What Impact Will Moderate or Severe TBI Have on a Person's Life?

Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia
What Impact Will Moderate or Severe TBI Have on a Person's Life?
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The effects of moderate to severe TBI can be long lasting or even permanent. While recovery and rehabilitation are possible, most people with moderate to severe TBI face life challenges that will require them to adapt and adjust to a new reality.

Moderate to severe TBI can cause permanent physical or mental disability. Because polytrauma is common with moderate to severe TBI, many patients face additional disabilities as a result of other injuries. Even patients who appear to recover fully may have some long-term symptoms that never go away.

Challenges with work and completing tasks that were once routine can be much more difficult than before the injury. Some patients find that the skills and abilities that they used before the injury to meet these challenges are not as sharp as they once were.

These ongoing challenges can also affect the patient’s personal life. People who have experienced brain injuries may take longer to do cognitive or “thinking” tasks associated with memory, such as coming up with the correct change in the checkout line at the grocery store or placing an order at a restaurant. Family relationships will almost certainly change, and in some cases the patient will be totally dependent on their caregivers.

Despite the advances in early diagnosis and treatment of moderate to severe TBI, the fact remains that traumatic brain injury will be a life-changing experience for many patients. Helping the patient, family members, and caregivers to cope with these long-term consequences is an important part of TBI rehabilitation.

Motor Deficits and Disabilities

For many patients, the damage to the brain resulting from a moderate to severe TBI may lead to life-long disabilities or motor deficits. The term disability in relationship to TBI means a loss of physical or mental function caused by damage to the brain. Motor deficits refer specifically to the effect of damage on motor skills or movement.

Examples of disabilities and motor deficits caused by moderate to severe TBI include:

  • Paralysis
  • Spasticity (muscle stiffness) or uncontrolled movements
  • Problems walking, talking, or swallowing
  • Difficulty carrying or moving objects
  • Vision problems
  • Loss of fine motor skills, such as buttoning a shirt
  • Inability to recognize something based on touch
  • Difficulty thinking and remembering
  • Difficulty with social relationships

Other challenges that a patient with moderate or severe TBI may experience include:

  • Difficulty making and keeping personal and professional relationships
  • Difficulty being part of social activities
  • Difficulty taking part in recreational or leisure activities
  • The decreased ability or inability to keep a job or go to school

During the rehabilitation and transition phases of TBI treatment, members of the healthcare team will provide information to the patient and their family members about dealing with these issues. Specific tools and coping strategies will be suggested. Examples of coping strategies and tools include:

  • Writing a detailed list of steps needed to complete a task
  • Using prompts or visual aids to help remember things
  • Using assistive devices to move around, such as a walker or a wheelchair

Learning new ways to do things is a very important part of recovery.

Other Potential Effects

The long-term symptoms of TBI can be divided into several categories, including physical changes, cognitive effects, sensory effects, perceptual effects, social-emotional changes, and others. You’ll find a partial list of these symptoms and possible effects below. Keep in mind that the severity and duration of symptoms and effects will vary greatly from one patient to another, depending on the severity of the TBI.

Physical effects

  • Sleep disorders
  • Loss of stamina (easily fatigued)
  • Appetite changes
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Physical paralysis or spasticity
  • Chronic pain
  • Loss of control of bowel and bladder functions
  • Seizures
  • Difficulty regulating body temperature
  • Hormonal changes

Cognitive effects

  • Difficulty with attention, focus, or concentration
  • Distractibility
  • Memory problems
  • Slow speed of processing
  • Confusion
  • Perseveration, which is the abnormal persistent repetition of a word, gesture, or act
  • Impulsiveness
  • Difficulty with language processing
  • Problems with executive functions, which include planning, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking, rule acquisition (determining right from wrong), initiating appropriate actions, and inhibiting inappropriate actions

Speech and language effects

  • Aphasia (difficulty with talking or expressing ideas, understanding everyday language, and problems with reading and writing). Types of aphasia can include:
    • Receptive aphasia, which involves difficulty understanding the spoken word, or
    • Expressive aphasia, which means the patient knows what they wish to say but is unable to get the words out. In some cases, the patient is able to perceive and comprehend both spoken and written language, but is unable to repeat what they see or hear.
  • Slurred speech
  • Speaking very fast or very slow
  • Problems with reading comprehension

Sensory and perceptual effects

  • Difficulty recognizing and distinguishing between touch and pressure sensations
  • Difficulty perceiving temperature
  • Difficulty perceiving movement and positions of the arms and legs
  • Difficulty with fine discrimination (for example, distinguishing between small everyday objects, like coins)
  • Difficulty integrating and understanding information gained through the five senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste)

Effects on vision

  • Partial or total loss of vision
  • Diplopia, which is weakness of eye muscles that causes double vision
  • Blurred vision
  • Problems judging distance
  • Involuntary eye movements, called nystagmus
  • Photophobia, which is intolerance of light

Effects on hearing

  • Decrease or loss of hearing
  • Tinnitus, which is ringing in the ears
  • Increased sensitivity or intolerance to sounds

Effects on smell and taste

  • Anosmia, which is loss of or diminished sense of smell
  • Loss of or diminished sense of taste
  • Bad taste in the mouth

Social-emotional or behavioral effects

  • Dependent behaviors
  • Fluctuating emotions
  • Lack of motivation
  • Irritability
  • Aggression
  • Depression
  • Lack of inhibition
  • Denial or lack of awareness
Posted on BrainLine August 9, 2018. Reviewed March 28, 2019.

About the Author

The Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia (CEMM) is a dynamic initiative from the Office of the Surgeon General, supplying award-winning interactive multimedia for patient education throughout the Military Health System.

Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia. (n.d.). Moderate to Severe TBI: Long-Term Effects. Retrieved March 28, 2019, from https://tbi.cemmlibrary.org/Moderate-to-Severe-TBI/Long-Term-Effects

Comments (583)

Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

Anonymous replied on

Did anyone on here have an injury who went deaf or possibly a elderly grandmother?

Anonymous replied on

This has been so helpful. I was feelin like the only one with on going problems with anger, and day to day routines. I sustained a tbi november 2006. Was kicked in the forehead by a horse. Fractured skull and some spine damage. My Dad wasthere and said it looked like someone took a hatchet to my head the fracture was clear to the brain how no bone ended up peircing my brain is beyond me. Eight years later some I know I have memory problems and some days are worse than others... Controling my anger and well all my emotions is really becoming a problem lashing out at the first person who crosses me. Even bigger problem trying to explain to someone that you have suffered a TBI and it isnt like II want to be unhappy or pissed off or easily angered. I dunno how many times I have been told oh you can controle it when really I dont feel I can... I have been to the point now at 27 I have to put my self in timeout just so I dont blow up. Larg crowds I cannot handle anymore... and some social situations and quickly disliking someone aand being less accepting of people. I stil, have good days and defiantly bad days, if there is a lot going on no concentration on what needs to be done. And for work they dont really allow the whole brain injury excuse when the accident was years ago, I know a lot of people are sick of gearing bout it but itsone of those dealsyou cantelk someone you still have problems with it years later and they just think its an excuse.... lots of frustration here

Anonymous replied on

First and foremost I would like to express sincere appreciation to the scholars who wrote and published this article and are allowing people like myself to add comments and share our experiences.  For over two years I wondered what was wrong with me and why I had so many problems that, until recently, were virtually unexplainable.  At least I now know that I am not alone.  I can't say that makes my life any easier - I am going through, quite possible, the most unhappy time of my entire life. But I feel consoled by the fact that I'm not alone.  
One June 1, 2012 I was hit by a car that was traveling at almost 45 mph.  Two days later I received emergency surgery for an epidural hematoma.  
Prior to having my accident, I'd spent the entire year taking entrance exams and preparing to start  Mexican law school at the Universidád del Valle de México, one of the most well known and prestigious universities in the country. My father had agreed to help me with my living expenses and tuition.  I was about to embark on the most exciting and promising journey of my young adult life.  
 I didn't want to stay in the hospital any longer than necessary.  I didn't want physical therapy or any of that.  I had deadlines to meet, and I wanted to start school as planned.  In spite of having a broken leg, a broken shoulder, broken wrist, and recovering from brain surgery, I was able to start school as planned. Looking back, I should have been more patient and waited until the next quarter.  I thought I'd be able to bounce back from my injuries, and I was wrong.    
Soon after starting school, I began suffering blackouts.  Usually they would happen when I was at home, but twice they happened while I was on campus and  on both occasions I was taken to the local hospital in Nuevo Laredo.  The school staff was caring and supportive, but my parents were convinced that these episodes were drug related.  On my first trip to Laredo Medical Center, my mother told the doctors that I had "overdosed on Ambien".  This was her hypothesis because she found a full bottle of Ambien by my bed when she went to my hotel room.  Seems like, if I had overdosed on Ambien, the bottle would have been empty - not full.  But anyway, they treated me for drug toxicity based on what she told them and had she been honest and told them that she -suspected- it was a drug overdose but was not sure, they probably would have ultimately referred me to a neurologist who would have prescribed me with PTS and saved me from the months of pain and confusion that followed.   
My dad decided that the best way to "handle the situation" was to lower my stipend to almost nothing; consequently I never had enough money to go to a primary care physician or a neurologist or to even life comfortably.  My health insurance covered ER visits but I never had enough money to pursue any more treatment.  One one occasion I was referred to a neurologist by the ER at Laredo Medical Center and when I went to my appointment,  I didn't have the $15 co-pay.   

After living like this for months, I visited my mother in Austin and she witnessed one of these seizures.  She took me to St. David's ER in South Austin and I was diagnosed with post-traumatic seizures resulting from the traumatic brain injury I suffered when I was hit by the car.  I was prescribed medication and these episodes began to occur less and less.  The last time I had an "episode" was the day I was supposed to start my new job at a law office in Laredo, Texas.  By the time I was finally able to dress myself and go into work, I was fired on the spot for my physical appearance, arriving late, and looking totally dazed.  They'd come across some misdemeanor drug convictions when they did my background check for employment, hence, they assumed I was high or hung-over or God-knows-what.  
Consequently I had to drop out of college, move to Waco so I could take a dead-end job with my DAD, and try to "not think" about my goals and everything I worked to accomplish for such a long time.  
I forgot the name of the seizure medication I was prescribed but honestly, I took it for less than 6 months.  I recently started driving again and, although a big part of me died when I was forced to leave school, I can say I am living a somewhat normal, albeit monotonous and joyless life.  
My last seizure was in May - I think.  It is possible that I could have had seizures since then (I'm unaware of them when they are going on) but none of the signs (waking up exhausted, confusion, dizziness, etc.) are there.  I hope, I hope, I hope that chapter of my life is over.  
If anyone out there is having or has had an experience similar to mine, feel free to contact me.  I had to face these ordeals alone, with criticism and skepticism instead of support, and no one deserves to go through that.  

Anonymous replied on

youare incredibly strong woman! you have just sparked something in me idk what, hope? i have had neumerous blows to head but nvr wentto er except once nevr told about this describe me totally

Anonymous replied on

My ex husband was in a motorcycle accident last Friday. He is not responding. He is posturing. Not with his arms up.. And he makes random movements. I have heard he occasionally has moved to stimulus but one nurse says one thing the other another so I am sure it just isn't that frequent or they just don't know. Yesterday it was 72 hours. Don't know the future. What I have read... Posturing is not good. They say he is not in a coma. A semi coma. What's the difference. They said currently on a scale from 1 to 6. One being worse he is a little above a one. I pray the number will go up in time. It is encouraging to hear your stories. Life events We just never know. Have to rely on God. Know that he never abandons us.

Anonymous replied on

Hi all. I fell from a fire escape in 2006 and had a severe brain injury. Was in coma for 15 days and the hospital for 2 months total. I was lucky I was a second semester senior in high school at the time and was able to drop some classes and graduate. Then went to ucsb and graduated in 4 yrs. Wasn't a great student but I graduated! Life was good in college, except for I definitely had way less impulse control than normal when drinking. Trying to drink in moderation now. In the working world, life is a struggle bc my memory sucks. Having to give speeches and participate in meetings etc. is really tough. I haven't been fired yet, but it's bc I work for my Dad. I get stressed so I smoke cigarettes, but then I get the worst dark circles possible. I have contemplated suicide but know that is not the right answer. I have lost my best friends bc my personality has changed (but that's mostly bc of my drinking habits). I get angry when drunk, but also very irritated and annoyed when sober. I get depressed easily and don't really like too many ppl. My Dad is a great guy and nice person, but sometimes I just don't even like him. I am really considering leaving my family-centered life (no gf/wife or children) and becoming a recluse, but deep down I don't want to.

Anonymous replied on

Hello, I had a tbi I 2011 I'm doing well considering I almost died was in a coma for several weeks. My short term memory is very poor my ears ring I have balance problems headaches insomnia, I get so tired so easily and crabby but each day that passes I look at what I can do and not what I can't anyone who is going through this just be patient with yourself and go one moment one day at a time be thankful you are what you are keep going ... Colleen

Anonymous replied on

I was in a wreck when I was 13 yrs. old back in 1983 and was thrown out of a pickup truck after we hit a telephone pole going about 40 mph. I spent a week in the hospital for head trauma and sustained a huge gash to the base of my lower skull area and almost lost my eyesight. I am very thankful to be alive, but I have often wondered what impact it has had on me personally over the last 30 plus years. I have a 9 year old son and I owe it to him to be the best father I can be. I don't have a lot of patience with people and I an easily irritated and have been since I can remember. I do not have much memory of the wreck or my time in the hospital and really am looking for people with similar stories and daily struggles.

Anonymous replied on

I had a TBI due to a right frontal lobe intracranial abscess  September 2012.  I had the abscess drained, but it filled again, and developed an offspring. I had a second surgery to remove the abscess , and was treated for several weeks with  iv antibiotics. I presented as a full blown stroke, but quickly got full use of my left side with the help of aggressive physical therapy. You would never know I had ever had a problem. What doesn't show are the affects left on the inside. I have severe memory loss. I had to check in my medical files to find the year I had my TBI. I thought I was heading into my 3rd year. Timelines are a nightmare. I have such a problem trying to figure out when things happened, and I don't want to ask my husband anymore as he looses patience with me. In the last few months I have greatly diminished sense of smell and taste. I can taste the first couple of bites of things, but I  am not sure if this us just due to my memory of what they tasted like. I loose words! I will be talking and want to say a word, but can't remember it. I will describe the word to someone,and by the time they have given me the word,I have forgotten what I was talking about. I cry every day. I am so frightened that I will get worse, especially when my sense of smell and taste did not change until a year after my TBI. What else may be affected.. I want to lay down every day in the late afternoon,and could stay in bed for  the night, I don't sleep in that time in the afternoon,but often I do not sleep throughout  the night.  I used to enjoy going out for a few drinks with my husband and friends, but now all I want to do is go out to dinner,and come straight home. I used to ride my bicycle 15 miles a day and then workout for an hour. I have no urge to do either. I know I will never have the old me back, but how can I explain this to my husband! He us growiing  short on patience

Anonymous replied on

Anyone here that is married to a person with TBI. I have been married to my husband that obtain a brain injury 14 years ago.I didnt know him at that stage.I knew that he has got a brain injury and supported him as his decisions were ruining his life. (friends that abused drugs etc) He is one of the kindest people I have ever met in my entire life and I am currently running his business (that I took from scratch) and making a success of it. I am his cook, PA, Secretary, sometimes cleaner as well as friend. Recently he went through a traumatic experience with his family whom he trusted (they stole his trust money) and ever since this happened everything changed... He is more tired than usual (yawning every minute or two), sleeps half of the day. He has a lack of zest in life, grumpy and extremely rude to me. (I am his 'punchbag') If I try to talk to him to ask him what I did wrong to deserve this treatment, he slams doors and take off. I forgot to tell you that he is 33 and I am 31. I dont know how to cope as the emotional damage that he is causing to me is becoming extremely unbareable. There is only so many times one can tell yourself: 'he doesnt mean it, he has a braininjury,remember?" He shows no affection towards me which is so frustrating and makes me feel 'not good enough'. He shows no emotions and his attitude when I try to talk to him is the "I dont give a shit how you feel' attitude and extremely sarcastic. I had a miscarriage a year years ago and he showed no empathy towards me and while I was 'sick' he shout at me and swear at me for not getting back to our clients within minutes after they have sent a request. I thought that love would overcome the obstacles of TBI (my love is strong enough) but how can he love me if this is how he behaves towards me?Please help me understand?

Anonymous replied on

13 years ago I suffered a small skull fracture near my right ear. I was 19 decided it would be a great idea to hitch a ride on a moving RV. I was discharged that night. 3 days later they did another MRI with that dye. Low and behold I had a skull fracture. I had significant memory loss no sense of smell or taste. It was so bad I'd start a conversation and mid way threw I'd completely forget I was even talking. have slightly worse hearing in my right ear. Headaches are a part of life for me these days. Female problems. Almost split personality disorder can't seem to make decisions easily. I also suffer from paranoia. I often feel people are against me. I'm extremely out going so it causes a conflict with my personalty. My memory was getting better but now it seems to be re lapsing my smell and taste improved too. At first I too had that "chemical" smell but for me I didn't think it was chemical. I smelt a similar smell to it and it was odd cause it was a combo of smells and every once in a while I'll get it and know exactly what it was. So I was at the salt river tubing that "smell" is the exact same as drunk people tire inertubes baking in the sun, dirty river and sunscreen and suntan lotion. Oh and my conversations in real life jump around just as much as my written ones. Like this one. So there's that too. Oh and I tend to go back and forth on thoughts like yes its good idea no that's not and back to thinking the way I was before. Hence the indecisiveness. Last thing I can think of is the inability to learn things I read and remember and if I physically complete a task a few times I'll remember it but taking direction or being questioned is extremely difficult for me. Being questioned really sets me on edge because I know I take a few seconds to minuets to answer. Then I feel self conscious. So that's my sucky reality. Feel free to look me up via Facebook if you feel like sharing your story. - Erin Rohweder. -

Anonymous replied on

I agree totally; brain injury is a very permanent thing. Mine was in '96 when I was 16. I have learned to cope and adjust rather nicely I do believe. But, still to this day, I just want to rest :)

Anonymous replied on

I had a moderate TBI when I was 22 and I am now 59. TBI changes your life and it took me a long time to figure that out in order to accept and move on. Your last paragraph should have been the first. We don't ever fully "recover." TBI is a chronic condition that you have to adjust and learn to live with. 

Anonymous replied on

Suffered a TBI in 2012 April. Caused a lot of issues which really neverb have been addressed. I lost my job which has caused me much heartache as I. Was an RN nd worked with psychiatric patients most of my career. I was hurt on the job at a state facility and the let me go after stating my6 month probation was still in affect.

Anonymous replied on

I have a mod-sev t.b.I. and never rec'd help until 29 yrs, I am getting help now. I am 52, yet still in mindset of a 20 yr old. This is difficult. Alone and fighting the VA system.

Anonymous replied on

Can anyone help? My mom is 89 and she had a fall in July 2013. They did surgery to remove fluid. She was recovering so well over the last 5 months but 2 weeks ago she fell and hit head again. Nothing on CT or MRI was abnormal. ...but she is having the forgetfulness and slurred speech SOME and it was like she experienced about 3 months ago when she was recovering from the first fall. Can this get better with time (dropping words, sentnces, forgetfulness) it's not all the time but she is worried and i am too. they didnt see anything on the scans. Doctor says be patient, it will get better. There is some chronic fluid still there but the doc says it will re-absorb and doing another surgery on her would be not good. Can someone comment?

Anonymous replied on

Hi. On November 23rd, I was riding my dirt bike along a gravel road with no helmet. According to an intoxicated Asian, I flew over the handlebars, according to a redneck, I flipped the bike. Whatever happened, I may never know. I do not remember anything before the accident that morning. Anyhow, I received some shitty assed medical care from lake wales hospital, and you can tell them I said that because they wouldn't even come get me out of the car at the ER. Anyways, I was supposedly found laying bleeding, in a ditch unconscious. I was taken to Lakeland (thank god) and treated there. I had some short term memory loss that came back pretty fast thankfully. 

Anonymous replied on

I had a severe TBI (subdural hematoma) at age 15 in 1995. It took me many years to fully understand that I had to move on and make goals for myself; I'm now a pretty successful adult. Some things that benefited me the most in my recovery:

don't worry if people don't think you're the same person

believe in yourself

keep lists of important tasks- use a calendar, cell phone, computer

make a list of your goals

learn something new

find ways to relieve stress and exercise

These are the things that helped me the most, and I hope that others find the way. I was very fortunate to have recovered, but I still have things to work on. My anger and emotional control, in general, are still daunting tasks for me, yet I know that I'm a unique person. 

Good luck to everyone. Please remember to believe in yourself.

Anonymous replied on

I had an epidural hematoma at 3 years old.  I am now 52.  I am just becoming aware that this injury could have any effect on my life at all.  I am smart but have always been considered "different".  My family thinks I don't give a sh--* about anything (*that's been said since I was a child).  I am blunt and feel like I can see through people and their falseness, I am horrible with distinguishing left and right (especially mirror image). I am insulted by television and have used as many drugs that have been exposed since age 10.  I don't fit into society's mold of what is normal and have been to jail and prison.  I've lived in a mansion, I've been homeless.  

At this time, I run a business and am well financially but have had a breakup with my fiance which is sending me over the edge with self-destructive behavior -- drugs, dangerous risks, etc.  Can anyone point me to information on long-term impacts.  I am well liked, but don't have close friends.  I don't want them.  Manipulation is second nature to me but I never manipulate for selfish reasons.  I feel like I've stopped making sense.  Please respond with any advise!  tracydawn2@hotmail.com

Anonymous replied on

Hi everyone,I had a brain injury in 1994 I have two boy's aged 15teen & 13teen I'm now 38. The last two years my aggression and depression has got that low all I think about is how can I stop this pain I'm going through and the pain I'm putting my ffamily in. The doctor's have put me on that may different meds it's not funny, I just don't want 2 be like this anymore I can only think of one way to stop it all but I also love my kid's so much I hate the thought of not ever seeing them again or hugging my husband. I feel so alone and scared I hate who I am

Anonymous replied on

I had a severe TBI on May 28th 2002. And every year that goes by I become more angry/hostile/depressed to the thoughts of suicide. To end this mental torture anyone else have this problem?

Anonymous replied on

I sustained a severe TBI on 23/06/2012  during an attack in Thailand. I suffered an epidural hematoma which required a decompressive craniectomy. I was in a coma but finally awoke and was then able to fly home to Ireland some months later. On 08/05/2013 I had my cranioplasty operation to replace the large sections of my temporal and frontal regions. I started back at University this year and I reckon everthings going alright. There are times when I may have had some problems remembering names and occasional bouts of anxiety, but I didn't bother telling my neurologist. (Not getting this as much anymore) For anyone who was in the same situation as me a few months back I'd just like to say try and stay strong and try and not get down.

Anonymous replied on

Reading this was so helpful, I suffered a tbi 2 years ago and had an emergency crainiotomy my life will never be the same but my belief in god and his healing is the only ultimate thing I have. I just take baby steps every day and be greatful for every blessing I have. May god love and give strength to any one who had suffered a tbi it has truly been the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with . Colleen tbi survivor

Anonymous replied on

I was in a roll over car accident in 2006. I was diagnosed with a TBI. I was told I had a deep subdural hematoma (brain bleed) on the right frontal lobe. Along with other physical injuries. I was in alot of pain and life as I knew it came to a complete stop. No drunk drivers just a big black bull standing lengthwise across my lane. A dark rural two lane hwy, speedlimit 65 at night. I was going about 50 up an incline. I met the bull at the top. Blk bull, blk pavement, blk sky up an incline, visibility didnt allow me to see the bull until I was face to face. I somehow swerved and missed impact but my suv flipped and rolled a few times when I hit the grass and the ditch. I was told though that hitting that big bull would of most likely killed me and maybe my whole family. I'm happy to say my husband and children were unharmed. I experienced about every symptom that I have read about and then some. When it seemed after two years I was getting somewhat better I had a relapse and got worse. Then after asking my doctors about a hyperbaric chamber and getting laughed at and told it would be a waste of time and money I went to one. It was 3 1/2 years after the accident. I was worse than ever at the time. Tremors, headbobbing, slurred speech, memory problems, bad headache that never went away from the initial head injury. Peripheal vision gone, unable to focus well, poor concentration, time mgmnt gone, my emotions towards people, except anger, gone. You name it. I've been there done that. But after a month of hyperbaric dives twice a day, 1hr each six days a week I had a dramatic improvement. It actually felt like I popped out of that state of not being me. If you have a TBI you understand maybe what I mean about not feeling like me. I felt like myself again. The drs. told me to kiss my old self goodbye. They said that person is dead and this is the new you. They said I would need help the rest of my life. I told them Yah-Weh(God) is bigger than brain damage and He is. Im not saying a hyperbaric chamber is a cure all for everyone but it can help some, it helped me tremendously. I will tell you this I got sick several months later with upper respitory stuff that went around in the winter. Went to a new dr. and told him I had experienced a TBI so he would be aware of my history before he prescribed meds but he prescribed something that brain injured persons are not supposed to take. I didnt read the caution page that came with the med until I started throwing up minutes after taking it. That night while sleeping I woke up, sat up in bed and it felt like something in my head exploded. Started experiencing some of the old symptoms after that, for about 18 months it was the worst of the worst. I am again much better but still not feeling 100 percent. I will go back to the hyperbaric chamber again but its expensive. So not right now. I want to encourage you not to give up and try not to focus on all the overwhelming negatives. The human brain is amazingly resiliant and our will and determination is amazing too. Plz read this and be encouraged, its one of the few things I was able to write during that initial 3 1/2 year nightmare. Its called ''Opportunity" I gotta get out, I gotta get out, I gotta get out of my mind I feel like a prisoner lost somewhere in time Standing on the outside, looking back at me Dazed and confused at whom I will be I gotta get out, I gotta get out, I gotta get out of my head I gotta find me, but they tell me she's dead But I don't believe a word that they say I'm not in denial, I just have strong faith That a better me will emerge someday God has a plan and a purpose for me And it will take more than this to steal my destiny So just as I changed and became a new creation in Christ I'll look at this as an opportunity to become a better me this time Because I trust you Lord completely, to me rebuild my new life... Just reminding you that your never alone.:)

Anonymous replied on

For the one who mentioned the chemical smell, posted on Nov. 9th 2013, I had a TBI just last year. I recall having that chemical smell multiple times and describing it EXACTLY like that. "Chemical smell." I guess I'll go ahead and tell my story while I'm at it. I'll try to make this as short as possible. The driver was drunk in our vehicle, I didn't know it, I was a backseat passenger. I wasn't wearing my seatbelt I don't think. We were going 100mph, lost control, hit an electrical box, flew 8 feet in the air, snapped an entire telephone phone in half (at 8ft) I was ejected out the rear windshield, landed by a bunch of steel rods and shattered bricks, "woke up" in rehab after I apparently spent 10+ days in a medically induced coma to prevent me from getting pneumonia, I received a broken wrist, 2 shattered fingers, a broken bone across my face (from left cheek to right cheek) 2 broken neck bones, half an ear that was sewed back rather quite well, a severely damaged amygdala, and bleeding near the brain stem. Spending 7 years training to be a Marine I can confirm that it blew a whole lotta dick finding out they do not accept TBI patients.

Anonymous replied on

My 13 year old son had TBI a little over a month ago now from football. It was raining hard and he had helmet to helmet blow that also caused whiplash. He still does not recognize any people besides me and his dad. He has been reintroduced to his friends and family. He has forgotten his preferences in food, along with a great deal of his 13 years of his life, he has a few vague memories but doesn't recall names of some common objects and is having to relearn a lot of things . He is starting to exhibit some social problems, one of which is not knowing what kind of stuff is appropriate at times . I know its only been a month but it seems like so much longer. I am encouraged to see all the posts here so thank you to everyone for sharing the good and the not so good so that I can get a realistic perspective and be able to help him more. mom of cmb

Anonymous replied on

My boyfriend fell two years ago from the back of his truck onto the back of his on the pavement. He did lose consciousness for what he explained was a dream state of mind. He spent one week in the hospital and was released with no explanations of what to expect. Since then he has a decrease in taste and smelling ability is zero. There is a constant ringing in left ear with hearing loss. He has explained the smell he smells as a chemical smell of many different things. Has anyone else had anything similar to his symptoms? Has anyone ever gotten better from similar symptoms?

Anonymous replied on

I was 4 or 5 yrs old when I Had a TBI, I was playing ballerina and fell and hit my head on the corner of the coffee table, All I remember is throwing up blood. 10 yrs later I was hit in the head by accident with a baseball bat on the left side of my head. I blacked out just for seconds, but was dazed. Depression or the depression like symptons started and its not till now, I'm 54 that I'm really having problems with memory. Long and short term. But I must confess. I did have problems with my personalty when I was young. I did not know how to socialize and to this day I still don't know how. Its very lonely and scary. Because people do not understand. And my depression is worse than ever. But, after reading about brain injuries, this might be the answer, its not just me, but something that happened to me a long time ago. Maybe now I can make some sense of what is going on in my head.

Anonymous replied on

I was hit by a car when I was four years of age and suffered a Severe TBI. After reading this article I have a better understanding of the motor effects that I am inflected with. Now over 40 years later since my accident all the effects that I understand have become just a part of my personality. I feel that I live a normal life, If there is such a thing, but with a slowed speech and taking the time to think what I am going to say before I say it, which I had learned through speech therapy when I was younger, I have no complaints of what my life has become.

Anonymous replied on

I have a moderate tbi, I think all of your stories on here are amazing. I was hit from behind by a speeding car and knocked unconcious. Memory is terrible. Cannot drive yet. Bless you all and thanks for the human connection.

Anonymous replied on

In 1999 my husband had a motorcycle accident. His handlebars whiplashed and he flew over the bike landing on the track hitting his head, hip and shoulder. He broker his collarbone and had a 6 inch laceration where the skin just pulled apart. Emergency medics asid he only lost consciousness for 30 minutes and cam in and out of consciousness for 8 hours. But, he feels that he was conscious. He thought the same when I arrived but he was still in and out. His helmet was damaged on all four sides which meant his braid richoted in the helmet. He has had a severe personality change. He is irritable over minor things and can't let go in an argument. He is always unhappy with someone over something. I agree that the issues are disappointing but he writes long repetitive emails trying to prove his point. He doesn't laugh anymore. He was so funny prior to the accident. He is explosive if he feels inadequate. He often does not understand explanations that he used to and does not realize the change blaming confusion on others. He seems to have lost his empathy. He didn't care when he lost a good friend and his mother. He was mostly angry. He had no compassion for other people's ways of grieving. He feel unsafe and threatened all the time. He feels people don't respect him and are lying to him. It is so very sad.

Anonymous replied on

07/07/2007.. I am not severely religious but the date would seem that I am still here and should be. TBI from a motorocycle accident. I am a computer software engineer. Spent a month in the neurology unit while not remembering my name and not really remembering what had been said to me 30 min prior. While I have a wonderful wife and two outstanding children. My continued mood swings, headaches, general irratability would indicate just how wonderful and outstanding they really are. While I indicate content with family. I could seriously do without those symptoms. If I I can indicate directions for anyone reading this, it might be to appreciate those that remain after a TBI. And if someone gives you a chance by saying in a conversation with you that sometimes head injuries change personalities. You should listen and get real help.

Anonymous replied on

I had severe TBI in 1990 - did great for about 16 years - college degree, etc... but I started having seizures then - now everything is a huge mess - my cognitive functioning sucks - I can't remember anything. I'm in graduate school and I'm struggling so bad - I just want to hurry up and get out - my professors all know about my accommodations and me getting lost and overwhelmed. Life just isn't as easy as it used to be. I can't remember normal stuff anymore - the doctors always told my parents that I wouldn't be the same and my parents know my personality is much different, but I can tell that learning and remembering is so much more difficult for me than it used to be. It used to come so easily - I never had to study or anything - now I can't remember what I do study = It's really caught up with me. My brain can only hold so much and it can't hold anything more! Frustrated in Texas

Anonymous replied on

Incredible story. There needs to be more education regarding TBI and how early treatment is key. Share your story.

Anonymous replied on

I am a 35 year old female and today is my one year anniversary from my car accident in which I was rear ended while stopped in traffic by a car traveling 65 mph, the rear end impact sent my car into the middle lane (from the right lane) where I was t-boned by a passing vehicle at 65mph, my side curtain airbags deployed into my left temple and then I was t-boned 2 additional times by other passing cars. I kept asking the cop if my cheek was broken because my head hurt so bad, he never called an ambulance and I was too dazed to realize I was injured. The cop's exact words were "go home and take some advil because your going to be hurting tomorrow"....really?? I was off of work for 3 months straight with daily 10/10 head pain, returned to work on half days for 3 months where my employer gave me full time work while on half days that created so much frustration and delay in my recovery. I am now at the one year mark and seem to be going backwards in recovery. I have severe PTSD and depression. My MRI was positive for traumatic insult to my frontal lobe as well as a abnormal EEG. That neuro said I was fine and sent me on my way one week post MVA. Soon after I had 3-4 seizures, ordered my bills and records which showed both positive MRI and positive EEG results when I was told they were normal. I did not get the records until after I went back to work on half days otherwise I wouldn't have gone back. I feel the lack of basic protocol for TBI's is a huge problem and causes more people longer pain and suffering. Air bag deployment, especially side curtain airbags with multiple impacts requires automatic concussion/TBI review by medical professional which I was never given. I couldn't find a glass in my own house just after the cops sent me home with a friend since my suv had $22,000 in damage. The police report once received advise no injuries. Every vehicle had injuries after speaking with my insurance company. Due to my delayed diagnosis and medical treatment my doctors advise I can expect a 1-3 year recovery. I plan to go back out on FMLA next month as I have perm muscle damage behind both eyes, both pupils are still dilated and are perm, including peripheral vision loss shown on testing, cognitive issues, weight loss, and still not sleeping well. Early treatment is a must, have them check your vision, balance, nutrition, and sleep habits. I have never felt more alone as many mention on this page, because I appear fine I feel like no one believes me when I will be battling these issues alone for a very long time. Good luck to everyone, stay positive no matter what!!!!! Remember we are TBI survivors, not victims!!!!!

Anonymous replied on

I had TBI on November 2010. I used to be a mixed martial arts fighter until I got TBI from an illegal knee which had me out but my instincts were still going and my fight or flight response took over and I continued the fight for another 15 minutes approximately. In that time I sustained approximately 25 impacts to the back of my head via punches and elbows which were seen on the CT Scan taken at an emergency room three days later to rule out a skull fracture or cranial bleeding. Luckily I did not but the doctor said my trauma was similar to a major car wreck. I now had a condition called Post Concussion syndrome which is pretty much like Post Traumatic Brain Disorder. It is something I deal with everyday and try to make the best of. The part that has really made me lose faith in people is the fact that we had evidence proving foul play and the North Carolina Boxing Authority felt fit to disregard it and blow me off. These guys were cops and chose to do nothing in the face of evidence that hand grounds probably cause along with a fight that had a referee that was negligent to the blows as well as showing intent to violate the rules and regulations of the State. I had bouts with alcoholism, much greater anxiety, a potentially lucrative career now over as a result, and lost my girlfriend due to changes in my mood and behavior. In order to counter act this I have started writing and now keep a blog and am working on a trilogy of science fiction novels in order to keep my brain as sharp as possible and it definitely has helped. I read some of the stories on here and I can definitely relate to the type suffering of it is. I just want people on here to now that you can still do something despite this injury and you shouldn't give up on yourself if you have. I'm not. I just hope that this condition can be prevented someday. It's an injury the people just cant relate to until they experience it. You change.

Anonymous replied on

Bicycling accident, August 2004. I was hit from behind by a truck. Despite having severe head and spinal injuries, I was not diagnosed with TBI nor informed of the possible behavioral and emotional effects until well after my marriage was destroyed. "The person who once was is no longer there"

Anonymous replied on

i was in a wreck this year. fractured skull into brain broke sholder bones and got pnuemonia in hospital. also bells palsy on left side of face. i was so weak lost 30 pounds and cant remember the wreck. i was in hospital for two weeks 1 week uncounscious had people visit me i didnt remember was out cold. looked at my dad and wife and mom gave me support. as well as other friends broughts meals to my home and gave money. im always sleepy weak brain hurts and nervous. but jehovah keeps me strong with family and friends. one day we will be healed and accidents no more. rev 21:3,4

Anonymous replied on

I am 25 years old, and was in a coma from a car accident at the age of 5. A first aid kid came out from underneath my seat upon impact and opened and the reflector came out and hit me right in the middle of my forehead. I have been struggling lately with depression and other things and have been researching to see if the coma in the reason for this. This article had very useful comments

Anonymous replied on

I had car accident on December 1992 and I was in coma over a month. As soon as I was wake up from the coma, I was my own, because I did not have any family. I was new in America and I did not know how to get help. I felt every one took advantage of my weakness. Even, my compensation from car accident was managed and mishandle by others. I did not have place to stay, and I went dormitory school, to have place to stay and it became like hell. Doctor suggests me to leave and rest. I did not have any relatives or good friends in America, I also I was not able to go anywhere else. To make long story short, now after over twenty years, thing are getting worse and I do not know what to do or who can understand me.

Anonymous replied on

My husband sustained a severe TBI 12/1/11 and he is still recovering. He was in ICU for 41 days and has gone through more than I can even understand. He had bone flap removed during initial surgery, got and infection 19 days later and was reopened, was in Acute therapy for a month, and then sub-acute for a month and finally came home. He had bone flap placed in,, and after 5 months had another infection and had to have it removed again. He wore a helmet for another 6 months and then had a prosthetic placed. He lost all movement and use to his left side a year after his ATV accident and he is going through therapies now. Over the last 5 months he has had 4 seizures and they can't seem to control them. He was just hospitalized last week and had MRI to see what is going on, the Drs. told us that over this time of healing his right side of his brain shows damage and that he will be permanently weak on his left side. He is frustrated and depressed and his emotions are all over the place. He wakes up sometimes with slurred speech and he has chronic headaches which are not improving. He is so strong and I am so proud of him! He tries, but unfortunately he doesn't comprehend somethings and that breaks my heart. I will say that all I can do as a wife and to try and keep him moving forward and stick by him. Afterall that is what love is all about. He is different than he used to be, he was so active and funny and always happy...I do live a "changed man" but by no fault of his own, it just happens. I am his sole caretaker and I am with him all the time, I see his highs and his lows. I just know he has to go the extra mile to work hard and he knows that too. Best of luck to all of you who live this day to day as I know it is not easy and no one will understand unless they live with someone with a TBI...God Bless

Fatima replied on

We share almost the same story .God is able .

Anonymous replied on

I appreciate your comments! I have a realistic view now. I had a brain aneurysm 10 years ago and still suffer the effects. I thought to get better would be to be perfect - not so. Thank you all for sharing and please allow me to say God Bless you all.

Anonymous replied on

I was hit over the head with something pretty solid in an Armed Robbery at my place of work on the 4th April 2003, IT HAS TAKEN A LITTLE OVER TEN YEARS TO GET THE BRAIN TO FUNCTION AGAIN IN A NORMAL WAY.I lost the neural drive to many parts of the body, the hormonal or endocrine was all to pot and has only righted itself very recently,last evening and I am not going to describe how I know, suffice to say I am now a slightly sad sixty-one year old suddenly, overnight. I Had no memory at all for four years, I have only just begun to reason as an adult again, I have never given in, even though I kept loosing the neural drive to the heart for ten minutes or so each time, in the first four years. I am now learning to play the piano, ça va très bien pour moi, and of course a little German,aussi mir geht sehr gute, cheers Christian Morgan.Brighton, no doctors helped me either!

Anonymous replied on

My dad aged 77 is currently in Criticalcare following a horrific attack in his home. He suffered 2 fractures to the skull 1 bleed on the brain, horrific facial injuries and fractures, including his nose and pallet damage. He also received massive internal bleeding needing surgery and part of his bowel removed. His progress has been amazing the docs and nurses are well considering they did not expect him to see the night through are shocked. His memory is more about his long term past rather than short term. He doesn't know where he lives or that my mum died in October of last year and keeps asking after her. The docs say it could take months for him to fully recover, what was two weeks a strong independent 77 year old pensioner is now a pitiful weak old man, but he is alive and that is all thanks to the amazing staff and his fitness and strength. I have read some of these and take it all inboard that this will be a slow and long process.

Anonymous replied on

My accident was in 2004. March 31st, but my husband says April 1st. I think I would remember April Fools day... My problem how he minimizes my improvement (recovery ?) I am so afraid at the thought of being with anyone, but can functon with people at grocery store, can't write witj my hand so I write with a comupter. He just wants me to do dishes, cook, clean, take care of myself and be support to him like I was to do before all with a great job of 75K income. I know it is hard to take a person so changed, but he now is scaring me with yelling. I am so scared all the time when because when he yells my head spins. Now have a tremor in my hands which is going to make me unable to feed myself. So scared. This took me 25 minutes to write so it had no mistakes. I bet that errors still exist.

Anonymous replied on

While reading all these comments, I can\'t help but to feel blessed. I sustained my TBI in 2008. As time goes on I\'m able to notice my own deficiencies (such as stopping what I am doing to tend to a more imperative situation at hand) and work on bettering them. Sad to say, but some deficiencies do not go away, for me anyway. I just learned how to cope with them; jotting quick notes, being a bit more tidy (not really OCD tho),exercising, etc. However, I get very frustrated with the fact that I have a difficult time controlling my anger, getting flustered when things don\'t go as planned and making the wrong choices (even when I know they are wrong and even detrimental to me) BUT since my accident I have been raising my four year old, got my GED, started college, and even met somebody and got married. As I praise and give thanks to God for making it this far, I continue to pray for my impairments. Mainly my anger... it has become a real problem between my new husband and myself. I still do not always do or say the right things, but I\'m trying.

Anonymous replied on

I was Six Years of age when I had my first head injury. It was 1980. I was riding my bike and my father was behind me and I lost control of the bike flipped the bike and landed on the right side of my head. I was in ICU for over 72 in a COMA swelling of the brain. My parents stated they had to sign a waiver to drill a hole in my head if the meds did not work to reduce swelling. Lucky for me they worked. I was an A/B student at the time in a Catholic School 1st grade. I was held back in 1st grade again due to this accident because once I got back into school my Moods, behavior, grades slipped to F/D's, memory, concentration levels, cognitive skills, Reading, Writing, even tying my shoes I had to learn again. Yet the doctors said there was nothing wrong with me. That the CAT scan was fine. Well when I was in 3rd grade I had to be taken out of Catholic School and placed in Public school because I fell so far behind and I just could not stay focused on anything I was lucky to be focused on myself. In 3rd grade public School I was Diagnosed with Multiple Learning disabilities. In 4th Grade I was diagnosed with ADHD my parents refused Ritalin and told the Doctors and the school to figure out another method because they where not going to have a drugged child. In 6th grade I was diagnosed with Eye problems due to the head injury that took place in 1st grade... (OH YEAH) I had to wear Tri-Focals to Bi-Focals to Glasses to Reading Glasses and went through two years of Vision Therapy for children who sustained Traumatic Brain Injury with a doctor in Ringwood, NJ Named Dr. Joel Warshowsky. IN 7th Grade I was transferred to A Special Education School Orange-ulster Boces in Goshen, New York with other students that where mentally emotional and physical Handicapped. (Autism, blindness& partial blindness, deafness & partial deafness, psychiatric condition, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Down syndrome, and the list goes on. I stayed there until 9th grade when New York State tried to main stream me back into Public school again, which was a nightmare. Once I went back to my home school I was teased, beat up, raped, abused, was in a fight almost ever day, I even began to fake seizure just to get the heck out of the school. They finally sent my back to Boces however the damage to me was already done. I became Depressed, Moody, Full of Anxiety, I began to self-mutilate drawing things into my body then picking at them, this is when I began to have insomnia, and nightmares, started to runaway from home. They kept me in Boces until I graduated High School However I was never accepted at my home school even though my father forced me to walk at graduation to get my diploma WHICH I HATED!!! I was always different because of my behaviors I was never accepted everyone knew there was something about me that was just a bit off. I was eccentric & passionate in my eye, in other peoples eyes I was crazy, weird, strange, neurotic, compulsive, obsessive, impulsive, and my nicknames in High School where "CRACK BABY" & "TINKERBELL". I was 19 I was on a motorcycle and got into a accident I was lucky to be waring a helmet or else I would be dead today. In College I was called "JUMBLE G". due to my eccentric behaviors. By 1995 I was pregnant that was a nightmare all on its own. Seizures, Sugar problems, Blood Pressure problems, mood fluctuations, pains that the doctors where telling me where not their, YET they where there!!!! I was miserable. I was crying one minute, screaming another, happy the next and this is not exaggerating... I was out of control. Then I was kidnapped while I was 3 months pregnant and the police did not want to believe me. Yet they did not want to bring the K-9 unit out to search my car and do scent pad tracking on the guy which they would have found the keys to my car at the very least. Four blocks over on some persons lawn. I have had one problem after another since my head injury medical issues after medical issues. Hormone problems where always a major issue for me. I had to have multiple surgeries down in the female region I am hoping I am going to have my last one this May 2, 2013 this time they are going in Roboticly. Hopefully this will be my last and final hysterectomy!!! Ever since they took out my ovaries my moods have been easier to manage. I still have anxiety . I still to this day at 39 years of age have problems memory cognitively moods matter of fact I was diagnosed with a mood disorder due to a general medical condition with a Personality disorder, anxiety due to Traumatic Brain Injury in 2003. 2003 I was diagnosed with Cervical and uterine cancer had a hysterectomy however I have had one ovary keep growing back about every two to years with masses cysts and tumors every thing has been binge. Fibromyalgia in 2005, OA 2008, early onset Parkinson 2012 (brought on by the head injuries. At least this is what I have been told). Liver and kidney issues... Pains numbness vertigo weakness I been told it is all in my head... I tell people your damn right it is all in my head all from my head injuries I blame it all on the head injuries... So for all of you who have issues yeah I feel your pains mentally physically and any other way. I believe you over any doctor who tells you it is not possible it cannot be happen or even if it is happen I have had them to more frequently in today's day and age. So yeah I understand all of you and I feel for everyone on this website because it is so darn frustrating when Doctors think they know you and they have only known you for three minutes and never even seen a chart of yours before.

Anonymous replied on

I wreaked on August 19th 2001, I don't remember any of that & only a tiny bit of being in hospital. I never got rehab. I do know that it took me 10 years to be ok that I lived after wreak. The me know is not the same person that was here before. It is like there is/was 2 of me the one before & the one after. I had no memory after wreak none & my right side didnt want to work right plus many other things. The bones healed some things got better & went away. I still have many problems but now only with my head injury & th resulting opps just got lost. That wreak took so much & showed me that the ones I called friends before were not at all. I trust all & believe all I have been taken advantage of because of this. so my way of dealing with that is to stay away from people as mush as possible. I noticed that I react very very strongly to situations that happen my emotions seem to have gone to extreme mode. I have always had lots of emotion since wreak but this is so much more intense & way over board. I also was told that i have been talking different to someone then i have ever done before to them & I have known them for 2 years now. In 5 months it will be 12 years since I wreaked. Do i have to deal with new personality & emotional changes again.

Anonymous replied on

I had a severe TBI in Aug 1992, I fell off a car moving about 15 miles an hour. hit the back of my head stood up and fell and hit the frount of my head and of course stood up one more time and fell for a third time and hit the bck of my head again. I spent 4 days in a coma and have very little memory of the incident. About 8 years ago I noticed I started having problems with shakeing of the arms and other mentel and emotional problems. My recovery went very well from the accident, but the problems I am having now seem to be directy related to the head injury I have years ago.

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