Author Topic: Time to recover from Concussion  (Read 4247 times)

Time to recover from Concussion
« on: 08 February, 2019, 10:32:15 am »
I've been given very little information on this.

Standard hospital leaflet, advising 5-10 days off work and 'strenuous' activity. Ha! First few days I could barely manage to walk quickly. One week on I can (just) manage to ride the 2.5 miles to the closest rail station.

Avoiding screen use (well, I'm working but keeping days short) helps.

Optometrist booked (my glasses are wrecked), but says it might be weeks before my eyesight settles.

I'm still getting dizzy spells.

Looked up concussion classifications. I had a 3/4. Might have been a '4', if I was unconscious. Dunno, still have a completely blank 4 hour period. Initial memory loss went back to early 2016.
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ElyDave

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #1 on: 08 February, 2019, 11:10:04 am »
what the hell happened?

My experience is that it is significantly variable, and the 5-10 days is a starting point only. I probably don't need to tell you but you are your own best judge of how you feel.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #2 on: 08 February, 2019, 11:18:20 am »
I had pretty bad concussion with a couple hours memory loss and unconscious, very sick for couple days but completely fine after that apart from headache for a week or so.

My sister just walked into the bathroom door giving herself a (terrible) black eye, and had huge problems with very severe headaches for 6 months plus, really affected her day to day life.

So with a study of 2, it varies ;) Hope things improve soon

Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #3 on: 08 February, 2019, 12:29:01 pm »
Clarion had a concussion after tripping in the dining room. His vision has never gone back to normal, I don't think, and he had double vision for ages afterwards. He must have been unconscious for seconds - he was conscious by the time I got there, but the problems lingered. His balance took a long time to settle too. I hope you heal soon!
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simonp

Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #5 on: 08 February, 2019, 01:13:02 pm »
Not hard to work out what happened.

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=26458.msg2365533#msg2365533

GWS mrcharly.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #6 on: 08 February, 2019, 01:53:34 pm »
Piece of string question.

MUCH longer than anyone tells you to expect usually.

A timescale of many months is not at all unusual.

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A Very Wet Day.

PS Get Well Soon!

Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #7 on: 08 February, 2019, 03:17:34 pm »
The exhaustion and eyesight issues are probably the hardest to deal with. I was training fairly hard for a kayak race on the 7th of April. ATM I can't even walk fast.
Eyesight is hard to tell, because my (very expensive) varifocals are so scratched and twisted, but seems that distance vision is altered. I have a different pair of glasses for computer use and vision with those isn't too bad (at screen distances).
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mattc

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #8 on: 08 February, 2019, 04:12:25 pm »
I know I've already posted about Dario Franchitti discussing concussion in another post but, he seems to be one of the few people talking about the life long impacts of his concussions.

https://eu.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2015/05/18/dario-franchitti-takes-losses-memory-focus-stride/27530669/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/37089485/retired-racing-star-franchitti-says-concussion-changed-his-personality
https://autoweek.com/article/indycar/former-indycar-driver-dario-franchitti-says-concussion-changed-his-personality
https://sports.vice.com/en_uk/article/xybppz/retired-racing-driver-dario-franchitti-discusses-long-term-damage-caused-by-concussions
Was Richard Hammond's injury a concussion (suffered during filming for TV)? Or something different?

I remember him being in denial for a long time about his altered mental state - when he "came out" it was quite sad :(
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FifeingEejit

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #9 on: 08 February, 2019, 04:20:59 pm »
I know I've already posted about Dario Franchitti discussing concussion in another post but, he seems to be one of the few people talking about the life long impacts of his concussions.

https://eu.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2015/05/18/dario-franchitti-takes-losses-memory-focus-stride/27530669/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/37089485/retired-racing-star-franchitti-says-concussion-changed-his-personality
https://autoweek.com/article/indycar/former-indycar-driver-dario-franchitti-says-concussion-changed-his-personality
https://sports.vice.com/en_uk/article/xybppz/retired-racing-driver-dario-franchitti-discusses-long-term-damage-caused-by-concussions
Was Richard Hammond's injury a concussion (suffered during filming for TV)? Or something different?

I remember him being in denial for a long time about his altered mental state - when he "came out" it was quite sad :(

That appears to have been a "Traumatic Brain Injury"  rather than a Concussion which seems to be classified as "Minor Brain Injury"

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #10 on: 08 February, 2019, 04:22:40 pm »
The brain uses a HUGE amount of processing power co-ordinating the movements of both eyes for a good stereoscopic image.

I'm not sure this is worthwhile at the moment. Suggest you use one eye with single vision 'keyboard spectacles' for screen work for now.

I suspect Varifocals are harder brain work than single vision lenses and your brain needs to take it easy.

Suggest fixed focus lenses for TV but not overdoing TV time.

Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #11 on: 08 February, 2019, 06:36:57 pm »
check out the Headway site.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #12 on: 08 February, 2019, 07:00:29 pm »
Ooh, GWS mrcharly.
Pingu was different for a bit after his and ended up in hospital again a couple of months later after falling on his face for unexplained reasons.
Mostly normal now but I think he seems different after a few beers than he used to....
Take it easy.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Pedal Castro

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #13 on: 08 February, 2019, 08:04:08 pm »
The brain uses a HUGE amount of processing power co-ordinating the movements of both eyes for a good stereoscopic image.

Interesting thought. I knew that the brain fuels with glycogen so I crammed in loads and loads of simple sugars in the form of sweets while recovering but it was really just an excuse! Maybe it actually helped?

hellymedic

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #14 on: 08 February, 2019, 08:19:34 pm »
IMHO not being SHORT of sugar may help but the simpleton in me sees the injured brain as being 'all shook up' and in need of minimal stress and load.

Imagine how your brain is feeling 'the morning after the night before' after a massive boozy bender.

Best in a quiet, dark corner with minimal demand.

Now imagine this continuing for a couple of months...

Pedal Castro

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #15 on: 08 February, 2019, 08:46:00 pm »
IMHO not being SHORT of sugar may help but the simpleton in me sees the injured brain as being 'all shook up' and in need of minimal stress and load.

Imagine how your brain is feeling 'the morning after the night before' after a massive boozy bender.

Best in a quiet, dark corner with minimal demand.

Now imagine this continuing for a couple of months...

But it didn't last months! The headaches went after 10 days. But as is becoming apparent in this thread, everyone is very different. Just looked up in my paperwork if they gave me a concussion score but no mention of concussion at all. GCS (Glasgow Coma Score) was 11 on arrival though.

hellymedic

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #16 on: 08 February, 2019, 09:08:15 pm »
Everyone *is* different and some subtle changes become apparent late and resolve very slowly, if at all. There are often changes in:

Concentration span
Short-term memory
Temperament and patience
Sense of smell

and more.

Some things might only become apparent after return to 'Normal Life'.

Most of the professions in which we participate demand all kinds of higher function not needed for existence in hospital or while languishing at home.

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #17 on: 08 February, 2019, 09:39:28 pm »
I had concussion from an impact that was severe enough to fracture my skull and give me bleeding in the brain, but my only memory loss is the actual time I was unconscious. I've no idea how long that was. Nevertheless it took at least a month till I was back at work and then I couldn't manage a whole week. It wasn't a hugely mentally demanding job but it did require a lot of visual concentration, which was probably a factor. That was about nine years ago now, so long term effects? Really not sure, apart from the bones reminding me they've been broken occasionally.
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hellymedic

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #18 on: 08 February, 2019, 09:46:45 pm »
A skull fracture does not necessarily mean a brain injury....

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #19 on: 08 February, 2019, 10:11:28 pm »
No, they told me I didn't have a brain injury, just the concussion and bleeding.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Pedal Castro

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #20 on: 09 February, 2019, 06:07:09 am »
A skull fracture does not necessarily mean a brain injury....

I was lucky I had a skull fracture as I believe that meant the pressure caused by the subdural hematoma was released and no drilling of holes was required, although it might have been too late by the time I got to hospital.

Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #21 on: 09 February, 2019, 08:05:58 am »
It's becoming an increasingly discussed subject here in Canada, mostly due to a string (well, a couple) of hockey players suffering badly enough to commit suicide. (Worth noting that those guys suffered multiple concussions during their career).

This has made people much more aware of the potential complications from concussion and it's clear that there is no clear answer.
A couple of days, a couple of years.

Take care of yourself and get well soon!.

barakta

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Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #22 on: 09 February, 2019, 12:14:22 pm »
I worked with a few students who had varying degrees of brain injury including one who happened to be dyspraxic I think and on our books when they sustained two concussions in a year due to bashing their head into stuff clumsily dyspraxic-style. Colleague and I basically provided a bit of support to manage the effect of the concussions which lasted several months each time. The biggest issues were reading and screen use, so the usual tweaking colours, using text to speech technology and taking lots of rest breaks was done. I think the medics' advice was not to overdo it cos that'd extend the recovery time more.

Mr C ping me if you want any advice on screen twiddling you can do easily, most of it's built into Windoze these days and I use it for migraine management. Hope your symptoms reduce soonest.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #23 on: 09 February, 2019, 01:12:23 pm »
My sister was at the receiving end of some low-flying scaffold pipe when she cycled in Cambridge, in the days before h*lm*ts were commonplace. She was in Addy's overnight after being only briefly knocked out and initially confused.

It was months before she was properly back to normal.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Time to recover from Concussion
« Reply #24 on: 09 February, 2019, 11:31:09 pm »
A train full of footy fans this morning reminded me there is one effect I've had you might want to look out for: I seem to become slightly disorientated and generally grumpified by noisy environments. Then again, this might just be age!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.