[SmilinEyesMs305]

I have been struggling with PCS since a bad car accident on 3/8. (I also have experienced two other concussions in the past 36 months). After the accident, I was placed on a medical leave due to the fact that I was not eligible for FMLA because I had only been with my employer for 10 months.

Last week, as this was going to exhaust I went back to work. I actually did relatively well symptom wise, until my boss neglected to inform me that he never received my return to work paperowrk and then began to cause problems for me by lying and telling me to stay at work until our HR found out about it. He then made it seem like I came into work knowing he had not received the paper work, and continued to work when I was told not too. I had been at work for 2 and 1/2 days. I began feeling really uncomfortable about it and left to try to straighten it out with my doctor's office. My dr told me to take the rest of the day to decide if I truly felt I should go back to such an environment. In the meantime I informed HR of what had REALLY happened, and that my boss told me to stay for the afternoon and then the morning the next day.

After all the stress and commotion of this incident, I started to have HUGE problems with my symptoms. It got so bad this weekend, that I actually was in the ER because I was experiencing new symptoms and felt confused and very disoriented.

My HR department called me today and said that my 12 weeks of medical leave doesn't count toward my FMLA hours, so they need to terminate my employment. (She assured me it was not a performance issue, that in fact I had be scheduled for a raise. Also that when I am well, I can reapply for a position and they would be glad to have me back if something is open).

Although I am grateful for the potential of maybe getting hired back, this COMPLETELY leaves me stranded right now! I will not have health insurance and can not afford to pay for cobra. I take daily medications, so this is a huge problem! I also have no idea how I'm going to make ends meet. (I'll exhaust my insurance benefits from the accident in a month.)

I have an attorney and pursuing a settlement, but he does not want to go forward until things are my resolved with my neurological symptoms.

As with PCS, I have NO idea when I will be well enough to be considered "resolved", what do I do in the mean time??? What did you do for health coverage and money if you are unable to work? I'm totally panicked right now!

[Mark in Idaho]

Sorry to hear of your struggles and such a lousy manager at your employer.

You need to get to a Social Security office and apply for SSI and Medicaid. If you qualify, this will help take the bite out of unemployment. You also should go to the employment office to see how to apply for employment benefits.

Your attorney is giving you good advice. Do not rush to a settlement. Your PCS may resolve or it may become a life-long problem. You recent prior concussions make the latter more likely.

You might also check with your state labor board and see if you were treated within the employment laws of your state.

What meds are you taking? Maybe there are cheaper meds that can help you.

Are you getting any help from your own insurance company? Sometimes, you own insurance company will help out and get reimbursed from your settlement.

My best to you.

[SmilinEyesMs305]

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

Sorry to hear of your struggles and such a lousy manager at your employer.

You need to get to a Social Security office and apply for SSI and Medicaid. If you qualify, this will help take the bite out of unemployment. You also should go to the employment office to see how to apply for employment benefits.

Your attorney is giving you good advice. Do not rush to a settlement. Your PCS may resolve or it may become a life-long problem. You recent prior concussions make the latter more likely.

You might also check with your state labor board and see if you were treated within the employment laws of your state.

What meds are you taking? Maybe there are cheaper meds that can help you.

Are you getting any help from your own insurance company? Sometimes, you own insurance company will help out and get reimbursed from your settlement.

My best to you.

Mark-- Thanks for responding so quickly! You really know your stuff and I am grateful for someone who's "been there" to help me figure this out. With all the added stress of late, I'm completely brain fogged and easily exhausted.

Even with my job I was eligible for medical assistance, (I work with children with Autism and barely made above minimum wage, even only a year away from completing a masters degree.) I had already started the paperwork online because our premiums went up and I couldn't even afford that. So I'm going to finish and submit that paperwork today.

As for unemployment benefits, I'm going to also apply for those today.

Would I be eligible for social security benefits, as it's only be 4 months since the accident? I have never had to do this before, so I didn't know if I would be eligible or if there is some sort of time requirement regarding how long I have been disabled.

I discussed with my attorney the situation regarding my termination. Unfortunately, in my state they can terminate my employment because I ran out of their general leave allowance and am not eligible for FMLA benefit, (2 weeks short...) However, regarding how my boss handled the situation my attorney is looking into how it was handled etc. (However I know even if I got my job back, I'm in NO condition to work with my kids in the condition I am now in again.)

As for meds, I am taking effexor for anxiety and trazadone for sleep disturbance. So I'm going to contact my neuropsychiatrist today.

My insurance will help out up to 1000 per month for 5 months. I have two and 1/2 months left on that so it'll help, but I'm worried I'm not going to be feeling up to working even at the end of that.

Which brings me to my final question.... Before my return to work, for about the 2 weeks prior I was feeling about 85% of my previous self. Going back to my job itself did not really cause too many issues with symptoms, other than some fatigue. However, when my boss started all this garbage 3 days in, I had a huge return of symptoms that continued to get worse over the next 3 days. Now I feel back to where I was a week or two after the accident... 5% of former self? Is it normal to go this far back? I thought after a few days of rest I would start improving again, but I'm not. I'm really scared that I went THAT far in the wrong direction.... and if stressful situations are a trigger for relapse... How do I avoid stress for the rest of my life.... I'm really scared.....

Sorry for such a long response, I"m just feeling really alone and no one seems to think it's possible for me to feel this terrible again....

[Mark in Idaho]

Learning to reduce stress is a big challenge. There are big choices to be made in thoughts. Maybe some CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) would help. Accepting that you have a brain injury that limits your ability to endure stress can be the incentive to change thought patterns to lower your stress levels.

We are not allowed to discuss religion here but my signature says it all. "Be still" can also be translated "Cease striving." There are so many things we get upset or stressed about and think we need to fix or react to. Most will just pass if we let them. Learning to focus on the real needs you have, rest etc. without letting things get you anxious will go a long way in your healing.

over 30 years ago, I went to visit my parents on the east coast from the west coast. At the need of my visit, my mother commented how I arrived all wound up but by the time I left, I was a different person. This got me started thinking about how stress impacted me. I already knew it was not good. I started changing how I interacted with others and life in general.

It made a big difference. I have had to make adjustments to increase my stress avoidance and thoughts. It is amazing how not reacting to life's stresses improves one's life. And, the stressors resolved without my input. Or, at least, I noticed that my input would not have made a big difference. It would have just increased the stress load on my brain.

I am perplexed with the combo of meds you are on. The Effexor (an SNRI anti-depressant) sounds like it may have a beneficial effect but the trazadone (a tetra-cyclic anti-depressant) sounds a bit harsh, especially in combination.

What kind of sleep disturbance have you been experiencing?

I bet it is related to getting good blood flow/oxygen to your brain during sleep. Have you had a serious exam of your upper neck? Inflammation can cause changes in vertebral blood flow during sleep. This can directly effect your brain or it can cause breathing disturbances that create a serious sleep disturbance.

The Social Security office can provide Social Security Income. It is an automatic application when someone applies for Social Security Disability Income. You would be long off in your SSDI application but the SSI application does not have the same time requirements. It is designed to be a stop gap measure.

The combination of your PCS and training with autism and such may give you a much better understanding of the struggles of a misbehaving mind. The sensory overloads that are common to PCS will give you inside knowledge of some of the struggles of the autistic mind.

I hope I have tried to answer all of your questions. feel free to keep asking.

My best to you.

[SmilinEyesMs305]

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

Learning to reduce stress is a big challenge. There are big choices to be made in thoughts. Maybe some CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) would help. Accepting that you have a brain injury that limits your ability to endure stress can be the incentive to change thought patterns to lower your stress levels.

We are not allowed to discuss religion here but my signature says it all. "Be still" can also be translated "Cease striving." There are so many things we get upset or stressed about and think we need to fix or react to. Most will just pass if we let them. Learning to focus on the real needs you have, rest etc. without letting things get you anxious will go a long way in your healing.

over 30 years ago, I went to visit my parents on the east coast from the west coast. At the need of my visit, my mother commented how I arrived all wound up but by the time I left, I was a different person. This got me started thinking about how stress impacted me. I already knew it was not good. I started changing how I interacted with others and life in general.

It made a big difference. I have had to make adjustments to increase my stress avoidance and thoughts. It is amazing how not reacting to life's stresses improves one's life. And, the stressors resolved without my input. Or, at least, I noticed that my input would not have made a big difference. It would have just increased the stress load on my brain.

I am perplexed with the combo of meds you are on. The Effexor (an SNRI anti-depressant) sounds like it may have a beneficial effect but the trazadone (a tetra-cyclic anti-depressant) sounds a bit harsh, especially in combination.

What kind of sleep disturbance have you been experiencing?

I bet it is related to getting good blood flow/oxygen to your brain during sleep. Have you had a serious exam of your upper neck? Inflammation can cause changes in vertebral blood flow during sleep. This can directly effect your brain or it can cause breathing disturbances that create a serious sleep disturbance.

The Social Security office can provide Social Security Income. It is an automatic application when someone applies for Social Security Disability Income. You would be long off in your SSDI application but the SSI application does not have the same time requirements. It is designed to be a stop gap measure.

The combination of your PCS and training with autism and such may give you a much better understanding of the struggles of a misbehaving mind. The sensory overloads that are common to PCS will give you inside knowledge of some of the struggles of the autistic mind.

I hope I have tried to answer all of your questions. feel free to keep asking.

My best to you.

I completely agree about the stress stuff. I have always been a tad on the anxious side and have a huge issue with perfection, (have already had CBT for that, haha). However, once I get all my medical coverage set up, it might be a good idea to revisit that. Because I am absolutely terrified about not being my constantly busy, high acheiving self at the end of all this...

I'm doing okay with reading, if it's in the kindle because I don't have to turn pages, so I've downloaded a couple of books on acceptance and some spiritual stuff as well

As for meds, from age 14 (I'm 25 now), I've been on an SSRI of some sort for anxiety/minor depression. After a serious depressive episode two years ago I was put on Effexor. When I started to experience very bad agitation after this accident, my nuero sent me to my psychiatrist, who upped the dosage.

As for trazadone, I have had trouble with sleep since I was 16. Basically I have no trouble falling asleep. However, after an hour or two I'm up for a half hour... then asleep for a half hour or hour, then up for 2 hours, etc. I can't get into a deep enough sleep to stay asleep. I build up a tolerance from time to time and they've tried to find an alternative for when this happens. However ambien had the complete opposite effect (I was up for 3 days straight) and lunesta is not covered by my insurance. However, I have noticed a HUGE difference since the accident, I'm back to the same old problem even with 150mg of trazodone. I think a neck check would be a great idea. What kind of doctor would I go to?

I will apply for SSI tonight. I tried doing that kind of stuff this morning, but with all the different screens, my brain freaked out. My boyfriend is going to help me do that tonight.

As for sensory issues, it has REALLY opened my eyes and will change my practice of treatment. That is the one TRUE blessing I have experienced in all this.

I had an interesting interaction with my neurologist this morning that I am going to create as another post. However, your input on this matter would be greatly appreciated as well, as you have a lot of experience with this stuff!