41 days PCS
 

On 4/22/15 I was fleeing from a vicious dog when I tripped and slammed my head into the pavement. Though I did not lose consciousness,
I sustained a laceration to the left forehead requiring 10 sutures.
That was the east part.
Since then I struggle with my memory, my emotionality, my sleep, and anxiety.
I am easily startled, taking extended periods of time to calm down after.
I cannot tolerate loud conversations, others anger nor the simple unforeseen things that come up in everyday life.
All I want to do is isolate with my dog.

I have finally succeeded in finding a MD who is actually kind and knowledgable.
My prayer is with the Neurology referral, Psychotherapy to deal with the PTSD,
and an MRI C-Spine, some relief may be in sight.

My greatest sadness is that my friends and family don't get how frustrating this is for me.

Welcome Akrisia. :Tip-Hat:

Hello Akrisia,
Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

Here is the link to the Traumatic Brain Injury & Post Concussion Syndrome Forum

Check out the sticky threads at the top of the forum there as well. As you know now, one doesn't need to lose consciousness to have sustained a concussion and have ongoing symptoms. Hopefully those symptoms will subside fast now that you're 41 days past your head injury.

One of the members from TBI/PCS forum started a Vitamin thread (in the Sticky threads) and here are several of the excellent links he's posted there to help friends and family better understand what you're going through right now.

TBI Survival Guide
www.tbiguide.com.

YouTube "You Look Great" 6 part series
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Xso4qGdlI
Good for family and friends to better understand - esp."invisible" injury.

Brainline.org - 'TBI Lost and Found'
http://www.brainline.org/content/201...u-to-know.html

Many of the symptoms that you've described are very common. I've dealt with them myself post concussion. You will recover though!

Hi Akrisia,
Sadly, no matter how much our family and friends love us, if they have never experienced the same thing, they just don't understand. Honestly, I didn't understand either before I had these health issues.

I don't have PCS but had a brain infection(Lyme Disease) that caused the same things, easy startle response to the seemingly mildest stimuli...often times, if my husband walks into the room with socks on and I don't hear him and then he is right behind me, I jump and yell.
I am most comfortable at home, usually at night when all is quiet with my cat curled up on my lap. I am very light sensitive and make people nuts as I turn off lights. Florescent lights at stores are the worst. We only have softly lit table lamps in our home, even in the kitchen...I cannot tolerate overhead lights or those DAMN curly lightbulbs. While I was away once, my husband had changed ALL the lightbulbs in our home to those new, squiggly ones....within 30 minutes of being home and reading by one, I got a seizure(I just get mild ones called partial complex.) My poor husband was just trying to do the right thing.

I also overload easily on too much stimuli like the movement of people in a mall, along with all the sounds, smells and lights. I therefore do most of my shopping online.

I am so sorry for what you have dealt with, what a doubly horrifying experience with an attacking dog and simultaneous fall/trauma.

Are you able to go to work/school?
Do you have much pain/headaches?
Is it improving?

There are many great forums here for concussions and PTSD and other ones like emotional and spiritual support. Alot of nice people here and truly, the greatest, most helpful moderators of any forum I have ever been part of. They don't get enough credit for all they do but, I appreciate and admire them all.

I wish you the best and hope you find the info and support you need here.
Like I said, I don't have PCS but brain injury and it gets better....be hopeful.
Find things that give you the most peace...soft music, guided imagery for relaxation
(there are TONS on YouTube), places in nature like a trail leading to a pond or babbling brook in a quiet park.
All my best,
Diandra

Nice to meet you!!