Head trauma anxiety

[AlexLu]

Hi All,

On Monday 11th of July I got hit in the face by a bus wing mirror which resulted in closed fractures: maxillary sinus and a linear fracture in the upper left forehead area. No other damages have been reported except a small amount of extra axial blood-which the doctors told me it's from the bone and not from the brain. Been kept 48 hours in the hospital under medical observation and no issues were found.

Also been told that I have not been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury or brain injury.

However 25 days have passed and I over the past 10 days I started to worry a great deal over the prospects of developing brain tumor or hematoms or having internal bleeding. Any burning sensation I'd feel where the scar is, any change in the mood, any mild headache would make me freak out thinking I am going to die, going deaf or turning blind over time.

The anxiety is getting better when I keep myself busy but sometimes it does get exhausting. I am wondering if there is any way I can overcome this difficult period.

For my reassurance I am in talks of getting a referral for an MRI scan to see if 4 weeks later there are any damages to the brain or internal bleeds.

I am very very scared, lost weight over my irrational fears and all I want is to be myself all over again.

[Agora1]

AlexLu, I am truly sorry for the unfortunate accident.. Usually brain trauma would be detected within the first 48hours which sounds like you were in the hospital under observation. I can imagine you fearing every benign symptom that may come along. I am hoping that when you have the MRI scan it will relieve some of your fears and anxiety. I wish you well.

[AlexLu in reply to Agora1]

Thank you so much for the kind words. I am constantly worrying about developing a brain tumour or having an internal bleed in my brain as a result of what's happened on July 11th...

I'm thinking if any bleed was to occur this would have happened in the first 48 hours. The eye casualty team reviewed me 48h and 72h after the incident and n deficit has been found.

I am still scared to the point where I think I got a brain injury and that the CT scan wasn't accurate though I am not medically trained. Hence doing an MRI..at the same time am thinking the doctors were right though. It cannot be that I am right and that they are wrong and secondly if it was a brain injury then perhaps another team would have seen me such as neuro but at the moment I am solely been seen by max facial.

[Agora1 in reply to AlexLu]

AlexLu, I am a former paramedic and have seen brain traumas come through the emergency room. It is never taken lightly and it does seem that you have had all the right team of doctors at the time. This MRI will hold a lot of information as to how you are healing. I know how difficult it must be to worry what may happen down the road. I understand but at some point you will have to believe that the expertise of the doctors haven't missed anything. Keep us updated...

[AlexLu in reply to Agora1]

Would you be able to advise why they have chosen CT scan as opposed to an MRI? The only thing that they found on CT scan was "a small amount of extra axial blood from the frontal fracture"

Again they went for conservative treatment and been told that the bones will heal on their own in 6-8 weeks time.

Likewise, the word brain injury wasn't mentioned on my discharge letter, only the fractures I mentioned.

[AlexLu in reply to AlexLu]

I am also extremely worried about what the MRI may reveal, what if it would reveal a tumour or some ongoing bleeding or hematom that wasn't caught by the CT scan 4 weeks ago?

[Agora1 in reply to AlexLu]

I do not know why a CT scan was done as opposed to an MRI on the day of the accident. That was up to the ER doctors. If you are referring to my calling it a brain trauma that's just one of the precautions we would take whenever it involved the head or face. Your doctors know what's best and I'm sure were very diligent in describing your injuries.

[AlexLu in reply to Agora1]

Not sure I understood, what do you mean by "that's just one of the precautions we would take whenever it involved the head or face"? Would you guys do CT or MRI?

[Agora1 in reply to AlexLu]

Whenever the paramedics arrive they do a neck brace (stabilizer) as a precaution before taking them to the ER. We have nothing to do with what the doctor chooses once at the hospital.