Nancy,

One of the odd things about a concussion is the delay in symptoms. The cascade of damage to brain cells can take days to weeks to fully manifest.

The studies using progesterone as a neuro-protective therapy administer the progesterone for up to eight weeks.

I know that my symptoms change over the first few months after a concussion. The dizziness goes away, the headaches lessen, and the cognitive problems and tremors seem to become more prominent.

Hi Nancy,

No, I never stuttered before my injury. In fact, my job involved a great deal of public speaking.

Funnily enough, Mark and I have been discussing TBI related speech issues in a thread on strange symptoms.

Frankly, I'm inclined to say, "Anxiety my *****!"

My speech therapist and neuro-psychologist told me catagorically that the stutter was the result of damage in my brain. The injury left me with other speech issues. For example, I say one word when I mean another and often I can't think of a word - even for a common object. There is no doubt my stutter worsens when I'm flustered, but that's because it makes it even harder for my damaged brain to process language.

Listen carefully when your daughter is talking. If her speech doesn't seem fluid, if she's unusually quiet or she's experiencing aphasia and/or apraxia in addition to the stuttering, she may have damage to that area of the brain.

By the way, I'm assuming your doctor does know that anxiety and panic attacks are common results of structural damage in the PCS brain, not some sign of psychological weakness or hysterics on your daughter's part.

Cheers

Hockey - Thank you for the validation. I have gone around and around with her doctor on this issue and the anxiety one as well. He keeps telling she has underlying anxiety issue that the concusion brought forward. I disagree. The ARNP we use for my other daughter's ADHD medication manage agrees that the issues are PCS and not a larger pychological issue.

The stutter resolved back in december, but I do notice on days when she is more brain dead or really tired that her speech is different. I'm not sure how to describe it other than it's maybe a little monotone and slightly slower - not her usual self. It somewhat subtle and I notice it and I don't know if others do or not.

Hi Nancy,

If a doctor is dismissing recognized PCS symptoms as "psychological," it might be time to get a better doctor.

Bad doctors always dismiss things they can't understand or explain as "psychological." How many people do you know who were told this before a competent doctor found out what was really wrong? My aunt, for example, had this psychological tumor. Perhaps her GP would like to dig her up and tell her being dead is all in her head.

Even if the TBI is accentuating pre-morbid behaviors, how would that be a psychological manifestation that should just be ignored? Hello, TBIs do tend to exaggerate pre-existing character traits - and that's a huge problem.

Hopefully the neuro-psychologist will be better versed in the consequences of a TBI and his/her report will help to bring your doctor onside. If not, you might want to move on.

Good Luck

Agreed. This is somethings I have been considering for the past month. It's been a frustrating experience on many different levels.

My daughter (15 YO - 6 months PCS) has moments where her "eyeballs jump around inside their socket." I've never witnessed it, and it isn't an eye lid twitch. She has never mentioned a "build up" feeling.

Seems to have lessened considerably since about the 4-5 month mark.

One of my most annoying and persistent symptoms is muscle spasms of which I assume are of the neurological nature. With muscle relaxers then do lessen; without muscle relaxers they are so intense they cause pain.

I have muscle spasms from time to time, usually just as I am falling asleep. I take Neurontin (gabapentin) and it helps immensely.

Hi I have muscle (arms and legs twitches) also full body twitches especially when I am falling asleep or awaking up(1 year after that injury they become worse), can you explain more about your condition related to these.

*moderator edit*


Regards
Ivo

I also have noticed that my hands will tremor at times. Its becomes embarassing if I am trying to drink something and my arm and hand shake the whole way to my mouth. I also have some facial spasms i notice along my forehead, eyeslids and eyebrows.