Nueropsych evaluation - Page 3

jinga · 05-13-2012, 10:05 AM

Joy,

I do think they are trying to make you prove your injury. This is what is happening to me. The insurance company is looking for an answer they want not necessarily the real answer just one that eliminates or reduces their liability. I would think that a DX of head injury that is semi permanent or permanent will cause them (ins co) a great future liability. In my case though aside from the testing i underwent - I have not been informed of or asked about receiving any therapies to make anything improve rather just time and to speak to a psycologist to find better coping skills. Most of these skills are things that I have already adopted via common sense - since common sense in my case seems to be unaffected. I carry notepads, eectronic organizers, gps etc anything to keep me on task with my daily routines

EsthersDoll · 05-13-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinga

Hi,

I saw in your symptoms that you note a tigling sensation in extremities. Do you have a neck injury as well or are these symptoms part of the head injury? The reason I ask is that I have pain in arms\to fingers that has been associated with cervical disc bulges but since the accident I have waves of a icey\hote or tingling sensation that usually affect upper extremities and has an intermittent affect . I dont know exactly what brings it on but usually it seems in periods when I have a lot of things coming at me at once or feel overwhelmed.

Di your neuro test show any deficits in processing etc?

Jinga

Neck injuries can definitely make one's extremities tingle - I know from personal experience. But, pharmaceuticals can also cause that side effect.

Joy6 · 05-15-2012, 09:25 PM

I had my nueropsych eval last week and it was exhausting, left there with a crazy headache, and I felt like an idiot for more than half of it but I did my best. The nuero psychologist and myself covered alot of ground talking and with alot of tests, and at the end he actually disclosed to me that I should have been getting more help all along and that his report to workers comp should square away any issues I am having with them.

He agreed that returning to management is not the best idea right now and may never be, but that I will need more help to retrain myself to maybe do something different. Since I have been having such a difficult time with WC, he told me that even though he can't speak for the IC, he said that the buck usually stops with him because of who he is. It also helped that he trained under the nueropsychologist that initially evaluated me. When he saw his report, he warmed up to me and started to keep it very real with me. I can only hope that his report helps me to get back on track with the IC to get the treatment and the loss wages that I have not been receiving for almost two months now.

He said that I am clearly having difficulties, but on a positive note I also learned some new interesting things about my brain as well that may prove helpful to me in a future career. His report should be done by next week. I am leaving this in God's hand now.

Mark in Idaho · 05-15-2012, 09:45 PM

Great to hear you have a good experience with the NPA. The exhaustion could only help, especially if the doc could recognize your struggles.

You said <but on a positive note I also learned some new interesting things about my brain as well that may prove helpful to me in a future career. >

What did you learn about your brain? Are you willing and have some brain cells lined up so you can share?

jinga · 05-16-2012, 06:05 AM

I keep getting told to make lists, reminders, take it easy, dont over do anyone thing but no therapies? I would like something that is more objectively helpful as the insurance companies dont like it when the docs say its just gonna take more time...

Glad you got through it - sounds like the way my tests went but it took 3 weeks from when I took them to get any feedback

Joy6 · 05-16-2012, 12:20 PM

Jinga and Mark,

He told me about 3/4 the way through the tests that I am more right-brain oriented and very visual. Told me that the line of work I have been in is not really suited for me, and I agreed that it has been basically a solid paycheck for 13 years. He said that I would make a good architect or interior designer, and that I am artistically inclined. I always knew this, but as the saying goes if you don't use it you lose it. I always thought that I was more written/verbally inclined since I always did above average in English/literature, but he said that I am not as inclined as I thought I was, but I secretly disagreed with that because I know that is the result of the concussion. It felt good though to gain some perspective about myself. I really struggled through the math portion of the testing and it was so discouraging.

He told me that my life/brain/stress level was already on overdrive when I had the concussion and that because I experienced a concussion a few years ago, all those factors made this time that much worse. He says the reason I am having so many difficulties is that my brain is trying to find a balance. I am having such a hard time basically "getting my **** together" on a daily basis. He said that more activity will be good for me but that I need support and I don't have much of that in my life right now with my home life demands. Now what type of support he is going to recommend, I am not sure yet until the report is done. Then I have to hope WC gets on the ball.

Time is important when dealing with PCS but I believe it is very very important to get help with life skills, stress management, psychotherapy. When you are left to your own resources, you can feel like you are losing your mind and no one understands you because you appear ok on the outside. I have to reset my brain and learn my weaknesses and learn a new way but I need help to do it. I have had to face myself through this ordeal and everyday brings a new set of emotions and realizations...some good some bad. I have changed three-fold through this injury and am NOT the person I was before.

jinga · 05-16-2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joy6

Jinga and Mark,

He told me about 3/4 the way through the tests that I am more right-brain oriented and very visual. Told me that the line of work I have been in is not really suited for me, and I agreed that it has been basically a solid paycheck for 13 years. He said that I would make a good architect or interior designer, and that I am artistically inclined. I always knew this, but as the saying goes if you don't use it you lose it. I always thought that I was more written/verbally inclined since I always did above average in English/literature, but he said that I am not as inclined as I thought I was, but I secretly disagreed with that because I know that is the result of the concussion. It felt good though to gain some perspective about myself. I really struggled through the math portion of the testing and it was so discouraging.

He told me that my life/brain/stress level was already on overdrive when I had the concussion and that because I experienced a concussion a few years ago, all those factors made this time that much worse. He says the reason I am having so many difficulties is that my brain is trying to find a balance. I am having such a hard time basically "getting my **** together" on a daily basis. He said that more activity will be good for me but that I need support and I don't have much of that in my life right now with my home life demands. Now what type of support he is going to recommend, I am not sure yet until the report is done. Then I have to hope WC gets on the ball.

Time is important when dealing with PCS but I believe it is very very important to get help with life skills, stress management, psychotherapy. When you are left to your own resources, you can feel like you are losing your mind and no one understands you because you appear ok on the outside. I have to reset my brain and learn my weaknesses and learn a new way but I need help to do it. I have had to face myself through this ordeal and everyday brings a new set of emotions and realizations...some good some bad. I have changed three-fold through this injury and am NOT the person I was before.

Joy,
I hope this doc is actually going to help you but as you have stated he\she was enlisted by the WC ins so WC is going to expect a response that help them out of continuing with expensive treatments and change of occupations etc... I think you said you are from PA - to my understanding PA does not have any vocational training programs unless perhaps your employer is willing to offer you something different within your company at the same pay. I was removed from my worjkplace and told they would contact me if and when I no longer had restrictions of any kind - in the mean time my atty is working to get WC to pay for some of the injuries I sustained such as the head injury. This ordeal is quite overwhelming and honestly doesnt help make with recoverybecause i dont have any income at the moment. Did you strike your head in the accident or do not remember?

Mark in Idaho · 05-16-2012, 03:38 PM

Joy,

After getting overloaded trying to read another post that did not have any paragraph spacings, I am struggling to read your post but I'll give it a try.

It sounds to me like you don't need more activity until you develop better focus skills. By this I mean learning to shut out your environment so you can get your thinking going without interruption

It takes a slow progression of learning skills. Only you can determine what progression of skills you need. I started with closing my eyes to pull my auditory focus together. Then, I could add the visual input.

Regarding stress management, you will be surprised how many things in your environment can add to your stress levels. To start with, identifying all the stressors in you life is difficult. Then, coming up with a strategy to deal with them and getting those around you to cooperate is even more difficult.

We needed to train our kids to lower the stress levels in our house with the axiom, "A failure to plan on your part does not create an emergency on my part." This can be more difficult in a work environment but if adopted into the work place culture, can greatly improve work place productivity.

Using better planning processes can be the biggest stress reducer.

There are other ways to reduce stress but this is the most important one that involves enlisting help from those around you.

My best to you.

HeadStrong · 05-19-2012, 08:20 PM

Hi Jinga,
Sorry for the slow reply. I have not been on for a while. I had a MRIcspine which showed protrusions in c5/c6 and narrowing. But Workmans comp is saying it is degenerative.

I wasn't having any neck issues, or tingling/weak & heavy feelings before the injury so go figure.

I do have slow processing issues as well. Still waiting on written results of neuro eval.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinga

Hi,

I saw in your symptoms that you note a tigling sensation in extremities. Do you have a neck injury as well or are these symptoms part of the head injury? The reason I ask is that I have pain in arms\to fingers that has been associated with cervical disc bulges but since the accident I have waves of a icey\hote or tingling sensation that usually affect upper extremities and has an intermittent affect . I dont know exactly what brings it on but usually it seems in periods when I have a lot of things coming at me at once or feel overwhelmed.

Di your neuro test show any deficits in processing etc?

Jinga

jinga · 05-20-2012, 07:04 AM

I hope you have an atty fighting the deg disc dx. If you didn’t have any issues prior to your accident or other test showing the disc issues prior to your accident you should be getting that covered at least from a sprain\strain perspective. I did have a small prior disc bulge neck which I ack up front and had 2 semi recent MRI's due to that - since the accident there were a few more and the one that was noted was worse so in terms of size I suppose. In any case I now have tingling, arm and hand pains and radiculopathy pretty constant all day. (I do believe this is mostly neck related) meds help reduce the pain but the flare ups make it hard to continue what I am doing without taking a break, laying down etc... So all in all the accident has made this a chronic issue for me. I am also dealing with the head injury. Different type docs dealing with each issue so there is a lot going on.