Shane,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You can to the right place for good information.

Yes, a concussion can have lasting symptoms. Wiki is dead wrong but that is common for most of the medical establishment when concussion is the issue.

You ongoing symptoms may be all from your concussion or they may be due to a combination of causes.

You need for sleep may mean you are not sleeping properly. By that I mean, your brain does not get the full cycles of sleep including REM sleep. It is only during REM sleep that true brain rest and rejuvenation occurs.

Tell us about your sleep. Do you have dreams? Are they pleasant or stressful? Do you wake up refreshed, ready to take on the day? Or do you wake up with tired eyes and need caffeine to keep them open?

Have you ever had a neuro-psychological assessment? You might benefit from one to help you understand your symptoms and brain dysfunctions. Then you will be better able to plan your life. High intelligence is rarely severely impacted by concussion. Instead, the person just needs to learn new ways of using that intelligence.

So, tell us more about yourself and your symptoms/struggles and we may be able to give you some help and direction.

My best to you.

Thanks Mark - it's good to be here.

OK, thanks. Here is something else I just read on Wikipedia: "Even a mild injury can sometimes result in a serious disability that will interfere with a person’s daily functioning and personal activities for the rest of their life."

and

"Even a mild incident can have long term effects or cause symptoms to appear years later."

I (and my doctors) have ruled out just about everything else. My blood work was normal and I do not have a thyroid problem or sleep disorder. Aside from the "head symptoms", I am quite healthy.

This was an angle my doctor and I considered. In fact, I was even prescribed a low dose of an antidepressant for its sleep-aiding qualities. It turns out that no matter the duration and quality of my sleep, my problems remain.

From Wikipedia:

"Mental fatigue is a common debilitating experience and may not be linked by the patient to the original (minor) incident. Narcolepsy and sleep disorders are common misdiagnoses."

Objectively speaking, my sleep is fine. I dream plenty, and I would say the majority of my dreams are neutral or pleasant. However, I wake up feeling lousy and that feeling doesn't really fade as the day progresses.

Btw, I don't drink caffeine because I heard it's not good for people like us.

I would see a neuropsychologist if I thought it would be worth it. But based on the phone consultation I had, there is not much that can be done about the mental fatigue which is my single biggest problem.

In recent years I've come to acquire much more insight into the subtleties of my condition. Experience has taught me just what my abilities and limitations are.

Thanks again...

Shane,

Have you ever heard of the Ketogenic diet? It is designed to increase the availability of ketones to the brain. The brain usually uses blood glucose to function. Some people's brains do not utilize glucose well. For them, ketones can make a difference.

Ketones are the energy component given off by the liver when it has exhausted its supply of glucogen. Some people with Alzheimer's and other dementias respond to ketones. MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides) is one way to increase ketone availability.

Google 'ketones' and 'coconut oil' and you will find some interesting information.

My best to you.