I'mPossible second concussion

[Ideogram]

Freaking out a lot. I'm ten months into PCS and have improved a lot but still some issues like fatigue etc.

Last night I went climbing (I am ok to do gentle, controlled climbing) but trying something new (drytooling - but that isn't important). Unfortunately I had an extremely rare, unusual fall - we're taking never happened in twenty years of climbing.

Fell back onto the padded mats, which I'm very used to, but landed weirdly so my head went back and then whipped forward and I felt my head hit the inside of the front of my helmet. It's passed with polystyrene foam but I felt it hit and it hurt. All happened very fast.

Was very shaken up so mate just took me home. Already fatigued from a very long day.

Slept awfully most of the night (no doubt stressed) and then eventually slept a lot deeper. Woke up not long ago.

My head still hurts, not strongly but not like a fatigue headache. Once I got up and went outside to receive a takeaway I felt really disoriented. Lightheaded/dizzy, confused.

I might just be feeling really out of it cos I'm so freaked out (and fatigued - I was expecting a fatigue crash today) but just can't tell. Eyes don't want to focus so much.

Really not sure if I'm just psyching myself out or what. Unfortunately no friends available to come round and sit with me and I really don't want to take myself to A&E to sit there on my own for eight hours and have them do f all again. I need rest.

Has anyone had this, and if so, any advice? I'm seeing my physio at the rehab unit in a week so I'll speak to her. But given my previous experience of A&E I can't see they'd help - if anything, 8 hours sat in that environment would likely make me worse.

It was such an unusual fall - would never normally be falling onto mats with a helmet on - that I don't know how on earth I could have predicted it. Ironically would have been fine without a helmet.

I really hope I'm just over worrying, but spending all day on my own with this I just can't stop crying and falling apart.

Should probably add that last night I was perfectly lucid, just in shock.

Thanks.

Really need a bloody hug...!

[Painting-girl]

Hugs ideogram. I burst into tears whenever I banged my head after the original MTBI, so not surprised you're freaking out.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to go to A&E tomorrow and get checked out you know. It may take a while, but it's better than worrying.

My recovery was going quite well when I face planted the pavement, and that was a bad enough shock.

[Ideogram in reply to Painting-girl]

Thank you. I'm feeling increasingly unwell so pretty sure this is either concussion or the flu. I'm not really in a state to tell. Am really not enjoying being on my own like this (family live too far away). If I'm still feeling like this tomorrow I might try and go to A&E. Absolutely dreading it as last time they seemed to think I was a really low priority because my symptoms had increased after two days (definitely don't think that was right...) and I get the impression they assume you're not bad if you're there on your own (also not true...). I had to try so hard to hold it together. Hours and hours of not even being able to go to the loo or get much water in case I missed my slot... Then they didn't do much anyway, just the standard response tests but no scan.

Thanks for the response anyway. Appreciate it.

[Painting-girl in reply to Ideogram]

Ok, it won't be easy, but go armed with sandwiches and a flask and something to read, and just let the team know when you're going to the loo. I think it takes a while because they need to get a neurologist down. Symptoms always increase - it's the cascade thingy. If you're walking and talking and not dripping blood I agree you're not the highest priority, but just go and plan for a wait.

[Ideogram in reply to Painting-girl]

Oh yes def! Didn't mean I was more than that, just that I didn't want to feel like I was being treated like a time waster either. Good advice, thank you.

[Painting-girl]

Best to get looked over, how high did you fall from?! I always think you want them to do the basic tests and check your pupils and stuff. Hope you get on ok.

[Ideogram in reply to Painting-girl]

Not very far actually, was more concerned about the way my head whipped forward within the helmet. But tbh I've now been in A&E 6.5 hours (with plenty left) and I've helped two people with sick bowls, one with the WiFi, and then one when collapsed. I am feeling a lot better myself and now a bit of a fraud...!

[Painting-girl in reply to Ideogram]

Oh no - you poor thing! That's the problem with invisible injuries though. Hopefully they look at your neck too.It's so late - hope you get seen soon. What are the waiting times like? X

[Ideogram in reply to Painting-girl]

Thanks. I'm sure I'll be fine. Panic now massively receded. At one point they said 7 hr 40, another time 9 and the woman next to me with concussion was about 10 hours. I'm at 7 now so hopefully not too much longer. Thank you.

[Painting-girl in reply to Ideogram]

Glad you feel less anxious, it must be pretty busy to have such a long waiting time. I hope you get on ok. Do you live far away from the hospital?

[Painting-girl]

When I had the original injury the GP sent me to a&e twice more to get a ct scan - only got one on the third trip out. Very tedious!

[WonderingWanda]

how are things today Ideogram? I hope you are less stressed. I guess the only way to know if it was another serious bump on the head is to see how if affects your overall symptoms.

I remember standing up under a window that my mother had opened from the inside and neither of us knew where the other was. Such a bang! I saw stars and flashes! She felt awful and I was in such a panic as I was only a few months into recovery. There’s not much you can do but take it in your stride, the risk of brain bleeds etc are very low with that low energy injury and scans just don’t show the effects of the « jelly-wobble » that the brain goes through.

Anyway I hope you are a bit more settled and it’s not set you back too badly

[Painting-girl]

Yes, how are you today ? You must be shattered at last night -when did you get seen?

[Ideogram]

Thanks both. It took me ten and a half hours to be seen. It was then a very short one, no scan needed. Not too concerned - standard concussion spiel but said he wasn't worried about there being a risk of more serious injury (I told him it was borderline but I was worried given my history).

Ironically started feeling a lot better while I was waiting so was beginning to realise I'd probably just freaked out and wasn't concussed but just got hit by fatigue and a lot of shock/panic. Hard to explain that I'd really not felt safe alone at home before I went. Now feel rather an idiot.

Tbh don't know how I will have been affected yet because the biggest thing now is expecting an almighty fatigue crash. I went to sleep about 9am and it had already been a very busy/overstretched weekend.

Anyway. Time for a bit more rest before work tomorrow. Thanks both

[Painting-girl in reply to Ideogram]

Take care x

[Leaf100]

Glad you are doing OK.

Just to make sure you are aware,

helmets prevent some sorts of injury but not the brain slosh ones.

So maybe lay off the sports that require helmets for a bit , just as a precaution.

Leaf

[Ideogram in reply to Leaf100]

Thanks, yes I feared that was the case. Ironically it was the brain moving within the helmet that scared me. My first time drytooling (which requires helmets, because of axes) in twenty years of climbing. The problem was more that I was falling in an unusual way while wearing a helmet - normally I'd be on a rope where that kind of movement (at least with my very cautious climbing!) isn't an issue as I'd basically just be leaning back into space, or I'd be on bouldering mats with no helmet and no axes in hand so I'm very used to landing and rolling back and having my hands free (I think the axes in hand are what jerked me forward). But you can definitely consider me very cautious of it now! I have already fed back to the event organisers that I have some safety concerns.

[Ideogram]

Thanks all for your help a week ago when I was rather freaked out and doing a very long wait in A&E.

A week later it seems that there definitely was either a second concussion or something that altered my symptoms, not just a fatigue crash. I've been horrendously nauseous and sensitive to screens ever since - can't even use my phone for more than a few minutes most of the time, normally can't read, and definitely can't stand tv. This normally happens when I'm extra fatigued but this is something else. Not been able to work since.

I have no idea how to navigate with work that I now can't work and have no idea how long this will take. If it's days or months. Given I've already had six months off and then have been on phased return for four months (due to finish this week!) I have no idea what that means for my employment.

Doesn't seem much point asking GP - she won't know.

One bit of hope is that I've got an appointment with my vestibular physio at the rehab unit tomorrow so will pick her brain. But I'm close to the end of my alloted sessions with them.

I'm hoping all the nausea and increased sensitivity might mean this is vestibular but I honestly have no idea.

Didn't have a CT scan and don't know if I should ask for another MRI or it's not worth it... Neurology had actually discharged me.

If anyone has been in this situation, welcome advice. I don't really know where to turn and dread any medical professional just telling me it's my own fault (for a fall I definitely couldn't have predicted - but they wouldn't know that).

Due back at work tomorrow and currently sat in a darkened room because can't stand TV on in the other room in the house. Give me strength.

Thanks.

[Painting-girl]

Oh no Ideogram! Poor thing. So sorry. Miserable.Perhaps a talk with Headway. Can your GP get you a scan?

Hugs x

[Ideogram in reply to Painting-girl]

Thanks. I happened to have an appointment with the physio at the brain injury rehab unit this week. She didn't think there was much point in asking for an MRI but did tell me to rest - so I've had some time off work but very unclear now what this will mean for my ability to work properly (I was due to end my phased return next week).

Still unclear whether this was a new concussion or 'just' a reactivation of old symptoms, but it's been pretty naff. The constant nausea has thankfully receded but am still struggling with screens (did work yesterday - at the end it felt like my head was on fire) and tonight I've been feeling really weird and dizzy and confused, as if I could pass out - quite scary when I live on my own.

It does seem like trying to stress out as little as possible is the way forward, and trying to sleep when I can (not easy).

Thanks for your reply. I'm off to rest now again I think.

[Painting-girl in reply to Ideogram]

I face-planted the pavement when I was close to the end of my treatment - and the neuropsychiatrist didn't make much of it but said it would delay my recovery. Perhaps that's a good way to think of it? Not easy to not stress about it, but just gently go back to what you were doing a few months ago to cope? Take care x

[Ideogram in reply to Painting-girl]

Thanks