Headaches

[Leiabug]

Hello all, hope you are all ok. Just wanted some advice for my son Shaunaged 19, his accident was 18 mths ago, had various injuries and TBI he was in a coma for 5 days, then further 3 weeks in QE Birmingham aged 17 at the time, he has recently just come back from 4 days in Holland, visiting his family. On the way to the airport he started having a headache, ( on the right side of head just above right temple) basically has headache all this past week , he's taking paracetamol!! No other symptoms , I've just rang the the GP but have to wait for a call back . Just wanted your thoughts on this. Thanks Sarah

[Leaf100]

HI Leiabug

getting things checked never hurts.

Believe it or not, at 18 months out his is still considered a fresh injury.

These things can take time to heal, and it can take time for all the symptoms to show up.

Some have very few, some have more. He's passed the point where inflammation damage would show, I believe, which is a good thing.

Headaches are not at all uncommon for people with brain injuries - stress, change of weather, over stimulation (excitement, lights, lots of people around, music) - can all bring on a headache.

If he hasn't been having them all along to some degree, I'd say that's a positive sign. Every one is different - it was years and years for me before I had a day without a headache of the sort I could ignore easily.

I point those things out so you can see, a headache is not necessarily anything to worry about - and do get it checked out anyway because I don't know exactly what his injury was - the doc would have told you want to watch for. And, of course as a Mom you want to know for sure.

Keep us posted, and try not to worry too much in the meantime.

Leaf

[Leiabug in reply to Leaf100]

Thanks for that leaf, GP finally got back to him, and said to keep an eye on it for a week!! Ummmm, some GPs don't have any idea sometimes when it comes to brain injury do they? He has lost sight in his left eye, the optic nerve died in that eye!! He had various bleeds to his brain including frontal lobe damage!! And 22 fractures to his skull, we're very lucky to have him here with us, he passed his driving test back in Nov, has had some stress at work.Your right maybe the busyness from being in a city, maybe a bit of eye strain too.

He has being doing so well, it's hard sometimes!! I really appreciate this forum, as it always feels like it's the family that understands !

Thanks x

[Leaf100 in reply to Leiabug]

Wow, he's doing super well!

The other point is we sometimes have what I'll call backwards days - healing doesn't seem to happen in a straight line forward.

And don't forget, you can always call Headway.

My guess is lots of docs wait and see - no standards of practise for them to follow.

And maybe ask Headway about a neuro ophthalmologist. Adjusting to one eye might be an issue. Sometimes people benefit from tinted eye glasses or a prism .

X

[Leiabug in reply to Leaf100]

Thanks Leaf, appreciate your reply!! Yes, I'll ring Headway, Neuro ophthalmologist might be an idea, he has had various eye tests up to now, and obviously for DVLA had to be assessed, which he passed!! Yeah, i think your right he might need tinted eye glasses

Thanks X

[FCBurr]

Hey Leaf and Leiabug - I'd have to agree with everything said here! Especially 18months being very fresh out of a brain injury and GPs often being fairly clueless about life after a brain injury... I also suggest speaking to people at Headway, face to face helps too, who can direct you towards the right people. Congratulations on him passing his driving test AND working! No brain injury recovery is easy but given how extensive the fractures were he's doing extremely well! A big reason for that I believe is having strong support, especially from his mama!

Fingers crossed its keeps progressing smoothly and you get even more support from the right professionals 👌🏽

[Leiabug]

Thankyou FCBurr, because we live quiet rural, don't know if i can access face to face, but I'll definitely ring Headway! Ahhhh thank you for you lovely words, yeah its hard I've got PTSD because of his accident!! But he is a very strong young man, and positive!! Think it helped when he was in hospital he was a minor, so we were able to be by his side!! X

[StaceM8]

Hiya Sarah, can't help re the headaches I'm afraid, but my accident, similar to your son was when I was 22 & coincidentally I was also in a coma for 5 weeks, Ok 4 and a half if we're gonna be picky ;o) but I'm 51 now - 29 years post accident on February 25th.

Just wanted t let U kno, if U have got any questions, feel free to ask cos I may well have been through the same Xxx

[Leiabug]

Thanks StaceMb, appreciate that!! He"s doing level 2 apprenticeship carpentry and has had to leave his job as his boss was a complete waste of time and didn't help him with his portfolio etc , so now waiting to hear from a new employer!! So think that's caused stress!! I sometimes can't believe he's here as when was taken to hospital by air ambulance they said at the hospital that he had 20% chance of survival!! But so very proud of him and grateful!! This forum really helps me to help my son xxx

[RogerCMerriman]

when I asked the GP they suggested Paracetamol and ibuprofen together, this was probably about a year or so after.

Didn’t touch them ie no effect on the headaches, not attempting to do so much sometimes helped, and sometimes I can feel the bone ache if it cold down the skull fracture or where it’s healed.

To be honest they only last a few days so I do my best to ignore them!

[Leiabug in reply to RogerCMerriman]

Thanks RogerCMerriman for that, he said its feels less today!! He has been resting yesterday, yeah i guess with the skull fractures too this can cause pain, like you said with cold weather etc. Thankyou 😊