Hey guys this is my 2nd post. I am concerned now because I had a concussion about 6 months ago now. My symptoms still are not getting better. I have:

confusion
insomnia
nausea
severe headaches
body aches
seeing stars/bright lights
loss in appetite
fatigue
dizziness
trouble focusing/concentrating

I am currently seeing a neurologist. He put me on Topamax, Amtryptiline, Nortryptiline, and now I am on Celexa. And none of these medications are working for me. I am waiting to do an EEG and then see what he see's next. It also seems like no medication is working on me. The neurologist told me that my pain might be psychological at this point. I do not understand this. Is this possible?

I think some Dr.'s say that because they don't understand or know what else it could be.

There is evidence of microscopic alterations and damage to the brain after a concussion that can't be seen on an MRI.

There is a lot of research being done on concussion right now.

Hang in there. Maybe try to find a neurologist with a specialty in concussions?

I also recommend that you see an endocrinologist to get your hormone levels tested or looked at. New research has found that many cases of PCS that don't resolve within a year may be due to hypothalamus, pituitary gland or pituitary stalk damage. If you need to take hormones, then taking supplemental hormones would resolve all of the symptoms that you listed. I know from personal experience.

When I first suggested to my neurologist that I thought I had pituitary damage, she said it was "impossible" to damage the pituitary gland from a single concussion. So the next time I saw her I brought my research with me and showed it to her. She was fascinated by it.

I have since seen an endocrinologist with expertise in this area and I'm receiving treatment paid for by my HMO and I'm significantly better now than I was. I suffered from all of the symptoms you listed (and more) and now all of those symptoms are about 80%-90% all better on good days, and roughly 60%-70% better on the worst of days. And it takes about a year for a person to reap the most benefits from taking hormone replacement therapy and I've only been taking them for about 6 months - so in another 6 months I may say that I'm much, much better than I am now.

It's definitely worth looking into rather than just accepting a "psychological" diagnosis.

49ers10,

None of the symptoms you are experiencing will be responsive to Celexa. The Amitriptyline and Nortriptyline help some with insomnia.

Have you been examined for an upper neck injury ? The head aches may be related to your upper neck.

The EEG will be a waste of time and money. It does not sound like you have any symptoms that would suggest a need for an EEG.

What is a normal day's activities like ? Are you back to work ?

The mental confusion needs clarification. If it is during low stress / sensory stimulation, then it needs to be addressed. If it is during times of sensory stimulation or stress, then you likely need to reduce the sensory stimulation and stress to allow for brain healing.

Sometimes, a benzo like Klonopin will help with the stress for a short term (30 days). I have had mental confusion that I call spaghetti brain due to recent stress situations. My doc is successfully treating it with Xyprexa and Celexa.

If you have not already, CA WC law allows you to go to a doctor of your own choosing at this point. It sounds like your neuro is lost and just trying shots in the dark. You may do better with a Physiatrist (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) You can look for one who has strong skills with whiplash head injuries.

It will help if you put your symptoms in context. Are they continuous or related to times of day or activities ?

Everyone is different but Cymbalta 30 mg and Lyrica 100mg have worked great for me.

Listen to your body, get plenty of rest, avoid demands, tv, computer etc. Live a sedate lifestyle if you can until you recover.

I agree with Mark, My neurologist was of little help to me. One of the doctors I see is a PMR. One of the first medicines he put me on was Amantadine which is supposed to help brain heal faster.

I have also had a Binocular eye assesment and a full work up at a balance / ear clinic. It has been over a year for me and many of the good folks here have been fighting to get better longer yet.

I still suffer from Fatigue, dizziness, vision trouble, sleep problems, poor concentration, slow reaction time, sound and light sensativity, constant headache, ringing in my ears, and some trembeling in my hands.

Mark In Idaho,

Thank you for getting back to me. I also had an MRI done of my Cervical spine and it also came back normal. I started physical therapy yesterday and the therapist told me that she felt my suboccipital muscles to be very tense. She massaged it a bit and provided some traction to my head and neck to help alleviate some of the tension. She believes that the headaches are related to the suboccipital muscles. She also showed me a few techniques to help with the tension.

As far as the EEG goes, I am not too sure what that is. I think at this point the Neurologist is just trying to do all he can before he really says he doesn't know where the pain is coming from.

A normal day for me is waking up like I was hit by a car. That is usually felt because I am lucky if I sleep 4-5 hours a night. Some nights the pain in my back and head just keep me up. I start my day off with some breakfast and then usually I have an appointment or 2 to attend for the day. If the weather permits I will go outside and go for a walk or just get out of the house. I have too much pain to work out at the gym. Finally 6 months of complaining about my knee, my Workers Comp Doctor did an MRI of my knee and found out that I also have a tear in my ACL and Meniscus.

Then for the rest of the day I try to stay busy. My wife has me trying to avoid television and being on my cell phone. I rest a lot due to my headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.

And then some days I have these episodes to where I am so confused and disoriented that I cannot even function. It feels like I do not have control over my body. On those days, I lose my appetite and everything is a total blur. My wife actually has to feed me because I can't feed myself. And usually my head pain on those days is along the lines of 10/10.

I have also explained these "episodes" to my Neurologist and he says he can't see how I am having these symptoms.

I have not started work because I am a Correctional Officer and my job was unable to find my any type of modified duty. And now due to my knee I am completely placed off of work.

The confusion that I mentioned usually comes during these "episodes" I have. I just be having a regular day and my pain increases and then it is on from there. So even low stimulation can bring this on.

The Cervical MRI being negative does not mean you don't have an upper neck injury. The muscle spasming is enough to support a diagnosis of subtle cervical injury. I suggest you focus on your neck and back. Finding a way to sleep in a straight posture will help. When my neck was at its worst, I slept in a recliner. This prevented me from rolling on my side and causing neck trouble.

Getting relief from pain will help your brain relax. Then, it can try to heal.

My best to you.

I just hit my six month mark. No offense, but when I first read posts in this message board I thought to myself "I'm not like these people". I thought I was going to be fine and get over it in a couple weeks. That did not happen...

I am better than I was six months ago, thats for sure. But there's one thing I can share with everyone on this site, and that's the medical communities lack of knowledge on consussions and their subsequent poor treatment options.

I have been "cleared" of any kind of physiological PCS by Dr. Leddy in Buffalo's Sports Concussion clinic. However I currently still suffer from headaches (everyday), banding feeling around head, vision problems, difficulty concentrating. I was told that my issues are psychological.

I currently take Celexa 30mg and see a Therapist. I have been working fulltime, even since the injury. I have also recently returned to volunteering at the Fire Department. I know that most people will say that I'm probably over-doing it and that's delaying my healing. But I would rather feel like crap and do stuff, than sit inside and feel like crap anyways.

So, six months in, who know how long to go?

Hi,
49ers, check your messages. Sending you a direct message.

Through out my life I've had 10 concussions or more...mostly from skiing. I just had another and hopefully my last. As of right now I'm experiencing post concussion syndrome for the second time and it is completely real and utterly debilitating. For example, I was nauseous and out of it for two or three days and yesterday I felt a bit better so I worked because I thought that "I had to." Today I am nauseous again and feel wrecked.

I've been to many healers including craniosacral specialists, chiropractors who are schooled in craniosacral practices and this past year I went to a functional neurologist who I felt was very helpful. She ran a number of tests to understand how much damage my brain has incurred and deduced that I was a very lucky in the way that for as many concussions I had I wasn't in too bad of shape. I really thought I could be careful out in the backcountry and just ski powder but I was wrong. Now I'm going through this **** all over again and to anyone who has had multiple concussions please, listen to your healers, doctors, friends or who ever...stop doing whatever it is that is getting you hurt. Its not worth it.

In regards to why I liked the functional neurologist compared to getting an m.r.i or c t scan (I've had both and neither gave me any useful information and cost a ****load of money) is because she did real world testing such as motor skills and eye movement. She gave me exercises to stimulate my brain and not pills. I'm very empathetic to your situation and hope you feel better soon.