On 10/31/09 I went to a concert. I have been to many,many concerts. I was there 30 min or so, I felt like someone stabbed me in the back of the head with a hot poker, I remember asking my boyfriend to take me to the bathroom and the next thing I remember is waking up in the emergency room 25 minutes later. From what I was told I stiffened up and fell without trying to break my fall. I hit a wood dance floor with my full weight. I did not bite my tongue,or cause any damage to myself except for a large gash on my jaw bone. I was diagnosed with a level 3 concussion. My Dr thinks I had a seizure. I went through a MRI that came out normal. I was referred to a neurologist who has scheduled a EEG test in 2 weeks. I have mid short term memory loss still, and my eyesight went from near 20/20 to needing progressive bifocals. I am still dizzy, and have pressure in my head. I do not have bad headaches. Dr took away my driving privileges and has not let me go back to work. Any thoughts? I am an otherwise healthy woman. I have never had a seizure or fainted before. I am 39 years old.

Welcome to NT!

I’m so sorry about your injury. However, I applaud you for being proactive about considering your treatment options.

Firstly, I must tell you that your “clean” MRI means nothing. Standard CTs and MRIs are not sensitive enough to see the torn and damaged axons. Often people with obvious cognitive deficits have absolutely pristine scans.

What you should consider getting at your first opportunity is a neuro-psychological exam. It’s a series of tests (oral, visual, motor skills, written, etc…) designed to see how your brain is actually functioning. The testing is considered extremely accurate and is the best way to access damage. It is also the first step in customizing any future treatment and/or cognitive therapy.

The Brain Injury Association of America www.biausa.org is an excellent resource for patients and family members trying to understand and treat this sometimes life-altering injury. Another site to check out is www.tbiguide.com The link to the TBI forum here at NT is http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html

I know how hard and frightening this all is. A lot of us here are brain injury survivors. We all understand the physical and psychological challenges of battling a concussion. A few of our members are extremely knowledgeable and I’m sure they’ll weigh in with advice about diet, supplements, bio-feedback, etc…

Cheers

natscoolma,

Sorry to hear about your struggles.

Do you remember what was happening at the concert when you got the stabbing feeling? Were there flashing lights, thumping sounds, etc. that may have triggered your symptoms?

Has your neuro suggested an MRI/MRA or CT with contrast? This looks at the vasculature in your head. What kind of treatment did they give you in the ER? Stroke meds?

What about a neuro-opthamologists exam?

I would be concerned about two things.
What caused the stabbing pain?
and Did you have a seizure
or did you pass out from the pain
or did you have a mini-stroke?

I would suggest you start a journal.
List:
How you feel in the morning.
How you slept.
Did you dream.
What kind of dreams.
Did you fall asleep easily.
Any changes in feeling or mood during the day.
Any changes in vision.
Did you need a nap.
Are you emotionally sensitive. crying or anger
Are you sensitive to sounds.
Sensitive to bright lights or flashing lights.

Note things like struggles with word finding, visual memory, auditory memory.

Ask your family and friends if they notice a difference in your behavior or personality.

Compare your 'after' symptoms to your 'before' recollections.

You will be a far better source of information that an EEG or neuro-psych assessment alone, although both are valuable.

The neuro-psych report will be very interesting.

I would not be surprised if the EEG comes back as normal. Intermittent seizures are hard to recreate in a timely fashion, i.e.
when you are hooked up to the equipment.

The journal will help with two things.
Chart your symptoms so you can tell them to your doctors.
And chart your symptoms so you can tell if you are improving or getting worse over time.

Until they get some idea of what has happened. just relax and lay low. Avoiding stress and getting rest are very good for the near term.

And, avoid caffeine, MSG, and aspartame as they can have a negative impact on your brain.

There are good nutrition suggestions that are always good for a injured brain.

My best to you.

If your insurance covers it, you may want to get a SPECT scan done. It is more sensitive and reveals more than an MRI. I would also look into seeing a Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy center. HBOT is very effective in treating acute brain injuries.

Hi. Thank you for you reply. I don't remember anything after the hot stabbing pain. I was told by my boyfriend that I asked him to take me to the bathroom then I went down stiff and convulsed on the floor for a minute or so. There was a lot of white bright lights at the concert. It was small venue-no seating, and we were 20 or so feet from the stage. The hospital did not give me anything. They said I probably fainted and said I could leave when I could walk out on my own,that took a few hours. As for my eyes, I work in a jail. We get yearly eye exams. My vision was nearly 20/20 3 months ago. I went to the eye Dr last week and need progressive bifocals. I am sensitive to noise but it is not to bad. If the EEG comes out normal, the Dr wants to do a tilt table test. I will keep a journal. That is a great idea. Thank you. Aimee

Your pre-trauma amnesia sure sounds like you had something neurological going on before you went down. Especially between the time you felt the stabbing pain and came to later. I am surprised they did not treat you as a possible stroke patient at the ER. Did you get an ambulance ride to the ER? Have you asked for a copy of your ambulance and ER medical records?

Start a binder of copies of all of your medical records. You will be surprised how medical records tend to not be available to each new doctor who sees you.

**

An IV of progesterone in the ER would have been helpful. Progesterone is a fabulous neuro protective agent. The progesterone studies are done with solid information. They just have not established the progesterone protocols yet.

Now, get some rest. You look tired.

Sorry, I could not resist. That is the last line from The Bourne Ultimatum.

hi aimee and welcome

all good advice, baby steps with head injury is the order of the day, you seem to be getting good care, from your doctors hope they have some answers for you soon

I had a first time seizure in December of '08. I was shopping with my husband and when we were leaving the parking lot, is when I had it. We had been in a store looking for Christmas presents. I had been feeling kind of "out of it" the whole day, but thought I was just getting sick. I had a lovely ride in an ambulance to the ER. They took me up for a CT scan. When I got back to my room in the ER, I was put on the bed, but the side railing was not put up. I had another seizure and fell on the floor hitting my head. I also had my drivers license taken away for 3 months. Now, I cannot stand loud music or bright lights. I would follow up with a neurologist because if it was a seizure you don't want to have another one. My MRI and CT scan were normal as was my EEG. That was my first ever and I am 44 years old. I am on Lamictal. The only other seizure I have had this year was when I was switching from Keppra to the Lamictal. The whole seizure disorder doesn't bother me near as much as the post-concussive symptoms I deal with every day.

Sheds

Have you looked into neurofeedback for your PCS and seizures?

I hate to sound stupid, but what exactly is neurofeedback?