So in June last year I was knocked unconcious playing rugby, I followed all the correct guidelines for returning to play and in February this year I had another knock to the head resulting in feeling concussed for a few days. Since then I have chosen to not play rugby or other contact sports anymore.
One thing I have noticed about myself is the effect alcohol has on me, just a few drinks is enough to leave me with those concussions symptoms again. I have also made the decision to not drink alcohol.
has anybody heard of this before?
One thing I have also noticed about myself is that I have developed what I suspect is Restless Leg Syndrome, sometimes I feel very anxious and will just worry about my head which sends my legs into a bit of a frenzy.
I am lucky that I can still work, drive, study and generally function well. However when worrying about my head I will test myself in silly ways. For example I will give myself stupidly difficult mental maths questions to see If I can do them, or I will see a number plate and try and remember it later on...things mentally healthy people do not do anyway!
Is it normal to still have these symptoms still normal? I know the brain takes a long time to heal and I must be patient.
Just looking for some advice reallty.
Written by
CCarpenter203
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First thing I want you to know is you are not alone in what you are experiencing. Like I tell everyone as I want them to know what I am saying is true. I’ve been a registered nurse for 25 years, there’s not a lot medical that I don’t know or can’t find out.
Concussion can be far more dangerous than people think. It’s still a bad bang to the head. If hard enough it can cause the brain to shake knocking itself off the skull.
A bang to the right frontal lobe can affect emotions so your anxiety and worry could be caused or increased by something like this.
Restless leg is common with anxiety. Testing yourself is a sign of worry and anxiety. It’s as though you are trying to prove your abilities to yourself.
Any brain injury can affect a persons physical, emotional and psychological self. So try not to worry or beat yourself up about it. Brain injuries can take an extremely long time to heal and return an individual to the person who they were before. But I have full confidence in you. It may take time but you will find the you that you were before your concussion episodes. I have faith in you. If I can help you with anything else please do not hesitate to ask me. Don’t ever feel alone.
I wish you peace, happiness, good health and a whole lot of luck my friend,
1. Alcohol does have an advanced effect on those with head injury’s. Most medication makes this worse.
2. Mental health issues can rise from a head injury and I know plenty of people who give themselves mental challenges like remembering the Wi-fi codes everymonth. Though it is a change in your behaviour.
3. I am not a medical professional but my GP told me to talk to my neurologist about my restless leg as sometime, for me I cannot tell if it is a urge to move it or if it is uncontrolled. Different thing apparently. Can be controlled with medication, but comes with side effects.
I would talk to your GP, if you find you need help the waiting lists on the NHS are long.
Keep talking to friends about it, though they may not understand.
Everybody is different, but your symptoms are normal for PCS especially given the trigger.
Hi, my story is a bit different, i never recovered from post concussive syndrome-its been 7 years, and no-one helped me, my gp done nothing, the hospitals done nothing, i've just been left to deal with it on my own.
I was sent for an MRI, it showed nothing wrong in the brain (thank fully) but i was also disappointed because i needed to know why i was suffering so bad, what was making the pain and why i felt so different.
I drank alcohol for the 1st 3 months of my injury as i needed to be medicated to deal with the pain, and the changes happening to me, and yes, it made my brain worse of course, It was the most stupid thing i've ever done-but at the time i was in so much pain, that i needed to be drunk to help me pass out, to help me block out everything, but yeah, if i could go back in time-i would not have drunk a sip of alcohol......
i've not had much alcohol since then over the 7 years, maybe 1 drink a year, and the reason is....it makes my brain worse and yes, brings on the symptoms of the PCS.
if you think about how your brain is healthy and you drink alcohol-it makes you dizzy, it changes your behaviour, you can feel after one pint that the alcohol is effecting you right, well if the brain is swollen and damaged per say - then that alcohol is going to have a much more serious effect to the brain, and yes, it will make the symptoms worse for sure. Stop all alcohol. or if you feel you cannot do that, then have only a glass of wine and drink lots of water in between that glass of wine, or have a half pint of lager and drink lots of water in between, i would just stop alcohol altogether, and try to let your brain heal itself, if you remember what a hangover feels like when your healthy, thats what your brain is like with PCS.......
you said that you have stopped alcohol - i did too, even after 2 years when i drank alcohol i could feel the PCS, for me i will always have these symptoms - you say you can function, work, study etc thats good, and that you've stopped all contact sports, thats also good, because any knock to the head will instantly bring about the PCS, within seconds.......i know this because over the 7 years ive knocked my head multiple times, and within seconds im back to were i started...
try doing yoga, swimming, pilates, meditation, hill walking anything that doesn't shake the brain..........sorry ive waffled on a bit here x
Hope you are good today. Something similar happened to me. As Vikki said, you are not alone. I am no expert but I do know how a brain injury manifests can be as unique as we are but there are some commonalities. Plus please don’t be scared by the term brain injury, it sounds dramatic but it just a label to help us understand and for any appropriate action to be taken. Please go back to your GP if this continues. Have you had scans CT scan, MRI just to ensure there isn’t structural damage? Even without structural damage you can have brain injury symptoms and from what I understand an intolerance to alcohol is one possible symptom. I am glad you have found this forum. Keep asking any questions here rather than letting it go round and round in your mind.
Take care
Kelly
CC......i was talking to a personal trainer yesterday, you need to take magnesium, vitamin c for your restless leg syndrome, change your diet and stop all sugar!!!!!!!!!!!!! alcohol has sugar too-so stop everything and change your diet..... i was taking iron and vitamin d for a long time on and off.....also take vitamin e and selenium - thats found in brazil nuts....... if you have a bath, then put all the salts into it and lay for an hour, thats epsom salt, himalayan salt, magnesium flakes etc also have regular exercise and massages to the legs, head and spine or go to a reflexologist. hope some of that helps....
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