KB Phil,

If your injury was in September of 2010, it is too soon to get approved for Social Security Disability. You can not get it until you have been disabled 12 months.

While you are waiting, download the TBI Survivors Guide at www.tbiguide.com
Print it out. It has great information.

Don't get too anxious about your long term condition. There are many things that you can do to work past the symptoms. I have some serious dysfunctions but can still live a full life.

Tell us about your worst struggles. Hopefully, we can help you learn some work-arounds and accommodations that lessen the limitations you have.

My best to you.

hi army vet
going back to work really complicated things for me. I did not know how badly I was functioning thinking I would get better, I worked as a project manager working with life safety systems my employers were good at first

but when they realized I was not getting better and was being totally overwhelmed I was asked to leave I was being payed by the company my boss said take as long as you need so was not officially off sick, the pressure to go back to work was there ,I have since been diagnosed with an ABI and medically retired
in fact it made my injury worse by trying to use a damaged and healing brain

so although we all wish to get back to normal, for me at least its a new normal
rest and time we have said here many times are the best thing for ABI
talk with a lawyer you may recover but until you do going back to work may not be a good thing for your health

best wishes

Hi Army Vet...I cant stress enough for you to listen to the advice posted by all those before me. I too fell, hit my head on a sidewalk...thought it would heal and didn't want to sue - wasn't looking for money...just wanted to get back to my life. Unfortunately, I Was diagnosed with PCS, mTBI and too numerous other things related to the accident. All I can say is THANK GOODNESS I LISTENED TO FRIENDS ADVICE TO SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY before it was too late (BECAUSE THERE ARE STATUTES OF LIMITATIONS INVOLVED).

Finally found one who understands mTBI and he is affiliated with the brain injury association of my state - so he "gets it". My recommendation...check your state BIA(brain injury association) site...there are attorneys there that you can have a free consult with and yes...make sure they're familiar with WC. Their site may also give you recommendations as to places for treatment to help with your issues. Also the neuropsyc is a really good thing to do. It's not because you're nuts - you're not, you're injured...it's needed to help you understand what's been affected and course of treatment suggestions.

I thought my injury would just take a little while for me to heal but I'm now
2 years/4 months into this, and unfortunately with no real end in sight of recovery. I had to close my childcare business that I ran for 25 years and never in my wildest dreams thought this would be my outcome...let alone the 10's of thousands of dollars we've spent looking for the right treatments - and we're not done yet. So before you make the blanket statement ...you're not looking for money - and while your intentions are good to take care of yourself (as were mine)...Reality dictates this and You need to protect yourself & family financially.. Check out all the links Mark in Idaho gave you...his info is good and he's obviously been through all the tough times with his injury.

Good luck to you...and God Bless you for serving! I hope you have a good outcome.
Regards,
Anneteaem

Hey guys I'm sorry I haven't post in a while but my world seems almost turned upside down. I thank all you and especially Mark in Idaho for the support and great advice. I don't want to repeat everyhing but you can read my original post to get up to speed.

Here's where I'm at now after I guess is just over one month aver having my concussion. I've been back to work for half days. I don't know if that helped or not. Just got back from dr. and the will keep me on half days for the next two weeks. I just don't know what going to my family dr. does because I basically tell them my problems and that's it.

At this time I'm still getting 3 or 4 headaches a day along with getting dizzy. It seems I get dizzy when the headache begin but perhaps I'm imagining that. Three times during the past 2 weeks I woke in the middle of the night with severe headaches along with vommitting. Is that normal? My memory and speech seem to be better but since returning to work I've notice my reaction time isn't what it used to be. My wife and daughter also believe I'm suffering from depression and they've said I've developed anger issues also. I just tell them I don't want to hear any of that. Am I in denial?

Also next Tuesday I go to the nuero psych. I've asked everyone what is a neuro psych going to be able to do to make me better and I don't belive anyone knows. Can anyone tell me?

I've always been positive but I must admit that I'm getting tired of this whole process and at times I just want to say the hell with it and give up and just deal with this on my own. I know that sounds selfish because many of you have and are dealing with much worse than me.

One other thing. I was given medication for the headache pain and I'm also suffering from insomnia. I was given Lunesta and it worked the first night but after that it didn't help so I quit taking them. I also didn't take the pain medication because it seems my headaches only last a hour or so.

It's been a while since I posted so it's time for an update. It's been about 3 months since I had my second concussion that happened at work. I'm still getting 3 or 4 severe headaches a day. I can tell when they are coming on and they usually last for about an hour. In the last 2 weeks I've experienced quite a bit more dizziness. When I stand or lay down everything spins around. When I look up I experience the same thing. It seems to me that my family doctor is at a loss and he has me seeing a neuoroligist next week. It seems to me my wife and others doubt that I'm still having problems. With that being the case what can a neuoroligist do for me except take my word for what I'm going through.

I'm back to work full time but it's a struggle to just get through the day. I try to hide because I don't want others to think I'm a slacker but I just don't know how much longer I can do this.

Any response would be appreciated.

I had my car accident on 3/8/11. 6th months post accident I am still dealing with dizziness, headaches, visual problems, light/hearing sensitivity, intense mood swings, disabling fatigue etc.

My best advice would be to find a neurologist who has a great deal of experience with TBI and PCS. Although neurologists know a great deal about the body, many are CLUELESS when it comes to PCS. After 3 months of feeling awful 24/7, my first neurologist told me that I was basically crazy and that my symptoms could not be related to my accident at this point.

At that point I researched other doctors and found a great team of Drs who deal exclusively with concussion cases. I am now involved in vestibular therapy, physical therapy and vision therapy and also taking medication for my anxiety, anger and depression. Although my progress is slow, there finally is some progress and I feel better knowing I'm doing some active to get better.

As for your employment, I too tried to return to work after my accident. However, the strain it was putting on my made everything worse. I felt I couldn't keep pushing myself anymore, and my employer felt I was struggling as well.

I therefore went on medical leave. When that was exhausted, I tried again to return, but much to the same result. My dr put me back on leave. He said that if I stayed working, my brain would be unable to work on healing because of the strain I was putting on it daily and that I would not get better until my brain's only "job" was to focus on healing. He was right.

Six months later, I am still not working. But rather work daily with various therapies and resting. You brain WILL NOT heal or you will not feel any better until you take the strain of your work away. Can you take a medical leave? or have your dr or new neurologist put you on leave? I hate that I am no longer at my job and it was a tough decision to make financially, but I couldn't go on the way I was.

I am finally making progress, albeit slowly. However, with no work related strain, my brain is starting to heal, and I feel like I'm among the living again...

My advice to you:

1) Find a neurologist who has a great deal of experience in TBI/ PCS. Although neurologist have a wealth of information, unless you find one who has experience with what you are going through, they won't be very helpful. Finding one who does, has made a HUGE difference for me.

2) Take a medical leave or whatever you need to do to stop working, so that your brain can focus solely on healing. If someone had told me this at the very beginning, I don't think I would have been down and out for so long. However, I tried to push through, and wasted time that my brain could have been healing.

3) Take your wife with you to your medical appointments. My boyfriend really struggled to see that PCS could be so long lasting and so debilitating, until he came with my to see my concussion doctor. As we talked about my symptoms, the Dr stressed how devestating and long lasting they could be, and that I needed to be completely focused on relaxing, even if that meant some household responsibilities had to be passed off to someone else. It was really eye opening for him, and has mad my recovery a lot easier. I know feel like I have an ally against my PCS and not someone who thinks I should be better by now and just faking it.

I urge you to really think about these three things. Before I did these, I continued a daily nonexistence of pain, strain and being constantly bombarded with PCS symptoms. I am now finally, 6 months later, slowly starting to come out of the whole that consumed my life. I wish the same for you.

I have a friend with head trauma, so your post struck me. He had to work until it turned into something worse. He should have quit work, long before but he was afraid of applying for dissability and all the rest. He put work first and paid a terrible price. See to your injury first even take a leave of absence from work if you can. Brain injuries I found out though this friend of mine are very complicated. So are our brains. Please do go to another doctor and take very good care of yourself. I am sorry your are suffering. ginnie