post concussion blues
 

Hi Mark
This is my first post. I suffered a concussion at the end of November 2012. The past five months have been a living hell. I have suffered from depression and anxiety for the first time in my life and I am 49 years old. The Dr put me on Lexapro 10mg which seems to help a little but I still have my moments of feeling sorry for myself. I seem to dwell on my condition all the time even though I know that this is making things worse. I have slowly started to get better but not soon enough for me. I was extremely active working out with weights and aerobic exercises nearly daily. The exercise always made me feel good. Since I had the concussion I lost about twenty pounds. I am just starting to put weight back on. But I still cant work out. I am so afraid of doing something to trigger the anxiety and depression that I have just shut myself out of exercising. I try to walk about a mile a day but I worry about hurting myself. I know it is irrational but I still cant help myself. My wife of thirty years tries to be supportive but it has taken its toll on her as well. I saw the neurologist again on Tuesday and he said that I am fine, I sure don't feel fine though. I just waiting for the day that I wake up and this nightmare is behind me, it doesn't seem that it ever will. Thanks for listening I am just having a bad day today.

Hi, I know I'm late coming into this thread, and I apologize.

Mark is good with his input. Its very informative and trustworthy.

You have not told us where you are from: US, Elsewhere?

You have noted that you have stayed within the employer's system; what about having them setup care for you - a provder taking care of your interests, not theirs - it is their responsibility you know..... OR, since you have insurance, finding your own Neurologist / Physiatrist AND attorney, to direct your care.

Sorry to bring in the Attorney angle here, however, you employer and those practitioners only have one interest at heart - theirs, the employer, not yours - thats a fact...(no matter how 'kind' they seem)....ask anyone here or elsewhere who has been involved in a worker's comp situation....there are statutes of limitations.

You have noted many things that are indicative of PCS, so yes you have been experiencing it... you need rest; you have need of therapy and interventions and unbiased testing to help evaluated what actually needs to be addressed to help you receive therapies to direct recovery.

As to the Caffeine, like many , you like it, we all do, but it is a bad thing for our injured brains, and since you can't totally let go, could you work toward decreasing it - for every can of soda, have a similar amount of water as the next drink , instead of another can of soda?

Smoking, could you put yourself on a timer, to decrease your intake, reducing it, to cut back 1/2 the amount per week or per 2 weeks, until better able to reduce to zero in a given period of time?

Those 2 items would eventually save you quite a bit of money down the road - I know as I was a 2 pack a day smoker, and a 2 case a week diet drink drinker at the time of my injury - now, 3 years later , pretty much only an occasional cigarette and diet soda. And, I used to work in the Medical Field, and should have known better.

OK, the next Issue: Your brain is hurt, injured, and no one here will disagree about that. It comes out with your responses , about the reports, about the retorts to the input you have received, etc.

We are not attacking you. Its just observation. We have done it, we have seen it. We are here to help.

And we agree, like you say, but you probably do have some sort of depression, but its not Depression as that NPA is saying that is your problem ( because that just gives them something to say was "pre-existing" to get them off the hook from the injury causing you your problem..........back to my point above which is => where is your own protection and care giver input (NOT THEIRS).

The Vitamins: Your brain is hurt. They are useful. There are many resources to obtain them. When you are ready to explore purchases, besides Costco (if a member), you could look at Puritan's Pride (online) they offer very good deals, and I'm sure other members here have connections elsewhere.

- To avoid the MSG worries and other additive worries many have, its best to avoid boxed foods, and just keep spices on the table such as salt (if you must), pepper, cayenne, tumeric, and/or others that you like to flavor your foods with.... I personnaly premix tumeric, cayenne and black pepper on all my foods to taste and my wife and I cook together to keep me involved around the house, besides the 'honey-do' list that she oversees me doing - so I don't stagnate.

While you are still having problems with those you note, please continue getting as much rest without outside stimuli as you can. Please take the time to find caregivers for your needs as I noted.

I hope others will chime in with more advice, and we can all give you more support, and you can more forward with Best Wishes ,

:grouphug:

Sorry for the last minute Eidt:

When I was in practice, I would never use Propanolol for one reason - the depression it caused in most folks was so overwhelming that the Migraine sufferers would ask to change their meds because they already had enough depression from the migraines and didn't like the extra depression the drug gave them...... Most of these patients were long term Migraine patients who had been changed from older medications to Propanolol by their new physicians when Propanolol received its clearance for Migraine use by the FDA and all the new Internists began using the new guidelines.

I live in Arizona.

I realize it is not my employers responsibility to take care of me. They have made that painfully obvious. Given the difficulties I have working again after 5 months of STD, I am going to persue LTD. I realize first I need to find the right sort of doctor and a Lawyer. I could use assistance there. I've looked in the past, but never really persued it.

I am not interested in persuing WC, as I am told, since I was denied for it, I would need to take them to court and it could take upto a year. And many doctors don't see people on WC. It seems more trouble than it's worth.

I do see a therapist at this time, and I agree I need unbiased tests, not only to address my issues, but also to see the rate of improvement or decline.

As far as caffine, it is hard for me to drink water as I don't like the taste of it. I know I can get get Mio as a substitute, but I rather just train myself to drink water. I am working on this right now, but I doubt at this time I can completely give up on caffine.

With smoking, you are making an assumption that I am a regular smoker. I am not. I probably have one nicotine product, whether a cigar, ciggertte, or hooka once a month. Though sometimes I go two months without it. So your recommendation does not apply to me.

Perhaps reducing both will save me money, but it will also reduce my good feeling and those are few and far between these days. I will simply leave it as, I am working on the issue.

I have discussed my viewpoint on Vitamins and won't address it again, but thank you for your advice.

You do say how to avoid MSG, but your suggestion is not feasible. Especially on a tight budget, food is food. So if it has MSG, at least I have food to eat. If I had money, I would buy foods to avoid that. It's really easier said than done.

I do want to report that I tried to go to a bday party last Saturday. The last social party I went to was 8 months ago and left within 45 minutes. On Saturday, I went to a party and left again within 45 minutes. Being around people over stimulated my mind. I kept hiding in the kitchen because it was quiet and dark. This has left me feeling down. It seems many people who get PCS already have loved ones in their life. I am alone, and I hate to think that I have this for the rest of my life because I cannot find companionship. Plus, anyone I do meet will potentially need to take care of me. Really hard to be motivated if I can't go to a party or even work and give up on the idea of finding love/companionship.

I don't know how to address your other issues as you stated them, honestly.

Sorry.

Try this site for some legal help - I did, and got immediate email answers to my questions pertaining to Work comp, and SSDI; including one lawyer spending free time finding names of local lawyers for me to check on and talk to .

Avvo.com

Was very helpful .

I recommended the Work Comp avenue, due to them having the contigency avenue, and no expense to you initially, and your out of pocket expenses are after the fact - if you have not passed any time limitations.

Good Luck, Best Wishes ........... :grouphug:

Thank you.

A starting point can be the best help of all.