[LauraM]

Hi All!,
I hit my head on my bathroom sink, the comical part I was reaching for some TP to change the roll. I also have Lupus and was having pain in my shoulders and it hit at just that moment and I let go of my old of the sink fell forward and hit my head above my left eye. It left an egg and made me instantly sick and dizzy.
To the ER I went with severe pain in my arms shoulders and head. Xrays and CT showed nothing and I was sent home with moderate concussion and told to follow up with my PC.

Four days later when I could barely walk she shent me for a MRI which also showed clear and refered me to my neurologist for a followup. Who medicated me, scheduled vestibular therapy a VNG and said come back in 4 months.

I had the VNG done, and it made me so sick I ended up in the hospital for a week on IV depakote and pain meds.

My symptoms were to bad to do the therapy and she suggested that I have my PC refer me to the concussion clinic through UPMC. I was there in a matter of days. I was tested and refered to a doctor for eye therapy, back to vestibular therapy and to another doctor Medicinal rehab.

Now a year later I can walk without help even sometimes go to the store.
I was allowed to drive but only short distances a few months ago.
I still spend probably 2 or 3 days a week in bed.
I dont sleep at night
and I was just sent to our Eye and Ear hospital to see a specialist, he is a neurologist that specializes also in Otolaryngology. After a whole battery of testing that made me very sick all over again. He diagnosed me as having a bad balance sensor in my left ear. One of the falls damaged it and it will probably never heal. Now it is a waiting game to see when if ever my brain learns to let me function normally again.

My Concussion specialist said she sees this happen generaly in about a year...hahah I am past that. She also said my Lupus could be complicating the whole process and I have to made any "goals" at the normal pace. So she is not sure.

In the mean time I am sure glad to have found you all, because I am sure getting depressed and losing hope that I will ever run and play with my grand children again, go back to work, watch an air show or find a way to have fun. I am not a sit still kind of person, this is KILLING me.

I am on Vivactal during the day and Topamax at night for the headaches and that has helped a lot but it has never taken it completely away. I have not had a day free of a head ache in over a year.
I am now on Klonapin for the dizziness just a very small dose, but it is not yet helping. I am still recovering from the tests, the VNG put me in the hospital the first time, this time I am surprised the spinning chair they stuck me in did not make my head explode.

I pick and choose what I do each day and rate things as what is most important to get done and get those done first. If I push too hard I spen at least the next day in bed, sometimes two or three.

I am open to hearing how the rest of you manage to get through it and still get things done. How to learn to have fun and live life again. Right now my only "fun" is listening to audio books. I miss my old life.

[Mark in Idaho]

LauraM,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. I hate to sound like a broken record but that has been the protocol lately here on NT. Getting a thorough diagnostics of your upper neck is very important. This area usually gets completely overlooked. general cervical x-rays, CT Scans and MRI's often do not show problems that need more specially trained analysis.

The dynamics of your impact make an upper neck injury very suspect. The whiplash or bending of the neck can cause subtle injuries that leave prolonged symptoms. Your inner ear signals may not be making it past your upper neck / brain stem area or may be getting starved of oxygen rich blood due to inflammation.

Hope you can find specialized help.

My best to you.

[LauraM]

Thanks Mark, I have read a lot of your posts and it seems as you have been through it all. I am sorry you have such issues but glad for your experience.
When I passed out and fell again after the VNG and was hospitalized, they did a battery of testing.

I had another MRI, they did a sonagram of the arteries of the in my neck, checked for seasures among other things. They found nothing unusual. The MRI did show this time I have some arteries that are smaller than usual, this would have always been there.

The neck and shoulder pain I get, has been chalked up to my lupus and arthritis, and tendionitis. I will however give the ear doctor a bit of time to work on me and if there is not much improvement bring that up for a closer look.

One of the ear tests they did was checking the signals down my neck was different. Electrodes were connected to behind my ear, on my neck and just below my neck and a clicking noise was produced in my ear. I had to put tension on my neck muscle and the vibration of the noise was measured.
I am not sure if that test is one I failed. I was too sick when I left to ask many questions. I will ask more at the follow up.

How did you go about getting yourself more active? I can not stand sitting here knowing there is so very much I need to do, and want to do. Just every time I try I get sick all over.

[LauraM]

You had asked about the Impact testing. My concussion doctor uses it as a tool only to measure my reaction time and memory. She also does an exam and listens very closely to my symptoms.

I think I am lucky that she does listen to me and it is very important. When they stop listening to me and start ignoring my symptoms and stop looking for ways to improve my day to day life I will find someone that will.

I also think it it is because this group is doing a lot of research to bring concussion issues to light. They are trying to make diagnosis better and treatment more effective. I am sure there are others that are not as good.

[poetrymom]

Hi Laura,

I am sorry to hear of your struggles and all you have been through.

I am no good at figuring out meds and various medical complications. It's just not my area.

But I do wish you words of peace and hope. Keep asking your questions and looking for answers. I don't know where, but there are some answers out there.

Sincerely,

poetrymom

[Mark in Idaho]

I also had a Doppler ultrasound of my neck arteries. They were fine but I know that I need to have my neck in a tilted or twisted position for symptoms to show. The tech did not test with odd postures. It takes 10 minutes of bad posture for inflammation to cause me problems.

For me, prolonged bad neck posture causes Central Apnea where my diaphragm stops pulling breaths. I have learned good habits so this is a rare occurrence.

If you have neck pain, it will also cause inflammation. It is the inflammation that causes problems by slowing blood flow and causing other symptoms.

[LauraM]

Thanks Mark, I see my PCP next week as a follow up for the tendionitis in my shoulder I plan to talk to her.

I know she does not have the answers, but she will also listen to me when I say I am tired of the pain and feel I sould be getting better faster and something else needs done.

If she has no ideas, I guess when I go back to the clinic I will ask. I see a new doc though, mine will be on Maternity leave.

I just cant take the pain any more and nothing helps, very few people understand just how desperaite I am becoming for some relief, but I bet you do.