[yogismom]

Hi, I am new to this support group. It was mentioned in a book I was reading, Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. I have had numerous concussions but this latest one is the worst by far in severity and number of symptoms. I fell straight backwards on ice on 12.15 and hit the back of my head. I have gotten a CT scan which was normal and an MRI yesterday which made my symptoms way worse but no results yet. I am scheduled to see the neurologist who is also a neuropsychologist next week. I don't have all the technical terms down but my symptoms are that my speech is affected( sound like a stroke victim), great fatigue, headache- sometimes piercing but generally pressure, sensitive to light(flourescent is the worst) and sound(can only handle from one source), can not multi-task, pressure in my ears. I have only been able to work very minimally a couple of hours to do payroll the last couple of weeks. I am currently getting cranial sacral work which was what helped me in the past and acupuncture with ultra sound and massage. I am also trying to eat a brain healthy diet and am taking some supplements but not all that have been recommended here.

Anyway my question is when should I stop resting and start trying to stimulate my brain some?

You all sound so supportive and informed, I'm glad I found you.

[EsthersDoll]

Welcome to the group! At the same time, I'm so sorry you had to find us.

You should try to rest as much as possible, or at least pace yourself, until your symptoms disappear or are not exacerbated by activity.

Try things gently, but if your symptoms get worse it could mean you're trying too much.

Please give yourself a few weeks to get better. Most symptoms caused by concussion resolve themselves within the first couple of weeks, few months and at the worst a year.

Some symptoms develop or show up within the first few weeks too. So just keep a watchful eye on yourself, if you can, and as you are able to, and don't freak out if your symptoms change or seem to get worse.

Even if this happens, you could just spontaneously wake up one day feeling all better. Concussions are complex and unpredictable so try to be patient, flexible and understanding with the process.

[Mark in Idaho]

yogismom,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Your symptoms sound quite common. I don't understand the 'sound like a stroke victim.' Is your speech slurred or slowed or garbled ? Or do you have word finding struggles ?

I suggest you find some manual activities to keep busy with. Playing solitaire, knitting, or anything where the primary activity is with your hands, not your mind, will give your brain just enough stimulation for good blood flow without causing cognitive stress. The concept is the hands can not move faster than an injured brain can process easily.

Is you CST doing any neck work ? Often, concussions are made worse by upper neck injuries that go undiagnosed and untreated. Any upper neck treatment should be very gentle. It also helps to adopt very careful and disciplined head and neck posture habits, especially when resting or sleeping. Try to rest with your neck in good alignment.

Please feel free to tell us or ask us anything. We are here for you.

My best to you.

[yogismom]

The people telling me I sound like I speak like a stroke means my speech is very jerky and slow and I can't speak complete sentences. I lose the words I want to say also. Today we can add dizziness.

I appreciate your welcome and information and I look forward to reading more on this site.

[Lightrail11]

Hi and welcome.

A month and a half probably seems like a long time to deal with your symptoms, but TBIs take time to heal, and in that context your injury was relatively recent.

Your seeing the neurologist/neuropsychologist next week is the important next step. I'd suggest just continuing to rest until then. With your aphasia my guess is they will refer you to a speech pathologist and possibly an occupational therapist as well. My therapists were very helpful in restoring executive functions (the inability to multi-task that you describe) as well as other cognitive deficits.

The brain is an incredibly complex organ, and when injured they heal at their own pace. You will hear the phrase "if you have seen one brain injury, you have seen ONE brain injury". Wishing you well on your recovery journey, let us know how the neuro exam goes.

Best to you