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velobella
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Posted: Fri Aug 8th, 2008 10:40 pm |
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Hey all
I am having a hard time being patient about my concussion and its lingering symptoms. Its been 4 weeks since my accident and I don't feel a whole lot better. I've just seen a neuro (thanks Sarah for the recommendation - he was awesome), and he assured me that it can take months, sometimes even a year to fully recover.
Eeek.
I feel sort of trapped in a head thats not mine. I'm spacy, having a hard time concentrating, tired and very very dizzy, especially when laying down.
Everyone else I have talked to claim that their symptoms went away within weeks so its discouraging to see such little progress. I guess I am hoping to hear from others who had a concussion with severe symptoms that did eventually resolve and how long it took and if anything seemed to help.
Don't tell me any bad ending stories though because i am a Cat 1 Hypochondriac! (which is why I also won't google this)
Thanks! I've always felt that talking to others who have gone through something helps.
Sabine
Last edited on Fri Aug 8th, 2008 10:40 pm by velobella
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Quicksilvergrl
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Posted: Fri Aug 8th, 2008 11:58 pm |
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Sabine,
Concussions.....I've had three. All helmet trashers!! Two were the kind that gave me that spacy feeleing.......but went away in a couple of months. The other was more serious and lasted on and off for about six months. It was odd.....I would think that everything was back to normal.....then I would have a spacey moment or a headache. I remember several months after getting that concussion............I was sitting in my spa talking to a friend one evening.......and totally lost my train of thought.
Yep.......it will go away. But.........I'm going to warn you...........it may be why at the age of 53.....er, now 54, I decided to start racing. That last concussion must have knocked me senseless Who knows what new activity you may try??????
Love and hug's...
Sher
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connie
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 12:09 am |
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My sister had a serious concussion from being bucked off a horse as a teenager. She had double vision and was hospitalized for a while - lots of dizziness and vision issues for probably a couple months (I can't remember exactly). But eventually it all went away and she was back to normal.
I think longer than 4 weeks sounds reasonable for a serious concussion. Give yourself some time!
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Nancy Tranzow
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 12:31 am |
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I've had more than my quota of concussions. My worst was slamming into a goal head first trying to save a ball in soccer. Knocked me out and sent me to the hospital.
It took about 10 months before I really felt like me and not as if my brain was being inhabited by a new person who rode the short bus. I'd feel better, then have complete "brain suck", got frustrated easier, was easier to anger for awhile, couldn't concentrate and wasn't as quick with my motor skills, I kept waiting to just wake up and be clear. It takes time but it does go away.
Remember also that the latest studies are showing that women tend to suffer more severe injury and have longer recovery because our concussions are more likely to be contra-coo impacts and depending on our "time of the month", if estrogen is high, we also are more prone to petechial hemorrhage. This all translates into longer recovery time.
Be patient..it will come back and the short bus invader will leave. In the mean time, blame your injury for a personality change that compels you to eat even more chocolate and drink more beer!
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lizziemac
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 01:02 am |
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Hi Sabine:
Sorry to hear.
I had a severe concussion that landed me in the hospital. My head met a car's windscreen (and I wasn't wearing a helmet ... I know, me bad). (car hit me)
It can take a very long time and unfortunately, lots of patience. Tough thing to wait out because some days are better than others and just when you think you are making progress, you have another bad day. Gawd, your description of being trapped in another head other than your own is the perfection description of what I felt (shudder).
I lost some memory. I would get easily confused (and thus panicked). This lasted about 6 months or so. I was very sensitive to light ... that lasted for a very long time. Doctor told me to keep away from super bright lights (like in grocery stores). I started wearing sunglasses all the time.
I found the more I pushed myself to "just get over it" the longer the symptoms lasted. So. 4 weeks is not at all that long. You will improve but try to be very gentle to your cranium: lower your stress level, lessen your visual strain (computer work is bad; wear sunglasses, 'relax' your eyes), try not to tax your brain too much. Think zenish thoughts of whirled peas ... Close eyes gently (especially if you have been on the computer) and breathe deeply in and out and then slowly open your eyes.
You will get better very soon! I did recover! 
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velobella
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 02:17 am |
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I think the feeling of being trapped in a head thats not mine is the hardest of the symptoms to deal with. This is not how I see, hear, experience the world. And my head feels large and heavy. Its just a creepy feeling.
And I've panicked a few times. I am prone to panic anyways, but man, it just feels so much better to hear stories of others doing the same.
Thank you all for sharing these stories. Its helping me so much. Each time I read one, I breath a sigh of relief.
And then, in a few months I can add my own story of making it through this....
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lizziemac
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 02:58 am |
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Went to my local grocery store that I had shopped in for years ... and got lost.
Scariest thing in the world.
Thank heavens my boyfriend was with me ... he just led me out and back home.
Took me a very long time before I was brave enough to try again.
(that happened about 3 weeks after ... )
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Nancy Tranzow
VB Team Member
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 03:54 am |
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| That must be a symptom...Did the sam thing in Fresno at FoodMax! Tried not to break down in the potato chip section. (Couldn't find my grocery list (that was in my hand by the way.) I just stood there for about 10 minutes until I was able to refocus.
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natasha
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 05:08 am |
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I have not (knock on wood!) had any sort of concussion - but hubby did get one from a bike crash (not himself for at least a week) and another friend of ours crashed hard on his MTB (frame broke). It took him about 6 months to regain his full noggin' - short of memory, etc. So, to the others' sage advice, time seems to be the thing.
As for panic - I have some really, really good Thich Nhat Hahn CDs (buddhist) that are so lovely to listen and relax to - they have gotten me through some really crappy times. I will send them to you. Not a magic cure, but a nice thing to hold on to...
Plus - think of the time it can take to heal a deep bruise, a broken bone....so your head just needs some peace and quiet. Maybe some Fridays off from work? I think it's so much harder to be injured when we are accustomed to always being active!
Just some thoughts and big hugs from the Tash Bella - I'll send the CD to your house.
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Quicksilvergrl
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 12:33 pm |
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And let your staff/coworkers know what is going on. Mine were very supportive......and came by just to chatt......helping with that alone spacey feeling. (And, I think they were also keeping an eye on me.) Although......there were times where I did not want any extra stimulation!! When I explained.....they understood that too.
And regarding riding........when I got back on the bike......I rode at about 12 mph.....to keep the blood pressure low........and enjoy the feeling of being back on my bike and the great visuals that go with it.
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connie
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 01:16 pm |
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Yep - think of it this way - while I've been lucky and the one concussion I've had - while scary because I lost over half of my peripheral vision for several hours (I kept thinking there was something in my eye and then realized I just had blackness instead of peripheral vision) - after it came back I was fine right away -- I've had plenty of other injuries that took 6 months or so to heal (dang knees...) I broke a tiny bone in my finger last year and the hand surgeon said pinning it would create more scar tissue than just splinting it a bit out of place and letting it heal - but it would be up to 2 years before it totally heals because of the bone separation. It's been 10 months and it STILL hurts.
If other parts of your body can need months and months to get back to normal - give your brain time to heal. It's been through intense stress/trauma and now it needs a lot of rest and recuperation to heal. Keep thinking positive and giving your body the time it needs.
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Cathy Boland
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Posted: Sun Aug 10th, 2008 10:12 pm |
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I've had 3 concussions, none of them as bad as what you have suffered from, and the shortest time I had to total recovery was 6 weeks. The worst one took almost 3 months.
Be patient with yourself. Once you get past the headaches and fuzziness, you will realize how tired you are and how crappy you are performing on the bike. (you probably aren't even close to riding yet so no issues there). The fatigue is the head injury. Give it time.
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velobella
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Posted: Mon Aug 11th, 2008 02:50 am |
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| man, you guys sure have had your share of concussions!
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Julie Bates
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Posted: Thu Aug 14th, 2008 04:51 pm |
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Hey Sabine:
I just heard yesterday that you are banged up. Shite! Speedy recovery to you concussion sista!
I had a Grade III after the car v. Julie incident and it took a solid three-four months before I felt like I was back. The worst part was the hangover feeling every morning. Boy, that sucked. I had just started a new very multi-tasking job and every single day was a struggle. Some people were starting to get pissed off because I would repeat stuff...thanks for the compassion! My new boss gave me a review and commented that I had no attention to detail. You think? It was a tough time because of the frustration of having no short-term memory, the fatigue, the dizziness, the hangover feeling, and fighting with the frustration of not being your full self. Paule was awesome and would actually give me little brain quizzes to make me restart my memory. I also had a lot of blurry vision that lasted too long and they were starting to worry, but it eventually chilled out.
Hang in there and it will slowly but surely start feeling normal again. It really did seem like forever before I could get out of bed without the twirls, and I'm sure it does for you as well. Baby steps...
Julie - Roaring Mouse
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velobella
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Posted: Thu Aug 14th, 2008 06:45 pm |
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thanks Julie
I am having problems at work too, you'd think a company that made its fortune off of extreme sports would understand....
All of these stories are helping sooo much.
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joyride
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Posted: Fri Aug 15th, 2008 02:16 pm |
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I didn't have a concussion but surgery and anesthesia effects ..my memory has suffered.
My XBOX games are helping as well as memory games like this
http://www.zefrank.com/memory/
If anyone wants to play some XBOX let me know!!
I've got ARCADE GAMES, HALO, and ROCK BAND too...
The ARCADE has UNO you can play online!
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critterdoc
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Posted: Sun Aug 17th, 2008 11:28 pm |
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Sabine,
I haven't had a concussion, but I've often suffered similar symptoms when my thyroid is not balanced. Make sure your endocrinologist has you at a good level, since recovery from anything is slower when you are too "hypo". Thyroid. Not Chondriac! Feel better!!!
Andrea
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velobella
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Posted: Wed Sep 17th, 2008 04:45 pm |
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Hey All!
Just wanted to check back in and thank everyone for sharing their stories. It really helped me with dealing with my symptoms. It would have been pretty scary without all your help and advice.
Its now just over two months since my accident and my head is finally starting to feel better. I'm not 100% yet, but I feel normal and can function and think and concentrate and its such a relief!
My neuro was worried enough about my continuing dizziness to order an MRI to make certain I didn't have any trauma to my neck arteries. Luckily all was clear there. So now they suspect I also had inner ear trauma.
Thanks also to those who reported bad days after good. Thats sort of how its been for me for the past month. I'll have a bunch of totally good days and think I am all better, and then wham, a series of bad days. But I didnt freak about it, because i remember what you guys wrote.
So I am back on the bike and feeling good and wanted to make certain I came back here and thank you guys!!
And sorry to all those whose email went unanswered. Reading/following/tracking emails was one of those things that my brain couldn't handle to well. I should be back on track now though...
Sabine
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nw_velo
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Posted: Thu Sep 18th, 2008 07:47 pm |
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Thanks for the update on your recovery. So glad to hear that you doing well and riding again!
Noel
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jeninsb
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Posted: Fri Sep 19th, 2008 03:13 pm |
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Awesome! I'm so glad to hear you're feeling better
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