What's going on?

[Mummily]

My son has been experiencing headaches on waking which seem to disorientate him for most of the day. He says he seems to lose his memory and sensations are different. It usually lasts two days . He had a TBI many years ago and in the early days did have seizures most often related to alcohol. These incidents don't seem to relate to anything and as he takes Tegretol it seems odd that he may be having some kind of seizure. He 's not happy about going to the GP because he doesn't want to jeopardise his driving license. It only happens at night and it's fairly infrequent . Does anyone else experience anything like this?

[Kirk5w7]

I understand him not wanting to jeopardise his driving license but if there's something that needs treating it has to be done. All the other road users need to be protected too. I haven't driven since my BI not that I shouldn't, I just don't feel it would be fair to others. I know my reactions are not good enough, please get him to see someone, they may just be migrainous episodes, they don't always come with pain.

Janet x

[StrawberryCream]

Unfortunately he does need to go to his GP and get checked out. Could be many reasons for his symptoms. But if it is related to epilepsy he is not only putting himself at risk but everyone else as well if he causes an accident.

[cat3]

It might not be seizures, in which case he can probably continue driving with a clear conscience, but if it is and his medication can be increased or altered, then he won't be prevented from driving so long as the symptoms are effectively controlled.

But he needs to have the necessary checks for his own safety and that of others on the road.

I hope you can persuade your son to see his GP although I don't underestimate what a wrench losing the right to drive would be.

Best wishes, Cat x

[moo196]

Hi there - would have to agree with the others and suggest that he seeks medical advice asap. I'm wondering if his insurance would even be valid right now ?? But you also mentioned something about alcohol - not sure if you meant that he was still partaking of the odd drink or if that was in the past ? I know that I have now ( almost a year on since ABI) the occasional one drink at the weekend and whilst I enjoy it at the time I do sometimes have a banging head the following day which would be more commensurate with me having had 3-4 glasses !

Hope you find some answers soon.

BTW my bus pass was very useful when I was unable to drive - but know it wasn't the same as being independent - but one has to think of one's own and others' safety .

[RecoveringH]

Hi, over the 5 years since my event, it was in year 2 and then in year 4 when I experienced what you describe. I didn't take meds. I didn't tell anyone. I didn't know what it was. Just assumed it was my brain re-wiring and hitting the wrong connection points sometimes causing a nervous system convulsion if you like. Some woke me in the night, I would remain awake if this happened by putting the pillows up to keep me upright to ease the pressure in the brain. Usually over a few days, then nothing. My sleep pattern was non existent during both times.

Try getting him to wake up at dead on a certain time, eat at dead on a certain time, last meal between 5-6pm. No eating before bedtime. Go to bed dead on certain time. Repeat. I used natural sleeping aids, valerian tea, chamomile essential oil to make my head feel heavy. I also used 5HTP one hour before bed which helps to regulate melatonin. Habit, regularity and repetition of calm days without stress corrected me.

I think the dysfunction sits with the nervous system and its relation to an imbalance in the melatonin production which prevents normal digestion, sleep, detox processes from happening regularly so they are erratic. Once I had sorted my sleep pattern out, my whole body relaxed, my nerves got a night wash and rest, and I woke refreshed. Memory started to return again and nervous tremor/twitches disappeared. I took vit B12 3 times per day plus magnesium & vit C during these periods. Look up magnesium deficiency and nervous tics. I thought that the night jerks were just my body saying 'I need more magnesium and B12!' My sleep is beautiful now - have a routine of heating my lavender sack in the microwave before bed and the warmth sends me into deep sleep within 5 minutes - what joy! Such simple pleasures.

Memory came back eventually when calm and routine returned. Nervous sensations also dwindled to nothing. I was told earlier this year I had a stutter which I wasn't aware of! LoL Sorted that now. Half the battle is becoming aware of something - you cant change it unless you know about it!

I just have a twitch in my right eye nerve left over which randomly fires for a minute or so about twice per week (still trying to work out its trigger to mitigate the cause) but it doesn't bother me and if I'm talking to someone, I just look down at the floor so they don't notice!

Definitely no alcohol until he has had a month of some good deep sleep with no incidents. Plenty of water. No stress. No noise. No decisions. Just a gentle daily walk, good nutritious food and orientate the whole day on routine. Really boring but it works! Sometimes the body needs a manual reset to kick start the automated processes that go on in the background in all the organs all day long which we take for granted. If there is growth of the neural brain networks, you can be sure there will be side effects but they will go when all the connections are made. Give it time.

The worst part about both of these times for me was that with memory you lose personality and thus you lose connections with people. After following the Iodoral protocol, I returned to my old self, had access to all the memories again, so I believe the whole healing process used up my resident iodine that is stored in cells throughout the body. I just completed two weeks of 40 hour week in an office and I feel fine!

Pinching myself really. Feel very lucky, relieved and joyful.

Wishing your son some quality sleep and healing