots, and some fruit with lots fiber...whole oranges, peaches, berries.

Thank you Mrs D. My Dr. appointment is Monday

I still experience the "hot flashes" and also am completely sidelined when it happens. I agree that hormones and glucose are great places to look at.

I have noticed that if I am not getting enough liquids, this is intensified. So my first question is are you staying hydrated enough? I know when I don't and then do something small to exert myself, like a short walk, I am completely grounded for the next few hours with an ice pack on my neck.

Secondly, I left my first neurologist because he tried to tell me that there was no way that "hot flashes" could be related to my head injury and that it was "all in my head." However, I've been very fortunate to find a great team of drs who have really improved my treatment. One of them also told me that a concussion can create changes in blood flow to the brain. When certain areas experience this change in blood flow, it can result in this feeling.

Not sure if this is the case with you, but it's just a thought.

Believe me, this symptom can be one of the hardest to deal with because for me it immediately makes me feel like I'm going to pass out and I'm stuck laying on the floor for the next few hours with an ice pack on my neck.

Wishing you healing!

SmilinEyes... Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me and answer my questions. I am glad that I am not alone with this particular symptom. I guess it depends on the person and exactly where they bump their head. I can deal with the headaches and the being off balance at certain times. However, these hot flashes are odd to me as they only exist when I really push myself, like walking for a long period of time or when
I play music (I play the drums, which Im sure is not helpful for recovery) When I am in bed quietly watching a movie the flashes do not occur and you would think I am 100% normal. I do keep myself very hydrated as blood work from when I was little showed abnormal hemoglobin and hematacryte (forgive me for the spelling) I will say the hot flashes are anything but "in your head". I played the drums last night for about ten minutes and sweat began to race down my arm, something not even a magician can fake. And the sweating is different than normal sweating, it almost feels like a flu sweat if that makes any sense. Again, thank you for your response.