[Taaajaca]

I am having a difficult time knowing where to start...

I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle down a step hill (without a helmet) at 5 years of age. I was told I flew 30 feet through the air and would not have lived had I landed on the road. I landed in the gravel next to the road. I was unconscious for around 4 hours, had stitches in several places on my head, and spent a week or two in the hospital. I suffered a broken leg, but as far as I knew I had no lasting injuries.

I am now 37 years of age. I have spent my entire adult life trying to get a diagnosis for my psychological difficulties. I have always told people my issue is that I feel emotions stronger than most people. My emotions engulf me, my husband says it is as if I am possessed when I am in an emotional state. When I have calmed down I often can't remember what got my so mad in the first place. When I was a teen I got into a fight with my best friend because of something she was joking about. Basically, I severely over reacted.

I recently came across information regarding Traumatic Brain Injury and everything I've read regarding injuries of the frontal lobe seems to apply to me better than any diagnosis ever has. But I don't know what to do now. I'm worried a doctor won't even consider it or listen to me. I desperately want to talk to someone who has had a similar experience to mine. I have been suicidal several times throughout my life, the first time at 12 years of age. I feel like I can never get quite right, I have trouble with relationships, they are either extreme or apathetic. I have never been able to hold a job long term, completing my bachelors degree was a huge struggle. I attempted to go on to graduate school several times, but always dropped out. I often can't explain my moods or why I feel the way I do. My emotions don't coincide with what is happening in the external world. I have never been able to stick with anything long term and often have trouble just collecting my thoughts. I am lost and afraid and have no idea where to turn

[Mark in Idaho]

Taaajaca,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to hear of your lifetime of struggles. You have found the right place for some answers.

It sure sounds like you are struggling with the emotional and behavioral issues of Post Concussion Syndrome. I think I know what you went through growing up. I had similar problems with suicidal ideation at the same age and younger.

PCS can create some severe roller coaster rides through life.

The is some great information available online. The TBI Survival Guide is at www.tbiguide.com You can download it and print it out.

The YouTube video series by John Byler called "You Look Great" is also very good. It is 6 segments and the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Xso...ature=youtu.be

Understanding your personality/emotional/behavior tendencies help to learn skills for living with them. Many of us struggle with outbursts of anger and emotion. There are two important skills to learn.

The first is to recognize the onset of an outburst. This is often preceded by an increase in pulse and blood pressure. You may feel like you head is about to burst off your shoulders. When this happens, run to a different environment. Tell you family and close friends to make excuses for you when you suddenly walk away.

The second is to recognize the trigger situations. It might be that you get triggered by the sound of someone's voice getting harsh, or too much visual and auditory stimulation during a contested discussion, or a sudden startle reaction followed by an attempt to respond to the startle.

They all cause an elevated adrenaline reaction that raised heart beat and blood pressure. This heightens reactions and cause the explosions.

Add to that the PCS symptom of difficulty at regulating verbal responses by the tendency to say the wrong words, and you get the perfect storm for trouble.

Your family cab be a big help with this. they will likely recognize a look in your eyes as you build to the explosion. You may look wild eyed (deer in the head lights) or confused or even vacant. When they see this, they need to gently touch you and lead you away. You need to discuss how to handle this behavior.

With some practice, you will all get coordinated and be able to avoid many of the outbursts.

Lowering your stress levels will make a big difference.

You should also consider getting on a vitamin and nutritional supplement regimen. Start with a B-50 or B-100 complex, 2-300 mgs of B-6, 500 to 1000 mcgs of B-12, folic acid, D3, E, Omega 3's, calcium, magnesium and a strong multivitamin that has at least 4 times the RDA amounts of each. GNC makes some good ones plus Nature Maid. Centrum and One a Day tend to be very low in their dosages. Take some vitamin C too but not on an empty stomach. It needs to enter your system slowly to not counteract the B-6 and B-12.

At your age, it may also be helpful to get a good hormone assessment. Thyroid and the sex hormones. The is a good referral system at https://www.womensinternational.com/..._referral.html Most gyno's and PCP's do not use precision in balancing your hormones like many women need. The shot gun approach to hormones is not much help.

If you get blood work done to test your hormones, you should also get your B-12 and folate levels checked. B-12 should be about 1000 pgms/mL and folate should be above 20. Don't forget a full thyroid panel.

These tips should get you started toward getting some normalcy in your life. It will take a few months of the vitamin regimen to start to see improvements. You first need to help your brain purge the toxins from years of stress.

You should also avoid caffeine, MSG, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners. A single serving per day of caffeine and alcohol may be OK.

Now that I have blasted you with a fire hose, print this out so you can reread it later.

Hope to hear from you again.

My best to you.

Let us kno0w how you are doing. there are lots of great people here.

[ginnie]

Hello and Welcome to Neruo Talk. You have found a really good site that may be able to help you a bit. Others who have TBI may also post to you with other ideas and suggestions too. I came here under two years ago upset over cervial issues and never left! Found out alot of information about my own condition as well as other conditions.
I am also a very emotional person like you are. Sometimes I over-react, and have been labeled by polar, even though the psych who did an evaluation said no. Saying that, I think a good therapist to evaluate you and all these isses should be looked into. A neruoligical doctor, and a psychiatrist would really help you in sorting through some of the emotional issues you have been having. Don't feel bad about going for help either. Thats a really sensible thing to do when you question your own reactions to stress, old injuries, and your emotional well being. A professional may be able to offer some kind of direction, where you have better control. Doing the therapy for myself was a good thing, and it gave me some coping skills I didn't have before. I hope others will post to you with some more ideas on how to help. I do want to say a warm welcome, and you can go on any of the threads to post or talk to us. There are spiritual people here too, and some of us pray alot. Don't hesitate to talk to any of us. I hope you seek a solution so you can go in a better direction. ginnie

[Klaus]

Welcome!

Thankfully for me I have not had the lifetime of problems that you have had. However I did have a childhood head injury which I am certain has made me more susceptible to future injuries (ie I don't need to be hit as hard as other people to get concussed), culminating with my current post-concussion syndrome.

Whenever I suggest to a doctor that this susceptibility has its roots in my concussion aged 9, they clearly think I am bonkers to even consider it. But the evidence on concussion in high risk groups such as jockeys and American Footballers shows that once you have had a concussion, you are more likely to get another, even after a supposed 'full recovery'. I guess doctors just don't seem to know very much about head injury, which is suprisingly common.

What I am getting at is that whilst I (obviously) couldn't say for certain, I don't think it is at all unreasonable to suggest that your difficulties may have stemmed from your childhood accident, since the effects of these sorts of injuries on the brain can be very long lasting and difficult to diagnose. And if a doctor rejects this possibility out of hand without seriously considering and looking into it, it is because they don't understand head injury.

I really hope you are able see some improvement and get some peace of mind on this issue soon.

[Rock23L]

With all of this talk about concussions in the media and football players ending their lives I decided to do some research. Which lead me here and your post made me register.

I got my first concussion in Fourth grade. I was sledding, hit my head on ice, blacked out, walked home in a daze and ended up in the hospital. Since then I have had 2-3 more concussions. I am 30 now and nothing seems right. I have always been quick to anger and emotionally numb. Which is the opposite of you, but it's those extremes. Never relaxed, feeling anxious.

I would never wish this on anyone, but I am glad you are out there. Someone else like me...