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-   -   Back to work?? (https://www.neurotalk.org/traumatic-brain-injury-and-post-concussion-syndrome/251402-back-to-work.html)

Jenny2018 04-30-2018 10:24 AM

Back to work??
 
Hi, i know it is only two weeks since the accident..at work, severe Bang of head. Did not pass out. Next day had flashing lights in opposite eye to injury.
Off work two weeks, trying to rest. Go for short walks.
Becoming more and more dizzy. Dr says just rest. Job is in education so really worried about when the dizzy feeling and brain fog will lift especially as I am 60.
I know everyone is different, but any help welcome!
Do you gradually feel better or is there a definite turning point??

Jomar 04-30-2018 11:21 AM

So hard to say on recovery time frame.
The angle of the hit & the location on head, same situation can even vary person to person..

Angled impacts might be more likely to misalign your c1c2, upper cervical chiropractic can check that.. Top of head impact might jam the neck & vertebra so, some PT or chiropractic could help with that..
Up C Spine & NUCCA, National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association have info on upper cervical

The following Signs and Symptoms may indicate Upper Cervical (c0-c1-c2) Injury
Up C Spine - A New Approach - Sign / Symptom Checklist

Mark in Idaho 04-30-2018 01:12 PM

Jenny2018,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

It sounds like your vision issue may have been an occular migraine. It is due to a temporary restriction of blood flow to a specific area in the brain. It would be worth finding a better doctor than, "Just rest."

You should be active to encourage good blood flow to the brain. Too much rest works against that protocol.

Your dizziness may be vestibular. That can be assessed by a vestibular or sometimes physical therapist.

At 2 weeks, you are still early in the spontaneous recovery group. 85% recover within 6 to 8 weeks.

Jenny2018 05-01-2018 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho (Post 1262098)
Jenny2018,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

It sounds like your vision issue may have been an occular migraine. It is due to a temporary restriction of blood flow to a specific area in the brain. It would be worth finding a better doctor than, "Just rest."

You should be active to encourage good blood flow to the brain. Too much rest works against that protocol.

Your dizziness may be vestibular. That can be assessed by a vestibular or sometimes physical therapist.

At 2 weeks, you are still early in the spontaneous recovery group. 85% recover within 6 to 8 weeks.

Thanks for both those useful posts!
I did not cocoon myself and rest either, cause at first I did not realise thus was concussion.
Yes General Dr,s don,t seem to know much about concussion..just rest is the thing,
I.m going to take your advice and try to relax a lot. Thank goodness for patient forums! 👍

Lightrail11 05-01-2018 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenny2018 (Post 1262092)
I know everyone is different, but any help welcome!
Do you gradually feel better or is there a definite turning point??

Everyone is different. As we are fond of saying here, "If you have seen one brain injury, you have seen ONE brain injury"

Also in my 60s (50s then) I had a severe TBI. My recovery was gradual rather than having a turning point. If I were to identify a turning point it was when I began to be able to understand WHY I was doing stuff. Example, instead of remembering how to perform an =AVERAGE command in Excel, was "what will this tell me that is important?"

Best to you

Jenny2018 05-13-2018 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightrail11 (Post 1262148)
Everyone is different. As we are fond of saying here, "If you have seen one brain injury, you have seen ONE brain injury"

Also in my 60s (50s then) I had a severe TBI. My recovery was gradual rather than having a turning point. If I were to identify a turning point it was when I began to be able to understand WHY I was doing stuff. Example, instead of remembering how to perform an =AVERAGE command in Excel, was "what will this tell me that is important?"

Best to you

Thanks for this.
Having low day today when cannot do a thing because of fatigue. Walked i mile. That's about it. Still off work. I teach and I miss my job SOO MUCH!!
I worry that I have made this worse by reading like mad on first week of injury..and watching TV..no one told me not to! Until ten days in when severe dizziness started and now can hardly type this at 4 weeks. Very down. What is life without reading??

Mark in Idaho 05-13-2018 01:01 PM

If reading or watching TV did not cause you headaches or fatigue, it did not likely cause any negative issues. If you feel you need to push through when reading, such as reread a line or lose sense of where you are in a story or concept, stop and take a break.

The minimal mental exertion protocol is just the first 24 to 48 hours. After that, stimulation that does not cause or increase symptoms is fine because it encourages blood flow to the brain.

It helps to learn to recognize the early onset of fatigue. For me, it was needing to reread a line of text or missing a bit of dialogue on TV or any sort of, 'I missed some of that.' feeling. I spent my days switching between activities. TV, computer, putzing around in my garage/shop, taking the dogs for a walk, and such. I may start spacing out after only 10 minutes or I may be able to last 2 hours. Each day was different.

For me, the key issues was quality of sleep. If I did not sleep soundly with good breathing, my day would be miserable, as we called them, 'Not a driving day.' If I slept well, I could accomplish much more.

I have learned sleep hygiene skills to the point that I fall asleep in just a few minutes. I wake up naturally in 5 or 6 hours with no sense of disturbed sleep. It took a long time to learn these skills. I encourage you to consider how you feel when you wake up and whether you are getting quality sound sleep.

My best to you.

Jenny2018 05-17-2018 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho (Post 1262509)
If reading or watching TV did not cause you headaches or fatigue, it did not likely cause any negative issues. If you feel you need to push through when reading, such as reread a line or lose sense of where you are in a story or concept, stop and take a break.

The minimal mental exertion protocol is just the first 24 to 48 hours. After that, stimulation that does not cause or increase symptoms is fine because it encourages blood flow to the brain.

It helps to learn to recognize the early onset of fatigue. For me, it was needing to reread a line of text or missing a bit of dialogue on TV or any sort of, 'I missed some of that.' feeling. I spent my days switching between activities. TV, computer, putzing around in my garage/shop, taking the dogs for a walk, and such. I may start spacing out after only 10 minutes or I may be able to last 2 hours. Each day was different.






For me, the key issues was quality of sleep. If I did not sleep soundly with good breathing, my day would be miserable, as we called them, 'Not a driving day.' If I slept well, I could accomplish much more.

I have learned sleep hygiene skills to the point that I fall asleep in just a few minutes. I wake up naturally in 5 or 6 hours with no sense of disturbed sleep. It took a long time to learn these skills. I encourage you to consider how you feel when you wake up and whether you are getting quality sound sleep.

My best to you.


Thanks again. It.s 4 weeks now..and I was better in week one lol. Actually I did not take any cognitive rest in first 48 hrs. No one told me to. Now even this rep,y is hard on eyes. And gives headache. Worst if anyone phones..I live alone now..I can,t talk for more than 15 mins.. the more I say..the more headache I get. Hoping for some changes soon!!

Patriotic American 05-17-2018 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenny2018 (Post 1262092)
Hi, i know it is only two weeks since the accident..at work, severe Bang of head. Did not pass out. Next day had flashing lights in opposite eye to injury.
Off work two weeks, trying to rest. Go for short walks.
Becoming more and more dizzy. Dr says just rest. Job is in education so really worried about when the dizzy feeling and brain fog will lift especially as I am 60.
I know everyone is different, but any help welcome!
Do you gradually feel better or is there a definite turning point??

Take short term disability if you can, or use your sick days if you have enough of them. You need rest. Then if after a month or two you feel recovered, then go back to work. It is too risky at this time, in my opinion.

Brain injuries take time to heal. A concussion can take up to three or four years to return to some semblance of normalcy.

I was a teacher, and I pushed myself and the symptoms got worse. Of course, I was unaware early on that I had sustained a tbi.

Teaching with a tbi can be pure torture. I did it for over four years.

Jenny2018 05-23-2018 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patriotic American (Post 1262687)
Take short term disability if you can, or use your sick days if you have enough of them. You need rest. Then if after a month or two you feel recovered, then go back to work. It is too risky at this time, in my opinion.

Brain injuries take time to heal. A concussion can take up to three or four years to return to some semblance of normalcy.

I was a teacher, and I pushed myself and the symptoms got worse. Of course, I was unaware early on that I had sustained a tbi.

Teaching with a tbi can be pure torture. I did it for over four years.

thanks that is really scarey. I have been off 5 sweeks now. I may need to stay away a month or two more then. I am 61, by three of four years I will be too old to work! Also I need the money, I can't afford to retire.
Also saw occutpionla heath today, and she was horrible! Thinks I am making it all up!! Like I am just over anxious. So you taught for four years with it, full time??


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