Can you be more specific about the things the concussion specialist did ? What meds did he try ? Are you taking any of them now ?

You should not be pushing through until you are fatigued. It will take forever to recover if you are constantly pushing through.

You would be better to miss school and need to repeat than to struggle through almost failing your classes. A reduced class schedule with tutors would be best. Has anybody suggested requesting an IEP (Individualized Education Program) ? You may qualify. Here is a link to information.
https://www.understood.org/en/school...-and-504-plans

i don't remember the names of the meds, however I know that they were for my eyes and my head at the time because my eyes would burn and I would get headaches. (some symptoms I used to have but now are gone)


And for school, good idea with the missing classes and a tutor. I think next time I go to my specialist I'm going to talk about that and see what he thinks too.


Another think I wanted talk about more is about treatment for my symptoms. Do you know if there is any medicene or treatment for my dreamy/foginess feeling, and brain fatigue and heaviness?

Your symptoms will reduce when you heal more. Fatigue is because your brain is doing too much. Healing happens best when you are able to extend your minimal symptom days. Activity to a point of fatigue or an increase in symptoms is counter to recovery. You must avoid activities that cause an increase in symptoms. You siblings need to cooperate with this.

Your parents need to advocate for you. Check out the Vitamins sticky at the top. At the bottom of the first post are some links to check out. The YouTube and BrainLine links are great.

My eyes start to burn when I have done too much. My head aches also.

Recovery is more about what you don't do than what you do.

Hi Sam,

Welcome to the forum. A lot of us have been through similar experiences and know how hard this is. It can feel as though you're losing your life and no one understands. It will get easier.

The first thing I would like to say is that things are going to be okay even though they are going to be different for now. I have had to accept a lot of things being different. But I still have to say "accept, accept, accept" to myself over and over sometimes, about things that are changing.

It sounds like you were on a pretty good recovery plan, but that you were forced to return to school before you were ready. I know you, your parents, and your teachers are all worrying about your grades and life. What I am learning, especially with support on this forum, is that we have to address what is happening with our health right now, before we can start planning for next year.

So here are some thoughts, some of which have already been mentioned:

1. Your parents need to advocate for you between the doctor and the school. You should not be pushing so hard at school that you develop symptoms to the point of suffering or you will not get better. The doctors should have a detailed "Return to School" type of plan that the school must follow (something similar to http://www.chop.edu/pages/return-lea...n#.VRlOj0Kpn48). Try not to worry about missed time. Have your parents talk with the doctor and the school about any options regarding medical accommodations. Half days, tutor, half workload, limited makeup work, no tests or take home tests, at most, I would think.

2. We all wish it were different - boy, do we - but there is no magic cure but rest. You must rest. You are not "lazy" at home. Don't give yourself that negative label. This is recovery. It is your job to rest. If you feel like you need to do something, try listening to audiobooks rather than playing video games - or there are other posts on here that have good ideas of restful things to do.

3. Maybe your parents could talk with your siblings about being a little more supportive. Everyone can be more educated about brain injury and what kind of environment can help you recover.

4. Depression is a common effect of concussions. Don't be embarrassed about talking about it. It's not just a symptom, but it can also continue because of stress and life changes. This is a big ongoing problem for me. I see a therapist regularly and I remind myself that yeah, this is hard and sucks and I feel bad and it's okay to be where I am and tomorrow is a new day.

Hang in there.
Be well
Julie

Hi Julie!

Thanks so much for replying. i really do appreciate all the support and tips that you gave me it truly means a lot. anyways, what I also wanted to say was is that I don't want to take more time off from school cause it's just embarrassing now. all the kids at school look at me like I'm weird or have a problem because I've had a concussion for so long and I just hate the attention. I just tell the kids at my school that I don't have it anymore. (All the staff know that I lie about this because it just takes less pressure off me)

And they understand that I don't want to show as week to all the other kids. I'm going to have to figure something out soon or I'll just end up never getting better. Besides that, I just need these symptoms out of my life. I need some sort of medication to hold me to when I get freed from this concussion. My 3 biggest symptoms are this dreamy/foggy feeling, and my body is almost 75% percent numb. And my other one is my "concussion fatigue" is what I like to call it. It's just that my brain gets too tired from doing schoolwork and stuff and it gets heavy. Oh And the last one is sensitivy to light. (Forgot to mention this in my other posts)

The sensitivy to light is awful. In school or at a store those horrible big lights make my head super heavy. And make my dreamy feeling worse. I just need to know if there are medications for these type of symptoms.

Do you know? If not it is totally fine and maybe someone else can answer that for me. Meanwhile, I'll try to research it myself while in waiting for a reply.

Thanks so much!
Sam

Sam,

There is no 'concussion' medication. There are meds that help with some symptoms, like head aches. There is not a medication for the fogginess.

The best way to help with recovery is to avoid activities that cause a return or increase in symptoms. Pushing through will slow or stop your recovery.

You and your parents have a decision to make. Are you going to become informed about concussions and how best to recover, or are you going to push forward for the sake of image and staying on schedule and flounder for months or even years ?

Have you had a full neurological exam ? Your numbness could be from a neck injury. Do you have any, even slight stiffness or tenderness in or around your neck or behind your ears ?

Hi Sam,

I was waiting to pick my kids up from school and got hit in the head with a basketball. I'm 2 months in to my concussion. I get how you feel. I was so active in my life and so busy and got really depressed after this happened feeling like I would never get better. I couldn't work or go to my kids soccer games or do anything. I walked around with my head in a fog most of the time. And I felt like no one understood what I was going through. My doctor still doesn't get it. He keeps telling me I should be better by now. Even friends would see me and think I should be better.

I'm no expert. I'm still having issues. All I can write about is what has helped me with my depression.

1 - Telling everyone what I am going through. They call this the invisible injury because no one can see your broken brain. It's like when I broke my ankle and had crutches and a cast and everyone was like " yeah that must be hard to get around" and I could explain how I couldn't take out the garbage etc. But with a brain injury no one gets it. There is nothing to 'see'. No way for people to understand just by looking at you. So I post on Facebook how I am feeling and doing. So people know. I get a lot of understanding and support this way. Because people see me and think I'm fine. But I'm not. So I write about my daily experiences. What it's like to have foggy brain. Or how frustrating it is to get a headache after talking to someone. Or how last week if I titled my head in the shower I got sick but this week it's ok. I want people to know what I'm going through so they get it.

2 - I focus on small goals. Things that I can do and things that will make me happy. A friend coming over for a small visit, painting a picture, re-organizing my room. Whatever small thing. Because I need things to look forward to. I was so social and active before so now I have to re-frame what that is. Before I was getting so consumed with what I couldn't do so now I find positive things to focus on. Things I can do. Things however small that will make me happy.

3 - Have hope. I just have hope. I just have to. I was so consumed and depressed thinking about how sucky my life was and all the things I couldn't do. So one day I just said no more. I just have to believe I will get better. So I focus on any small thing that I can do this week that I couldn't last week. My husband is great for pointing stuff out since I often don't notice. Even though I seem to be getting over one symptom and then developing a new one, I still focus on the one that's gone. I just chose to believe my future will be bright. It may not be exactly what it was, but it will be awesome. Maybe even better

4 - I've stopped pushing myself. I had a really busy job and when this first happened I was crazy stressed trying to get people to cover for me and stressed thinking the job couldn't be done without me. I know you are younger and in school but maybe it's the same. I finally accepted that now is not the time to be working - it's the time for healing. And that means resting and doing whatever I need to do get better. So for me, work is not an option. Not now. Not until I'm better. But I do try and do small things every day. I get out of the house for short periods of time. And when I'm home I try to find things that bring me joy. Anything to keep my mind healthy.

Anyway. I just wanted to say Hi. I get it. You aren't alone. I hope you find a way to not have a foggy head every day. I hope you find a way to find people who understand. I hope you find a way to bring joy to your days. I hope you find hope

Sam,

I am so sorry. This is really unfair, I know it. I know you want and deserve to have a normal life.

I know you need to be a normal high school (I'm assuming) student, you need your peers to respect you. You are smart and competent and deserve respect, and your injury does not affect that. However, other people are shallow and make uneducated judgments, as you know, and that can't change the decisions you make for your own well being.

Something I imagine you are worrying about: not finishing the year. Okay. Pretty bad, yes. You have to talk to your parents and teachers about this worry. There are options. But just pushing through may not take you there, and more importantly, you will not have healed, meaning that in the fall you will not be in a position to handle a full time year.

I am so, so sorry that Mark is correct and there is not going to be a medication that will cover for you and 'bridge' you until you recover.

Someone might have ideas about the numbness - I don't. But what I can tell you is that this is a very painful process of acceptance, at all ages. You will feel like you are losing parts of your life - but you will get them back. It is really, really hard and most of us have gone through it. No one here underestimates how difficult it is - and we are here for you.

Also: Try to find a support group nearby, especially one with young people. There should be one. Contact biausa.org of your state. Social difficulties happen for many of us after our brain injuries, but rough snap judgments especially happen a lot in adolescence and young adulthood - we older people forget because we survived (as will you) but as a result we aren't always as sympathetic as we should be. Other kids with injuries will get that.

Warmly,
Julie

Hi Sam,

Sorry to hear about your injury and struggles. Amazing how life can change in an instant. We share the light sensitivity and numbness symptoms.

It has been about 6 months since my accident and I also tried to push through working full time up until March. It doesn't work!

I wanted to share the analogy that my vestibular therapist gave me yesterday. Non-injured people are able to subconsciously filter out the
irritating noise, lights, etc. that are so bothersome to us, and they don't need to make an effort to do so. Likewise with vision, balance, and
just thinking clearly.

Post-injury often we no longer are capable of those 'automatic' processes, and they now require a huge portion of our mental 'fuel tank'.
Any tasks, etc take longer than they used to, and that's before even factoring in the cognitive strain.

So as everyone has suggested, you need a plan to allow yourself to heal without draining the fuel tank on a daily basis.
Been there, done that!

Try to think of the big picture-- high school kids that don't understand the situation are only a temporary presence and way less important than
the rest of your life!

Obviously you are smart since you are capable of A's and you are seeking help here. It will get better and you have youth on your side.
Being well-rested may also help with the depression.

Take care,
Grace