Concussion Symptoms back after 2 months Free

drod313 · 12-04-2012, 03:32 PM

About 4 months ago I was out with some friends.. I was heavily intoxicated and at the end of the night somehow hit the back of my head extremely hard. I do not remember how, but the next morning I woke up and had a severe headache and felt terrible. Threw up repeatedly all day and spent the day in my bed with what I thought was the hangover from hell. I couldn't understand why the room kept spinning around me when I would move in bed.. I had no balance either.. the next day when it didn't get any better I went to the ER for a cat scan and was told I had a concussion..

The cat scan came back negative, but I was told to go see my PCP. I made an appointment with my PCP and saw him for the next few weeks.. I had terrible symptoms for about a month.. would just come home from work and go straight to sleep.. I had to keep working because I had no PTO to use.. I have an inside sales job where I am on the computer all day, so needless to say it was very difficult.

After 2 months I was symptom free.. I slowly got back into my routine.. working out.. running.. playing sports.. hanging out with friends and drinking.. I had drank a few times, but for some reason last Saturday 11/24/12 I was out with friends drinking, I got pretty drunk but did not hit my head or anything of that nature.. the next day I woke up with what I thought was a hangover.. but it got progressively worse throughout the week.. my symptoms slowly started coming back.. I went to the gym on Monday and started feeling dizzy and light headed and my eye sight didnt feel normal.. these effects all got worse as the week went on..

This past weekend I did nothing but lay in bed and relax because I didn't want to make things worse.. I went to my PCP yesterday and he said I have Post Concussion Syndrome and need to go see a neurologist as well as an Ophthalmologist. I was hoping someone might have some experience and could tell me if I will start to feel normal again like I did last time.. and if so what should I do differently? Should I stop drinking all together? Take a year off? I was fine when I was just working out and playing sports.. I think getting back into the same state of mind I was in when the concussion first happened is what triggered it..

If anyone can help or has some suggestions, I would really appreciate it.

Mark in Idaho · 12-04-2012, 04:28 PM

drod,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

You experience is very common. The drinking is a common PCS problem. The concussed brain is very sensitive to alcohol and the toxins in alcohol.

You should consider making two changes in your life.
First, no alcohol for a few moths. When you are feeling better, one serving per day may be tolerable. Avoid all alcohol if having a single drink leaves you with a hung-over feeling. This is highly likely to happen.
Second, You need to stop any contact sports or other risks of impacts to your head. You may be more tolerant after a year or two.

There are more things for you to consider but this will be a good start. Others will likely tell you about their experiences.

When you are symptomatic, you need quiet rest. B vitamins will also be good.

So, take it easy and learn to live a more disciplined life. Your brain will thank you.

My best to you.

claritan · 12-04-2012, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drod313

About 4 months ago I was out with some friends.. I was heavily intoxicated and at the end of the night somehow hit the back of my head extremely hard. I do not remember how, but the next morning I woke up and had a severe headache and felt terrible. Threw up repeatedly all day and spent the day in my bed with what I thought was the hangover from hell. I couldn't understand why the room kept spinning around me when I would move in bed.. I had no balance either.. the next day when it didn't get any better I went to the ER for a cat scan and was told I had a concussion..

The cat scan came back negative, but I was told to go see my PCP. I made an appointment with my PCP and saw him for the next few weeks.. I had terrible symptoms for about a month.. would just come home from work and go straight to sleep.. I had to keep working because I had no PTO to use.. I have an inside sales job where I am on the computer all day, so needless to say it was very difficult.

After 2 months I was symptom free.. I slowly got back into my routine.. working out.. running.. playing sports.. hanging out with friends and drinking.. I had drank a few times, but for some reason last Saturday 11/24/12 I was out with friends drinking, I got pretty drunk but did not hit my head or anything of that nature.. the next day I woke up with what I thought was a hangover.. but it got progressively worse throughout the week.. my symptoms slowly started coming back.. I went to the gym on Monday and started feeling dizzy and light headed and my eye sight didnt feel normal.. these effects all got worse as the week went on..

This past weekend I did nothing but lay in bed and relax because I didn't want to make things worse.. I went to my PCP yesterday and he said I have Post Concussion Syndrome and need to go see a neurologist as well as an Ophthalmologist. I was hoping someone might have some experience and could tell me if I will start to feel normal again like I did last time.. and if so what should I do differently? Should I stop drinking all together? Take a year off? I was fine when I was just working out and playing sports.. I think getting back into the same state of mind I was in when the concussion first happened is what triggered it..

If anyone can help or has some suggestions, I would really appreciate it.

im just like you man. im 27 and love to party and work out

i got my concussion during the superbowl this year partying. i blacked out and hit the back left side of my head that was around February 3rd. When March 30th came around i felt pretty good so i decided to go out and party again. i drank booze, smoked weed and did some cocaine.

the next couple weeks after that party night really screwed me. all of my symptoms plus some new ones came back like 2 times worse then they previous were. now its December 4th and i still feel some symptoms like minor vertigo and sensitivity to light with light flashes and some double vision. it sucks its been so long my social life has taken a hit but i have no choice....i can sense im getting better but its slow and I KNOW FOR A FACT if i didnt party that March 30th night id be 100% right now but it took my a hard lesson to learn

it took my a few months after March to start working out agian.....i havent been drunk since and i suggest you take time off drinking as well. i smoke weed sometimes now which makes me feel better but i can only take a hit when i used to smoke a joint im a lot more sensitive. the last time i drank it was 2 beers on Thanksgiving and i felt fine but since im concussed and my tolerance is down 4 beers will make me spin

keep your head up and it will get better over time. dont party man it will make you worse off i know it sucks but its for the better. i wont party like i used to for a long time.

Mark in Idaho · 12-04-2012, 05:02 PM

As claritan says, future partying can leave you with a return of symptoms. Each time, those symptoms will likely last longer and longer.

Anything that effects your brain will be a problem. You need to be aware of your brain's needs to stay free of these neuro-toxins.

drod313 · 12-05-2012, 08:03 AM

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the supportive words. I was a college football player for 4 years and never sustained a concussion, funny that the next year after I was done is when I sustained one at home.. It's very unfortunate and has definitely altered my life. I find myself getting extremely frustrated and depressed because one stupid night did this to me. It was so easily avoidable. I think it's safe to say I won't be doing anymore drinking for a while.

I am actually starting to feel better today. I started feeling symptoms again on 11/25, that whole week they got progressively worse. But this week it seems like everything is already getting better little by little. I went to the store and re-upped on Vitamin C tabs and fish oils, as well as a B-12 1500 vitamin and arnica montana supplement. I've been taking ibprofun in the morning and at night.

The PCP prescribed me a low dose of an anti-depressant when I saw him on Monday so I take that before bed, which might be why I'm feeling better, I'm not really sure though. I still have a little bit of light sensitivity, I can tell because my computer screen still looks extremely bright to me at work. I've been using an ice pack on my forehead at work which has been helping I think.

I took my dog for a walk around the block last night and she pulled me in a direction which made me catch a bit of a dizzy spell so I turned right around and took her home. I think it would be better to walk/trot by myself to get my heart rate back use to it. I know from my first recovery exerting yourself to a certain extent definitely helps in the recovery process, it helped me atleast. An other pointers you guys have would be appreciated.

Also I spoke to a concussion specialist via email and he said if I was symptom free for two months then he doesnt think it would be PCS, his thought were that I might have an underlying problem such as a certain type of migraines and that I should get with a neurologist as soon as possible... thoughts?

Mark in Idaho · 12-05-2012, 08:39 AM

The concussion specialist does not sound very knowledgeable to me. He sounds very old school. I doubt your problems are from just the one concussion. It is far more likely that during your years playing football you received many if not thousands of sub-concussive impacts. There is adequate evidence that Post Concussion Syndrome can follow an accumulation of sub-concussive impacts without any diagnosed concussions.

To take this issue to the extreme, there are situations where teen athletes have developed CTE without ever suffering a diagnosed concussion. The brain damage from an accumulation of sub-concussive impacts is greatly ignored if not denied.

Your PCP likely prescribed Elavil (amitriptyline) to help you sleep and reduce your head aches. It is a common prescription. You may want to try putting the ice pack on your upper neck at the based of your skull. Most head aches manifest from there.

My best to you.

drod313 · 12-05-2012, 09:08 AM

Mark,

I was a kicker in college, the only time I was really hitting anyone was on kickoff. But even then there wasnt a specific hit I remember or anything bothering me. I was very healthy before my concussion 4 months ago. Very active, ate healthy, worked out.

I don't think it was amitriptyline, I think it starts with an M. I have no had any problem sleeping, if anything I have been sleeping better then ever. As for headaches, I really don't get to bad of headaches, it is more or less just a feeling of tenseness in my forehead and temples.

The biggest things I am dealing with is a little bit if blurred vision/light sensitivity and dizziness when trying to exert myself to much.

drod313 · 12-06-2012, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

The concussion specialist does not sound very knowledgeable to me. He sounds very old school. I doubt your problems are from just the one concussion. It is far more likely that during your years playing football you received many if not thousands of sub-concussive impacts. There is adequate evidence that Post Concussion Syndrome can follow an accumulation of sub-concussive impacts without any diagnosed concussions.

To take this issue to the extreme, there are situations where teen athletes have developed CTE without ever suffering a diagnosed concussion. The brain damage from an accumulation of sub-concussive impacts is greatly ignored if not denied.

Your PCP likely prescribed Elavil (amitriptyline) to help you sleep and reduce your head aches. It is a common prescription. You may want to try putting the ice pack on your upper neck at the based of your skull. Most head aches manifest from there.

My best to you.

I'm feeling much better these last couple of days.. my neck seems to be getting stiffer though, is this something I should loo into? I have an appointment with the neurologist tomorrow morning, so hopefully that will shed some light on what I am experiencing.. I'm still having some light sensitivity and some dizziness when trying to move to fast.. but besides those few things I am feeling better.. less headaches.. still sleeping great.. hopefully my gains will continue and I will keep feeling better.. I will definitely not be drinking for a while and when I do I will start back slowly at only one drink every outing.. my brain is more important to me.. alcohol isnt worth feeling like this for the rest of my life.. will I miss out on some stuff and will it be hard and depresssing at times as a young 24 year old.. yes, but the rest of my life is more important.. thank you guys again for the support.. I will touch back in tomorrow after my neurologist appointment.

Thanks,
D

Mark in Idaho · 12-06-2012, 04:49 PM

D,

If you made it as a kicker in college, I bet you played contact positions for the prior 8 years.

Have you tried icing your stiff neck?

drod313 · 12-10-2012, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

D,

If you made it as a kicker in college, I bet you played contact positions for the prior 8 years.

Have you tried icing your stiff neck?

Mark,

No, I haven't rally tried icing my neck at all.. I've used an ice pack on my forehead when I've had some headache or tightness around there. I will try icing my neck more and see if that helps..

My neurologist said he is confident these symptoms will also fade away as they did the first time, but he can't guarantee they won't be back.. he is having me do some physical therapy as well as getting me an MRI on my neck to see why it is causing me so much pain and discomfort. Hopefully we can figure some things out..

I am still feeling a little better every day.. things are starting to get back to normal.. hopefully this continues.. thank you for all your support..

And Mark, yes I played some positions in high school, but don't remember any instances of feeling dizzy or knocked out at all.. but who knows...

Thanks,
D