Anyone have any experience with Post Concussion Syndrome?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

I have a friend that is really struggling a month after the concussion. She went to a Neurologist today, the doctor looked at her for five minutes and told her she had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I wasn't aware that PTSD caused dizziness, headaches, nausea, short term memory loss, etc. Not asking for advice just experiences. No need to get locked. Thanks in advance. Almost forgot after 2 weeks her vision got blurry and has stayed that way.

David

[Faux pas]

1. I've been concussed twice. Had all those symtoms, the memory

loss was the worst and lasted the longest. She may also have ptsd, concussions are usually caused by a traumatic event.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

2. low speed motor vehicle collision

PTSD doesn't add up, no behavior changes just the physical symptoms and memory loss.

David

[TomInTib]

6. PTSD has many faces.

Behavior changes doesn't always occur.

I have experienced multiple, concussions, one resulting in a slight fracture. I reacted differently to the ones that I can remember.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

13. I agree I just don't think that's the case here.

[Faux pas]

21. My first concussion was b/c of a really bad car accident (been in

eleven, that was the second worst). I had and still have flashbacks of that one, I'm pretty sure that's a ptsd symptom. If she doubts that it is ptsd, she can see a counselor who specializes in ptsd. A low speed collision to one person could be a really traumatic incident to another.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

25. I've had a lot of training on PTSD and seen a lot of it.

Honestly, it just comes across as a lazy diagnoses. Any patient with a concussion who is experiencing new symptoms weeks after the event should have an MRI or another CAT scan, not be told it was PTSD and sent home with an anti-depressant. I don't disagree with you concerning the symptoms of PTSD, I just don't see that being the case here.

David

[peace13]

3. I had a bike accident with my helmet on that resulted in

headaches and dizziness for over six months. If I tilted my head in certain way the world would spin like a globe. Time did take care of these symptoms. I had a series of head and eye exercises to do. Did the doc give her any?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

4. No, they put her off work for 2 weeks.

She has very similar problems. Do you know if they thought it was some damage to the inner ear? Her vision has also gotten blurry and stayed that way.

David

[peace13]

5. It is something in the ear dropping into the fluid of the inner ear.

I apologize for not remembering the terms. The dizziness comes when the pieces hit the fluid and make ripples? For me it was like my vision was a globe that was spinning at full speed. It took a long time for this to stop happening all together. It was a gradual thing that eventually went away. I will look for the exercises that I did so that you can ask the doctor about them. They did seem to improve things. Peace, Kim

[uppityperson]

15. tiny stones of calcium on the ends of the hairs in inner ear, maybe

they can stick and then suddenly come loose (when turn or move head) rather than moving gradually. This gives severe dizziness vs just knowing your position. You can get head tilting movements to do a couple times a day which can help. My audiologist told me about them when I had problems. A competent ENT person will know, or an audiologist.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

30. Vestibulitis??

[peace13]

7. There is a lot of information at this site.

I would check with the doc about the exercises. They are about three quarters of the way down the page. I hope this helps. Give your special person an extra hug. This is no fun at all. Peace, Kim

http://www.entkent.com/Cawthorne-Cooksey.html

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

14. She's actually a friend of my wife's. We hang out with them a lot.

I'm just the only person she knows in the medical field.

David

[Jane Austin]

8. It took me six months to be able to solve problems.

Not just math problems, but anything I had to figure out.

My neurologist told me that a rattled brain is like an amateur sheriff's department.

They send out a posse from a central location to find someone and instead of going to where he is pretty quickly, they head out in all different directions and wander around a while.

A healthy brain follows the clues and goes pretty much straight to whomever they are looking for, round him up and bring him back to headquarters.

The rattled brain may stumble across the fellow sooner or later, and bring him back, too.

Which I guess is what happens when I come up with someone's name a week after I was trying to remember it. :)

Or when I remember the punchline to a joke some time later.

It does disturb Mr. JaneAustin, though, when I blurt out something like "You waskally wabbit!" while washing up from supper. :)

[uppityperson]

16. That is a really good explanation. I find I have gaps where I should know something.

Usually a person can circle around and figure out what the missing bit is (a person's name for instance) but a rattled brain sometimes doesn't even know that there is a missing bit, or any related bits to help circle in on.

Rather like finding a box in my brain, with no idea that it was there or what was in it. Then (for instance) my old friend I am talking to says their name and the box bursts open. Or (another example), trying to remember presidents, thinking there was someone between papabush and babybush but having no clue if there was or who it was. Person I was talking with looked at me oddly and said "Clinton?" at which point I could remember everything.

It is odd.

[Jane Austin]

18. How much time has it been? n/t

[uppityperson]

19. 3 yrs now. Life is fine, so long as I don't project too far into the future...

meaning, if I am like this now, what will I be like at 70? So long as I avoid that, have figured out how to deal with it. Pain in the butt though. I hate telling people that I lost brain bits but have finally decided that if I'm open about why I can't remember who they are, it's ok. So far I've gotten very few "oh you poor dear" things, which is good.

I figure everyone has some sort of issue. Mine is I am brilliant in most areas but average in a few areas. (bah to averageness) (yes, I am laughing at myself)

[Jane Austin]

20. You have a wonderful outlook.

I think I'll borrow it. :)

[Berry Cool]

9. If you ever find her suddenly vomiting uncontrollably, call 911 right away

and get her to the emergency room. Tell her if she's alone and it happens, to call 911 and don't hang up.

Trauma to the head is a scary time bomb.

[Crunchy Frog]

10. My mom didn't feel normal for a few months after an extremely mild concussion.

Her boyfriend had tried to close the trunk of the car while her head was in the way. :)

Sounds like your friend could maybe use a different neurologist, as the symptoms don't sound at all like PTSD. Also be really, really careful not to reinjure the head in any way.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

12. Yeah I think she found a Neurologist and not a Doctor.

[AllieB]

11. My sister was in two accidents that resulted in whiplash.

The ER doctor also diagnosed her with a concussion in the second accident. She has really not been the same-foggy thinking, memory loss, coordination issues, and PTSD. I think the PTSD may be from two accidents within 2 years of one another, but all the other symptoms are consistent with the 'brain jarring' from a concussion and whiplash.

[uppityperson]

17. MPCS here (mild post concussion syndrome)

Even a mild whonk can take a good bit to recover from. I'd say get another diagnoses. Has she had a MRI/CAT of her head? Sometimes it can take a bit for a slow leak to show, and might be a good idea.

I got mine done a couple wks post concussion and the results were negative (didn't find my brain). No leaks so I had to just wait it out.

I got memory tested a couple months later, to figure out where the holes were. Now, 3 yrs later, still have gaps. Yes, I can write notes in a notepad to remember things when I think of them. Now, how to remember to look at the notepad? It is funny in ways, but not really. Rather like aging 15 yrs in one stupid act.

In my experience, post concussion syndrome is different from ptsd. Both can occur in the same person, but different.

The blurry vision would get me to recommend a different doc, or further tests. You seem to post enough with emt stuff, you know the drill.

I have been an rn for 30 yrs, concussed 3 yrs ago when I flung myself head first full force backwards onto a low window ledge (sheet I was pulling a pt down with tore).

[Celebration]

22. my opinion

I would suggest acupuncture. A person in an accident can be an energetic mess. I don't claim to have science behind this. But I have seen great success with people after accidents with acupuncture (among family and friends). Some of them even had odd behavioural characteristics (How could an accident cause THAT? Well, it can and does.) When symptoms are widespread, and can't be pinpointed to a single organic reason, then all the more so.

[Warpy]

23. She needs to find a better neurologist and get a head CT

because it's possible she's got a bleed going on, one that was too small to pick up immediately post trauma but would be visible now.

If she can't get in to see a different neurologist, then send her to the ER with a complaint of a sudden increase in symptoms. That should get her taken care of.

Headaches, nausea, dizziness, and short term memory loss are common after a concussion. Loss of vision is not, especially when it presents as a new symptom two weeks after the injury.

It's worth checking up, in other words. Five minutes with a guy who says you've got a psychiatric problem is negligence.

[uppityperson]

24. I agree with all of that. Hope she gets checked out again.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

26. I agree completely.

I couldn't believe the neurologist blew her off without doing an MRI or at least another CAT scan. I would guess that was borderline malpractice, it seems to fall outside the standard of care.

David

[Warpy]

27. The word is negligence.

and if anything is found when she goes to a competent physician and any of the damage arising from it is permanent, she has grounds for a lawsuit.

This is serious stuff. She really does need to get checked out.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

28. Okay.

[rocktivity]

29. I had a concussion from running into a door jamb when I was four

Most of my acquaintances would tell you that over four decades later, I'm STILL in the process of recovering.

:evilgrin:
rocnation