Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

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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.

Barbara, your doctor is concerned about mental health and is under the misconception that you are requesting more care than you actually need. Please be careful and give yourself a higher threshold for pain. You've been so strong so far!

Hi Everybody

I am based in the UK. I was hit by a car crossing the road in 1989 when I was 17. I lay the road for what seemed like ages before an ambulance took me to hospital. I then spent 6 hours waiting to be seen by a doctor. Because I was not screaming as I was completely numb from shock the doctor I finally saw tried to discharge me even though I had extensive facial injuries and a broken leg. After the ambulance crew pointed out the broken bones I was admitted.

My facial injuries were never assessed at all and I have a broken eye socket and gravel embedded in my scars to this day. The bust leg was in traction for a fortnight before it was badly plastered and I could at least leave hospital.

I have been suffering extremely poor health since the accident, including endocrine problems which I have recently realised were probably caused by the mechanical damage to my head in the accident. I have also had migraines, exhaustion, confusion, aversion to crowds and noise, paranoia and heightened emotional arousal etc.

I was in another minor road accident 3 years ago and it seems to have made the 'word-not-finding' and 'zoning out' much worse. I wish I could find a really good doctor in the UK.

Sorry to hear so many of you have also suffered so much, especially thanks to all the people who care for a head injured person - you are very kind. Thanks too for making this website where we can tell our stories.

In 1968, age 21, I was in a head on collision in a V.W. The other car was in a Mercury that hit us head on; and four of us were in a V.W. bug. My two friends were killed; my mother and I lived. I had all of my bones in my face from the forehead down to my jaws broken. The doctors in 1968, mostly were concerned with cosmetic surgery; not necessarily with my brain. My looks of course changed completely after the accident.

My brother and sister believe that perhaps I may have brain injury.

Since I am now seventy; I am falling over raised sidewalk. (3x)
Also, my balance is off. I have been tested for vertigo, but no problems in that direction. In 2017, I had a brain scan, treadmill testing, and a few other test.
My present doctor, has not said much.

I am getting pretty scarred since I have fallen three times during the last year.
My balance is getting bad. If I loose my balance; I cannot stop myself and continue to fall!

Any suggestions?

Lynne F.

Try medical marijuana.
It comes in many forms

I was in a motorcycle accident May 2016. Had brain bleed. Healed itself. Prior to accident I graduated from Wyo tech and was a motorcycle mechanic. I built my own bike and was the bike I was riding when a pedestrian walked out in front of me in the dark. I had worked as a mechanic for 3 years at the same job doing good prior to accident. After released from hospital a few weeks later I returned to my job. I wasn't able to perform and use my knowledge as before. Increased frustration and irritability. Couldn't remember things. Continued to things..tools..wallet..keys.. Depression and overwhelming anxiety has replaced my easy going personality. Unexplained Anger and outbursts have become my norm. I'm confused and haven't been able to hold down any job since. My relationships have desolved. Girlfriend gone. Friends gone. Family don't understand but are trying hard to get me help and stand by me. I feel like I'm not me anymore. Headaches are becoming severe and increasing frequently lasting days at a time. Pain meds don't control the pain. Anxiety meds don't help much either. I sleep more than 12 -18 hours daily to stop the pain and mental anguish. Then I can't sleep and pace all night praying for relief. Everything is different. I can't keep living like this.Ive filed for and being evaluated for disability to help me afford to live and help support myself while I can't work. Going to hospital again in the morning to beg for some tests and relief. I'm trying to overcome and conquer this misery. Help me please!

Try medical marijuana. It comes in many forms.
My symptoms were the same as yours as I was in an accident. I was also a mechanic. I lost my job. I'm on a disability pension. I finally found oil is very helpful but am going to try edibles. Try it.

Try homeopathy with a registered homeopath. I’m a registered homeopath who had a traumatic brain injury just over 2 years ago when a car smashed into mine. It nearly finished me off. I was in a coma, had brain surgery because part of my skull had to be cut out due to haemorrhaging. I was nearly 5 months in hospital. Later had a cranioplasty. The care was first class and the docs did not object to the homeopath visiting. I’ve osteopathy, do regular yoga, loads of physio. I’m still working on walking and balance but getting better every day. The body heals itself. If we help it along as best we can it really helps. Every day is an improvement for me. Family supportive. Have to use a stick outside but am aiming to be well enough not to need it. I don’t take any drugs at all but the consultant has given me vit D3 which helps rebuild the bone. I had lots of bone fractures due to the accident. A mixture of conventional and alternative medicine has greatly helped me. Hang in there and practice every day. You’ll get there.

Man, you guys help me knowing I'm not alone. I lost my leg in a motorcycle accident, and then a year later was diagnosed with schizophrenia at eighteen. I don't think I ever had it. I think it was a misdiagnoses for PTSD. I used to be able to hold it together at least, before all this. I always feel aggitated. Always severe levels of anxiety. Night terrors, even terrors when I'm awake. There scary! My only solace sometimes is knowing I'm not alone. I'm thirty eight now, and I am learning to get along better. The best medicine for me is hope. I never learned how to have it, but I'm learning to have it. It helps to look at my life as highs and lows. I focus on the highs. When the lows come it feels like I'll never make it, but then I wake up the next morning feeling refreshed, or later that day the high feels so good I forget anything was ever bad, just like I can forget anything was ever good when I'm down. I think it's a mindset. Be a prisoner of hope. Focus on the positive, the highs. It's so hard man. I feel you in everything your saying. Your not alone. We'll be okay like the guy on the first reply said. Help is on the way. Sorrow endure for the night, joy comes in the morning. Hope this helped somehow, because you just helped me make it through this day a little better. Be well man. Peace

I love all of your comments on HOPE! I had a TBI years ago that has left permanent damage. I have left my career and at times struggle with wanting "my life back." A few years ago something shifted with the damage, and my symptoms became worse. I went back to physical therapy to try to retrain my brain and vision to improve my double vision and balance disorder. On the piece of tape that I would focus on as we did the treatments I had the doctor write the word "HOPE". When she asked me what was the one word that came to mind while I was there, it was always "HOPE"!!! Best wishes and prayers for all of you.

That is really interesting to me, that you developed symptoms later on. My TBI is from 2001 and yet this year I have started getting double vision and had a violent seizure that lasted for many hours.

HOWEVER take hope! There was another change about a year ago. Since my TBI I have been unable to write legibly. Suddenly I can. I guess I will never have the beautiful handwriting I got so many compliments on yeas ago but if I am slow I can write a legible note.

I am in your same boat. Hang in there and keep your head up. God hears your pain and he will see you through this. I know it hard. but it is going to be ok. I cried when I read your story. it is very true and inspiring. I have been through everything that you have been throw it touched me. I feel ur pain and disappointment. it sucks. but everything is going to be ok. take my word for it. just be strong and don't give up, folks will come in your life for a season then they are gone. I lost all my close friends and family but I am here. and I have god and better health and understanding. in my situation. see I was in a coma for 18 months and nearly died I had traumatic brain injury after the comma. I had amnesia, loss of use of my hands, I was paralyzed for 2 years, and had depression, mood swings, anger, confusion, memory loss from 2005 to 2014, divorced from my wife, lost custody of my kids, lost my high paying job, and my sex drive, my confidence, too name few things that happened to me. so I can relate to what happened to you because I had the same happen to me. I have been fired from jobs for getting angry and rage. so I know how you feel. I have lost it all since I was sick but hope is on the way. it takes time to heal from our brain injuries. time heals all wounds. I am doing better now. I went into the comma in 2005 and emerged out of my comma in 2007. I am doing much better now in 2018 but I am still disabled, I am able to work part-time a low-stress full job to earn money and feel a part of society. it feels good too work feel apart of something. i am starting too make new friends and and my anger and mood swings are improving. but still a work in process. so be encouraged my friend, hang in there and know everything is going to be alright, in Jesus name.

I suffered a TBI in 1986 when a guy took a running dive and dived onto the top of my head. I was sent to a psychiatrist in early 1988 and treated for depression. Nobody wanted to take me seriously about my head injury. The nerve pain and neck problems just kept getting worse & worse over time. I was even dismissed as a neurotic woman with a tension headache! Finally 8 years later in 1994 a sympathetic doctor believed me and sent me to an excellent neurologist who had some experience with head injury patients. I had almost lost faith in the medical profession! Now 30 years later I still have episodes with pain and discomfort. I take Lyrica and Cymbalta to help with nerve pain, but sometimes they are not effective enough. I had to use MS Contin for a time, but was able to cease that medication luckily. It looks like the government here in Australia is finally going to allow medicinal cannabis to be legally marketed and I'm prepared to try it for my neuropathic pain. After my early terrible run around with doctors I can only say that head injuries need to be taken seriously.

In April of 2012 my brother was assaulted and left in a ditch. A week later his brain was bleeding and he fell and hit the back of his head. He was in a coma for 3 weeks he had to learn to walk, talk. everything. He now has bad seizures and is an alcoholic. It is killing me. I don't know what to do anymore. We lost our Mom in January 2016. I need help. Anyone know what I can do?

I would like to get in contact with person in car accident (was hit by someone on speed) with neck injury and diagnosed with TBI. Their post was on 8-29-15. Pls and Thx rhondahi1991@gmail.com

I was diagnosed with TBI after a severe car accident, when I was hit by a man on the drug speed. The court awarded three million in damages to me, but he filed for bankruptcy and escaped all responsibility. TBI if not treated early can pose serious dangers. My TBI was severe, yet the medical establishment missed the mark, the first neurologist diagnosed me with a mental health condition and I was denied life saving surgery for a hematoma. That I lived without the necessary surgery was a miracle. My vision, hearing, and memory were all affected. I also developed a severe seizure condition, intermittent paralysis, severe neck and back pain, insomnia, changes in sex drive, chronic fatigue and mild incontinence. I was diagnosed eight years later via MRI, and other diagnostics. Cost of medical bills $400,000. TBI ended my 12 year marriage, changed the course of my life. DVR was no help, Physical Therapy did not help much. Neurology had no recourse. Reading and books gave more information. I tried alternative care it worked best. I was treated with Syntonic Photo therapy, got custom ear plugs, Chiropractic care, natural nerve therapy and other treatments. I will never recover the Math part of my brain function. However my working memory has improved. My advice is don't expect to ever be the same, but rejoice in what you have left. After three and a half years in a wheel chair, and then a walker, today I am wheel-chair free. I got off disability and run my own small business. TBI will change your life, but not your ability to still have a happy and rewarding life. However better diagnostics and medical care would help many persons to recover rather than become permanently disabled like myself. There needs to be more awareness about TBI. Treat it on time.

I'm so sorry and relate. Agreed, too many neglected cases and misdiagnosis. TBI is life changing and I experience the effects daily, since 1999 and the progressive effects, now increased falling, balance vision and vertigo headaches that are distracting and can't focus. Stiffness and Muscles rigid, fluctuating vision which clears when I can crack my neck and shortly when releasing some fluid build up in ear and nose. Cranial sacral therapy helped, and botox in muscles of face jaw and neck but and a concrete kind of thinking which makes it difficult to learn or comprehend new tasks. I was first injured by a man who backed up into my car while putting my daughter in a car seat in 1998, then suffered multiple head injuries that when the frame displaced jaw, herniated discs and cornea tears with so much more, lost all math skills, wrote backwards, sense of direction and simple things have become like moving mountains and post several head injuries, blurry vision, face jaw pain that never ends: metallic smells, and seasickness. Coordination, ability to express oneself, typing, using a mouse or navigating to get somewhere or complete a simple task has, become exhausting. With the 4 minutes one has to see a neurologist now, or express oneself and stay focused or the chicklet Neurontin which is given out in every initial visit. CTE is only seen postmortem so what and where can one get consistent help because inconsistent treatment, inability to navigate the medical system and wrong diagnosis cause delayed treatment and permanent damage. Lost. Confused and With two degrees that are worthless trying unsuccessfully to learn something new. There are no real supports, no real advocates and few who can relate to the cognitive effects of TBI and say snap out of it, best of luck. (Hoping to find this post again. To see if there will be a reply. I have lost the ability to coordinate pad/mouse and brain or figure out dragon or things that were second nature. Quite frightening and limiting. Thanks Eli

Hi Anonymous, First, congratulations on your recovery, I'm sure it was hard work and determination on your part.
I had a mild concussion from a fall, I hit the back of my head on the pavement and blacked-out for what I think was a minute or two ( not sure ). However, I was extremely good with math. I audited hospital bills as part of my work. After my "mild" concussion, I was unable to do simple math w/o a calculator and then I wasn't sure of what I was doing. It's been almost 25 years and I have never regained my math skills. All other symptoms, except neck pain, have resolved. You are the first person I have encountered with a problem with math skills post concussion. Everyone I mention this to, disregards it, including my neurologist. I would like to know more about your math issue, if you don't mind. Thank you.

I had a similar injury in 1998 - slipped on ice and hit the back of my head on ice covered concrete. I was unable to add simple numbers (like 6+8=14) together in my head until 4 to 5 months afterward. The ability did come back but it was terribly frustrating. Most of the symptoms resolved years ago, but things like side to side movement, like a car swerving if I'm a passenger, still give me the twirly whirlies. I'm okay if that happens when I'm driving - perhaps because I have some semblance of control over what's happening.

I fell 6 months ago and am still struggling with math skills and organization. At first I couldn’t even organize my thoughts to carry on a conversation but that is improving. I get confused with anything requiring math... even the month or day. I’m easily overwhelmed. Hope you have improved!

In high school I got two concussions in 2014, one in January and on in December both from wrestling. I too have had a considerable drop in my math ability. I went from an A B student to a C D student in math. One weird thing though, after the concussions my English grade got higher.

2006/2008 i lost my mom and my grandparents within the span of 2 years 3 years, and was not prepared for my mom's death.

2010 Anybody have traumatic brain injury as a result to hydrocephlaus vp brain shunt put in, 2011  /2012 and then a year later was taken back to hospital and revisions which caused me to be in a coma, not expected to wake up - which i did but after a month - and then later that year i started to go blind having cataract clouds on my eyes that preventing me to function. then i had revisions to my eyes again that caused misaligned eyes blurred vision cob webs on the ways and eyes that are so tired like that im so exhausted - having cataract lenses in my eyes i can not rub my eyes, i can only rub the lenses. the day cataract surgery happened i lost the feel of eyes because of lenses (Both eyes were done at the same time) all the time and then this year i had 4 falls within the span of 6 months because of dizziness - and unbalanced. my speech is starting to be worked on tues, but this was after 5 years fighting for my drs to give me a chance @ one. Now my memory is affected because of all this trauma that my speech pathologist is testing me out for TBI, and my memory and my speech i have been so worried about that i don't know how to relax my brain because i don't want to disappoint anyone that was in my life as friends before surgery or after surgery cause right now because of trauma i don't have friends. Please reply would love to hear advice from anyone. if u all can follow /understand me because talking in sentences is a huge ___ but i can talk flowing on pc. drs said i had bipolar disorder and social anxiety but my shrink said i might NOT have bpd/and social anxiety because of Traumatic Brain injury which they are just finiding out about NOW after 5-6 years.
Anyone help recommend anything i welcome all opinions.

hello,

I have had multiple head injuries. This last one completely changed my life. I never went to the hospital and had no idea that there is help out there for head injuries until three months ago.

I have cried my eyes out and have been so close to taking my own life on numerous occasions because I would get so upset with my mind. It wasn't until just recently I discovered there might be light at the end of the tunnel. To what degree of light and recovery, I'm not clear yet.

I found treatment and need to schedule my doctor's appointment. I have been attempting to make a doctors appointment for the last three months, but I seem to be unable to make the call.... as weird as that sounds. I don't get it. I can call my spouse but when it comes to making appointments, I just keep rewriting the number down. I am still hopeful though I fear it may be another year before I get to actually see a doctor for the first time.

You mention your speech. I too occasionally sound like I'm drunk but I'm completely sober. As time passes it isn't as often.

I'm not too sure of much. I depend on my partner to explain my life to me because I only remember tiny bits and pieces here and there. I would be a complete stranger to my life if it weren't for pictures and a routine I seem to trust and know the things that are repetitive. People who I only meet once or twice its as if I never meet them. I fake it for the majority and I can safely do that only because I trust my partner and believe him over believing myself these days.

I am barely hanging on but I'm hanging on. It sounds like you're finally getting a proper diagnosis so now it's just a matter of your hard work and perserverence and things will start to balance out for you.

I've been to doctor it's not good news. I would like to play easy games I was real good on games

what if you hit your head on a metal door and you start feeling dizzy and 

thank you i am 12 i got layed out in footbll he hit me in the back penelty and i couldnt talk atall for a miniute or two but for some reason i went back inteh game and got 11 more tackles and 3 sack on the qb but in my back there was like nerve damage i think it hurt every time i took a shower it stjung

Thanks for the website and all info Sarah, psychology student, Iran
Auto accident at Wayne and Wilmington 24 June 2010 have all on list plus lower spine/back pain; still suffering at this writing. Some MD's and Neurologists have no experience in TBI. Especially be careful not to go to a MD who first practiced in a socialized medicine country- if you walk and talk your good to go. It happened to me at another place not KMC. Richard in Kettering 937.654.4771 Help with proper care please.
Was a security officer at a local club got bashed and kicked around. Unconcious 10 mins cant even spell my wifes name anymore all the symtoms. 10 days later whats next in my life.
was in fatal car accident, have not had any medical treatment since leaving hospital...three years ago, everything on this list is my daily life
after my hellicopter crash 12-25-72 i was having almost all the signs and symptoms so the doctors at sick call keep telling me its the flu syndrome here is some through losingers return to full duty or they would say general malisia fit for duty
Great article!
Is timing critical? Is there a 24=48 hour period where getting appropriate helps make a difference in the opportunity for full/significant recovery?

1989 I was 9 years old and was in a car wreck. a 16 year old girl hit us head on at the top of a hill when we was on our way to church. I was in the middle back seat wearing the slide able seat belt. so when she hit us I flew straight into the front dash and broke every bone on the left side of my face. the bones on my forehead crushed into my brain and my eye ball was floating around in my head. I was out of conches. the helicopter flew me out. they told my parents if I lived I would be a vegetable. I had 3 surgeries. died three times. in a coma for 9 weeks. they had to cut my head from one ear across my head to the other ear. rebuilt the whole side of my face for a adult size so they would not have to do it again when I grow up. put a metal plate and screws for my forehead. stuck my eye back into socket. when I came out of the coma I was very week. they would hold onto me and walk me a little bit down the hallway. I had lost 3 days of my memory before the wreck. oh ya I was not a vegetable thank the lord. so because of my brain having bones crushed in, it killed the left side of my brain, so my nerves on my right side makes it hard for me to write because my hand cramps really bad and starts to hurt. my toes curls down on my right side and I walk on them. my spine has a curve above my tail bone, so I have arthritis and back pain. the doctor said it will get worse as I get older, so now I am 39 and I just recently trying to write with my left hand, go to a chiropractor since I was 18, I have a lot of pain in my foot to were it is very hard for me to walk. when I get up from sitting I feel like a old lady because I have like three raising ups before I am standing straight. my grandma is 85 and she stands up like a young person with no problems. after hearing about some people not being able to walk later on I think that may happen to my right leg soon. now my left side of my body is fine, nothing wrong at all. because of my left side of my brain being dead it just messed up my right side of my body. I called a lady that works to help peoples nerves, but when I told her my story she said they can not help it because of my brain being dead. but I just thank God for bringing me through all of this when I was 9. I wish there was something to help my nerves. I can tell a big difference about my health the last 10 years. I am very happy I have 2 girls 6 and 8, and I have been married for 20 years. I thank god for letting me have a great family, I have went to church with my husband since I was 16. my health bothers me bad sometimes but I know I just have to go on and thank God for letting me live.

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