I'm sorry to vent on here but I am feeling helpless and hopeless. Here's my background, 10 years ago I was hit in the head with a basketball while teaching. I suffered pcs without knowing that it was actually pcs (never diagnosed).

A NUCCA chiropractor helped me relieve my symptoms and the only lingering symptom I had was anxiety. For almost 9 years I lived happily. Had 3 children. Then after my last child just in April I lost my alignment (I have lost it previously but can hold my alignment for 2-4 years at a time).

So I was out of alignment in a "new" pattern which required me to be adjusted on the side of my injury. I didn't feel right after and thought I just didn't "hold" and had to be readjusted. So I got adjusted again a week later and this time my old injury flared up and I felt concussed. Then I got re xrayed and I was out of alignment all the way on the other side! So what started out at 17 degrees out to the left ended up being 20 degrees out to the right. My neck spontaneously flip flopped. During my healing years prior it did this too, adjusted on the injured side only to have all my old symptoms flare up again. It took me 6 months to recover last time (in 2006) and then I held my alignment for 4 years (and even had a baby and continued to hold).

Neuro this time diagnosed me with pcs and migranous symptoms.

So here I am again and my symptoms seem to change daily. I never know what to expect. I get stroke like symptoms at times, other times I feel like passing out or that death is at my door. The entire body aches I get are outrageous. Just in the last 3 days I seem to be getting sensory overload. I'll be active in the morning (just by getting up, getting kids dressed and fed) and then laundry and by noon I'll get a headache and can't think - even my thoughts are jumbled. Its like my brain is shutting down.

I am staying at my moms to try and rest because my kids are so stimulating. I'm not driving or working and too sick to even go into a store.

I'm feeling scared that this will never end (I'm in alignment and still symptomatic). I feel sad for my kids and I miss them terribly. I feel like a burden to my husband as he has had to take time off work.

I'm scared that this came back after being adjusted and scared this will lurk around the corner for the rest of my life. I'm also scared of dementia.

I just tried amitriptyline with bad side effects but was at my sickest yesterday so am going to try 2.5mg. I am so sensitive to everything especially mediscared.

Feeling scared. Cried all day.

I don't think your symptoms are just due to your upper neck. You need to keep looking. Have you been through a hormone workup like recommended by EsthersDoll ?

I'm not sure where estherdoll hormone workup is but I just got blood tests ordered by an endocrinologist. It showed high cortisol and low vitamin d. She tested thyroid and acth, HGH, dhea and more. Everything was normal.

Also I tried to talk to the neuro about what is going on. He did not think I needed another MRI and dismissed chiropractic as nothing more than a placebo.

I agree that there is no indication of a need for an MRI. The chiro comment is to be expected. That neuro is actually in violation of a court order achieved against the AMA and its members 2 decades ago.

I do think your NUCCA chiro may be over stating your condition but I am not saying he has not helped you.

EsthersDoll has posted her story many times. Look at the thread about 6 or 7 items down on the index called NeuroEndocrine Dysfunction.

My MVA left me with a neck injury that is too dangerous to stabilize surgically, so I'm in a battle with a bevy of neuro symptoms. When I'm really struggling, my PT tells me to wear my cervical collar to keep my neck still.

You could give that a try and see if it didn't give you come relief from the headaches, etc... Never wear a collar for too long though, otherwise your muscles could atrophy and exasperate your symptoms.

Are you seeing anyone about your depression and anxiety? I don't mean just swallowing pills. A good psychologist could help you learn coping techniques. I suspect if you could improve your emotional wellbeing, you might feel a tad better physically, too. You should also consider contacting your local chapter of the Brain Injury Association. They can be a great source for information and support groups.

Quite a number of us are TBI moms, so we know it can be tough to get proper rest and downtime.

Mark,

I recently got my testosterone levels checked and they came up on the low side. Typically there is a large range for what is considered "normal" testosterone levels...mine came up at the lowest possible level that could still be considered "normal". And for reference, I am 24 years old. I went to an endocrinologist and I was told that symptoms don't appear until T levels reach down into the 200s (I was a little higher than that) so basically he told me that my T levels were fine. However, most of the symptoms I am experiencing are side effects of low T (brain fog, depression, no energy, no concentration, etc.)

I came across an old post of yours mentioning that you used a testosterone cream. Did this help out your symptoms at all?

Did he check Thyroid, estradiol, DHEA and things like B-12, D-3 magnesium, etc ?

Thyroid, yes. The others, no. But last week I visited a physiatrist who specializes in and has published a textbook on whiplash injuries. (I told him my symptoms and showed him the xrays taken by the NUCCA doctor and he quickly dismissed the possibility of a whiplash injury)

I mentioned to him that my testosterone was low and he ordered me some blood tests which include a male hormone panel (DHEA, Estradiol, etc) as well as a comprehensive micronutrient panel (B12, D3, magnesium, etc.) I am still awaiting the results of the blood work. He also wants to test my neurotransmitters which involves taking a saliva sample and sending it out for testing, but I am still waiting for them to get back to me regarding when I can do that test.