Hi, i’m almost two years out from injury with minimal improvement. I have major visual issues (tracking, scanning, searching). I feel foggy 24/7 and as though I am not here. My memory is vacant and I am in the pits of depression now.
Is anyone else feeling this way 24/7 with visual issues please? I can’t seem to find anything that can help me make progress and I was expecting small victories by now.
Thank you
My accident was 7 years ago but in March this year I failed a peripheral vision test. The hospital have shown me photos of my eyes balls and I have a blind spot on each eye. I have been constantly bumping into things and kicking things over. I fell down pavements I’ve not seen. It’s horrible now they have told me not to drive. I too fall in & out of depressive thoughts but it’s more because I feel so useless as my memory has taken a severe bashing and people just think I am now back to normal and can cope when I can’t. I feel your pain & frustration. I feel very misunderstood and reliant on others having lost my independence and confidence. Maybe get your eyes tested to see if anything can help. The memory issue is a nightmare. But I tend to write everything down which helps in some cases but not when I’ve put things away then I can’t remember where I’ve put them 🙄
I’m so sorry for your hardships. I am completely with you here x
Keep me posted about your eyes and any coping strategies u may find for your memory xxx
Hello Foggy, so sorry you're feeling awful. What rehab if any have you had so far? Sounds a bit like my oculomotor issues that responded to exercises?
After a brain injury we're all more prone to depression either because of dealing with day to day life, or for example as a direct result of the TBI because it causes a disruption in the white matter. So it's worth getting treatment for depression - preferably from a neuropsychologist and or a neuropsychiatrist, rather than the regular sort if you can, because it will add to your symptoms.
Thank you so much for replying. I have seen vestibular specialists, behavioural optometrists (diagnosed with binocular vision dysfunction), neurologists, opthamologists etc. All say anxiety and depression but this is very pronounced as physical. Three days after my fall I couldn’t ‘see properly’ and my cognition had declined.
I can’t think, plan, direct my vision as ‘normal’.
Did you feel improvements with your ocular motor exercises? And how did you notice your issues initially? It’s as though my visual attention is not automatic anymore.
Thank you
Hi Foggy, sorry if I jump in and get things back to front. Anxiety and depression need treatment to prevent them from compounding other symptoms you may experience. When they take grip it, it is hard to see anything positive. A neuro-psychologist can help separate the depression and anxiety, and understanding how it impacts. A neuro-psychiatrist understands the functions of the brain, and can prescribe the correct medication to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Visual disturbance need their own specialist, although a neuro-psychologist can help you manage unresolved symptoms. 🍀
Hi, Pairofboots, here's a link to the symptoms of growth hormone deficiency, which can be caused by head injury in up to a quarter of cases. They include anxiety and depression. Head injury survivors really should check out the list of symptoms and see if they match, because replacement growth hormone can bring huge improvement. [endocrineweb.com/conditions... example, read James Smith's story on christopherlanetrust.org.uk...
Hi Head, the link doesn't work, it comes up as page not found. I know that there are consequences of BI that means that autoimmune disorders are more prevalent. Thyroid and B12 production and/or receptors, so far in my case, first failed at six years post event, the second at ten years, so far. Both, you are not aware of, and aren't necessarily checked without a Dr picking up from other fairly non-specific symptoms, both can cause permanent damage unchecked.
Hello Foggy, yes I got good results from my exercises. From this sports concussion special physio - Theo Farley who my neurologist referred me to myhealthspecialist.com/spec...
I described what it felt like as being in an Ironman suit that wasn't working properly. Plus terrible nausea and inability to cope in busy environments. One of the exercises was as simple as tracking a pen moving from side to side with my eyes.
Rather unfair putting it all down to depression - but it is probably playing a part. After I got treated for depression and de-conditioning I asked my neuropsychiatrist why when those were now clearly resolved, that I still had various problemd, and he said what was left was the results of the brain injury. That said, I did get considerable improvement across the board between the antidepressant, psychology appointments and all the work I did with Theo, and latterly with a neuropsychologist working mainly on managing my fatigue.
Good fatigue management seems to be key to keeping everything manageable these days
Hi, sounds like 'ataxia' due to TBI.Here's some links.
uclh.nhs.uk/our-services/fi...
A specialist physio could help you retrain motor control.
This is something that I have explored as I also have truncal ataxia and shaking upon downward movements since my fall. Specialists disagree. What made you think of this please?
Hi, a quick google search for occulomotor and TBI.
You said there was disagreement, what were the other options?
The 10th of this month makes 15 months since my injury. I still have brain fog and visual issues particularly tracking. My left eye feels as though it needs to be pulled to where I want it to go. This induces headaches and the fogginess which then impacts my balance. The intensity of the episodes have been less but none the less still present. I am in vision therapy along with vestibular therapy. I also go to a Neuro Chiropractor that helps me with tracking. The recovery have been slow and an extended amount of patience is needed but you also need to be working with a team of skilled vestibular therapist and your neurologist to guide you along the road to recovery of being less symptomatic. See if you can find convergence exercises online and do them several times throughout the day. For the brain fog you will need to take short naps and walk as much as you can. This will help with pushing oxygen to the area to enhance healing. I hope this helps
Thank you and i’m sorry for your hardship. Are you in the UK? Specialists are hard to come by. Do your tracking issues make you feel as though your perception is different? As though things don’t flow the same? I’ve found y really difficult to even be able to identify the issues myself, let alone articulate to them. I just know that it’s extremely scary and two years is a long time to be stuck this way. I feel as though my eyes are stuck and want to just stare. I can’t navigate new places easily and it has made me feel extremely vulnerable. This is, of course, one of many issues but is the most difficult to deal with and it’s constant.
Have you had your pituitary hormones checked? Symptoms of brain fog and memory loss, and depression, can be because your concussion damaged your pituitary gland. Growth hormone deficiency (the most frequent pituitary deficiency) can cause these, and fatigue too. We set up a charity after our son's suicide, see christopherlanetrust.org.uk for more details.However, I haven't found any evidence that growth hormone deficiency is involved with visual issues.
Thank you very much and I am incredibly sorry for your loss. This is absolutely tragic and I admire and appreciate you sharing Christopher’s struggle in order to try to help others.
Post-concussion syndrome
Post concussion exercise
Post concussion syndrome
Post- Concussive Syndrome
Living with Post-Concussion Syndrome
