Hi again guys,

I am concerned with long term health. I received many blows to the head that night that was strong enough to knock me off my feet. Despite trying to run into a bush after the 6'3 240lb *admin edit* first blow hit me down, he felt the need to pound on me after i was out cold. On top of that, my "buddy" felt the need to knock me onto the ground for asking him "what happened" to which he replies "im talking to this girl". I would say possibly 15 to 20 hits to the head that night.

I know punch drunk (dementia pugilistica) Unfortunately I can't link, commonly affects boxers who have had long careers...but my situation is quite complex and I took many blows in a night. I will be bringing this up when I finally get admitted to the hospital rehab program. However, how do you tell if you have it....I read in the article that:

"Symptoms and signs of DP develop progressively over a long latent period sometimes amounting to decades, with the average time of onset being about 12 to 16 years after the start of a career in boxing."

It takes 12 to 16 years for it to show up? Or am I reading that wrong? I feel like I have wasted my potential due to these two idiots. If it really does take 12 to 16 years...then I can't really have this back me up when we go to court, right.

Worried about my brain

Punch drunk is just an old term for what is now called CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) It causes the brain to atrophy. It has the long term onset you mention. In some, it manifests sooner.

Waiting for a rehab program is delaying your recovery.

What are you doing on your own to recover from your concussions ? What are your most prominent symptoms ? Each symptoms is usually treated separately although quiet rest is important for all PCS symptoms.

You are suffering from PCS or simply a serious concussion or two. Your brain needs time to heal. The blows to your head may have been many but do not mean you should consider that you had x number of concussions. That is a meaningless calculation to try to make. Your brain got seriously injured. Your outcome could have been much worse than it is.

Being drunk may have saved you from a more serious outcome. Some research suggests this is a possibility. But, alcohol will delay or limit your recovery.

My best to you.

Hi,
Remember that anxiety is also a symptom of PSC which can make the other symptoms amplify.

If you are going to read, read the stickies for what you can do…vitamins, rest, low level activities. There are many who have written about what they used to help them get through this early phase.

It's a lot of checking things off a list. But you are so early in your recovery.

So, there is no way of knowing if I have it or not? I have to wait 12-16 years?

There also is nothing I can do about the wait time. Currently I am just resting at home. My most prominent symptom is dizziness/vertigo, decreased cognition and memory, and left hand tremors. I do not think there's much that can be done for these at the moment. Do you have any recommendations?

Yes, I heard a story somewhere of a hammered vodka drinking Russian guy who jumped out his 2nd or 3rd (can't remember) story window and hit the ground, then he got up, to his wife's disbelief, and went back inside up the stairs and jumped out again and didn't receive injuries. Don't know if true or not.
I can't help but OCD about things. I always suspected I had it....until about a year ago a girl asked me if I was OCD when we were hanging out (how did she know??)

CTE develops over many years. You do not get it suddenly. It is a slow degenerative process. For most, the deterioration quickens in the late 30's to early 50's.

This slow degeneration is a good reason to start living a low risk lifestyle with good brain nutrition.

Punch drunk following a fight is usually a temporary condition. From your posts, you are not punch drunk. You are just living with a brain that is struggling. Your anxieties only make it worse.

My best to you.

If CTE takes many years to develop, how do you know if the incident would cause you to have it when you are 30 to 50??

Im worried I will have deterioration when im 30 to 50 (the prime of a man's life!!!)

There are some expensive tests that can indicate a probability but nothing concrete.

As I said "This slow degeneration is a good reason to start living a low risk lifestyle with good brain nutrition."

Living a low risk lifestyle can go a long way toward reducing the probability of developing CTE. Smoking daily and getting drunk are not helping your chances.

There is plenty of full life to live without intoxication.

So there really solid answer

I have not drank for a while. When do you think it is ok to drink again (and other stuff)? The doctor said when symptoms are gone, but for us PCS patients, we have looong symptoms/problems.

My doctor told me not to drink. Studies show that a single drink at dinner time to help one relax is OK. The negatives of the alcohol are offset by the value of relaxing.

How old were you when you started drinking and smoking ? Do you/did you drink to get blasted ? How often ? Youthful intoxication is well researched.

About 17. Not very often, maybe once a week or second week. I did however get pretty drunk. When did your doctor say you can drink?