Mild Concussion
 

Hi,
I'm new here...

I was diagnosed with a mild concussion last month from something falling on my head. It's been over a month and I haven't come down from that "brain fog" feeling yet. This has really been unique and I've been struggling and I'm amazed at how many people are also. So, I'm here for some support...

I had to take a little time from work and I've been sleeping a lot and drinking water as advised. I have been doing nearly nothing on weekends, just meditating and stretching to rest up for the week. I'm not getting much done at all...this has been a big set back.

I went to see a Neurologist and they didn't recommend the CT scan as there is too much radiation. They suggested I take
Co-Q 10, rest and wait it out...

I still feel like I'm "fighting something" almost like a sinus infection or cold when I go into work and I don't feel like myself (in a bubble of some sort). I really have a hard time with the computer as I stare at the screen for 8 hours with no variation with my work. I got a doctor's note for breaks.

Does anyone have similar experiences or tips?:confused:

Simply put most all of us have gone through that exactly...
Your brain is injured...If you get a bad cut, stitches help the wound heal faster, if you use a band aid takes much longer.

Our brains are complicated computers, some may heal in a month or two, some a year or two....

I have struggled for just shy of 12 years....I have never worked again, and I dont get much done ever...

Be positive, sleep as much as you can because thats the brain telling you it needs a rest and its the fastest way to heal.

I wish you the best, and hope you can get back to normal asap!

I appreciate your response David. I am trying to be positive about this...one day at a time. I wish you the best as well!

Are you seeing some ongoing improvement at this point? If not, at what point did your recovery start to plateau?

I was told the same thing, that I had a "mild" concussion. And I still have significant issues 10 months later.

Clearly your injury wasn't mild. Mild is just the term they use when you haven't been in a coma and aren't having extremely severe issues.

That said, 90% of people fully recover within the first three months, so don't get too stressed at this point.

The #1 thing that can help you, in addition to rest, is daily exercise. Google the Buffalo Protocol and read about it. Basically you should do 20 mins/day on the treadmill, at a heart rate at 80% below the threshold that causes a 3-point spike, on a 0-10 scale, of your symptoms.

In addition to that, take vitamin supplements. Read the sticky. Magnesium, fish oil, and B vitamins especially.

Go to a concussion clinic, and get assessed for potential vestibular or visual issues. Because if they find something, you want to start physio for that ASAP.

I do tend to feel better when I stretch and walk around a little...it gets my mind off of it...are the concussion clinics hard to come by/expensive?

Our concussion clinic was covered by insurance. Vestibular therapy was also covered. Eye therapy was not.

MrT-Man's post is spot on. It's called 'exertion therapy.' Dale Earnhardt Jr's book 'Racing to The Finish' details his steps. I'm about halfway through the book and he does a good job describing the therapy. So far, not much on his diet, but you do want to support your recovery with good supplements and keto diet was tremendously helpful for us.

"Mild concussion" only describes the initial injury itself. It doesn't describe the ongoing problems that many of us can experience. Even a "mild" concussion can lead to significant issues, on down the line.

Concussion causes chemicals that are inside the cells of the brain to get out, and it also lets chemicals that are usually outside the cells into them. So, you've got some "gunk" there. Inflammation, too. And, depending on your injury, possibly some damage to the connections that pass electrical signals between your neurons. I'm not trying to scare you - just explain, so what I'm about to say makes sense.

Exercise can be *very* helpful, since it stimulates blood flow, which helps to deliver more oxygen to the blood and the brain, and it also helps your system move out the "gunk" that's in there. It helps with your immune system, it strengthens everything, which also helps your brain.

Exercising every single day -- I start out with 10-20 minutes of exercise that raises my heart rate a little, followed (sometimes) by some light weight training -- has made a huge amount of difference.

Also, making sure I had good, healthy fats in my diet made a big difference. I was supplementing with MCT oil and grass-fed butter in my coffee each morning, and I noticed a real difference. I've since discontinued the MCT oil, but it helped boost me into a healthy state, I believe.

And rest. Good sleep is critical. A tired brain is a cranky brain. And getting cranky has a way of throwing everything off.

Basically, give your body what it needs to mend your brain. You can get there. But you do need to rest. And doing that repetitive stuff without a break isn't good for anyone -- TBI or no.

Good luck.

Hi,
It's Floating.
I just wanted to report back that I did get over the concussion. It took a solid 5-6 months to come out of it and feel like myself again. I remember feeling like I was in a "bubble" sitting at Thanksgiving dinner watching people talking and wondering if I'd ever come out of it. I guess I was determined.

Some tips to give back:

Forced myself to walk ten minutes everyday
Ate a lot of brain foods (especially avocados and olive oil)
Got tons of extra rest and drank water like it was going out of style
Kept up with my meditation and stretching
Did eye exercises and balance exercises (both from YouTube and ones that I was given after a formal "concussion test" at the hospital)
Took stretch/eye breaks at work as prescribed by my neurologist

I just felt the need to write this. I can't imagine anyone trying to go through a concussion now, during the pandemic especially. I know it can be very depressing and create a lot of anxiety.

Hope this helps!

Floating

That's fantastic. Thank you for the follow up.