Hey... Lurking for 3 days even though I'm not supposed to be on electronics.

Sunday morning I was on a girls trip. Had a lot to drink. We were being careless and I fell. HARD. Backwards hit my head on the concrete. I don't remember any of it. The emt that was in the bar said I never lost consciousness but I told him it was 2002 and that Prince was alive. And more that didn't make sense. So off to the ER. I was intoxicated and don't remember but the paperwork I have says first scan shows possible tiny subarchnoid hemorrhage. So they called in neurosurgeon who repeated ct scan. then said he felt it was not that, that it was likely a normal part of my brain and the area was getting smaller. They said I had concussion and let me leave in uber while treating me like a looser because I was still drunk. Super ashamed still.

I only had a small bump on back of my head at that time. That day I left Nashville back home to Florida only to have the worst headache and that bump turn into a big egg on my head. I dont know how I drove home from the airport. I was dazed, confused, out of it. Thinking maybe I was just hung over from previous night. Monday morning all symptoms were worse. My face felt numb, my whole head burning, vertigo, nausea, i couldn't speak correctly. Went to local ER. The guy was great. He did a repeat CT scan of head and spine. He thought for sure something going on because he said my left side of my face looked swollen.

Well that CT came back negative. Just says small scalp hematoma. But no bleeds, fractures, etc. The cervical one said CTi had C5 and C6 bugled but I really think that's from a previous car accident years ago. So he sent me home with concussion. Gave me presdnisone for my neck which I hate. And said only Tylenol and follow up with family doctor in a week.

He never really talked to me about concussion symptoms. I wish someone would have prepared me. They have only gotten worse. Nausea is gone. No worst headache of my life but constant pressure like its in a vice. My speech is okay I just cant get it out fast enough. But I have brain fog... I am walking like im on an esalator i cant function right. I took myself out of work because I couldn't answer people fast enough. And my forehead hurts alot. The big egg is going down and doesnt even really bother me. And I've been crying all day. I am NOT a crier. I feel so disorientated.

Is this all normal concussion stuff?????? Im guessing this will be around for a while? Is there a point when I do need to be worried or see a doctor?

I am so upset with myself for drinking that much to the point where I fell. We had a big family weekend taking my little ones to an NFL game this sunday. May not happen as the 1 thing the ER doc did say was not to rattle my head.

I mean do i go back to work when I am 100 percent... do i go back next week with fogginess. How do you all navigate this. I have no hope right now. And am taking xanax to calm my nerves so i can function with the kids. Im so down. If I could take this weekend back I would in a heart beat I would stop drinking. I would just be a mom and wife and give up everything else.

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

Hi IreneClarissa,
Welcome to NeuroTalk. I'm sorry for the reasons that bring you here. I don't really have too much advice but felt the need to respond to your post as you sound distressed. Main practical thing I can think of right now would be to get someone, a family member or friend, to help you with the children??? I guess with Covid there are still so many restrictions for you there in Florida, but if at all possible please get some respite immediately so that you can help figure out the next steps.

Thinking of you.

p.s. You need to rest and keep well hydrated.

IreneClarissa,

It sounds like you hit hard. Those hits to the back of the head are problematic because they usually include a serious trauma to the upper cervical vertebra as the head stops but the neck wants to continue to move toward the floor. It is a sort of reverse whiplash.

You should be icing your neck on and off throughout the day.

You should not be taking benzos although you are already past the critical days when benzos are a serious concern.

Instead of the benzos, you need to find a way to get relief from the chaos of the kids. Your brain needs a low stimulation environment, not a drugged condition.

If your kids cannot calm the atmosphere, one or the other needs to find a place to be so you can get some quiet. You should plan on needing 2 weeks of lower stimulation where you can choose the activity level based on how you are responding. Screens are OK as long as they do not cause your symptoms to increase.

You seriously need to sleep at regular times with good head and neck posture. Sleep where you can sleep with your head straight. I used a recliner with a pillow to support my head from tipping to the side.

A thorough vision exam and vestibular exam of how your eyes work with your vestibular system would be good. Look for a behavioral optometrist, sometimes called a neuro optometrist (not a neuro ophthalmologist). Few general optometrist do these exams. They assess who your eyes work together, not how well you can read the letters. Convergence insufficiency is a common concussion struggle. The eyes may cross or struggle to both track the same object properly.

The upper neck injury will not show up on a CT Scan. The radiologist does not look for these subtle instabilities. All you can do is treat your upper neck like it has been strained. Any neck therapy should be very gentle and not include range of motion tests or exercises.

Good news. After a concussion like this, the experts say you should stop drinking, at least for a year. A single serving, glass of wine maybe, in the evening is sometimes OK because the value of reducing stress levels can be worth the risk of complications. Beer is too full of toxins that trigger the hangover. Many find their alcohol tolerance drops substantially. They can be drunk at 0.04 BAC, smashed at 0.08. Very dangerous.

I've likely already overloaded you with information. Please, take steps to get control over stimulation/chaos levels so you can stop the Xanax and let your brain rest.

My best to you.

Thank you both for responding. And so fast.

I should have put my kids are 10 and 18 and have been amazing. My 18 year old is home from
College for a few weeks and has been doing everything. Driving cooking cleaning. I juts feel horrible not being able to do any of that. Or even play video games with the little one. I’m holed up in my room in the dark juts dizzy and head pain. I try and join them and then feel foggy and out of it so I retreat back but from what your saying mark that’s what I need to be doing for a couple weeks is nothing? I will try hard. I went back to work on day 4 and my boss sent me home. I have to go back Wednesday which would be day 10 after fall. I mean unless things get worse. I guess I juts didn’t understand a concussion wouldn’t entail all this and last this long. I know a few athletes who’ve had them and boom back on the field in a few days. How scarey.

Mark and thanks for the info on the alcohol. I’m not a daily drinker at all. I’m an all or nothing girl and I think going forward it’s going to be nothing. This was eye opening. I think I’m invincible when i do drink. Life is to fragile and I’m Not taking that for granted again.

Started icing my neck after your tip. Feels good.

And I’ve been laying all crooked like sitting up almost because of the egg in back of head.

I just can’t take this feeling if my brain being detached from my head. Only way to describe. It’d not like regular vertigo that I get occasionally.

I really thought I’d be feeling normal by now. I can’t even drive. Should I see a neurologist if I’m feeling same way in a couple of weeks or family doctor?

Thanks again -Clarissa

Clarissa,

The first think you need to understand is quite simple.

Every brain injury is different. Watching athletes recover from helmet to helmet or helmet to hard ground/ice hits is totally different. A bare head to had floor is much more intense. Do not try to compare. It is a losing game. Don't ask, "How long will this take?"

You should not be a hermit in a dark room. That is bad and old medical advice.

You want to be gently stimulating your brain so it gets good blood flow. If you are struggling with most activities, find some things to do that are manual oriented. Knitting, playing cards with real cards, even Solitaire, and that type of activity. The hands cannot move faster than a struggling brain can follow or direct. Video games move too fast. MineCraft is as complex as one should even try. Put your cell phone on silent. You do not want your brain to be waiting in anticipation of a text or other communication. The small screens that can move so fast can also be a struggle.

You need to focus on moderating the stimulation in your environment. Many find that a room with a lot of wall decorations and such is visually over-stimulating. Much of the music that is current to this time, even 30-40 something genres, are too stimulating with drums, synthetic sounds, voices full of angst, and such.

Try to find a music type that allows your brain to relax. Not boring music but relaxing music. For example, I use Diana Krall's album, The Look of Love, to settle my mind. It is light jazz. I have others, too. I play a lot of 60s and 70s music. Foreign language singing works good because your mind enjoys the music and sounds of a voice without needing to focus on the words.
I used to fall asleep to the lively Irish music of Celtic Woman. It is very well arranged, orchestrated, and sung. No chaotic sounds.

It will likely take some time for you to find your sweat spot of stimulation that activates your brain without over-stimulating it.

The experts want mTBI patients to start this moderated stimulation within 48 hours to reduce the collection of toxins.

Good quality sleep at regular times is paramount. The brain detoxifies during slow wave sleep that comes after REM sleep. REM sleep is good for brain blood flow. Slow wave sleep is even more important for allowing toxins to drain out in the brain's glymph system.

We realized my neck issues when my wife noticed I would sleep with a calm look on my face when I was in good posture in my recliner but I would have a strained look on my face when I slept in poor posture in bed. She could predict my foggy days by my sleeping facial expression.

I learned how to achieve that good sleep posture with low stress sleep in bed but it took a long time to train my body to sleep that way, flat on my back, thin pillow curled/bunched around my ears, with my arms at my sides and hands on my belly. I can often fall asleep and wake up in the same position.

Most of the treatment for concussion is self-treatment. Doctors cannot do much unless you need visual and vestibular therapy. That is why a good visual and vestibular assessment is valuable.

So, try to recognize those activities, environments (sound and visual) and postures that leave you feeling better. If you find yourself not understanding what somebody said or what you are trying to read, that is a sign of mental fatigue. Take a break. If you have to read a line of text twice, take a break from reading. I hope you will notice the pattern.

It sounds like your job has a lot of back and forth, need to respond immediately. That is high stress. Not beneficial.

Multitasking is also high stress. that is hard for a mom and productive employee to stop but you must.

And, if your husband and kids say you are reacting differently, that is likely your concussion, not PMS. It can manifest the same. Ask for grace.

I understand what you are going through because I did the same 20 years ago, 25 years ago, 46 years ago, 50 years ago, and 55 years ago. Bad concussions each time.

My best to you.