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| Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). |
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03-24-2013, 12:04 PM
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I am a writer, poetry mostly, published and all, and I want to start writing childrens' books. I've written one and am about to start submitting it to agents, but I'm really struggling to get back on track creatively. Part of the problem is that I can't read as much as I'd like, mostly because my eyes hurt too much. I have a nook and can blow up the text, which really helps, but it just still hurts! I have barely written anything since my first concussion 2 1/2 years ago. I've got back my cognitive function, so what's the hold up? It's frustrating. I just feel totally out of practice! Anyone else dealing with this?
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03-24-2013, 01:37 PM
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Legendary
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Have you had a full vision exam including checking for Prizm needs ? Your eyes may be struggling with convergence. That is when the eyes move to make both images overlap properly.
You can try a test. Look at the text then cover one eye. Does the text improve or does you eye feel relaxed ? Cover the other eye. A similar situation should exist. If you can read comfortably with one eye closed or covered, it would appear to be a convergence issue. The visual processing workload on the brain can be intense. Any problems with the eyes make it much worse. I get eye head aches. When I close my eyes, the head ache is relieved withing a few minutes. PCS and eyes can be a struggle. My best to you.
__________________
Mark in Idaho "Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10 |
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| "Thanks for this!" says: | MommaBear (03-24-2013) |
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03-24-2013, 04:24 PM
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Sorry, I should have saId that my eyes are my only remaining PCS problem. I have nine different things wrong with my eyes. I've been meaning to make a signature saying what they are, but I've been trying not to spend too much time on the computer, for obvious reasons! Anyway, yes, convergence issues are one of my problems!
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03-24-2013, 05:16 PM
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I suspect you could benefit greatly from prisms. I did one year after...I am also a writer and was unable to write for a year. It is slowly coming back. Read the other posts on vision and prisms. Good luck!!!!
__________________
What happened: Legs pulled forward by a parent's hockey stick while resting at the side of the rink at a family skate....sent me straight back. I hit the back of my head (with helmet) on the ice, bounced a few times, unconscious for a few minutes. September 11, 2011. Off work since then…I work part-time at home when I can. It has been hell but slowly feeling better (when I am alone☺). Current symptoms: Vision problems (but 20/20 in each eye alone!) – convergence insufficiency – horizontal and vertical (heterophoria), problems with tracking and saccades, peripheral vision problems, eyes see different colour tints; tinnitus 24/7 both ears; hyperacusis (noise filter gone!), labyrinthian (inner ear) concussion, vestibular dysfunction (dizzy, bedspins, need to look down when walking); partial loss of sense of smell; electric shocks through head when doing too much; headaches; emotional lability; memory blanks; difficulty concentrating. I still can’t go into busy, noisy places. Fatigue. Executive functioning was affected – multi-tasking, planning, motivation. Slight aphasia. Shooting pain up neck and limited mobility at neck. Otherwise lucky! Current treatments: Vestibular therapy, Vision therapy, amantadine (100 mg a day), acupuncture and physiotherapy for neck, slow return to exercise, magnesium, resveratrol, omega 3 fish oils, vitamins D, B and multi. Optimism and perserverance. |
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03-24-2013, 07:10 PM
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Okay, I finally made a siggy. I tested out a prism lens at the neuro-optometrist and it didn't seem to help me much.
 There was something else that helped though--a binasal occlusion patch--but that isn't a very appealing option. Soooo I've been doing sensory integration/vision therapy. So far, I have seen an increase in my depth perception and some improvement with my dizziness. My light sensitivity is just awful though! I had a setback right before starting vision therapy. Too many hours on the computer!
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I have recovered my cognitive function, and I've overcome severe vertigo through sensory integration therapy. Wellbutrin has helped me escape depression. I have recently had a few stress-related migraines, as well as headaches stemming from eye strain. I'm also dealing with tinnitus, lack of stamina, extreme light sensitivity, and eye pain. Diagnosed with 9 different vision issues: convergence insufficiency, pursuit eye movement deficit, egocentric visual midline shift, photophobia, visual information processing delays, accommodative insufficiency, saccadic eye movement deficit, lack of coordination, and central peripheral visual integration deficit. *First concussion: October 2010. I was pregnant and got rear ended. I associated my mild PCS symptoms with baby brain and blamed my light sensitivity on allergies and dry eyes. *Second concussion: December 2011. I hit my head on a wooden beam, saw stars but did not lose consciousness, and I had very disturbing PCS symptoms but didn't go to the doctor. *Third concussion: August 2012. I caused a car accident as a result of PCS symptoms. Thankfully no one was injured but me. My husband confronted me, and I finally sought help and took medical leave from work. My symptoms worsened, and I developed severe vertigo. *Fourth concussion: November 2012. I was riding in a car with a friend and we were hit head on by a driver who lost control of her car. I didn't have a big increase in PCS symptoms. |
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| "Thanks for this!" says: | Mokey (03-24-2013) |
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03-24-2013, 08:07 PM
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This was mentioned on another thread but...... have you tried vestibular therapy? I have noticed a decrease in my dizziness (not gone yet though) and also a decrease in my light and sound sensitivities. Maybe it would help you also. I still have cognitive issues and if you have any secrets to how you cleared those up I'd love to hear them!
I can't help with the creativity because I have none! CC
__________________
I'm a 39 year old, female, accountant. On July 2, 2012 I crashed my bike at the end of a 65KM road ride. I was fine that day but woke up the next morning to my current world. Ongoing symptoms include: dizziness, blurred vision, light and noise sensitivities, cognitive problems, uncontrollable emotions/depression/anxiety, headaches (but they're getting better), mental and physical fatigue, difficulty communicating and sleep disturbances. Currently seeing a fabulous Neuro Psychologist and vestibular physiotherapist and hoping to soon see a neuro ophthalmologist. I am currently doing 20 minute stationary bike rides daily, 20 minutes of meditating, 15 minutes of Lumosity and lots of resting. I have not been able to work or drive since the accident. The things that have helped me the most since the accident are vestibular therapy, gel eye drops (for blurred vision, sensitivity and dryness), amitriptyline (10mg), and meditating. I am finally starting to see some slight improvements and am hopeful! My brain WANTS to heal itself... I just have to let it and stop trying to get better! |
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03-24-2013, 09:02 PM
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Yes, I started vestibular therapy back in October and threw in the towel on it in January. It wasn't helping much. That's when I went to the neuro-optomitrist at my physical therapists recommendation. I might go back to it once I'm finished with my vision therapy, or at least do it at home, to see if it helps with any residual symptoms, if I have them.
I do have some suggestions for resolving cognitive symptoms! Of course, I think rest was key. Also, keeping a journal helped me watch my own progress and forced me to write even when I wasn't writing creatively. Also, I got a membership to Lumosity.com, which I found very very helpful and well worth the money. It allowed me to see myself getting better, and I think it actually helped me regain lost cognitive abilities as well. When I started, some of the games were soooo hard for me. When I started getting better at them, it was a triumph! I can actually look back at the date where my BPI (a score to track your progress) jumped 230 points in one week! That was when my brain really bounced back. I could feel the difference in my everyday life, but Lumosity also quantified it for me, which was gratifying and gave me confidence in my regained abilities. I went from the 11th percentile for Memory and 18th percentile for Attention among my age group to the 86th percentile for Memory and the 70th percentile for Attention (and I have ADHD, so that's as good as I'll ever get!). Anyway, check it out! Just don't overdo it on the computer. I wasn't careful enough and now I'm paying the price!
__________________
I have recovered my cognitive function, and I've overcome severe vertigo through sensory integration therapy. Wellbutrin has helped me escape depression. I have recently had a few stress-related migraines, as well as headaches stemming from eye strain. I'm also dealing with tinnitus, lack of stamina, extreme light sensitivity, and eye pain. Diagnosed with 9 different vision issues: convergence insufficiency, pursuit eye movement deficit, egocentric visual midline shift, photophobia, visual information processing delays, accommodative insufficiency, saccadic eye movement deficit, lack of coordination, and central peripheral visual integration deficit. *First concussion: October 2010. I was pregnant and got rear ended. I associated my mild PCS symptoms with baby brain and blamed my light sensitivity on allergies and dry eyes. *Second concussion: December 2011. I hit my head on a wooden beam, saw stars but did not lose consciousness, and I had very disturbing PCS symptoms but didn't go to the doctor. *Third concussion: August 2012. I caused a car accident as a result of PCS symptoms. Thankfully no one was injured but me. My husband confronted me, and I finally sought help and took medical leave from work. My symptoms worsened, and I developed severe vertigo. *Fourth concussion: November 2012. I was riding in a car with a friend and we were hit head on by a driver who lost control of her car. I didn't have a big increase in PCS symptoms. |
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03-25-2013, 05:39 AM
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Cyclecrash, I just noticed it says you do 15 minutes of Lumosity a day. Do you find it is helpful? I will say that I did more than 15 minutes per day. 15 was my minimum, but I often did up to 45 minutes. It just depended on what kind of day I was having. Then I got addicted the word bubbles and did way more of that than I should have. What can I say, I love word games! Word bubbles probably contributed to my recent setback, although the real culprit for that was online shopping. Scrolling is just really bad for me! Anyway, striking a balance is so imortant, and I really struggle not to get sucked in to the internet's many divertissements.
__________________
I have recovered my cognitive function, and I've overcome severe vertigo through sensory integration therapy. Wellbutrin has helped me escape depression. I have recently had a few stress-related migraines, as well as headaches stemming from eye strain. I'm also dealing with tinnitus, lack of stamina, extreme light sensitivity, and eye pain. Diagnosed with 9 different vision issues: convergence insufficiency, pursuit eye movement deficit, egocentric visual midline shift, photophobia, visual information processing delays, accommodative insufficiency, saccadic eye movement deficit, lack of coordination, and central peripheral visual integration deficit. *First concussion: October 2010. I was pregnant and got rear ended. I associated my mild PCS symptoms with baby brain and blamed my light sensitivity on allergies and dry eyes. *Second concussion: December 2011. I hit my head on a wooden beam, saw stars but did not lose consciousness, and I had very disturbing PCS symptoms but didn't go to the doctor. *Third concussion: August 2012. I caused a car accident as a result of PCS symptoms. Thankfully no one was injured but me. My husband confronted me, and I finally sought help and took medical leave from work. My symptoms worsened, and I developed severe vertigo. *Fourth concussion: November 2012. I was riding in a car with a friend and we were hit head on by a driver who lost control of her car. I didn't have a big increase in PCS symptoms. |
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03-25-2013, 08:50 AM
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Thank you for the tips! I was doing the five recommended daily activities on lumosiity, and then adding on word bubbles rising because I love that one too, but I think it has been too much for my eyes so I've changed it and only do it when I feel I can.
I'm doing vestibular therapy right now and also trying to add in yoga so I was finding it hard knowing what was causing what when it came to flare ups. Over the last couple months though my score has been steadily going up and I do think it would be helpful to people that can tolerate it. Once I'm able, I'll use it more frequently. I love the word games although I know I'm not doing anywhere near as well as I would have pre accident. I have a hard time with the raining math one and I know I should be much better at that! When the timers get low and anxiety kicks in my brain just shuts right down. Hope you're having a good day! CC
__________________
I'm a 39 year old, female, accountant. On July 2, 2012 I crashed my bike at the end of a 65KM road ride. I was fine that day but woke up the next morning to my current world. Ongoing symptoms include: dizziness, blurred vision, light and noise sensitivities, cognitive problems, uncontrollable emotions/depression/anxiety, headaches (but they're getting better), mental and physical fatigue, difficulty communicating and sleep disturbances. Currently seeing a fabulous Neuro Psychologist and vestibular physiotherapist and hoping to soon see a neuro ophthalmologist. I am currently doing 20 minute stationary bike rides daily, 20 minutes of meditating, 15 minutes of Lumosity and lots of resting. I have not been able to work or drive since the accident. The things that have helped me the most since the accident are vestibular therapy, gel eye drops (for blurred vision, sensitivity and dryness), amitriptyline (10mg), and meditating. I am finally starting to see some slight improvements and am hopeful! My brain WANTS to heal itself... I just have to let it and stop trying to get better! |
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03-25-2013, 02:19 PM
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My cognitive is overall a lot better since I got anxiety,depression and panic to go away because I had to choose medication. My cognitive is horrible esp grammar. I was a college student and owned a biz. Now I am trying to start practicing on my own my grammar. If you read any of my post from Dec & January it is very confusing. I was REALLY BAD for I think about a year. I have speech problems as well. I was a scatter brain. I have to do all my rehabilitation and the last rehab I believe is my cognitive. I am starting a 3 part cognitive with my PTSD psychologist.
Creativity was a hard thing for me to find what I liked or I could keep interest in. I was going to hobby store every week for awhile before I found making organic soaps. My mother was worried at first because I have to use a knife to cut base soap. I did fine and this is my hobby now. I feel like it is helping with a few of my impairments such as following directions, attention, memory and problem solving. And the oil's smells good and soothing. *I do not recommend this activity to anyone* 
__________________
What Happened: In 2011 I was in a MVA . Symptoms: Physical: I am always cold in any season!!I cannot tolerate anything pressure on my head(sun glasses,hats)longer then a hour,Lock jaw/Displaced TMJ, Dropsey, Hands go numb, Arms go numb, back of head numb (when asleep),Muscle spasms in face & upper body,migraines, concentration headaches, dizziness, nausea, neck and back trauma (from accident), tinnitus, extreme light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, EXTREME fatigue, impaired vestibular system, balance off, Pupils NEVER equal, disrupted sleep cycles,speech problems. Cognitive: Cognitive Behavior, Brain fog, impulsivity, speech problems, word finding problems, slowed processing speeds, impaired visual memory, impaired complex attention Emotional: Unable to handle stress or overstimulation without getting extremely irritable or angry, easily overstimulated, MAJOR depression, major anxiety, Panic attacks Treatment so far: Treatment for PCS,PTSD,Depression & panic,Vestibular therapy, Physical therapy, Vitamin Schedule,Walking,No Dairy, No eggs, No caffeine, No artificial coloring, Sleep with 2 pillows, Very little sugars consumed, Eat healthy,No alcohol, Medications, limit stress and overstimulation. ~*~Learn to treasure yourself and your Divinity. Be willing to accept yourself completely. Be yourself, be graceful, be kind, be wild, be weird ... be true to yourself~*~ |
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