[macdebbie]

Hi. I'm new here. Very thankful to have found this board, as this is the strangest thing that has happened to me. I have never felt so disoriented or "out of it" before and it is scary.

I fell in July 2012 walking my dog, and woke up on the sidewalk - no memory of the fall happening or what cause it. One minute I was walking home, the next I awoke on the sidewalk bloody and injured.

The neurologist I saw told me that even though I don't remember hitting my head, the force of the fall - which broke my foot - could have caused a concussion, which blocked my memory.

Fast forward to one week ago. As I was driving home from work, I slowed to a stop for a car turning left in front of me. A drunk driver rammed my car from behind. I never lost consciousness, and did not hit my head, but my face was numb, the top of my head was tingly, and in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, I had no idea what my age was when they asked.

The next day I saw a neurologist who told me I was suffering from PCS, prescribed amytriptilline (?sp), and ordered a CT scan of my brain and cervical spine.

The following day I was feeling even more disoriented, and it was hard to "think" so back I went to the ER, who confirmed PCS and told me to take it easy for a week.

So I have been sitting at home, out of work, not doing much - hard for me to do.

Wierdly, the day before I was hit by the drunk driver, I had an MRI of my cervical spine, as I have severe degenerative disk disease and cervical arthritis. and was told by my last good neurologist that a rear end crash could paralyze me because my spinal cord is being crimped by the disease.

Long story short, I have never had an MRI like this. They gave me headphones, but the noise was unbelievably loud still. In addition, the table "shook" worse than any MRI I have ever had, and the next day I had neck pain.

Although I have convinced my new (not so good) neurologist that I should have a repeat MRI to see if my spine was damaged in the accident, I am now afraid to have it done, wondering if that "shaking" of the table will cause me more and more serious problems. I have read to avoid - especially for the first few months, anything that could cause a "jolt" to the head.

Should I put off the MRI? Should I go to another place to have it done? the neurologist said they like to have them done by the same facility so they are comparing apples to apples. But I am afraid.

I am also afraid to take the amytriptalline. I don't like drugs and don't want to be dependent on them.

I plan to go back to work - at least part time - next week, as I am getting some heat, and moreso, I have no sick time left. I will be getting some reimbursement through the car insurance for lost wages, but my employer doesn't like time out of the office - even without pay - because bottom line "the work isn't getting done".

Can anyone help? My MRI is schedule for this Saturday.

Thanks.