PCS or something else?
 

Hey All,

I am getting desperate and hoping someone can lead me in the right direction. I have been to 2 Neuros, a PT, a cardiologist, and multiple GPs over the past 2 years with no insurance and am getting desperate for some sort of official diagnosis and start some road to recovery. I self diagnosed PCS, but it should be getting better, not worse, from what I understand.

I have lived abroad in SE Asia for the past 3 years. A couple years ago I received a (self diagnosed) concussion. I healed normally and returned to full function within a couple weeks. A couple months after - I received another (self diagnosed) concussion and have had trouble since. Also worth noting that I went to very high elevation and slept there (Mt Everest Base Camp) 3-4 months post the 2nd concussion. During this trip I also fell VERY ill for days.

Ever since coming back from that trip about a year and a half ago - I have had a plethora of issues, but mostly brain fog, confusion, anxiety, and personality changes. I also get sick on an almost monthly basis since. It ALWAYS starts in my head with a couple days of extreme confusion and transitions to my throat and other cold like symptoms.

After returning from the trip, I went and got a full health checkup (blood work, chest x rays, urine tests, stool tests, etc) and an MRI. The checkup came back normal ranges for everything except a minor anemia. The MRI however showed "A few tiny T2 hyperintense foci at bilateral anterior centrum semiovale; small vessel disease or non-specific demyelination". The neurologist didn't seem to worry or care much, so I left feeling like it was just stress an anxiety getting to me as a GP had told me.

Fast forward 1.5 years and here I am with another normal lab work checkup and the same symptoms PLUS more. My memory seems to be failing. I am forgetting names of people I know and just struggling with memory in general. That "tip of the tongue" feeling is a multiple time a day thing for me. I am unable to concentrate on conversations and catch myself zoning out constantly. It is scaring me quite a bit, but it seems like no one understands what I am going through.

Just to summarize my current issues:

- 24/7 brain fog (Fiance says she feels like I am a zombie now)
- Anxiety issues
- Lack of motivation to do anything (Used to be very motivated)
- Confusion (Have to re-read everything and have people repeat themselves often)
- Getting monthly colds (Sometimes twice a month)
- Troubles with memory (Hourly "tip of the tongue")
- Attention issues? (Find myself not listening after a few words)
- Depression (I believe due to feeling alone)
- Insomnia (Trouble sleeping more than 4-5 hours)
- Memory lapses (Forgetting the last N minutes completely)

Sorry for the long winded story. I just need to get this off my chest. I feel so alone and have been depressed as of late. I want to heal! I would love to hear any theories or advice. I plan on getting another MRI in the next week to compare.

Sounds to me like you may have had altitude sickness from Base Camp. I am surprised there were not doctors to check you out. Almost 6,000 meters or over 18,000 feet is a serious challenge on a concussed brain. Dr Dorothy Gronwal studied the effects of just 8,000 feet on concussed brains and the challenges were substantially evident.

For aircraft, FAA regulations requiring supplemental oxygen when flying above 12,500 feet for more than 30 minutes or any time above 14,000 feet.

I don't know if it will help but HBOT pushes oxygen into the cells and helps with capillary growth. HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

The concussed brain appears to struggle to use oxygen efficiently.