My Symptoms 2.5 Weeks In, Plus an Intro
 

Hi,

I've been lurking for a bit but have only posted once so far. I'm a single mom of 3 kids, two of which are toddlers. One of them has special needs and is on the autism spectrum. I have no family near me, and most of my friends are an hour or so away (I'm in a somewhat rural area).

I write for a living. I've been able to do very little since my fall, and it is making me very nervous. I'm terrified that I'll never be a good writer again. Just typing this post has left me very, very exhausted. I actually had to stop, rest, and come back.

I fell on some ice and whacked my head pretty hard, but I didn't realize I had a concussion for about a week. During this time, I put in 10+ hours a day (this is my busy season) at the computer. I felt dizzy and exhausted, but I thought it was from the long hours - and it may have been. I'm not really sure. During this time, my shower rod also fell on my head, and that's when everything got really bad for me.

I'm starting to feel a bit better, but none of my symptoms are gone yet. When I say "better", I don't mean that I feel good...or even okay. I just mean that I feel a tiny bit better. I'm about 2.5 weeks into this now, and I am terrified that this will never end.

Symptoms That Started After the Concussion
(Some of these may be caused by something else, but I'm going to list everything that has started happening in the last 2.5 weeks)

Nausea

Mild Dizziness

Fatigue

Weird Vision
(I can see, but I feel like I'm watching a movie of my life...hard to explain)

Cold Veins
Sometimes I feel like something cold is flowing through me, but this has only happened a couple of times.

Headache
NEVERENDING headache, primarily on the right side. It has spread to the left now, though.

Facial Numbness

Pressure Behind Eye
(on the side that I fell on)

Facial Tingling

Tingling on Right Side
(I fell on my right side)

Numbness on Right Side
(like my body has fallen asleep)

My head "falls asleep" at times

Can't Get Comfortable

Zoning Out

Feeling Like I Am Being Choked

Trouble Chewing and Swallowing Sometimes
It's like my mouth forgets how to work. I have to focus on every bite and sometimes can't feel my mouth or lips. This doesn't happen every time.

Depression

Anxiety
I have been having anxiety attacks like you wouldn't believe. Over the littlest things. A wrong number called yesterday and I panicked for an hour.

Detachment
I either feel detached, anxious, or severely depressed.

Intoxicated
As I type this, I feel like I am drunk or something.

Frequent Urination

Metallic Taste in Mouth
This has only happened a couple times.

Sensitive to Lights

Trouble Shopping
I do okay with driving, but I find shopping overwhelming. I used to love to walk through the aisles, but now I find it terribly difficult to select something for dinner or figure out which method of payment to use when I check out. I am also very overwhelmed by finding a parking spot and getting out of my car. After shopping, I have to sit there and rest for 10 minutes before I make the drive home.

Sensitive Scalp
Touching the top of my head hurts, even though I fell on my side.

Racing Heart Sometimes

Overly Alert at Times
This started last night. At times, I'll feel like...adrenaline or something...racing through my arms and legs. My mind feels super alert during this time, and I feel almost super human...better than I felt before the fall. This happened again today. Each time, it lasted about 15-30 minutes. I am not consuming any sugar or caffeine. I noticed it happened after I ate tuna and avocado, but that could just be a coincidence.

Trouble Understanding Stuff
I wrote an article for a new client yesterday. It took me almost 3 hours. It was a very short article, and normally I would have finished it in 10 minutes or less. It took me forever because I couldn't understand the instructions. I kept reading them, and it's like the words were just swimming through my brain.

Tightness/Pressure/Squeezing in Head
This could probably go along with the headache, but I consider it a separate symptom.

I know that I already mentioned this, but I'm very depressed. I just want this all to go away. I want to be myself again.

I forgot a few:

Can't Watch TV
I can't figure out what is happening, and it just makes me feel sick to try and watch it.

Neck Pain

Weird Emotional Responses
I burst into tears out of nowhere the other day and cried for hours. I had no clue what triggered my sadness or what was happening.

MWS,

What you are experiencing is quite common. You need to find some kind of support structure. You need rest to let your brain heal. A difficult situation with toddlers. It would also help to get an exam of your spine, including your neck. Some of your symptoms are more related to a neck injury than a head injury.

It will help to get some ear plugs, I like the yellow foam cylinders, to help reduce noise clutter. Watching TV or doing computer work may be easier with head phones to block out ambient sounds. Try muting the TV to see if you can read the closed captioning. Limiting the different sensory inputs so your brain can focus on a narrower range of sensations can be a big help. I use head phones to watch TV. Otherwise, the ambient noise overwhelms me with too much sound and I can not follow the dialogue coming from the TV.

Knowing to be aware of these issues can help you manage your day and environment. It takes discipline but it is worth it.

My best to you.

I'm back...can you direct me?
 

Hi Mark! I'm back on this forum and was hoping you could possibly advise me.
Of course, you're opinion is very helpful as well.
I got another and final diagnosis on my husband John. This one is accurate, I believe. He did another round of testing for Asperger's in November and it was ruled out. He did, although, do very poorly in several of the tests! When I told the therapist his mother consumed alcohol while pregnant she said that FAS was likely! I also think he is mentally ill because many people with FAS develop mental illness. Is this sight a good place to discuss FAS?

It has never been discussed here. There may be a forum on PsychCentral that does. I'll look for you.

Hello
 

Hi Momwriterstudent,


Oh yes, you listed many, many symptoms we have all felt. These do subside with time and brain rest.

If you have to work on your computer, there is a free thing out there called
f.lux and it will help cut out the glare on the computer too.

http://justgetflux.com/

Maybe you can take breaks from your computer to help with brain rest.

I hope you can get some help with your children. It's hard when you are sick, but you are. I really hope you can get a support system working for you in your area.

Hang in there and keep asking questions. Help is here.

Sincerely

poetrymom

Thank you Mark. I will check back here.

takinxanax,

Use the search function in the blue bar at the top. Type in 'fetal alcohol' and hit Enter. You will get a list of thread and newsbots that discuss fetal alcohol syndrome.