Anyone afraid of developing CTE?
 

As an ex-football player and have had as many as 12 concussions, I am. After a severe concussion in 2006 where I was out for several minutes. I was not wearing a helmet and ran head first into another Guy after which the back of my head slammed down on a gym floor
Symptoms include : memory impairment, emotional instability, erratic behavior, severe depression, loss of attention, dizziness, headaches, sensitivity to light and noise, difficulty swallowing, suicidal thoughts, clumsiness, difficulty processing, blank stares...

Seems like every month another football player commits suicide and is found to have had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) which is a buildup of the protein Tau in the brain caused by repeated head trauma.
I have lost a couple of jobs I'm the last few years, forgotten how to drive home and even couldn't remember my son's name, which really crushed me

Hi and welcome to Neurotalk.

Sorry to hear of your difficulties, your symptoms certainly sound consistent with PCS. Are you currently under medical care for these symptoms? Suicidal ideation in particular needs to be addressed immediately.

Rather than worrying too much about whether you have CTE I’d suggest seeking treatment for the cognitive and emotional struggles you are experiencing. After my injury, specific focused therapies with occupational and speech therapists worked wonders. There may be medication that will help your mood disorders. Below is the link to the Brain Injury Association of Indiana, you may find useful resources there. Best to you.

http://www.biai.org/

As someone who has been disabled by Multiple Concussion Syndrome since 2001, I understand your concern. I choose to not worry about if and when I may develop CTE. Instead, I focus on current efforts to keep my brain as healthy as possible. I watched by father deteriorate from Chronic Ischemic Dementia. His progression was very slow until his last three years. He was driving until that period. He was limited in his driving but did not let on since he did most of his driving solo.

I had not read that CTE was caused by a build up of tau protein plaques. I just understood it to be identified by the severe atrophy of the brain mass. The loss of brain mass is imageable by MRI.

I frequently struggle to get names of family to arrive at my lips. I don't let it bother me. By accepting it as what it is, my stress level stays low and I can continue on. I understand how frustrating it can be to look at a family member and have to 'stop to think' to recall their name.

My father had no recollection of our names for his last two years and struggles with our names for many more. He kept a card with our names on it handy. In later days, we would have to announce ourselves by name. He would then be able to remember our names for the duration of our visit. He was ambulatory until his last two months such that he was at the gym until February. He was communicative until early April. He passed on May 10, 2006 at 78.

I have observed others with the same slow decline until a very fast decline the last 6 months.

An important thing I have learned by observing my father is quite simple. As soon as you start noticing even an infrequent dysfunction, learn as many work-arounds and accommodations for that and similar dysfunctions as possible. The key point is that as your brain deteriorates, it loses its ability to learn new skills and habits. My father learned to use lists long before he could only function with lists. He has this habit so well trained into his behaviors that he was able to use these skills up to his last two months.

A similar issues is with mobility. If one stumble or struggles with balance and such to walk, learn to use a walker as soon as possible. Developing the motor skills to maneuver a walker early makes it so one can use a walker long after the ability to learn motor skills is lost.

I never learned to use lists because I had a photographic memory until my Jan 16, 2001 injury. When I tried to use list as taught and instructed by OT's, I could not remember to write things down. I still try to use lists but often forget the idea before I find my pen or pencil. Or, I forget to even consider writing it down.

Please feel free to post your struggles. Plenty of people have work-arounds and accommodations to help with those struggles.

We are all here for you.

My best to you.

Thanks for replies. Oral meds for depression don't work for me because of the concussions. I am on Emsam patch and gabepetin or something like that. Go to counseling and it doesn't help. I know I shouldn't be driving but I can't give that up. Ram a stop sign a couple of weeks ago with two of my kids and someone else's child I'm the vehicle. Really scared me
Try not to drive with my kids unless I have to but it is unavoidable
They know not to distract me.

Another thing scaring me is the impulsivity and bad decision making. My wife is really struggling with all this and it is putting a tremendous strain on our marriage and of course our sexual relationship. Which leads to my next problem
I AM dedicated Christian family man and would not have an affair. They very thought sickens me. Yet. I have twice now had very inappropriate sexual conversations with women online. I have since deleted all applications leading to these acquaintances
I am sickened by doing this racked with guilt. I would have never done this in years past. I have read where head trauma can lead to this type of behavior. Not looking for excuses. I know I am accountable for my actions. I have five children at home ages 5-16 and adore them. My behavior would crush them
I am very distraught. Have thought about separation so the kids don't have to listen
to their mom get after me. Have often just wanted to get in thr car and leave, just drive
for a couple days. Even called my brother and told him I might do that and if I did not to worry. I would return.

response to oldschool...
 

I hope you get this message. I am having trouble responding but if you do I want you to know that i understand how you feel and believe my own son maybe going through it too. Idk at this point how I can help him but I want to and will do anything for him and just maybe in the process I can help you too or we can help each other.

Poor impulse control, including lack of sexual inhibition, is quite common after brain injury. It speaks to damage in the frontal lobe, the area that controls our executive functions.

I would encourage you to go back to a psychologist. Don't be soured by your first experience. You do need to shop around to find one who understands your injuries. In the end, I opted for a forensic psychologist. She works with criminals - where TBI patients are grossly overrepresented - and really helped me, without drugs, with my emotional outbursts, etc...

Have you contacted the Brain Injury Association of American www.biausa.org ? They can help you find qualified clinicians and offer support to your family. Your wife and son need help, too.

You sound like a very decent person. I hope your faith can guide you to seek the medical attention you need.

blunttoni33,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You have found a good place. This thread has not been active since 2012. oldschool has not been around for about the same time.

Please introduce yourself and tell us how we can help.

My best to you.

hey bluntonni - I am a 48 yo former usa athlete with I beleive 13 dcumented concussions as well as 2 tbis. I am quite certain I have cte...and have been dealing with the issues that accompany it for a while now. It is horribly frightening, frustrating, and lonely. my marrige of 17 years has ended due to it

I hope you post here b/c I would like to help/hear some of his symptons


my worst/most frustrating ones

get lost
loud places i get horribly disoriented/dizzy
finding words for things
night terrors
insomnia
impulse control

Thanks, Mark. I should learn to check the dates on the original posts.

Hi my name is Rick
I too believe I have chronic traumatic encephalopathy I have had probably 40 concussions from a 6 month old baby to a workplace injury last year. Football hockey karate car accidents etc. I am 47 now the symptoms are to numerous to list. I am participating in the legend study and brain bank at the u of Boston. I want to start a foundation for more research. Will try and check back later take care all.