I'm feeling the same, so I think it's good that we all talk here. I'm a 42 y/o athlete (still) who plays baseball every Sunday. I would say I've had 5-7 concussions in my lifetime from childhood through today. Of which, I'd say that 3-4 were severe.

My daily symptoms include feeling lethargic, listless & lack of energy (especially in my legs), sore, very tired early at night. I have dealt with mild anger/patience issues....and until reading these posts, never attributed this to concussions. For this I am thankful because I've always been a good guy who usually handles things with patience, kindness, and understanding. Now that I am 99% sure this comes from concussions, I feel like I can manage it better. HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO HELPING EACH OTHER WE MUST ALL DO OUR BEST TO RESEARCH ON OUR OWN AND MANAGE OUR ISSUES AS BEST WE CAN. We own our bodies, we own our responsibility. We owe it to ourselves & to our loved ones. I will do my best to help anyone who wants to share or compare notes, talk about things, etc.

Just yesterday after trying to recall the consussions (or possible concussions) I have suffered, I realized that my 2nd cocussion back in 7th grade was the first time I began to experience migraines with aura (or ocular migraines). It was immediate. Blind spots, kaleidoscopic flashing lights, nausea. Since then, I have suffered migraines about 4-5 times per year and they render me quite useless for about 24 hours. I have learned to manage them very well with medication, especially with focus on the timing of taking the meds. But the symptoms are the same. For the first time in my life, I worry about what the future holds for me as my Grandfather had severe alzheimers. I have read that multiple concussions may trigger or at least contribute to this awful disease.

As I feel it necessary to better prepare myself for each day, I have cut back on drinking alcoholic beverages (but not as if I drank all that much anyway) & will try to quit the 1-2 cups of coffee I have each morning. I am also going to return to the chiropractor for his attention to the head & neck area. I will also schedule a massage every other month or so. But, what's also important is that we explore & research natural remedies by paying attention to the foods we eat and what we drink. I have found a few good links, so please consider trying...the worst that can happen is you're eating more natural fruits & vegetables! One commonality in what I found is that we who are suffering need to increase our water intake. I am excited to see if any of these natural remedies work and I'll let you all know so you can feel good for your own futures with any positive results I can share with you.

I am glad to see that I'm not alone, but I feel for you all suffering the same. Good luck to you all!

Chris

Chris,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You have found a good community of people.

As you consider your history of concussions, you need to also include in the equation your age. At 42, you are at the start of the downhill slide of your neurological condition. The main problem being the older brain is less able to overcome the past damage.

Many of us use a nutritional regimen to help our brains. It is difficult to get adequate amounts of some substances that the injured brain needs by just eating a healthy diet.

What are you most troubling symptoms? What changes to your lifestyle have you undertaken to encourage better neurological function?

As you research concussion issues, please note that there is still a large amount of old misinformation out there, especially on the internet. There are also research studies that often miss important study criteria that would make the results more useful. The studies supporting Computerized Neurological/Cognitive Baseline Testing are often seriously deficient in their study parameters.

The profit motive supports many concepts far beyond their true value.

Feel free to tell us what you find and about any struggles you have. Every little new idea can be helpful as we move forward.

My best to you.

mark,

Thank you, I appreciate it. I am mostly anti-pharmaceutical, but do welcome anything that will inevitably help me cope with symptoms. Seeing the family doc next week who will probably refer me to a neuro doc.

I will, of course, read between the lines on any possible misinformation on the web and pass any natural aid I feel has helped my symptoms.

In my recent recall effort of my concussion history, I began to piece together how they've all affected my day-to-day life currently. I'm fairly confident my symptoms of migraines, almost daily minor headaches, random fogginess, occasional memory struggles, irritability etc. are linked to the 5-7 concussions I've had over the years. I've just started to make sure I take the time to rest --maybe 1/2 hour to an hour-- & shut down my brain from work and isolate on my bed with the room nice & quiet. And I am beginning to try some of the foods on a daily basis I have read about & monitor how I feel every day.

Being on the downside at age 42 is what concerns me now. I am looking to find anything I can try (with dilligent research & comparitive results from people here) to slow down any possible neuro breakdown for the rest of my life as well as to best remedy my current symptoms. I want to be "available" for my family & GF in every way. I want to be able to play ball still every Sunday, but am now wondering if I will have to step away. Mostly, I want to be as close to symptom-free as I can every day and with a good feeling for my future.

I'll share anything I can and I appreciate your input.

Chris,

I would consider the nutritional supplement regimen an anti-pharmaceutic system.

Your rest times may not be enough. Any periods of high stress in your life are more important. Moderating those periods combined with quiet rest will help you more.

The nutritional supplements and foods take months to start to see changes. Things get better very slowly but can deteriorate very quickly from stresses. Anything you can do to avoid anxiety will be good. Here is a link to the thread with my suggested regimen http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread178683-2.html