[SarahSmile0205]

Readers Digest version because that is about all I can do... so feel free to ask questions to fill in the gaps...

Grew up playing soccer and as as swimmer... no known concussions growing up..

1-12-14 MVA, t-boned... thought I was fine... got out of the car... helped the girl who hit us... realized I may need to just "settle my nerves" when I was headed back from the rental car company and ran a few stop signs on the airport property and had to tell myself to focus... Went to work the next day... Ended up getting sick at my desk.. Went to the ER... confirmed concussion.. told me to go back to work in a few days...

Few days came and went and I was not doing any better... went to my GP... who put me on brain rest for a week... I did this... used noise canceling headphones and an eye mask from the time my husband and kids left until they got home... One week did not change anything.. one lead to 2, that lead to 3... after 3 I wanted to go back to work... that lasted 2.5 days... Got sick again and was pretty much back and ground zero...

Started propranlol, 60 mg, did this for 2 weeks, was not working was switched to topamax 200mg... was sent back to work again on 2-24... lasted 1.5 days... was told i was not making any sense when i was sending emails internally and externally...

comprehension went to the crapper, vertigo set in and this lovely headache will NOT go away... it has been 8 weeks since the accident... I am on Namenda XR now only... and in balance therapy.

I really want this headache to go away!!! i can not lay down to sleep there is so much pressure... any suggestions???

[poetrymom]

Hi Sarah,

So sorry to hear of your accident and struggles. I am no expert in all of this, but I have been reading here a lot -- to get your neck looked at too. The vertebrae in the neck can get out of whack and that can mimic concussion problems.

I have escaped (luckily) the issues of headaches from my concussion, but I have also quit drinking any caffeine.

There are things you can do to help with brain healing via your diet. Look over the stickie at the top of this forum. I know that extra vitamins and supplements are no cure all, and it takes 4-6 weeks minimum to get this into your system. But these things can help.

Other, very experienced people will weigh in, and I wish you the best in your recovery.

Keep asking your questions and finding dox who listen to you too.

All for now,

poetrymom

[Mark in Idaho]

Sarah,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You are in good company. Your situation is very common. As poetry said, get your neck checked out. If you have any tenderness at the bony parts behind your ears, this is symptomatic of an upper neck injury. The injury may not show up on a CT, MRI or x-ray. It may need the expert touch of a Physical Therapist, Osteopath or sometimes a chiropractor. Most chiros are to aggressive with these upper neck injuries so be cautious who you let work on your neck.

Good sleeping and resting posture is very important. You need to no aggravate your neck with bad postures.

Read the sticky at the top about Vitamins. You should also check out the YouTube video series "You Look Great" A link is at the bottom of the vitamins first post.

You may also want to check out www.tbilaw.com and www.subtlebraininjury.com if you will be litigating your injuries.

Feel free to tell us anything. We have heard it all and nothing is new or odd.

My best to you.

[koolbaby0423]

I can say I too have been having issues I am 4 weeks out since MVA I have a headache all the time I want to be in the dark, I get the shakes, and focusing is not even an option right now to me. I get dizzy when I go from standing to sitting or laying to sitting or sitting to standing, any time I change my position basically. Ive had MRI, CT, EEG and I am told they are all normal but I know something isn't right. I don't know what to do but I just joined today in hopes of support.

Originally Posted by SarahSmile0205

Readers Digest version because that is about all I can do... so feel free to ask questions to fill in the gaps...

Grew up playing soccer and as as swimmer... no known concussions growing up..

1-12-14 MVA, t-boned... thought I was fine... got out of the car... helped the girl who hit us... realized I may need to just "settle my nerves" when I was headed back from the rental car company and ran a few stop signs on the airport property and had to tell myself to focus... Went to work the next day... Ended up getting sick at my desk.. Went to the ER... confirmed concussion.. told me to go back to work in a few days...

Few days came and went and I was not doing any better... went to my GP... who put me on brain rest for a week... I did this... used noise canceling headphones and an eye mask from the time my husband and kids left until they got home... One week did not change anything.. one lead to 2, that lead to 3... after 3 I wanted to go back to work... that lasted 2.5 days... Got sick again and was pretty much back and ground zero...

Started propranlol, 60 mg, did this for 2 weeks, was not working was switched to topamax 200mg... was sent back to work again on 2-24... lasted 1.5 days... was told i was not making any sense when i was sending emails internally and externally...

comprehension went to the crapper, vertigo set in and this lovely headache will NOT go away... it has been 8 weeks since the accident... I am on Namenda XR now only... and in balance therapy.

I really want this headache to go away!!! i can not lay down to sleep there is so much pressure... any suggestions???

[SarahSmile0205]

Yes... I have been seeing an osteopath and a chiro about my neck... they are working together to get that under control... sorry... should have mentioned... I will go and take a look at the nutrition thread.

thank you for your insight... I love the first thread!

[Mark in Idaho]

If the chiro has been doing the 'twist the head and pop the neck' adjustments, he may be too aggressive. A more gentle approach may be better.

[LauraM]

Hi Sarah, Hi Koolbaby,

I will add all these great people have been wonderful support for me too. I have symptoms very similar to yours, but was not in a car accident I hit my head on my bathroom sink, then had several other issues along the way. In any case I am just going soon to have my neck checked soon because I have not done that yet.

But if you are not finding relief you may also want to have a binocular eye exam done I hear a lot of folks here talking of neuro opothomologists but my regular eye doctor has a specialist in their office so yours may be able to refer you to someone locally. They found my eyes were no longer working together my guess is it was because my hit was to my forehead above my left eye the one that was not working correctly.

If you still are not finding relief I also saw an ear specialist who was also a neurologist who found an issue deep in my left ear. This partially explained the continued vertigo. I am now seeing a headache clinic as well.

Good luck, try to be patient it is very hard and can take a long time sometimes. Each of us while suffer in very similar ways heal in very different ways. We are all here for you.

My Physical Medicine doctor tells me "when your headache gets worse it is your body telling you you need to stop and rest".

[Eowyn]

If you want to look into getting your eyes checked out by a behavioral optometrist, you can find referrals at http://www.braininjuries.org or http://www.nora.cc

[todayistomorrow]

I was also involved in a tbone accident where my SUV went airborne and landed on its side. I lived the 1st year after in misery until I went to neuro ophthalmologist and was diagnosed with convergence insufficiency. I was prescribed tinted glasses and they alleviated much of my headaches and overall lousy feeling. I've tried vestibular rehab, chiro(waste of $), and wish I would have started with getting my vision checked. I wouldn't be able to work(function) without my glasses.

The best I've felt is when I was exercising regularly. Symptoms may flare up quickly, so do what you can and try to a little more each day.

[LauraM]

I also had convergence insufficency.....there are eye exercises to help it. I went to eye therapy was expensive and my insurance did not pay for all of it. Today it is gone and my eyes are working together fine. I have a home base therapy I do just to make sure it stays. the problem is not uncommon even for people who spend a lot of time on the computer. I went to 35 half hour sessions, plus did a a bit of work here at home. She worked around and through my sever symptoms and slowly things got better.

Originally Posted by todayistomorrow

I was also involved in a tbone accident where my SUV went airborne and landed on its side. I lived the 1st year after in misery until I went to neuro ophthalmologist and was diagnosed with convergence insufficiency. I was prescribed tinted glasses and they alleviated much of my headaches and overall lousy feeling. I've tried vestibular rehab, chiro(waste of $), and wish I would have started with getting my vision checked. I wouldn't be able to work(function) without my glasses.

The best I've felt is when I was exercising regularly. Symptoms may flare up quickly, so do what you can and try to a little more each day.