hospital

Hello Comanchero

So sorry about today, i read your previous post and know how you felt when you were preparing for it. I have aalso felt the let down afterwards when sometimes it doesnt produce what you had thought/hoped.

I am not bright enough to advice you on the next step, but you have many many knowledgeable listeners here who are a mine of information who i know will help you.

My RTA was in 2010 also and my treatment (proper treatment just started this year, well about 11 months ago). I look back and wonder if i would have lost my other job if i had got help straight after the accident, or not. I will never know.

Was the doctor you saw ok with you yourself, approachable ? (as approachable as one can be in that situation ).

Chin up

Kind regards

Jules

x

dear Jules thanks for reply much appreciated keep in touch

Search youtube.com for videos my Dr. Amen. Very enlightening about brain function and its many problems and his solutions.

Hi comanchero

The neuro dept at Sheffield Hallamshire is very good, and you are entitled to ask for a second opinion on your condition, so I would suggest that. It doesn't necessarily mean you will get any different answers, mind, but it is worth a try. If they still say psychological, then you could ask for a referral to Dr Mark Edwards in London who specialises in (amongst other things) 'functional' neurological disorders, which is what a lot of neuros mean when they say psychological. Functional disorders are those where the brain is operating incorrectly - but they can't see anything structurally wrong on a scan. Most probably because they haven't yet invented the scans that can see what it is that is going wrong...

Hope this helps. in the meantime keep smiling and chin up!

Every blessing

dear malatete thank you for your reply it is very good advice I am deciding what to do next, never been to the Hallamshire I know where it is my sister knows it better than me all the very best

Once you have the results of your scan you could, if necessary, ask for a consultation at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queens Square, London. It is a centre of excellence for treatment and research.

NHNN is where Dr Mark Edwards is based too.

It is 26 years since my TBI (and I am still here!). I would not have high expectations of Neurologists - the brain is still vary much a closed book even though they have machines to take fancy pictures! Perhaps my experience of 'happy pills' might be of interest though.

I started on Citalopram too - it is a popular first choice. These drugs interact with your mind in a way which is unique to you and the dose is vital. Once you are on one you need to be 'mindful' - feelings can be/will be affected by the drug. Repeat this to yourself so that you know that there is no reason to do anything drastic when on them because it would all change were you to change the dose/drug etc.

They take a while to kick in then to settle down then you will almost certainly need to try increasing the dose (they will have started you on a lowish dose obviously) so we are talking at least 4-6 weeks...

This is a really useful summary: rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/...

Citalopram did not suit me back when I had it and a new GP started me on others - again slowly decrease one then introduce and increase the next one to see how that is. Let me see, then I was on Amitriptylene then Sertraline. Possibly one other...

Def Sertraline suited me best. So to the effects. These vary hugely and are obviously complicated by events but what they seem to do is dampen down one's emotions - distance one from the here and now, make one care a bit less. If the dose it too high the effect can be really quite numbing and cold. (Which is not very appealing to those around one...)

Anyway a few weeks ago I decided to stop them and came off (a bit quickly actually). I have had my moments - but I can mindfully grapple with them as arising as a consequence of coming off the drug! I am sure that you have realised that the 'happy pill' option is really in your ball court - any doctor involved is at a distance 'in the stands' except when discussing changing dose or pill every month or so. So being passive and expecting the doctor to make the running is not reasonable option or a good idea!

If I had my time again I would have been more analytical, critical and changed dose slowly but deliberately from the start. Hope this is useful! ATB