Hey everyone, I've had 5 concussions within the past 3 years. The first 4 healed pretty much within 3 weeks to where I could go back to work.

This last concussion is taking a while longer. I'm slowly getting better, but my right eye seems to be the main problem. If I'm watching tv or on the computer, if I close my right eye I don't seem to get dizzy or woozy.

Also my right ear seems to be more sensitive when talking on the phone.

And the right side of my head also feels more "full"....like more of a heaviness I guess. Any ideas on why that would be? I can't get into the neurologist until Sept. 30th..so just wondering if anyone has any ideas.

I'm also still having maybe one cup of coffee a day. Has anyone noticed if coffee slows down their healing process?

Thanks in advance!

GJ,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. How did you get so many concussions in such a short period of time ?

You should try to get checked out by a neuro-ophthalmologist. Plus, since you appear to be struggling with the right side, you may have an injury to your upper neck that effects the right side. You could google cranial nerves and see if you have a pattern of symptoms.

With so many concussions over a relatively short period of time, this one may take longer to recover. There is a known cumulative effect of multiple concussions.

I would not expect the neurologist to have a lot of answers. Our experience here suggests this.

My best to you.

How have you gotten your concussions?

Thanks for the response.

I got in a roll over car accident in August of 2011...that was my first concussion where I had symptoms.

And the symptoms were also the most intense out of all my concussions.

The second one was 6 months later, I feel on my face walking to a pool to clean I'd been to hundreds of times. So I don't think I was fully recovered from the first.


The third one was new years of the next year, my buddy was being annoying do to drinking too much.


We ended up getting in a wrestling match(stupid, I know) and I landed on my head when I took him down. I didn't even land that hard.


I also have ocd/tics...so my movements sometimes are herky/jerky, so the 4th and 5th concussions were because of that.T


This last one was the end of May and I basically was looking for a printer cable on the floor of my room and was stooped over and ended up hitting the top of my head on the corner of the dresser.


I think this one took so long to heal because the symptoms weren't really too bad at first and I kept pushing through work. And I service and repair swimming pools which is a very physically demanding job during the summer here in Arizona.


I had never had a concussion before the car accident.



I had fallen in the past, gotten in fights and actually been knocked out and never had any symptoms such as dizzy/nausea/spacey.


After the car accident it's like I don't even have to hit my head that hard.


I've read where it can take up to two years for the brain to get back to somewhat normal....I'm not sure if that's true.


It's just really discouraging and I feel realllly stupid for getting that many in such a short time. Not too mention I'm worried about the long term consequences.


I've been missing work and my parent's are helping me out so I feel really bad.


But like I said it's mainly one side at this point. So I might take your advice and go to a neuro-opthomalogist instead of a neurologist.


The neurologist i have an appointment with though is rated number 1 in Arizona. So I would think he would have to know something.


I've been taking a lot of fish oil, magnesium, bcaa's and recently started taking vitamin d as well as trying to get some sun.


I also notice I start feeling worse on an emtpy stomach. Once i get a decent amount of food in my stomach I feel quite a bit better.


What kind of specialist would I go to that could check for and help with any possible neck issues that could be adding the concussion symptoms? Would that be a neuro-opthomalogist?


Thanks again for the replies

When you got knocked out fighting, that was a serious concussion. Any blow to the head is at least a sub-concussive impact. They can add up quickly, especially if you get a number of blows to the head in a short period of time.

The brain loses tolerance for trauma the more trauma it is subjected to.

Find a neuro-ophthalmologist.