being mismanaged
 

I wanted to warn everyone that alot of people with Post concussion are being mismanaged. Wether it be an insurance/workmans comp issue or just lack of knowledge at the hands of a neurologist who doesn't specialize in pcs.

I have been fighting pcs for ten months. Every visit is the same thing. How you doing? How's your mood? Here's a med and make an appt.

I've been complying with MD orders and taking all the meds prescribed but unfortunately wmc decided they would stop paying on a med that you just cant stop. I started to become very tearful, sad and suicidal. This lead to big fear on my part so I weaned myself off another med in the same classification. I had been medicated for so long so I wanted a baseline to seperate the head injury from the psychological component.

Well this confused way of thinking (common with pcs) lead me into the emergency room wanting to die. I spent a week in a psych ward being pumped up on meds.

They told me I was severly depressed and ordered Depakote for impulsivitity, Alilify, Cymbalta, Clonazepam, Vicodin, and Fiorcet. Quite the cocktail. Prior to this my neurologist was prescribing but didn't want to. He thought a psychiatrist should. I agreed but since wmc wouldn't pay he did it.

Yesterday I met with my psychiatrist and he told me yes I was depressed (understandably) but he feels it's actually the head injury that is making me so impulsive. He thinks I've been totally mismanaged. He wants me into physical rehabilitation and cognitive therapy asap. He said that should have been done in the beginning. He says I'm a danger to myself and I cant drive at this time. Not what I wanted to hear.

So his task is to seperate the injury from the psychological component. I think he feels that my issues are long term but if we can get them under control that would be great.

My week inpatient was complete hell. I cant be around alot of noise and flourescent lights so yep you guessed it seven days of migranes, dizzyness, extreme fatigue.

I am having a side effect where my eye balls shimmy back and forth so they are keeping an eye on that. Cant drive and cant read with that going on.

I would advise anyone who is new to this group to get an atty immediately and if need be get a second opinion.

My best to all. I feel lost on this site and it's only been about nine days. lol

I am so happy you found an MD who is listening and seems to want to get to the bottom of this, instead of just medicating you. :hug:

I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles and 10 months of mismanagement. Thank you for the advice to others as well; it will save someone from what you have just endured. Just know there are people out here thinking of you and sending support your way, even if it is over the "InterWeb." Keep us posted. Feel free to vent/share your journey anytime...!
:grouphug:

I can relate to this on so many levels. I am three months post injury and it is the same with me and the nuerologist. Each appt he wants me to take a med and I refuse each time. I will not give wmc an opportunity to label me crazy. I have a head injury and should be getting cognitive therapy not drugsgs that they won't even pay for. Have you had a neuro psych eval yet?

I'm so glad you found a good psychiatrist!

I think of you often and hope your road to recovery gets easier.

Please keep us posted when you can. Much luck!! :hug:

Joy and friends thanks for your replys and good wishes. I had a neuropsych test done in October. What I didn't get done is the cognitive and physical rehabilitation that I needed. It was finally ordered in Feb. that's seven months after the injury. Now WMC is taking it's time authorizing it so I'm still waiting.
I was told the first six months are the most crucial when recovering from Post Concussion. It'll be a year in July.
It's so confusing and scary especially when you wean off the medications and realize that since your injury you have become dangerously impulsive. HUH? To be told you NEED meds and actually realize....YES you do. It makes you feel better. To reinvent how you live your life. Really? Yes really. I wont give up hope though. I am hoping my "broken filter" (is how it was put to me) will start to like flourescent lights and sensory stimula again.
Again thank you all for your support. :)

I'm not sure who told you that getting the therapy in the first six months is crucial - but remember there are a lot of differing opinions out there about the timing of therapies and recovering from such trauma.

I wasn't able to get any good speech therapy for more than a year after the accident I was in and it helped me a GREAT deal. So, try not to worry about it. Everyone's brain injury is different, and you might still benefit quite a bit from getting some good cognitive therapies.

And my brain's filtering system was totally broken until after I started receiving the speech therapy. Within the first couple of months, my brain started healing its filter! It was a HUGE leap in my own recovery and it happened over a year after the accident I was in. And my brain has healed its filtering system two more times noticeably since that first time... it's still not as good as it was before the accident, but I am functioning much better than I was before the first filter healing.

I feel that I am missing out on valuable therapy as well and just sitting stagnant and ignored by the system after a terrible accident. Not to mention my stress level has gone to a crazy level since workers comp cut off my TTD checks with no warning. I am so sorry to hear it took so long for the therapy authorization...were they at least paying you in the meantime?

I hope things move along better for you and at least you are getting the therapy you need now. Just please be careful with those drugs, they would rather make this about your mental state than your physical injury. Their lawyers are quick to call people crazy and try to not blame any of your issues on the concussion. :)

Thanks all. I have been getting my checks. Thank god. Im still Awaiting therapy. My neuro is the one who told me the first six months were crucial. I have a therapist and paychiatrist who charted its injury related. Im tired being on all this meds but I will. Im so tired and need to cut this short. Thanks all

Hi Crystal,
I have also been told recently by a Trauma Specialist that there is a critical window in which to start/treat cognitive issues, waiting to get it started can be very damaging in the long run.

Best Wishes.