Emersonjanebrown: Thank you so much for all the information you have provided for me (even in perfect Norwegian). I'm sorry to hear what happened to you, but so happy you have responded positively on the treatment. I will definitely try this!

The strange thing about my symptoms is that they are mainly physical (not cognitive) and usually go away after a few weeks (but not this time). I wrote that I had some problems with talking fast - I think this was because of my pain. When I'm not in pain I have no problems with concentration - I can work extremely much and long days without noticing anything wrong. My doctor therefore thought that there might be my neck that cause my problems now (he does not deny that I've had several concussions in the past). He said it is likely that everytime I (slightly) "bump" my head, some signals remember how it was the last time, and "create" the headache and other concussion symptoms, even though my head probably is not "concussed". What do you other guys think of this? How much force is required to cause a concussion?

GFN,

You doctor appears to not understand the impact of sub-concussive impacts. He is correct when he comments about neck issues. They can cause an interrupt in blood flow or muscle spams.

Sub-concussive impacts are those impacts that do not cause immediate concussive symptoms. They often accumulate to cause problems. In some of us, they will cause a relapse of concussion symptoms. For me, I have learned how to notice subtle symptoms such as a metallic taste or slight sense of vertigo (dizziness) or visual struggles. They may only last a few seconds. Different challenges to the brain can cause processing speed to change. This can cause the speaking speed problem.

The struggles you have when you are in pain could be a result of the pain stimuli overwhelming your brain's ability to process information. Or, the cause of the pain may also be the cause of the processing struggles such as, a spike in blood pressure can cause head aches. It can also cause changes to capillary blood flow resulting in functional difficulties.

I hope this makes sense to you. Learning to moderate your activity level can smooth out this roller coaster of symptoms.

My best to you.

I would guess you're sitting in my boat and we're both floating down poopy creek with nary a paddle between us.

I was diagnosed a little over a year ago with TBI from multiple concussions. The Neurologist figures I've had between 12-15 in my lifetime.

In all my reading on the subject, there seems to be a consensus that each concussion, no matter how inconsequential, does damage to the brain. The good news is that with proper care and plenty of non-brain activity rest, most people will recover as the brain has ways of re-routing signals. Some people, however, have a lifetime of minor symptoms from just one.

Unfortunately, once you get to about the 3rd, your brain starts to lose the ability to re-route. At some point, the symptoms do become more permanent.

I read a study about an MRI technique called DTI. This imaging tracks the movement of the brain fluid or white matter. The testing is still in a research mode but the conclusion of one particular study I read talked about people, like me and you, with multiple concussions, having recurring symptoms. Meaning that symptoms will vary and will come and go.

For me, last year, my memory was so bad that my wife would cry because I had no memory of a trip we had taken the year before. We spent one entire week in So California in a condo right on the beach. No matter what she said to help me remember, my mind could not reach back and find a memory.

Well, my memory is much better now but other symptoms that I have had before are back. Dizziness, balance issues, headaches, etc. that were much more mild are back.

The study indicated that the white matter will actually move about the affected areas of the brain and help restore some of the damaged functions. But at some point, it will move to a different damaged area causing a different symptom to get better but the other symptoms will return.

I hope I'm making sense. I read the article online and haven't been able to find it since. I was looking again tonight when I came across this forum. If I find the link, I'll post it.

Good luck.

Jazzy,

I know articles similar, and have been in similar situations as you.

Have found articles of interest like that one, and have remembered to go back because I forgot to bookmark it and could not find it again. That is one reason I am forever online re - searching tbi, mtbi, Brain injury, concussion, pcs, etc.

I dig and dig into anything from NIH, BMJ, and anywhere else I might find bibliographies for information.

Docs on my side of the fence agree that my history is full of the Multiple Injury Syndrome picture, as why my issues are dragging along as long as they are at my age, but the Insurance folks don't want to believe there is even one concussion/pcs issue here...

I feel for all folks facing Multiple Injury issues.....

Best wishes..............

Jazzy,

DTI, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, is beyond the research level. The problem is that it can give a diagnosis but does not change the fact that there are limited treatments. It is also difficult to find an imaging center with a radiologist and neuro who understand the technology.

Multiple Impact Syndrome can be a struggle. After each successive impact, less recovery is possible. In time, the brain has used up all of its 'reserve' ability to recover. I am in the 'reserve is used up' state. My neuro was shocked to see how dysfunctional my brain is.

There are plenty of work-arounds to go on with a full life. It may be a different full life than originally planned but it can be full never-the-less.

The research part I was talking about, and I have to rely on my faulty memory, was the part about the recurring symptoms and the movement of the fluid. If I remember right, it was still being researched because a new DTI had to be done in 6 month intervals and the study was only about 18 months old. I believe they said they wanted about 5 years worth of data on the same subjects to be conclusive.

I wish I could find the article. I'm pretty feisty so I'm sure I will.

Hi, this head injury thing really is hard to deal with, i have broken both shoulders, one in 7 pieces, torn ligaments in both knees, had kidney stones several times, had appendicitis, got impaled on a dirt bike handelbar which crushed femoral artery ripped open abdominal an caused hernia, 44 staples in groin, 22 staples in shoulder, crashed skiing n heard glass breaking, gues that was brain rattle, and all along banging my head like a dope. No injury has been harder to deal with than the day to day symptoms of this tbi, Ive had 6 concussions and multiple impacts. Yes I am an idiot.
Now even slight bump on head causes symptoms of dizziness, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, confusion, etc (hey I dont even have to drink to feel drunk saves money on the beck)
so what encouragement can i offer?..........we just have to face the reality that if you play, u pay.
Im not trying to be glib, just real. I feel like an old person now.
So what can I say positively? That I have a tremendous amount of empathy that I never had before, being so active and able to physically endure and excell most my life had left me without understanding of others weaknesses. Especially older folks. Now I really understand what many many people are going through in their lives. Has this helped me? Yes, this empathy makes me feel more Human, wherever I can help some one, I am more understanding.
It's kind of weird to be in excellent physical shape yet feel like an 80 yr old man, and how do you explain? Only those who have experienced the same can truly comprehend the depth of despair this syndrome can bring,,,,but maybe others with other issues have the same despair.
My motto now is that if I experience even only one beautiful thing in a day, no matter how small, I appreciate that if I was dead, I wouldn't have even enjoyed that, so I focus on that. Truth though is there are many more then one beautiful thing I experience each day. Train your mind to always focus on whatever positive thing you can. guess that's all i have so hang on to the beautiful.

Same for me. I have a spinal cord injury in addition. I was partly paralyzed from my chest and down when I was 13 years old, so I am dependent on using a wheelchair. However, nothing I have experienced has been worse than my recurring concussion symptoms.

Jazzy,

In my opinion, there is a lot of research done for research sake, not for finding a treatment. Sure, they can see patterns of injury in the imaging. This is great if you are fighting with a personal injury claim and need to show you are injured. But....... What change in treatment is being offered from the research being done ? None based on what I have seen.

GirlfromNorway and 12many,

What steps are you taking to move forward ? PCS can be miserable and frustrating but there are lots of things one can do to move forward.

There are no magic cures. Every step forward takes effort on our part.

Mark in Idaho: Thank you so much for your support. I'm so happy I found this forum. The last couple of days have been much better - I hardly have any headache and I can sit more than to minutes on the computer. The last month I have mostly spent in my bead without doing anything. I have also started on most of the nutrition supplements you have recommended. Can I really take as much as 500 - 1000 mcgs daily? Right now I just take a B-complex with a lot of B-s, among them 200 mgcs B12. How much extra B12 should I take? I weigh about 60-65 kilo. Is there something else I can do besides resting and good nutrition?

However, I'm still dizzy and I've got a new problem that makes me even more worried and prevents me from falling asleep: My arms, my face and my neck are twitching every time I lay down on the sofa or in my bed. I try to relax, but can't make it stop. Sometimes my arm suddenly moves to another place. I'm not shaking (like tremors?), but I get these jerky movements and they are annoying and I 'm afraid they will make my headache worse (If my head is jerking too much). I've never had this problem before, only the last week or so. What can I do to make the twitching go away and what could be the cause? I guess it has something to do with the concussion symptoms. What do you think? There is nothing wrong with my neck, but I have been in bed a lot lately, so maybe my body needs some exercise...