Studies that show mTBI can have lasting effects
 

Hi

Is there any literature / studies that actually show that mTBI symptoms can still be debilitating even after 2 years?

If you want to know why I am asking, here is the long story:

I had a neurologist visit today. It's been almost 2 years since my injury. Mine is a work comp. case. Up until this point the neurologist has been very understanding and "on my side". Today I sensed her starting to question why I would still be having bad symptoms. She said that I should be better by now and that usually symptoms only last 6 months or a year at most.

She wants me to get neuropsych testing again, but last time the test showed no real cognitive impairment, which I feel to be true and very lucky to have. But my problem is that the dizziness and fatigue are still very debilitating after a few hours of activity. Neuropsych tests do not show this.

I feel that my neurologist will want to declare Maximum Medical Improvement soon and have me go back to work. I do not feel that I can work more than half-time at this point. How do I "prove" the debilitating dizziness and fatigue to work comp. and the neurologist?

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of prolonged symptoms beyond a year or so. Check out tbilaw.com or subtlebraininjury.com Gordon Johnson addresses these long term issues and may have suggestions about how to get tested or to present your claim.

From what I understand, John Byler of "You Look Great" on YouTube and publishing (Amazon) has struggled to return to try to work. Maybe he has a blog or something with info. Maybe his sister Laurel Byler can be reached through her review on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/You-Look-Great...rds=john+byler

I know that the Amazon review system notifies poster of replies/comments to their posts. I still receive comments to reviews I posted years ago.

I can relate to what you posted as I am 2 years post and was forced to retire from my job.

My neurologist was totally frustrated with my lack of progress and did not know how to fill out the workers comp forms. Since I am still going for vestibular and vision therapy, my PT recommended seeing a new doctor, a concussion specialist last July.

Dr. Harary noted the issues I continue to have that the neurologist was not picking up on his neuro testing- the balance issues, visual issues, listened to my complaints of waves of nausea, dizziness and fatigue throughout the day in addition to difficulty focusing, reading, auditory processing and my least favorite, sound sensitivity, that make my day frustrating to say the least. Every time I see Dr. Harary, I fill out a concussion survey listing most issues for PCS. Using this and my exam, he easily documents my issues and is able to qualify why I cannot work to the WC Board.

Neuropsych testing did not test my areas of difficulty, a topic of discussion I continue to have with the therapist I am now seeing and something that concerns me, a therapist, to this day!

If you live in NY, I will gladly give you more info regarding my doctor.


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Finally, 85% of MTBI subjects who showed more than 20% of alpha power suppression in the acute phase of injury did not return to pre-injury status up to 12 months post-injury.

EEG Study-- I cant get my hands on the actual study but this was one on google scholar, indicating people with problems, that had been tested at 1 month 3 months 6 months etc.. they continued to have problems measured using eeg 12 months post injury.

They might make you feel like your making it up, but you aren't, regardless of how the problems come to manifest, psych-organic or otherwise, fact is it all stems back from that head injury. There is no Box for this.

Don't forget that the neurologists now are some of the same people who fought tooth and nail to prove that the brain is no longer plastic after the age of 8, and that was recent.

There are people on here with a far more intricate knowledge in regards to this injury than many experts.

Don't close them out, listen to their advice, but at the same time if you know, you know. We are not even at the tip of understanding the brain as a whole

I know its a 12 month study, but to me if 85% of those with objective signs continued to show impairment, at 12 months one would have to assume they all didnt just Turn on the light the next day

These findings are
preliminary and must be replicated in a larger, independent cohort, but
indicate that multiplex assays of biomarkers are potentially useful for
identifying patients with mTBI who fail to make a complete recovery.

I know another useless line but I want you to notice the language used in this study. Who fail to make a complete recover, which would fly in the face of what you are being led to believe.

MULTI-ANALYTE BIOMARKER PANEL PREDICTS
FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME 6 MONTHS AFTER TRAUMATIC
BRAIN INJURY

Study Name if you want to read it yourself on google scholar

qEEG (quantitative EEG, a computer analyzed and compared EEG) can show waveform signs of brain injury. Unfortunately, a neurologist wrongfully discounted qEEG is a journal in the late 1990's so few follow the technology. qEEG has a 97% accuracy in diagnosing brain injury using a number of different comparative databases. .

Seems to me that much like people with concussions or MTBI, science and doctors sometimes just need to get out of their own way.

It's fairly common knowledge among long term sufferers of pcs that it's likely they will never make a 100% recovery. 95%? Sure 98% ok. But 100%? Most tend to have some kind of residule effect. Whether this manifests itself as mild headaches when one has pushed too hard, or mild concentration or memory issues years down the road, usually it's the case to various degrees.

Why so many professional medical staff don't know this is anybodies guess.

I am approaching 22 months.

There has been great improvement the last 2 months but it is still obvious that things aren't quite right daily.

I don't have much faith in docs anymore, unless they can actually see something they offer a pill.

Bud