hi everyone not sure if anyone has any ideas so help exhaustion and emotional dead .
I am nearly two years post tbi and still struggle with memory especially short term ,concentration , I drop things and walk lightly to one side . I can’t think when other noise is near ..
my stress level has been though the roof with family issues and I seem to have gone backwards with exhaustion and all the other problems from accident ( limb why) have all got worse
I am waiting for appointments from neuro physio and Surgeon who did operation on shoulder .
Am thinking that all of the exhaustion is from to much stress when I’m dealing with me which is hard work on it’s own. ..
Does it get better ? Or is it just a part of journey … from a exhausted and and emotional dead sue …
Have spoken to Dr ans they don’t have a clue with head injuries !!
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Teazymaid
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Oh Sue, I'm sure your remark on exhaustion will resonate with somany others here. How true that dealing with depleted motivation/energy/memory issues, alongside staying upright and purposeful, is all too often an uphill struggle.
And when complications arise (my boiler packed up on Sun plus I failed to order repeat prescription so ran out of meds)😵...... .....everyday stuff can feel overwhelming !
And whether things get better or are just part of the journey (I think it's both) our days do improve as we adapt to this new rule of 'one step forwards 2 or 3 back'.
Maybe try taking a breather, with a deliberate step back here & there, to remind yourself you're doing a pretty damned good job, all things considered.
Hi Teasymaid - yes, exhaustion resonates with me too. This is a video I have found - from a brain injury unit in London. i have listened to this, and the next one, called 'pace yourself' or similar. Really really helpful. So little is known about brain injuries amongst medics that every GP surgery could do with referring people to these. It would have been so helpful to understand this at the outset, rather than 6 months in. Yes, journey - yes, uphill struggle with emotional content of life. Have a look. If nothing else, it tells you that you are not alone, and also that other people ARE finding a way to manage this recovery period. Wish you peace - as cat3 says - you do very well, all things considered.
Hi, your 2nd paragraph brings back memories. It sounds like you have hit the wall. We all do. It is a a time to listen to your body, rest when you need. We all get stressed, but stress doesn't help, another part of learning. Things happen when they happen, getting stressed isn't going to make them happen quicker. Try to relax, easier said than done I know. Life does get easier, but you need to adjust to meet it half way.
hiya, I hear your pain 4 years in! It’s so easy to boom and bust and stress can take you into bust so you feel like you’ve gained no headway at all. But like the really helpful video writeronstack posted (thank you!) recovery is a marathon and all about pacing plus being super kind to yourself. And knowing you are not alone, your injury isn’t invisible to us! Xx
Hi Teazymaid. This such a hard thing to go through. Everyone thinks you look better so thats it you must be better. That's because they can't see any injuries. But it's like walking through treacleI get so tired
I try to do a couple of jobs/activities in the morning and sit quietly for the rest of the day.
It is about 15months since my bleed, my memory is hopeless, I'm lucky my husband supports me and has taken to cooking meals as I have no strength on left side can't hold things.
I have been told it is a long slow process.
Phone Headway they are very good helping if you are worried about anything. Hope things improve
Hi I'm 3 & a half years post and fatigue is one of the biggest battles I face I still struggle with pacing so not to over do things it's so hard to do ! Try not to stress over it if it's a bad day with fatigue relax and stop if it's a good day don't burn out doing to much your neurophysiologist will be a massive help with this to you going forward. We all struggle exceptance is a must but I know pacing is difficult & the struggle is real
We seem to have alot in common. After a bad fall down the stairs I ripped three muscles off my shoulder. It took 18 months to heal after surgery, but the pain is gone! I didn't think that was ever going to happen.
The challenges after TBI: The listing to one side, ridiculous sensitivity to noise and light, and difficulty with concentration and recall, amongst other things haven't gone away for me (<7 years post first surgery), but the body adapts and new ways to stay upright become second-nature, most of the time. However, I still marvel at how much energy it takes to concentrate, recall, and stay upright. We never had to give these things a thought beforehand, so it feels wrong and we have to fix it. So far I haven't found a fix, and fortunately one day I gave up trying to find a fix for all things. I decided to focus upon my balance. It seemed to be the most productive and beneficial area where I could actually make something better. PT got me started and You Tube gave me some more practices. Before TBI, people would remark about my high-energy, working 15+ hours, etc. Today, five good hours feels like a marathon, and often requires five extra hours of rest the next day. Oh well. I can and do still get things done, and I feel like Superwoman when I'm done, which makes me feel proud, strong, and ridiculous all at the same time. For me it's not about getting better, it's about adapting better by keenly noticing how I can work with what I've got. Hope I made some sense. Even posting gets hard.
thank you for all your reply’s .. just nice to talk to people who actually understand what your talking about . I will listen to the video that was shared and have started to change what I’m doing . .. thank you everyone sue x
This resonates so muych with me. I find that i often hit a brick wall of exhaustyion and stress when I overdo things. I'm sych a people pl;easer that I don;t listen to my body abnd opoush myself so much that I make myself ill. Information overload cam also leave me unable to think clearly and Im also the same with noise. I can't process anything when I m hearing other noise and converastions.
All i can say is to take a step back and take a breaher. You are well within your rights to do that. I say that as I find that somep people often don't understnd the fatique that brain injury brinhs, the mental exhaustion and the brain overload. Pople asy to me that i can't be tirted as I dopn;y work. I say that doing rehab is a sfull time job. Sprak to your consultant or your nuropshycoloist if you have one but |I am trying ti learn how to pace myself and to ctually do it
Be kind to yourself and take one thing at a time, slow but sure, it can be tough but you'll get there. I hope everything works out with the doctors. You're in my thoughts and have my full support xx
thank you Kate .. I’m really pleased that you are a part of this group .. it’s been a massive support being on here .. realising the new you is not alone .. I haven’t written very much but read nearly every day .. I’m usually a fighter but was nice to get feed back from people who know .. sue .x
hi. Yes I am constantly exhausted after doing very little and I sleep too much. I have come off one medication and it improved a bit and I have reduced the dosage of my SSRI in case it is making me sleepy. Just this morning I have gone to get a prescription for HRT and I feel like I have a chance of improvement if the hormones work. I could be super lucky and feel better! Besides all that, I have just started to see a neuro OT in the rehab team and she would like to try and find out if my tiredness has neuro basis or is depression. I have a Fatigue Diary to fill in. This is easier said than done as I've just had a bad period of exhaustion lasting 10 days so didnt hardly do anything. I am struggling with motivation. Like you, I am usually a fighter but that side of me has gone away. There are so many things that feed in to the possible reasons why I am I am so tired... I can't think more deeply than that because I feel confused and tired thinking!
hi I am feeling a bit better thank you .. I’ve turned off my alarm and woke up when I needed to wake up . I’ve also decided to start reducing my SSRI after conversion with Dr … in the hope that I may start getting some emotions back and possibly help with the exhaustion as well .. sue x
hi Sue, hopefully your emotions will change to suit you better. My emotions retuned by reducing SSRI bringing both -ives and +ives for me. It took 4-5 weeks.
you won't feel 'emotionally dead' forever. give yourself time and expose yourself to the things you used to love and your love for them should return. I too felt like that a few years ago, but over time i've had an emotional re-awakening and i hope you do too. juliet xx
update 😁have reduced the SSRI..and feeling far more emotional awake it’s been 4 and a half weeks and can feel the difference already … keep feeling like more of the old me is still hiding 😁 thank you for all your support Sue x
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just need some hugs and strength please am exhausted 
Huge feeling of success though totally exhausted
Post-concussion syndrome
Carers does it get better- own emotions
BI and back to work..
