I'm new to the forums & let me start off saying WHEW, it is a HUGE relief to know I am NOT crazy & that other people are suffering from the same symptoms that I am! For the past 5 months I have felt like I was being such a whiny baby & I feel like everyone is annoyed with my constant issues. The personality changes, which is such a huge issue for me to accept I miss who I used to be, the cheery, silly noise making, slightly spastic individual. Plus the fatigue, the haziness, forgetting words or as I like to call them "brownouts"...just feeling so...airheaded, spacey & disconnected. I don't know of anyone personally that can relate so I don't even bother talking about it with pretty much all of my friends.

To start this off I got my first concussion in the beginning of July of this year while doing a drill for roller derby. I was supposed to be getting hit to the outside (receiving a hit on the left side of my body) and when I was completely relaxed and unprepared for a hit a girl nailed me on the right side in my face/cheek area. I fell to the floor, smacked my head and shook it off. I told my coach I needed a minute & after that proceeded to move onto another drill! After that I was confused and somewhat amused at the fact I couldn't remember anyone's name & thought nothing of it. So I drove home, feeling slightly off the whole time and went to bed (stupid, stupid, stupid, I know!).

The next day I was an emotional roller coaster. I was more depressed than I have ever been, I was ridiculously angry & it was just back and forth with sad, upset, angry. I noticed that I was very unstable while walking, extremely tired, nauseous, headaches, uncomfortable etc etc. A friend of mine that's a boxer was like "You sound like you have a concussion, go to the doctor!" I was instructed by the doctor to take it easy for 2 weeks minimum, no gym (I go 6 days a week) no derby (3 days a week) NOTHING. Ugh. I felt (what I thought) better about 3 weeks later and returned to skating but the fatigue was killing me. I had very little endurance, my legs were constantly aching, couldn't breathe, constantly felt light headed. Very frustrating when I'm generally ahead in the drills, one of the fastest skaters we have and very explosive in my movement. My body didn't want to cooperate, it didn't want to explode and take the quick holes in the pack...I just got so beat up :\ That's right folks, I continued to play derby these past few months...a very full contact (not fake like some may think) sport! I'm the jammer, the one that everyone tries to beat up!

Fast forward to now! What triggered me to go back to the doctor was the fatigue. Not just in derby but in every day life. I can't make it to 10AM without wanting a nap. My eyes ache constantly because I'm so tired, they're puffy, I have dark circles under them. I sleep (well try) about 7 hours a night, some weeks it'll be good, other times I'm miserable and almost cry because I'm so frustrated from tossing and turning. I thought I may be anemic for other reasons, turns out I'm not, hemoglobin looked good. I went to my regular doctor and she asked about injuries in the past year and I mentioned the concussion - not even thinking for a second that it was still affecting me!

I had a CAT scan done, of course it showed nothing. I have a neurologist appointment on Monday and I'm not sure what to expect. I'm just hoping I'm on the right track to some sort of normalcy and the possibility of not being able to skate absolutely kills me. Roller derby is my life, to be a part of something so incredible and the thought of not being able to do it anymore is devastating. I'm not bullheaded...completely! I do realize health and my well being now & into the future is the most important.

I know I'm going to say what other people will say as well-but you need to rest. Not just physically, but mentally too. It takes time (and I hate to hear the DR say it)-but you do need to ask your Dr about the concussion and PCS.

I was in an accident in July-looks like same time frame as you. I'm an adult college student-I had to take off the fall semester. One, I wasn't allowed to drive, but two, there is no way I would have had the patience, the stamina, the anything to handle classes. I've had some time to rest and start to recover.

Read about PCS (post concussive syndrome). I have the feeling you'll be shaking your head yes...a lot.

Good luck on your recovery!!!

Snuffie,

First, you need to get a life outside roller derby. Really, you do.

Second, you have a serious case of Post Concussion Syndrome. You need lots of time to heal and start understanding how your brain reacts to stress and impacts before you return to the rink.

I will take a stab at you situation. I bet this is by far not your first concussion. I bet you have had many but this is the first one with prolonged symptoms. Add to that, you have been suffering multiple sub-concussive impacts per game or training session.

A sub-concussive impact is an impact to your head that does not manifest any immediate or near term symptoms. Because of this, they go without the slightest bit of recovery time.

Sub-concussive impacts can be far more dangerous than a full concussion. They can happen in quick succession, like 5 to 10 times during a session. They have been studied extensively in football and soccer. They lead to serious long term consequences, especially when the athlete reaches their mid-life years, 40 or so.

You sound like a woman by your writing style and name. If this is the case, you need to be very careful about any impacts to your head from just before your period to just after your period. This is when your progesterone is at near zero. This chart shows when progesterone is low. http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/menst...hysiology.html

I wonder if women who do not cycle due to exercise and such have even longer times of zero progesterone.

The importance of progesterone is its neuro-protective value. The brain is much safer during high progesterone time.

Some advise for the future. Anytime someone suffers a concussion, they need to avoid any risk of a head impact until they are 100% physical symptom free for at least a couple weeks. If not, they risk second impact syndrome. Persistent head aches are a good sign of being at risk.

When the brain can not regulate intracranial pressure, head aches are more prevalent. This is when a second impact can cause a life threatening increase in intracranial pressure. This over-pressure tries to push the brain out the back of the head above the cervical column.

Now, for your current condition. You are likely suffering from Multiple Impact Syndrome from either multiple concussions or multitudes of sub-concussive impacts. This leads to longer and longer recovery times with even less recovery after each subsequent concussion or sub-concussive impact. You next concussion will likely cause twice the intensity of symptoms from the same or less impact force.

So, you have some serious thinking to do. Don't strain yourself. Anxiety is not good for recovery. Rest, minimal stimulation, no alcohol or caffeine, and get good sleep and nutrition.

And please, don't complain if you suffer another concussion. Your current condition will make you more susceptible to them due to a decrease in reflexes and coordination.

Your league should outlaw any hits to the head by elbows, shoulders, or helmet to helmet, etc.

If you don't believe the intensity of my comments, watch the Harry's Law episode from this past week. It does a good job of showing court testimony about the risks of concussion. The episode from 11/30 is called Head Games. Maybe someone you know TIVO/DVR'd it.

I tried to find it online. It has not been released yet. Watch for the next episode that will show the law suit going on.

Let us know how you are doing.

My best to you.

I forgot to mention that my doctor did say it may be PCS before I got the CT Scan. Afterwards I was on the phone with her & let her know I had read up on it and that it sounded like it described my problem perfectly. But then she said something like "Well, I don't know...it's not usual for symptoms even with PCS to last as long as you're saying, so it very well may be something else" -_-

As of now I am not skating.

Our league does not allow any hits to the head aka high blocks. Problem being I'm much smaller & tend to skate much lower than most girls so I catch a lot of hands to the face, shoulders to the neck & face. No one on my league would ever play that dirty intentionally, it was an accident.

I will let you guys know what the neuro says after Monday! For now I really appreciate your advice.

I think everyone will agree that the problem with PCS is there is NO set time for when symptoms either appear or disappear. I think you DR is wrong on this count. But, that is just my opinion. I'm not a Dr, but I play one on TV.