[dumb bell]

hello,
another concussion...
was beaten really badly by 2 men thursday night. i blacked out after the first blow, but judging from the injuries to my face and the lumps on my head, i took at least 8 hits. i can't recall being hit more than once, though.

vomiting and excruciating head pain and horrible balance led me to the ER and was given a CT Scan that came back fine...but was told that I definitely had a concussion. was told to rest for 2 days minimum.
thing is, symptoms are getting worse. could a blood clot form after a CT Scan? mind you, i waited 24 hours after my injuries to go into the ER - and then waited 3 hours to get the CT. so that's 27 hours. something would have shown, right?

i also happened to bump my head really hard on the corner of my cupboard like 3 hours ago. this couldn't have induced a secondary concussion?

i am so worried.

[Mark in Idaho]

Symptoms often increase during the first week. Concussion is a process, not a momentary event. There is a cascade of chemistry that follows the injury.

A CT at 27 hours is fine. If you get an severe increase in intensity with your headache, start slurring your speech or loose motor function, especially if one side works different than the other, get to the ER immediately.

The cabinet bump is not a risk.

[dumb bell]

thank you for responding, Mark.
I truly fear I have CTE. I suffered like 5 concussions @ the age of 21 alone (and countless others (if i really thought about it i'd say i've suffered 15 concussions in roughly 15 years) + tons of subconcussive blows before and since)
i keep getting this awful feeling of intense anger, mixed with crying, and a feeling like i am going to hurt myself or someone else. this has been happening on and off for a few months now, and is getting more intense, with less time between. it's like a panic-y angry emotional thing i can't explain. now with this new concussion it's 100 times worse.
you say it's a long drawn out process...but i am already 32. the bulk of head injuries occurred in my early to mid 20's (though i've received about 6 since then...god, it's awful).
can SSRI's treat the depression/rage/sadness that goes along with CTE? i don't mean cure it, but will can they possibly make me tolerate life for a while longer?
can you give yourself a concussion from punching yourself in the head? i've also been a huge self-puncher (anger). if i were to add up the self-punches, we're looking @ maybe 200 in a 10 year span?
why is that boxers seem to have a slower onset of the disease as opposed to football players/wrestlers?

ugh. just a brain dump. i can't believe i got another concussion, haha.

[Mark in Idaho]

It sounds like you need the help of a professional and have needed that help for quite some time. Depression can be successfully treated. CTE does not change that. Self-harm is a serious issue needing attention.

Nothing suggests boxers have a slower onset of CTE. It has had a different name for decades, dementia pugilistica. Since boxers win because they can better tolerate blows to the head, it may be that they (successful boxers) have brains with greater tolerance, to a point.

So, find a good doctor. I personally think a psychiatrist with experience with brain trauma would be best. A neuro rehab hospital is often a good source for a referral. They may even have a good psychiatrist on staff. In some cases, a neuro-psychologist can fill the need but they may need to refer to a MD for meds.

Considering the symptoms you are experiencing, the side-effects of an SSRI or SNRI med would be worth the benefits of a stabilized mind.

Your county mental health department may also be able to help.

So, please, get some professional help.

[dumb bell]

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

It sounds like you need the help of a professional and have needed that help for quite some time. Depression can be successfully treated. CTE does not change that. Self-harm is a serious issue needing attention.

Nothing suggests boxers have a slower onset of CTE. It has had a different name for decades, dementia pugilistica. Since boxers win because they can better tolerate blows to the head, it may be that they (successful boxers) have brains with greater tolerance, to a point.

So, find a good doctor. I personally think a psychiatrist with experience with brain trauma would be best. A neuro rehab hospital is often a good source for a referral. They may even have a good psychiatrist on staff. In some cases, a neuro-psychologist can fill the need but they may need to refer to a MD for meds.

Considering the symptoms you are experiencing, the side-effects of an SSRI or SNRI med would be worth the benefits of a stabilized mind.

Your county mental health department may also be able to help.

So, please, get some professional help.

thanks for responding again, Mark. You're a real help.

ok. I was just fearful that if it's the CTE that is causing my emotional /psychiatric problems, that there would be nothing I could do about it, as it's part of the disease. i have suffered from mild anxiety in the past, but this is something totally new/frightening, and has been going on for months (and getting worse)...and now with this new concussion, it's through the roof. your comment makes me hopeful.

sorry, what i meant was that it appears that boxers get the disease a bit later in life, tend to suffer the physical problems first (as opposed to football/hockey/wrestling athletes, who tend to get it young and suffer the more emotional/psychiatric symptoms) and also have a more protracted disease process...I did read this in a paper by BU researchers...but it doesn't explain why. Not to sound insensitive, but you're not reading about young brain-damaged boxers or UFC guys on the news in the same situations as some young(er) hockey/football/wrestling athletes. I guess I was just trying to help ease myself (even though my emotional symptoms started way before I even cared about CTE...and for no reason...like, no reason at all.), as the vast majority of my head damage is from punches (others or self-induced)...

I have a psychiatrist, but he really doesn't know much about brain trauma. I live about an hour outside of Toronto, Ontario. I have been looking online for brain trauma doctors/psychiatrists...it seems almost all of them are involved with athletes or those who suffer from epilepsy. I will continue to look. I will phone my local brain injury association.

I am willing to try almost any med right now if it helps ...this is overwhelming. This new concussion has obviously kicked it all into overdrive.

I hope they find a biomarker for this thing soon. Just to know. Sounds silly, but it would bring me out of the dark a bit...

thanks again, Mark.

[Mark in Idaho]

If you consider the difference between boxers and football players, football players often receive hundreds of subconcussive impacts per season plus any full concussions. These subconcussive impacts often start during the early teen years.

Boxers do not often have full contact training during those younger years so that could change the onset and progression.

I don't understand what the physical symptoms vs emotional/psychiatric symptoms means. Is physical meaning memory and cognitive ?

I've also never read that wrestlers have statistically significant PCS or CTE issues.

You need to keep in mind that the post mortem brain database is still small. I think you have spent too much focus on CTE and may have greatly exacerbated any struggles that you have. Reading research articles is not for the light of heart.

btw, They have found a number of biomarkers for mTBI but no affordable tests for wide use. Plus, without therapies, what matter does it make. They have also found that there is not a direct relationship between those brains studied that show CTE and the level of symptoms the deceased manifested. Some with mild or no symptoms show severe CTE. Some with no observable CTE have serious symptoms.

Just as my neuro has never seen anybody with as severe brain dysfunction as me yet I continue to perform at superior levels.

Research suggests that attitude impacts function. Resolving depression can help improve attitude thus improve function.

I suggest you check with the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation for possible help. Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation

Have you checked with the closest neuro-rehab clinic or hospital for a doctor?

Since you are seeing a psychiatrist, why are you not getting help for your struggles ? It appears you are not on any meds yet. Is that true ?

"I have been looking online for brain trauma doctors/psychiatrists...it seems almost all of them are involved with athletes or those who suffer from epilepsy." Neurologists are rarely any real benefit. A psychiatrist who works with athletes should be good unless he just is involved with performance, not post concussion problems.

Something to grasp is simple, if your current doctor is not working for you, try to find a different doctor. The Canadian health system may make it difficult but you need to try.