Hello,

I am very new to this website and wanted to introduce myself and my story, followed by some questions that might deepen the understanding of my own condition.

On September 17th 2022, I sustained the initial concussion through falling and knocking my head on the ground. I only had headaches and vertigo. After about 6 months, or around the end of February, I started to come up from the symptoms but, unfortunately, received another concussion February 28th. This occurred because I had to slam on the breaks going 40mph, as someone walked out onto the road. Having almost healed again come July, my friend slammed on the breaks August 4th, giving me my third concussion.
At this point, I quit my second job and withdrew from the next semester of college before it started. I packed up most of my stuff and moved in with my father since, regretfully, my mother/her family refused to believe that there was something wrong with me. They saw it as anxiety.
I was doing well up until October 5th, where I accidentally knocked the top of my head on the bottom of a metal laundry door. By this point, I have developed headaches, vertigo, brain fog, ocular pain, neck stiffness, sharp pains in neck, numbness on the left side of the face, feeling a little disconnected on the left side of my body, feeling like I cannot breathe (I think because of the tension in head/neck), and very minimal weakness. Light and sound disturbs me, but only very slightly.
After the third concussion, I got an MRI. After the fourth, I was only able to get a CT and CT scan with contrast.

I have a few questions for you lovely people.
The first is how do you all manage PTSD? I was only mildly scared of cars during most of these events, but after the fourth incident, I feel that I am having a much harder time managing. I am scared of most everything, including doors, hills, stepping down too hard, stairs, walls, the shower, the backs of chairs, laying my head down on pillows, and even moving too suddenly. I am having daily occurrences where something will set off one of these panic attacks. This morning, I turned my head very abruptly because a bee flew into my face, and I have been panicking since. What is the likelihood of a new injury from that? They tell you to be weary of sudden movements/jerking/jolts!
The second (or I guess third?) is what are some things that I can do to help improve my situation? Throughout this experience, I have honestly changed a good portion of my life for the better. I am sleeping every night (I was an insomniac before this), watching what I eat/inflammatory foods, and walking daily. I am hoping to get a stationary bike for Christmas, which will surely improve my ability to exercise without these anxiety-related upsets. If anyone has any more suggestions, everything helps.
Lastly, if anyone could share some interesting information about concussions with me, that would make me feel better, also. I’ve learned a lot from my situation and what other people have gone through, but furthering my knowledge about neurology has, in some ways, made me see a brighter side of what is happening with me. It is lovely still being able to learn despite this!
Feel free to also drop some encouraging words/stories.

Last bit of important information:
I saw a neurologist after the second and third incident. I asked for a referral for a concussion clinic after the third instance, but for some reason, he would not sign off on it. I am going to see a new PCP at the end of this month in the hopes that I can get started with a clinic. I am thinking about dropping the neurologist, since it has become clear that many neuros do not have training with concussions, and he has been minimally helpful. I am also wondering if the clinic is worth it. I know many people have reported little success with them, as the best way to heal is with time.

Best of luck and thank you all for reading!

Oh, and if I may add -
If anyone has any caffeine, concussion-friendly recommendations on a substitute for coffee… please send them my way! Love the drink and how it tastes, hate how it can hurt your brain.
Thank you.

Welcome powerblackwolf Someone will be along. You don't have bleeding on the brain do you?

Hello Kitt,

Thank you for your kind reply!
I am assuming not, as the CT scan came back without any complications. Unless there is something that has been missed… but even still, I imagine my pain and difficulties would be much worse, should I have a brain bleed.

You might consider whiplash.
the slamming brakes effect and even falling and hitting your head the first time.

Explore the useful sticky above the main section and read other threads here, many similar injuries and concerns
Did your head hit something during the brake slamming?

Jomar,

I am certain that, at least for the first injury, what I received was a concussion. I landed right on my forehead full-impact, without anything stopping me beforehand. I felt a wave sort of pass over my brain, so I have few doubts that the collision with the floor did not give me some sort of head-related injury.

Do you need to whip your head back and forth to receive whiplash?

How might whiplash differ from a concussion?

I understand that the symptoms of concussions and whiplash injuries are similar. How could one tell the difference, especially since I only really began feeling pain in my neck after the fourth instance?

Smacking your head hard nto anything usually affect the neck somehow, by whiplash or hyperextension/strain. Possibly misalignment of c 1 c2 .
Upcspine.com has info on that.
Up C Spine