Sleeping/eating

Hello all, I’m 58 days since my injury(tbi, broken vertebrae’s, and vertebral artery injury). Feel like up until last few days it’s been generally “smooth”. But recently I have had broken sleep and light nausea. Able to eat a little and hold down food but just uneasy feeling. (On plavix and this could be a side effect from that)

Curios if anyone has had similar symptoms and did new symptoms appear as time went on. Also, any advice on sleep would be great. Hope you all enjoy your Sunday. Thanks, Zach

Hey Zach,

Wow, that’s some sort of injury. Have you sought medical attention? Have you had any scans?
When it comes to TBI’s 58 days is still very new in regard to the injury. Often with some injuries there can be a honeymoon period and often it’s not until that honeymoon is over, things settle that the true extent maybe seen.

I was involved in a MVA as a child. At the time the medicos simply said ‘Bump on the head, you’ll be OK…’ But nothing identified. I had a couple of other incidents that were ignored despite me reporting symptoms ie headaches, odd tingles, etc, etc. Labelled ‘Growing Pains’. Add 20yrs, I’m driving down the road and the lights went out. I couldn’t see. Had a scan and my neurosurgical journey started.

Yes, some symptoms can take time to appear. As for your sleep, there are some medications but when it comes to TBI’s meds can often mask an issue. There are some ‘sleep theories’ in regard to emptying the mind, learning breathing exercises, relaxation techniques that may assist. Massaging and releasing muscle tension in the neck, face and shoulders can help.

I have found that some medicos want us to eliminate many of these alternative therapies prior to offering a pharmaceutical options, but CT or an MRI scan may show a physical change in the brain.

Hope it helps,
Merl

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Thanks for the response. Yea I’ve had an mri the night it happened and few C scans since then. In my most recent visits doctors didn’t mention anything about my brain from the Catscan. Just asked if I’ve thrown up/felt dizzy and nausea, to which I said no. Then the day I get home from that(Thursday) felt nausea.

I’m geared up for the long run in whatever it’s gonna take. The unknown factors and trying to decide reasoning for symptoms is the biggest thing for me.

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Absolutely, it’s those ‘unknown factors’ that vary for us all. Many of the medicos like the simplest theory, I call it the ‘A+B=C’ theory. But I’m not ‘A’, I’m not ‘B’ and my situation is not as simple as ‘C’. For me it’s more like A+B-CxD/E√F… and everyone of them is variable and no 2 days are the same. I too ‘try’ (not always successfully) to establish the ‘why?’ for my symptoms. I find it easier to accept if I can identify a reason. If I’ve over exerted myself, if I’ve been out in the bright sunlight too much, if I’ve stressed myself out in some way, not eaten properly, forgotten medications, etc, etc I’m not happy about it all, but I can accept it. But when there is no obvious reason GGGGRrrrrrrrr, I find it SO frustrating at times.

Merl

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Hi i have tbi from accidents long ago but i did get punched in the head like 6 years ago and i think the assualt and stress from that did more damage than injury.i have fould out the hard way it takes a few years to regoup from incidents like that hang in there .my friends say im getter better everyday.sorry that happened to you but i promise it will get better.

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Glad to hear you improved! Thanks for the words…Yes I’ve accepted it will likely be a long tough road. Just taking it a day at a time. Relaxing seems to be the most difficult part. Anytime I feel symptoms my brain races to think of why and I try and look them up.

Often, post injury, when we report symptoms they can be taken as hearsay. Try to keep a diary, have your symptoms, the time of day, your treatments/management tools, your activity at the time, the weather etc all recorded. This can help identify any patterns with your symptoms and triggers. It can also show the medicos that you are being proactive in your own care.

As I say our verbal info can be taken as hearsay. Having your information documented by your pcp can also assist. Some medicos are less likely to minimise your concerns if the info is provided from one medico (your pcp) to another (your specialist). Also having it all documented can reduce the duplication of treatments/tests as often seeing differing dr’s, they can order the same test repeatedly.

Merl

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