New Here - Just Need to Vent a Bit
 

I'm a Freshman in college and my concussion symptoms are extremely frustrating. Being a wrestler, I've had multiple concussions. In the sport it's inevitable you will hit your head. I guess if I'd have to put a number on it I'd say I've had at least 5 concussions, all stage two or less. The symptoms normally went away in a couple weeks or so max. This last one was different, I came back to my high school and was working a tournament. There were mats around and I was feeling good so I decided to wrestle around with some fellow alumni.

I took a shot (attempted a take down) and my head with great velocity hit someone's knee. I instantly felt a great pain and walked over to my brother. I started to have numbness on the left side of my body, then in my right eye everything turned basically into slow motion. As the numbness crept up my body I was unable to speak, I was scared and frustrated. I went out into the hallway and got some water, I felt like I was having a stroke. I sat down and avoided people for 30 minutes. My thought processes came back and I was able to speak coherently again. I just had an insane headache which wasn't abnormal, because I just took a 215lb guys knee to my head.

The symptoms decreased to essentially nothing, I went and practiced with the team. I wrestled notably well, I then a few days later went to the gym. I started getting dizzy and feeling spaced out, I just kept working through it. I drove home and knew something was wrong, I got in the shower and I didn't stay in there for more than 30 seconds. I was panicking because my head felt so weird. I went to the ER when the symptoms worsened. They took a CT scan to check for bleeding, they said there was no acute damage. I was prescribed Ibuprofen and was told to follow up at a concussion clinic I had gone to previously.

I was on bed rest for a week until I went to the clinic. They claimed I had damage to vestibular senses or "inner-ear" problems. Which was why I experienced all my symptoms, I was on bed-rest for about 1 month total. I came back to college, I'm two weeks out and I can tell things that seemed simple and easy are now complex and frustrating. I have these really bad headaches, well, migraines and my head just feels swollen. I have short term memory problems and it's scary. I can tell my symptoms are getting better, but there is no way I feel normal.

My main symptoms consist of numbness or tingling on my head, neck stiffness, vision problems (things seem kind of like they're floating), migraine aura, sensitivity to light/sound, and just a spacey feeling.

I guess I feel depressed and impatient. The main thing that is bothering me is that I have never had symptoms this bad from a concussion, or for this amount of time...

Any input would be nice.

Sorry you are going thru this. Venting is OK a and IMO is a better outlet than dumping that anger on a loved one. My opinion you are a candidate for pcs but that diagnosis usually come about six weeks after a concussion. I have heard about the demands of wrestlers physically. To me those demands are extreme. My advice find the most competent dr you can. They are definitely not all equal!

Get referrals from friends or family you trust. A poor Dr can really frustrate you and your recovery. A good Dr will make all the difference. Personally I do not think much of most concussion clinics. Concussion as an injury is not well defined or understood by the medical industry. You may want to explore the recent findings on CTE and it's effects. You are young and have alot of years ahead of you. Do not compromise them needlessly.

From your description of the injury you may need PT and therapy for your neck. Some injuries can cause the neck muscles to spasm and clench up. They will not relax to their normal state and can cause a constant headache. Any benzos for muscle relaxation can cause a rebound headache just making you tense up even more. While information is a good thing and some of the best advice I ever got came right here. Nothing is going to replace a good Dr on your side. Any therapy and treatment for concussion or pcs will need a Dr to oversee.

The poster above has great advice. I'm still searching for a doctor who will help.

I'm far too new in my recovery to have any advice but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry this happened to you. I can feel your frustration, and justified worries. You are very articulate in your post.

This is a good place to seek understanding for yourself and from others who've been there, or are still there.

Browse around and I'm sure you'll find some info that clicks. Even just feeling less alone helps. You're in good company. :hug:

Thanks for the support. I forgot to add I saw a neurologist, he told me that he wouldn't prescribe me anything because it would just slow the healing process. He just advised I spread all my schoolwork out and didn't do anything physical for a while if it worsens my symptoms. That makes sense, I guess I'm still worried. I've been feeling better at times to be honest, but sometimes I just get this weird euphoric feeling out of nowhere. Kind of like dejavu or feeling as if I'm in a dream. Everything starts to seem to shrink and grow. It makes it extremely hard to focus or even have common interactions with others. The anxiety is bad as well. I feel like I have something seriously wrong with me, and no one really seems to believe that it's that bad.

Hi Parker
 

Welcome to Neuro Talk. Just read the posts. Be patient there are alot of folks with PCS on this site to help you. Check back when you can. There will be alot of good advice and caring here. Try not to panic. It is my understanding that PCS or TBI takes some time to recover from. A good doctor is your best friend, that one post was spot on. Be good to yourself. ginnie:grouphug:

What you are feeling is real. Not feeling like yourself is common. Mood swings are common, no one minds if your really happy but if really angry thats different. Having that feeling of somehow being different than before is common also. I have never been able to describe it all that well. Any attempt I made is too vague for my liking. I just know I am different. Not worse personality wise just different. Maybe it is the sum of all the individual differences.