Hi there

I haven't written many posts and haven't been on this forum long..... however I read a lot of threads and just wanted to say thanks for all the amazing information and expertise that you've shared.

I'm not fully recovered (into 4th month now) but feel that my improvement in the last month or so after discovering this site is largely due to the help and advice I have read/received.

The health care I've received here (New Zealand) has been less than satisfactory. My doctor didn't refer me onto a concussion specialist and told me I should have recovered in 3 weeks.; he told me I was probably just tired and stressed.

He finally referred me ( after me going to him at my wits end numerous times...). That was 6 weeks ago and I still haven't heard from the concussion clinic. Sometimes I get very frustrated because I didn't realise things like the fact that alchohol and caffeine can prevent your brain from healing because my doc and other health providers didn't inform me properly... grrrrr enough moaning. It do feel compelled to raise awareness about brain injury and not for the lay person - for the medical profession!!

Anyways I do feel that if I hadn't had the advice from here I would be a lot further back in my recovery.
Thanks - you've helped a lot

Hi AnnaMoore,
Sorry this reply is so late, I am just seeing your post and felt compelled to reply

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND your frustration about the lack of knowledge that many healthcare providers exhibit following a concussion or head injury in general.

It may be that they are taught to minimize the symptoms and put a positive spin on things in hopes that we don't dwell on it and recover faster.

However, I believe this is very misleading and an injustice!. It should be a Doctors duty to be upfront and honest with patients. I for one would have felt a lot less stress and anxiety if I had been told that I could expect certain thoughts, symptoms, etc.

Instead, I went through (am still going through) a slew of symptoms, emotions, doubts, etc that could have been alleviated by knowledge of my injury and what to expect.

Just my 2 cents.

This forum has helped alot. Thank you all.

Hallo there. I am in New Zealand as well - in Auckland.

Unfortunately I found that it was a case of self education - my first doctor was awful and told me when I was not recovering that he knew all about people like me as he had worked for an insurance company! Needless to say I went home in tears and was devastated. Luckily I had faith in myself and started "googlig" which ended up educating both myself and the health professionals as well. Then the problem is you are then told or asked why you know so much about PCS!.

Auckland Brian Injury gave me the name of a good GP and he has been a great help - very good at handing me tissues at times.

I am 10 years post accident. I found that ACC only ever sent me for assessments for the first few years - it was disappointing as I would always be so hopeful and think maybe this specialist will help me --- but no. All I ever heard was that I should be better - such a minor injury etc etc.

Though my psychiatrist in the end was very good - I payed to see him privately once or twice but the problem is that he is now head of Auckland mental health He did confirm that I was as good as it gets - that ended my constant struggle of trying to get better and thinking that I should be better - took the pressure off me.

The most help I had was by paying privately.

I saw and neurologist in Sydney who completed a QEEG - this was the first time I had some physical evidence of injury and knew that I was going crazy!

I also saw Guy Newburn in Rotorua who works in rehabilitation and psychology. He also confirmed that my problems were normal not insanity. There was not alot that they could do for me but just having your condition acknowledged was huge.

If you like you could send me a personal message and I will give you my telephone number.

Oh Lucy! That sounds just awful to be told he "knows about people like you" by a GP because he worked for an insurance company!! What a jerk!

Omg!!!! That is so true. Sometimes I question my own sanity after my visits. Am I going to get better? I hope so. The doctors just say the same things. They keep referring to my anxiety. The daily struggle we go through is hard, the pain is real, and the noises in my head, the unsteadyness cant all come from anxiety. I feel lonely because everyone else is working. I cant make plans because more times than not I had to cancel. So when these doctors who see us for minutes of our lives they need to listen. I am trying to accept the changes in me but it makes me so sad to feel like this everyday. Take good care of yourself and rest. I wish you the best.