← Return to Adult Life after a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

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@hde521

Severe-TBI severing midbrain & frontal lobe

Hi,
My husband is the patient this post concerns. I'm writing it to see if there are any others out there who either have experience with this or who might have advice.

In 2011 my husband sustained a severe traumatic brain injury while serving in the military. The injury resulted in a near complete severing of midbrain from frontal lobe and induced a permanent state of fight-or-flight until which time as we were able to locate a team of doctors who were knowledgeable enough about such injuries to perform very specific treatments on him. They were limited in what they were able to repair but able to repair enough that he was no longer locked into fight-or-flight.

He is currently in a state of limbo. He functions well enough that he is no longer at risk of injuring himself or someone else when he has an episode of panic, is able to "talk himself down" once in a great while, but he is not functional enough to live a "normal" life and never will be "normal" again.

The long term prognosis provided by the team who treated him was that he would most likely experience depression, general idiopathic anxiety, & changes in personality.

They also advised me to expect mood swings, aggression, memory loss, inability to think clearly, sleep issues & loss of progress made (back-sliding) if he stopped his neurological exercises. He stopped them within 6-months of treatment because he believes they did nothing, despite my telling him that they must certainly did help. He has experienced everything they suggested could happen, and more.

Things I would add to that least of possible symptoms, beyond what the team of brain trauma experts expected us to deal with is: drastic changes in food cravings/weight gain, raging agoraphobia, hypothalamus/anterior pituitary malfunctions directly related to the acid base/balance, uncontrollable addictions to things that cause the "feel good" release of oxytocin, & his sleep/wake cycles being completely unable to maintain any sort of consistent schedule.

His treatments were done at a specialty brain clinic 5-years after the injury occurred, and 2-years ago Mayo's bought it out and melded with them, so all of his records are now in Rochester as I understand it.

His agoraphobia, lack of funds (because I am an unemployed nursing student) and his belief that NO ONE can help him, not even the experts... are the current obstacles preventing me from seeking out legitimate treatments for him beyond this forum. My end goal is to follow-up on what was done 5-yrs ago & get help for the symptoms we deal with on a daily basis with him but I don't know when or if I ever will be able to.

Due to the unstable state he exists in, (his mood swings and everything else) we made the choice, as a couple, to live separately to protect our children. Providing myself and the children with a "safe space" so that on the bad days we can leave and no one will get hurt either physically or emotionally.

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Replies to "Severe-TBI severing midbrain & frontal lobe Hi, My husband is the patient this post concerns. I'm..."

@hde521 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

I'm sorry your family is going through this. Having a TBI and being in a close relationship with someone with a TBI can be extremely difficult and his lack of openness to treatment is concerning.

Mayo Clinic Connect is a place to give and get support.

You will notice that I merged your question to a previous related topic. I did this so you could connect with members like @anncgrl @jillyanne @dawnpereda @kw1904861 @treyaj @lakelifelady @oceanfun1 @micekja @willbc @caroleeuits @swift

I'm also tagging @colleenyoung in hopes that she may have additional resources for you.

In all of this, where are you? How do you take care of yourself? What does your support system look like? Do you have a therapist or are you part of a support group?