We are back 4 yrs Post Concussion

LindaMartino27 · 04-30-2012, 04:32 PM

My daughter is 4 yrs 3 mos post concussion. She is 18. It happened at 13. I haven't posted in probably 2 years. We were busy doing Neuro-Feedback treatments in Dallas based on the QEEG Brain Map with BrainMaster and Z-score training. She has completed 212 treatments as of December 2011. She has had improvements across the board. She has not had another seizure since starting the treatments. She has less headaches and less severe headaches. She recovers faster. She can tolerate up to one hour of noise depending on the acoustics and the tone of the voices. She can now read for 20 minutes and then rest 30 and repeat 4x and then she is done with that for the day. Barometric pressure changes also still can give her migraines. She takes Magnesium and believes that helps her. So her life is still very limited and affected by the PCS symptoms but it is much more bearable. Before she had a constant daily headache and it was just a matter of time before it was bad enough to lie down and be done for the day. She no longer has the constant daily headache or the fatigue she had everyday. She had no improvements with various therapies the first 2.5 years prior to NFB treatments. She recently began vision therapy but it has been spiking migraine headaches. They are trying to cut back and accommodate her but she is just really sensitive. We are looking into Associated Neurologist in Danbury, CT who does a combination of physical therapy (exercises), massage therapy, acupuncture and vestibular therapy. Evidently the number of concussions is exploding and finally someone has put together a center of one stop therapies. It is actually on my insurance. Miracles do happen. I am also looking into University of Pittsburgh Dr. Michael Collins has a center for treatment of concussions for all the professional athletes. He does extensive vestibular (balance) testing. This relates I think to all concussions. It is how you are perceiving the world that is off or out of balance. I think like wearing the wrong glasses (not your eyes) but your brain. I met someone in vision therapy who is 2 yrs post concussion and she was tested by Dr. Collins and completed the therapy and believes it has helped her greatly. Her symptoms are very similar to my daughters and she is able to do college part-time and live there. She is also on amantadine which Dr. Collins recommends. She believes that is healing her brain. She was a gymnast who hit her head. My daughter's balance would pass a neurologist testing. But she complains of dizziness, pressure in her head and spaciness at times. So this qualifies her for the testing.

Hello to Mark in Idaho and PCSMOM.

Mark in Idaho · 04-30-2012, 04:58 PM

My daughter is 4 yrs 3 mos post concussion. She is 18. It happened at 13. I haven't posted in probably 2 years. We were busy doing Neuro-Feedback treatments in Dallas based on the QEEG Brain Map with BrainMaster and Z-score training. She has completed 212 treatments as of December 2011.

She has had improvements across the board. She has not had another seizure since starting the treatments. She has less headaches and less severe headaches. She recovers faster. She can tolerate up to one hour of noise depending on the acoustics and the tone of the voices. She can now read for 20 minutes and then rest 30 and repeat 4x and then she is done with that for the day.

Barometric pressure changes also still can give her migraines. She takes Magnesium and believes that helps her. So her life is still very limited and affected by the PCS symptoms but it is much more bearable. Before she had a constant daily headache and it was just a matter of time before it was bad enough to lie down and be done for the day.

She no longer has the constant daily headache or the fatigue she had everyday. She had no improvements with various therapies the first 2.5 years prior to NFB treatments. She recently began vision therapy but it has been spiking migraine headaches. They are trying to cut back and accommodate her but she is just really sensitive.

We are looking into Associated Neurologist in Danbury, CT who does a combination of physical therapy (exercises), massage therapy, acupuncture and vestibular therapy. Evidently the number of concussions is exploding and finally someone has put together a center of one stop therapies. It is actually on my insurance.

Miracles do happen. I am also looking into University of Pittsburgh Dr. Michael Collins has a center for treatment of concussions for all the professional athletes. He does extensive vestibular (balance) testing.

This relates I think to all concussions. It is how you are perceiving the world that is off or out of balance. I think like wearing the wrong glasses (not your eyes) but your brain. I met someone in vision therapy who is 2 yrs post concussion and she was tested by Dr. Collins and completed the therapy and believes it has helped her greatly.

Her symptoms are very similar to my daughters and she is able to do college part-time and live there. She is also on amantadine which Dr. Collins recommends. She believes that is healing her brain. She was a gymnast who hit her head.

My daughter's balance would pass a neurologist testing. But she complains of dizziness, pressure in her head and spaciness at times. So this qualifies her for the testing.

Hello to Mark in Idaho and PCSMOM.

Reposted by

Mark in Idaho · 04-30-2012, 05:12 PM

Welcome back Linda,

Glad to hear your daughter is doing better.

Has anybody explained what the amantadine is supposed to do? It is an antiviral that is sometimes used for Parkinson's. Its mode of action for Parkinson's does not appear to apply to PCS. I have not been able to find anything to explain it possible mode of action for PCS. Maybe it just reduces the immune system load so the brain can function better.

Has your daughter had any Epley Maneuver therapy yet?

I will be watching to see what Associated Neurologists and the WC Concussion Center offer. The web site only refers to CDC articles. Much of the CDC information is out of date. I think it takes a long time for government organizations to come to consensus.

Again, Welcome back.

My best to you both.

I've been living with head aches since a head ding last October. Glad to hear your daughter is improving with her head aches.

GlassHead · 04-30-2012, 06:44 PM

Amantadine has been shown to improve cognitive functions following traumatic brain injury, but the evidence is not yet clear.

Still interesting though as a potential for future treatment of concussion induced cognitive issues.

Link:

http://www.momsteam.com/amantadine/c...c-brain-injury

-GlassHead

Mark in Idaho · 04-30-2012, 08:50 PM

glasshead,

This vague reference in the link has been mentioned before. I am interested in deeper understanding. There is a tendency to get stuck in circular logic where there is never a starting point to the claims.

I know that antibiotics can reduce inflammation from osteo-arthritis by reducing the inflammation thought to be caused by minor infections in the damaged arthritic tissue.

If amantadine shows a difference in children but not adults, could it be that the adults have stronger, more developed immune systems that lessen the benefit of an anti-viral med?

The best I could find is this:

<Mechanism of Action: Parkinson's Disease
The mechanism of action of amantadine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and drug-induced extrapyramidal reactions is not known. Data from earlier animal studies suggest that SYMMETREL may have direct and indirect effects on dopamine neurons. More recent studies have demonstrated that amantadine is a weak, non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist (Ki = 10µM). Although amantadine has not been shown to possess direct anticholinergic activity in animal studies, clinically, it exhibits anticholinergic-like side effects such as dry mouth, urinary retention, and constipation.>

Other research suggests that anticholinergic meds should be avoided for PCS.

The comments about amantadine shows the improvements are marginal. I wonder if prescribing amantadine is more of a feel good effort that real therapeutic value. At least the patient will have less risk of contracting influenza A.

EsthersDoll · 05-01-2012, 01:03 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's very long struggles with PCS, but so happy to hear that she's doing much better!

I didn't "know" you or your daughter's situation four years ago, but I want to thank you for returning to post an update. I hope her continued therapies go extremely well!