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Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). |
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08-27-2012, 10:20 AM | #1 | ||
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As a 77 year old widow, I am truly blessed to have found this board. I've lost count of how many concussions I have had, probably more than 10 but 6 sincee I started counting in the last 12 years. Then, an automobile accident resulted in a severe head injury which kept my type A personality on vacation for a year. Seizures cancelled my driver's license and I had just been accepted to college for an advanced degree in history and spirituality and that too became a thing of the past. Therapy by a woman trained to treat stroke victims for nearly 9 months, journaling and rest brought me back to near normal but now, having had another concussion 44 weeks ago, my patient neurologist, who has been treating me since the first counted one 12 years ago, remains patient with my type A personality. But I am not. This was one concussion too many; and the symptoms are so different. I do have a permanent damage to the left frontal lobe, the result of another auto accident which required more professional therapy but I was able to learn again and remember much of what was inaccesssible for months after the accident. Now, I'm impatient with rest, rest, rest. I don't sleep well, so after several sleepless nights I sleep like a babe, then, feeling healed the following day, as I did yesterday, I went to church, the grocery store and came home exhausted. Back to square one; no sleep, terrible headache, nausea and frustration. I am blessed to have found this board to realize that I am not alone. Thank you all for sharing your experiences; I shall try to listen to the neurologist, rest, rest, rest and remember that recovery is more difficult with successive concussions! God Bless, Sally
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"Thanks for this!" says: | Theta Z (10-12-2012) |
08-28-2012, 08:29 AM | #2 | ||
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[unfortunately im learning as well as you and alot of other posters that post concussion is a long journey of ups and downs and there is no definate time line of when youll wake up and magically be yourself again. as everyone tells me...dont be hard on yurself, ask for help and praise yourself for small accomplishments.
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09-04-2012, 01:00 PM | #3 | ||
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"Thanks for this!" says: | Theta Z (10-12-2012) |
10-12-2012, 08:08 PM | #4 | ||
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I am so happy I found this thread...
So in the last week of July.. about 11 weeks ago.. I hit my head getting out of a car.. it hurt pretty bad but it didn't knock me out.. which I now know (according to the doctor's in my area) is the key to "getting a concussion"..anyway I didn't think anything of it until the next day, when the back of my head started to swell and hurt where it had been hit.. 2 days later I decided to go to a urgent care to see if anything was wrong and they said it was just a bump and to take some muscle relaxers.. but by the time I got home the dizziness set in.. and I don't know what it's like for all of you.. but this scared me.. it wasn't like any other kind of dizziness I had known before.. it was like a pulsing, pounding dizziness that seemed to reach from the top of my head to the tip of my toes and NOTHING made it stop.. they prescribed meclizine which helped a little.. I went to the ER for a CT scan which they said looked fine, but the pain and dizziness stayed for about a week.. at that point I stopped taking the meclizine and went back to my normal routine.. tv, computer, loud music in headphones, dancing... all the usual.. and about a week later.. I woke up feeling so dizzy I could barely move.. it came with extreme sensitivity to light and sound... it's like anything could trigger an "attack".. that lasted for a few days at which point I went to a physical therapist who wanted to treat me for "vertigo".. that obviously didn't work and after a few more days the dizziness subsided... Basically after that things gradually got better, little by little.. I think the noise sensitivity has improved to the point that the tv doesn't bother me anymore... nor do every-day noises.. I still cannot tolerate loud concerts and I haven't tried to use my headphones again.. the light sensitivity is better.. but I still have trouble in the bright sunshine.. I squint a lot.. I tried glasses, but they only made me worse since I do not have a vision problem... I still feel "off" somedays.. I don't know how to describe it but if I have been stressed or even if I just did a lot that day.. I will feel kind of foggy-headed or slightly dizzy, but in a different way than before..usually at that point my nerves set in though and I start getting scared that the bad dizziness is going to come back, which doesn't help... So far I'm taking it little by little.. I feel like all my friends and family think I'm making a bigger deal out of something that isn't a big deal.. but they just don't understand.. I had to drop out of college because of this...and as a 4.0 student, it sucked...I don't have a job because I don't really know if I can handle one yet... and there isn't anyone that's been able to guide me through this.. that's how I found this thread... I was never accurately diagnosed. Last night I went to church meeting and they had really loud music playing and bright flashing lights shining out from the stage and I really freaked out thinking it was going to send me back into a dizzy spell but I seem to be alright today.. When is the point where you start taking chances and doing things you used to do without being stupid about your healing process? When am I going to not have anymore symptoms? If I haven't had a major dizzy spell in 2 months, am I likely to have another one? Am I on the right track? Thank you all for your help. I am trying to trust the Lord to heal me and help guide me through this, but still want to be smart about what I'm doing day to day and what risks I'm taking.. Anna |
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"Thanks for this!" says: | Theta Z (10-12-2012) |
10-12-2012, 08:27 PM | #5 | |||
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Hang in there, and on here on NT, All Posters -
There is a wealth of supportiveness and understanding, excellent longterm experience here on NT. Please do not feel alone in all you endure. Keep posting! We're here for you, and we *do understand* from our own experience. Sincerely, Theta In year#4 of PCS
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_____________________________ . 50s Babyboomer; 2008 high-impact rear-ended/totalled-MVC, closed-head injury->pcs ... "Still dealing with it." 1993, Fell on black ice; first closed-head injury; life-altering. // 2014 Now dealing with Peripheral Neuropathy, tremors, shakiness, vestibular disorder, akithesia, anhedonia, yada yada, likely thanks to rx meds // 2014: uprooted to the cold wet gray NW coast, trying to find a way back home ... where it's blue sky and warm! . __________________________________________________ _________ Each and every day I am better and better. I affirm and give thanks that it is so. // 2014-This was still true for me last year, I truly felt this a year ago. Unfortunately it holds no meaning for me now. Odd, it was the Theta mantra for years. Change change change. |
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10-13-2012, 03:28 AM | #6 | ||
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Anna,
Welcome to NeuroTalk. It sounds like you have not given your brain enough time to heal. It needs quiet rest. No loud sounds, busy visual images, socializing with multiple people talking or other excessive stimulation. If you want to get back to your studies and a job, you need to take the time to rest your brain. When you can go two weeks without any symptoms, you can start slowly adding activities. Try adding one activity and wait a day. It is not uncommon for over-stimulation to feel OK but cause symptoms to flare up the next day. You also need to avoid caffeine, alcohol, MSG, artificial sweeteners (aspartame, Nutrasweet, Equal, Splenda, sucralose) high fructose corn sweetener and trans fats. Natural sugar in moderate amounts is OK. There is more I can add but this is a start. If you give you brain enough quiet rest, it will slowly start to heal. I can post a list of good brain nutrition to help too. Check my post under "New Here, Hello" by patty. My best to you.
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Mark in Idaho "Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10 |
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"Thanks for this!" says: | Theta Z (10-13-2012) |
10-13-2012, 08:54 AM | #7 | ||
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Thank you for the replies.. I am feeling better this morning.. I have noticed that at my worst over the last few weeks I have just felt foggy-headed.. and I pick up on sounds a little bit louder.. like when I'm chewing something crunchy...this mostly happens when I am feeling nervous or stressed.
This past week I had a friend who was killed and it has been eating away at me.. I don't know if I am more emotional than I was before... I have always been pretty mellow dramatic but it's like a fight every day to not get upset over something...but I pretty much refuse to take medication for it. The headaches are pretty much gone, but I never had a ton anyway.. I am avoiding loud noises in excess but I can't avoid everything altogether, and the bills are coming in and I don't really have an option to just wait it out... It's been a little over 2 months... this is my first concussion (that I am aware of).. and I think it was probably prolonged out of fear.. no one told me what was wrong... I agree with the diet aspect, which seems a little harsh but I can definitely try to cut out caffeine and, obviously alcohol ( I don't think I could handle it anyway)...I'm 23 years old, pretty good health.. always suffered from anxiety...that's pretty much it. Has anyone on here gotten better in 3-6 months or are most of you multiple concussions...and a few years recovery?? |
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10-15-2012, 08:52 PM | #8 | ||
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I am a 62 yr old widow who was rear ended on the way home from my job as a psych nurse. It wasn't a high speed accident but i haven't been the same since that day. I was An A type personality. taking care of my parents and grandson and now i can't work, drive or even set up my own meds. I have lost my personality, independence and drive. I forget most things and lost the ability to smell and taste, but I am here. I get in a fog, brain freeze and exhausted. My adult children want their old mother back they have already lost dad. I have wonderful partner who takes care of me, he loves me,but due to financial reasons we can't marry.
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10-10-2013, 07:25 PM | #9 | |||
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I have found cranial therapy works wonders. and being able to talk to other like yourself helps with the depression and loneliness. keep sharing, we all need each other for the long haul.
Lots of hugs! Rabbit |
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10-10-2013, 11:00 PM | #10 | ||
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Legendary
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What kind of cranial therapy have you had ? Classic CST is of little use to most. Some CST therapists have other techniques that can help, like subtle neck manipulations, etc.
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Mark in Idaho "Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10 |
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