Thalamic injury: My doctor is wondering if I might... - Headway

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Thalamic injury

Cornishboxer2 profile image
11 Replies

My doctor is wondering if I might have injured my Thalamus (egg like structure in centre if brain). Just wondering if anyone else on here has experience of this?

I experience lots of pins and needles over my head, neck and face and lower arms and legs. Very severe cramp in leg last night. Migraines, headaches and nausea/ vertigo most of time. I also recently had my second Astra Xeneca jab and the symptoms worsened especially for the first few days.

Be great to hear from anyone who has had this type of injury with the tingling symptoms so prominent? Thank you 😀.

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Cornishboxer2 profile image
Cornishboxer2
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11 Replies
Pairofboots profile image
Pairofboots

Hi, my hypothalamus is damaged, but I have not had any of the symptoms you have experienced.

This is like the core processor you find in a computer, so your symptoms are not beyond possibility.

My problems were more hypersensitivity, thoughts that couldn't find their destination, insomnia, and confusion, not that I noticed the confusion at the time. That is over ten years now.

Everyone experiences different symptoms, some may be similar, some very different.

Re the AZ vaccine, if you think that this had an adverse reaction, please report it to the yellow card scheme Corona virus via the NHS or through gov.uk.

Keep safe.

Cornishboxer2 profile image
Cornishboxer2 in reply to Pairofboots

Thanks that’s helpful. I definitely am very sensitive to noise and light and struggle with sleeping a lot. I like your description of thoughts that can’t find a destination. I certainly have thoughts that just get lost, gone if that is the same? Yes thanks did the reminder about the vaccine reporting. I had planned to do it. The C-19 Zoe app is good too for reporting and is well organised too. Just wish there was a simple app for us folk too so we can keep a actual record of our symptoms like a glorified headache diary. That would be so good😀. Have a good day today.

Pairofboots profile image
Pairofboots in reply to Cornishboxer2

Early days I had problems with light and noise, and occasionally noise still seems to short-circuit my rational thinking, not necessarily loud noise, but a continuous noise. Example, I couldn't tolerate my ex hoovering, but the noise wasn't a problem if I did the hoovering, she just couldn't understand, and I couldn't explain.

Thought without destination, or getting lost was like torture. Thousands of thoughts racing, never being able to catch them. I now think it was just the brain trying to reroute the thoughts, some more successfully than others, as some still seem to get lost along the way.

I have used the Zoe app since it started, I remember promoting the app when it only had a couple of hundred thousand users.

I like the idea of an app for our symptoms, perhaps it could link in to an app that answers the question, what do you think will help?

Have a great weekend.

Broken_Doll profile image
Broken_Doll in reply to Pairofboots

The thalamus has different functions to the hypothalamus. The thalamus coordinates sensory & motor functions (hence OP’s sensory issues of pins & needles).

Whereas the hypothalamus has a role in hormone secretion along with the pituitary gland.

Cornishboxer2 profile image
Cornishboxer2 in reply to Broken_Doll

Thanks that’s helpful too. Enjoy your weekend.

Broken_Doll profile image
Broken_Doll in reply to Cornishboxer2

You’re welcome! I hope you have a lovely weekend also! :)

Pairofboots profile image
Pairofboots in reply to Broken_Doll

Thanks broken, I had the impression that these were linked, as the hypothalamus controls the automatic nervous system, regulates temperature, breathing etc. It also has more neurones than the cortex and is a junction box/fuse board for many other functions of the cortex.

It also control's the freeze, flight, fight responses, adrenaline release, increase in blood flow, rate of breathing, glucose release, narrow focus, but increase peripheral awareness, intercepts logical thought, doesn't communicate with exterior sources well, editing essential information.

I'd be interested to know your thoughts. Genuinely interested.

Always good to learn. 🤔

FirstAvenger profile image
FirstAvenger

Has your GP requested an MRI or CT scan of your head? I have damage to my thalamus and cerbral peduncle.

Cornishboxer2 profile image
Cornishboxer2 in reply to FirstAvenger

Did it take you long to find out about the damage to your thalamus? Yes, my doctor said he would get another MRI but focussed on this area. Imagine it will be awhile yet. Interested to know how you have been affected if you feel able to share.

FirstAvenger profile image
FirstAvenger in reply to Cornishboxer2

I would wait until you have an MRI and see what the results say. I also have fibromyalgia so my symptom list is a mile long and is sometimes difficult to tell which is playing up.

I did have severe pins and needles down my entire left side a week or so ago and the gp said it could be down to the damage. It's all in my head 🤣

If you come back as having damage to the thalamus, please feel free to message back to let us know how you got on.

Here's hoping you don't have anything like this. All the best

Cornishboxer2 profile image
Cornishboxer2 in reply to FirstAvenger

Sorry to hear about your fibromyalgia. Thank you. That is good advice. I will wait and see what the results come out like. I keep hearing it’s hard to show brain damage so it does get confusing but then nothing new there 😂.

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