I was hit on the head at work nearly 4 months ago and since I have had a concussion.
I was sent to hospital from work but they only tended to a cut that I also sustained from the accident and sent me away. I returned to work that day. 2 days later I could barely stand up and rung 111 I was told to go hospital again who told me I had a concussion nothing they could do, go home. I had the weekend to rest and returned to work. After this I have had multiple telephone appointments with my GP who just says it will fix itself. I had some anti-nausia tablets that made everything worse. I had a CT scan after 2 months that showed everything was OK.
Now I still have constant nausia, sleep problems (too much or not at all) , dizziness, my vision isn't what it was (can't explain), constantly tired and unmotivated, joint/muscle pains. I'm really not myself anymore and I've lost a lot of weight (might not be a bad thing)
I don't want to waste my time anymore with my GP. I'm still working, but it's a struggle.
With things not getting better I would like any advice on what I can do.
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October 10th will be 15 months post injury for me and I still have symptoms; though milder they are still present. I do find that when I started exercising a bit like walking it helps with the brain fog. I still have issues tracking with my eyes
Hi V8. I hope doctors have explained to you how the effects of concussion can last for many months. Being a soft tissue injury, Post Concussion Syndrome isn't detectable by standard scanning but the nausea, dizziness and fatigue (& more) are classic symptoms.
Your employer is obliged by law to make 'reasonable adjustments' if you're struggling to keep up at work, and if the head injury was work-related you may be entitled to compensation.
You might need a longer period of absence from work to allow recovery. Rest, healthy eating, good hydration (no alcohol) and light exercise can help reduce stress and allow your brain to heal.
Please do contact the helpline on Monday for supportive and professional advice. Their number is (freephone - office hours) 0808 800 2244.
Thank you cat and blue skies and marnie for your replies. I will ring the helpline on Monday, I hadn't heard of Headway until today. It is reassuring to read that my situation is not unique and that it can improve.
My GP didn't really have any advice other than carry on as normal and it will get better over time.
My work is very understanding and would allow me as much time off and light work as I need. My colleagues also help me during the day. I prefer to work and sometimes dread days off as I have too much time to think (and Google) about what might be wrong.
Thank you for this advice. I will try to contact my GP again (not easy getting just a telephone appointment), but when I wanted a referral for a CT scan. They told me to go to A+E and wait for one (something to do with who's budget it comes out of). 6 hours in A+E and they refused so I had to be referred anyway.I will definitely be making notes and trying to think more about what I'm doing rather than trying to ignore it.
Eating little and often is something I need to work on. At the minute it's once a day all I can manage.
So sorry to hear about what you are going through and you are in a right place for discovering how you can improve your situation or where to get advice.
I have sustained substantial head injury according to A & E consultant (medically may be called moderate head injury as Idid not suffer internal bleeding); MRI revealed contusions.
The concussion itself was so sickening and even after nearly 3 months I have symptoms of post concussion. All over counter medications have been of no use to me. I’m due for another MRI but still in agonising pain. Yesterday I returned home after a day of activities such as massage, hot yoga and going to a concert in the evening. By the time I got home I just felt I’m about to pass out. Just dropped to the floor. I have not been able to sleep and still awake.
I was told there are two scenarios with head injuries, in some cases it can heal within 3 months and in others it might get worse. I was even told about epilepsy and how to detect it in the future. So what I’m trying to say is be vigilant about any new symptoms you might get plus reduce your hours of work. Work will alway be there but not our health!
Others have recommended you call Headway and that is good advice.
Neurologists tend to look for large scale physical damage, large scale being relative.
Because of how medicine has evolved, they tend to stick stuff they haven't figured out yet in speciality psychiatric categories. I mention this as seeing a neuropsychiatrist can be very helpful. Some might hear that as me suggesting it is psychological, and I want to assure you I do not at all. It is just kind of how the system works, which is often very confusing.
That specialty is very helpful because people with concussions can often respond differently to medications and they are trained to deal with that, and they are also good at knowing what therapies you are ready for, and often are taken more seriously by various agencies you may find yourself dealing with while you sort thus out.
Another tip you may find helpful is to take rest breaks throughout the day - rest meaning a dark quiet place where you do nothing for 10 to 15 minutes. Your brain is hurt and it needs rest - meaning give it as little to process as possible. Get lots of sleep, and eat well. If your head hurts or feels firey try eating something cold, as that can help. Also make sure you do not get dehydrated - how do you know? When you use the facility you ought not see a change of colour in the toilet bowl, the urine should be very pale in colour. TMI ? Perhaps... but your brain needs enough water to be able to heal.
It is really good to consuot specialists at this time, as actions taken early (and this is still early) can make a big difference.
Take good care and keep us posted as to how you are making out.
Thank you Leaf for this advice. I will start resting as you have advised as my idea of rest is just sitting down. I do drink plenty of water although sleep is a struggle so I guess that will take more time. I will try to see a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist but it will depend what my GP will reefer me to.Many thanks
HI, I had a concussion associated with a whiplash in January 2020. At the beginning, I had both cognitive and emotional impairments. The congitive one improved slowly while the other is still inducing symptoms very closed to depression. I also did a CT scan which was negative. This allowed the (three) neurologists I consulted to tell me that I have a depression and to give me antidepressants. A psychologist told me that I am not really depressed and that my symptoms are related to concussion so I did not take any antidepressant till now.Neverthelees, I realized that when I drink champagne my emotions come again and I am considering the fact that something is bloching somewhere in my body the regular stream of my emotions. Clearly, I cannot start drinking champagne regulrarly but I woukd like to see a competent person who could really help me.
p.s. I was just trying to convey the message that concussion is a kind of UFO and that you (we) should be patient and do not lose hope while finding our, maybe personal, path for recovery.
Hi I am sorry that you are going through this. A CT scan, MRI will not show a concussion. The diagnosis is based on your symptoms. Your GP needs to refer you for vestibular therapy. This will address your symptoms of dizziness, unsteady gait and possibly vision disorder you may be suffering from as a result of this. Botox injections will help with the headaches. Tums help with the nausea or heart burn. Naps and walking will help with resting your brain and increasing perfusion of blood supply to it. I would advise you strongly to speak with the GP about getting that referral to start vestibular therapy as soon as possible.
I’m sorry to hear and like others have said, can’t recommend more highly that you call Headway for support tomorrow. They have printed advice booklets which they can post to you for free. Reading from screens can be harder especially if you are experiencing vision trouble or dizziness.
I had a head injury almost exactly two years ago now and whilst things have shifted I still experience symptoms so have a few resources which I hope can be of use for you:
I would really highly recommend this book by Philip King -
These are resources that I have come to over time and would have helped a lot to have access to early on, so I hope it is helpful for you.
Also taking things slowly, one day at a time is key, and really fully resting often, just as others recommend here. It’s so good that your work is being supportive. Headway also have advice sheets for workplaces in how to support colleagues/employees for them to understand concussion too which can be useful rather than having to relay the information when your brain needs rest at this time.
You can always post here with questions or to share how you’re feeling, people may well have suggestions from experience and I remember finding it such a relief to hear from others in similar situations (although no one brain injury is ever the same as another). GPs are sometimes under-equipped to adequately advise on concussion unfortunately so being firm about asking for specialist referrals is important. I found bringing a friend or family member to an appointment helpful for backup when my GP was resisting referring me to neurology and vestibular physiotherapy.
Hello V8, sorry to hear this has happened to you. It sounds like pretty 'normal' post concussion symptoms I'm afraid. As the others have said, do ring Headway on 0808 800 2244 tomorrow when they open after the weekend - it's a relief to talk to knowledgeable people that understand.
Lots of good advice here. You've done well to keep working, but may be pushing yourself too hard. The fatigue we get after a brain injury is very hard to manage unless we take regular 'brain rest' breaks ( no TV or phone, books or screens) but when it's bad, it tends to make other symptoms worse too, and I find that for me this includes insomnia. Try and walk a little everyday though.
Post concussion can clear up on its own, but sometimes it goes past the magic three month mark and you need more help to minimise the effects - as Leaf said the sooner the better.
Incidentally, are you getting any compensation from your firm as your accident happened at work? Would this extend to private health care?
As Leaf said it's definitely not in your mind (basically your brain has been shaken up, and now it finds it harder to do things) but neuropsychiatrists and neuropsychologists are your go to people here - they will really understand what's going on. Plus you need an assessment of your oculomotor and vestibular functions - when these go wrong after a concussion, the dizziness and nausea can be helped by repetitive exercises. Neurologists can help by referring you on to the different specialists you might need.
Keep in touch - let us know how you get on - but definitely try and get a referral to a consultant specialising in MTBI ( mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion)
After dealing with post concussion symptoms for 7 years from a car accident and getting zero help from MD's, I finally found a place that did a functional MRI (real-time so it can see what areas are under/over functioning in the brain) A week of treatment got me out of feeling like a zombie. They did an eye focusing treatment called a Brock string (very easy to do yourself) and my eyes focused correctly for the first time in 7 years, it was amazing. They also had me use an online program called BrainHQ that was difficult but helped. I hope this helps a little, it was an absolute nightmare living in this zombie like state for so long. I still have trouble falling/staying asleep and my eyes still get fatigued after a long or busy day. I still have gut/brain axis issues with my digestion and stress response. Using DNRS has helped a little with this. Take it easy and I hope your symptoms will lessen faster than mine did.
Where did you go to for those treatments Lark? I see you're in the States, but how interesting.
I also have trouble falling asleep - I think my insomnia is worse when my fatigue is bad oddly enough.
And I have noticed what the neuropsychiatrist fleetingly referred to as something like 'an over sensitive response to stress'. All the early coaching from his psychologist made a bit more sense in retrospect.
It's called Cognitive FX. It was very expensive. Yes, the sleeping issues have caused problems for me. I often try to research this but the only thing I've found is that possibly the hypothalamus has been affected which controls sleep and arousal. It's not even the noise that keeps me up (I wear earplugs) it's like my brain thinks it's in danger and is searching for evidence of it. The only thing that sometimes helps is reading before sleep. Now that you mention it, it does seem like it's harder to sleep the more tired I am. As for the heightened stress response, with any strong emotion (even just getting excited or animated about something I'm talking about) my whole body shakes but especially my hands. I have not figured anything out that will help with that, although I'm always working on meditating to keep my stress levels down. I've finally accepted these problems are not going away and I try to figure out how to live with them. I am overjoyed when I can get 6 or 7 hours of sleep because in the beginning I was getting so much less.
Thanks Lark, yes I've seen Cognitive FX on the web. Interesting to know that they were helpful. I think they also touch upon the Buffalo treadmill protocol treatment that I got from a specialist sports physio here in London.
Sounds like you've had a tough time of it. Your shaking sounds hard to handle. I get a head tremor when I'm fatigued. Didn't realise how obvious it got as I got more tired, until I saw myself in a committee meeting on Zoom.
I think my sleep issue is a mixture of the over enthusiastic stress response, which depending how difficult it is , I can sometimes successfully use the soothing techniques the psychologist ( who worked alongside my neuropsychiatrist ) taught me, and sometimes not . Sleep is definitely harder to handle when my fatigue levels are higher. I've got the migraine buddy app on my phone that graphs sleep duration ( slightly in defiance of the neuropsychiatrist who said it's proven that sleep apps damage your sleep...) But I can easily correlate over activity mental or physical during the day with worse sleep outcomes.
The other thing on sleep seems to be to do it with autonomous nervous system decoupling, and the parasympathetic nervous system not kicking in properly. The work John Leddy does at Buffalo university with exercise for concussed sportspeople is aimed at this. Though the lockdown here started before I totally got completely through the Buffalo treadmill exercise in my rehab, and I was then too nervous to exercise at my max capacity on my own rather than in a gym.
Can relate to the low amounts of sleep - have never stayed in awake all night like this before my accident. 7 hours was my normal before the injury, and I'm more likely to get that lately, even if it's 3-10 am on a bad night.
Hi, I would mostly repeat what has been said before. I suffered a bang to the head at work 15 months ago and sadly am still struggling. After 4 months a nurse friend asked me if I had been referred by my GP to our local Minor Brain injury Unit which I hadn't! I was able to self refer and have been in contact with a clinical psychologist ever since. Her main advice was as has been said before. Complete zero input rests are really important, as everything we do from getting dressed, making breakfast etc involves the brain and it needs to rest to recover. Recovery is 50% managing the fatigue, 50% managing your emotional state. The regular rests very quickly helped to relieve the worse of the head fog.
I was a very active person and have struggled with how much this has affected what I can do in a day but have learnt that you must not fall into a boom and bust situation of getting carried away if you have a good day. Trying to keep each day similar in terms have exercise and work load, slowly building up.
I have seen a cranial osteopath who really helped initially relieve some of my symptoms, as well as a physio as I regularly get very stiff in my neck and shoulders (nervous system overload) Acupuncture has also been useful as I have become hyper sensitive to noise and light and stress! If I become overloaded / overwhelmed it has caused a number of 'set backs' in my recovery.
Work has been a real battle, I have had times where I am making good improvement but as people see my start to make progress, more workload is added and I start to struggle but feel pressure not to let people down etc. Not stopped and taking some time off or stepping back has also lead to a number of set backs - longer periods of time off work.
It is hard but you have to put your recovery first, don't over commit yourself in any aspect of life.
I find swimming, walking and paddle boarding all manageable, but am staying away from things I used to do like running and mountain biking as I know it will be to much for me at the moment. I have been told I should make a full recovery so it is just about making it happen, accepting what has happened and trying not to get frustrated as it is a slow process for many.
Also remember this is the 'unseen' injury,' it doesn't make you limp or necessarily look ill, therefore people wonder what all the fuss is about. My work have been guilt of this.
Good luck, and thank you to other people who have responded as I have picked up some good tips.
Good advice on fatigue and emotional support Coldswimming, but my concussion specialist physio wanted me to stay away from swimming altogether because he said it would raise my heart rate too much - he was working on the John Leddy research in Buffalo university based on autonomic dysfunction after MTBI.
Thank you so much everyone that has replied, I have notes I have taken on things I can do to improve my situation.
I was hoping to reply after I had contacted my GP about a neurologist/neurophysiologist or vestibular rehab referral, or whatever I could be offered. But there has been some issues at my surgery that means I haven't been able to speak to a doctor this week. I have a feeling that I won't get far, but I will try. I'm pretty sure they think I'm just after a sick-note or compensation but I don't want either.
I also have notes now so I can give more information as my mind goes blank on the phone.
I have spoken to my work and am changing my work hours. I'm splitting my day into 3 blocks with 1 hour breaks in between to shut off.
I spoke to Headway and they gave me some good advice on improving my Diet and sleep. Probably what I need to work on first, but the hardest to crack. I don't eat much because I'm always nauseated and I'm never hungry. I've never been a good sleeper (6hrs a night was always good for me) now it's all over the place with no real sleeping pattern. But I have lots I can work on.
Again I can't thank everyone who replied enough for all of this valuable information and support. I had pretty much given up when I wrote the original post and thought I would get no replies. I'm really taken aback.
Glad you got some helpful feedback V8 - we're good here! Sleep disruption does seem to be a definite thing. I think you can also get NHS support for that actually.
Try reading 'The Ghost in my Brain' by Clark Elliott. He was in a car shunt originally. I think he has stuff on YouTube as well, but I haven't watched it yet. Plus 'Mindfulness and Stroke living with a brain injury' by Jodie Mardula and Caroline Vaughan - Caroline Vaughan was Mardula's neuropsychologist, and her commentary on the effects of brain injury in the second half of the book is brilliant. Neuropsychologists are great at brain injury rehab.
Do ask your GP for a second opinion, and get a referral to a neurologist . Try and keep and take in a diary of your symptoms. Mild traumatic brain injury doesn't show up on CT or MRI scans by the way, but is very real.
What is your work? It's really good you can take breaks.
Do think about compensation issues, because sometimes these post concussion symptoms do drag on for a long time. However I understand that the process of getting compensation is pretty bruising and dealing with experts who play down your symptoms could be quite demoralising - I was in a constant battle with my insurers which are so tough. With the benefit of hindsight, I do wish I'd applied for ESA originally while I still had the previous two years of NI contributions
Thank you painting, I've struggled with sleep for as long as I remember so it's not that new. It's just a bit worse and all over the place.
I am currently reading The Ghost In My Brain, its very interesting and surprisingly relatable. Although his condition is/was (Haven't finished yet) much much worse than mine I have shared many of his experiences.
Still trying to resolve my GP situation as my surgery has been closed for the last week.
I work as an precision engineer/CNC machinist. I've been doing the job so long I don't really have to think too much. I've got some fantastic colleagues who help me out with decision making and any computer work.
The accident I had was simply someone opening a door at the wrong time. Could have happened with any door anywhere at any time. It could have been me opening the door and hurting someone else. So I can't with any good conscience claim compensation.
I think reading The Ghost in my Brain was a bit of an eye opener for me, even if his balance issues were much more pronounced than mine at the time. I hadn't found this forum at that point, so the shock of recognition was considerable. Likewise the information in the Mardula and Vaughan book is enormously useful. Don't be put off by the title - it isn't a self help mindfulness book at all, there's some really solid and clear information about handling brain injury in there. ( I ordered it through my local library service.)
So glad your work is still do-able, it must preserve some normality in all the craziness of early brain injury. See what you mean about your accident, mine was also literally just an accident.
Hope you get some more help from your GP soon. I'm sure they don't think you are just after a certificate. I don't know why GPs sometimes seem so odd about concussion - they all must have seen quite a few over their time in practice. But perhaps they don't feel they can do a great deal for us - but equally that's quite annoying when some relatively simple interventions can make a great deal of difference to us.
Hi - I am a bit late to the party responding to your message. I was assaulted three years ago and as a consequence was told that I had mild concussion at the hospital. The symptoms increased considerably over the next couple of weeks - dizziness, nausea, daily migraines, concentration problems, brain fog, tiredness, etc. I pushed for more help which took months and eventually was given an MRI. They discovered that I had bulging discs in my neck which was causing some of the problems, however, the rest was diagnosed as post concussion syndrome. I am now three years on and have come to terms with the symptoms which although improved are there constantly by my side. My neurologist has thrown all sorts of tablets at me for my migraines but I am no longer taking anything if I can help it because they don't really help. I have had vestibular physio which includes balance work, acupuncture and other holistic type treatments which helps but is expensive and not something that I can keep up. I am also a cognitive behaviour therapist so have done my own therapy (hence the acceptance of symptoms). I have now been advised that I will probably have some if not all of the symptoms for the rest of my life. The neurologist emphasised that I should be very careful with my head because after having an injury like this, one more bang could be dangerous.
If I had known more at the beginning, I would have rested more and got myself better instead of trying to 'work through it'. I would have sought help even sooner than I did - any longer than three months and it is harder to treat. Vestibular physio is hard to find without it costing a lot but if you can, then I would recommend it. If you don't feel strong enough to get the help you need, recruit a family/friend to help you push for it. I would also recommend ACT therapy if symptoms are still hanging around. It helps you accept what is happening and includes a lot of relaxation methods.
Thank you for replying, it is all valuable information. As this is my only source of information I am very grateful. I had my first face-to-face appointment with my GP (4 months after my accident) the only advice I was given is to cut out junk food and excersize more. If its not better after a year call back.Things have been slowly improving for me, like the dizziness is less severe. I'm off balance less often. The nausia is still an issue but the brain fog and confusion are improving. My sleep is all over the place but on the whole things are improving.
Glad things are improving. It doesn't sound like your GP is too helpful. A couple of the vestibular exercise that might help - Hold a pen or a pencil in your hand. Move it up and down slowly and follow it with your eyes without moving your head. Stop if it makes you feel nauseous. Then do the same thing but move the pen from left to right. Again stop if if makes you feel nauseous. Practice a few times a day.
Hi. I can understand what you are going through. Having had a TBI in 2009 which caused bleeding and swelling on my brain and has left me permanently disabled now! That’s not to scare you…apparently 95% of people with a TBI like mine recovered over time and the other 5% will not.
I have had many years of being passed from one department to another and to this day the are still finding injuries that were missed.
Had it not been for my GP I would not have received half of the treatment that I have had!
Again, I am a “worse case scenario “ If you are not getting the help that you need keep pushing or have someone close to you or an organisation like Headway to help you.
I hope that you get the answers and treatment that you need. Good luck
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