Does anyone else continue to get worse after a tbi?

I had just what you had in 2013. 8 hour brain surgery. I have to carry my phone number in my purse because I can't remember 7 numbers. I will be 57 in a week. I get lost very easily and have a vision impairment. I have epilepsy now and The meds are hard on your liver. I had a heart attack last summer from a thyroid problem. As I get older, everything seems to get worse. My sister, mom and dad have already passed away from cancer. I can't work and it takes me a longer time to do everything. After I pay my rent, I have $300. (Canada) to live on for the month. I am stressed and depressed to the max. But what can I do? Chronic stress is not good for you. I just keep on going...always better to laugh than cry...

I think that's part of my problem. I'm sorry to hear what your going through but your not alone. I feel like every doctor ignores me and thinks I'm making it up because I'm too positive about my situation. I can't control my life but I can control how I look at life.

You have been on the (phenytoin?) meds for a while; those are hard on the liver. Check with your neurologist on if you can switch to some newer/other meds. Keppra (including generic) and some others are metabolized by the kidneys so don't impact liver function.

No I've never been on phenytoin before. I tried Keppra in the past. One of my biggest problems is that I can't focus on anything. Not like adhd focus, I can't even focus my eyes on one particular thing. My brain just can't process things.

When I had my TBI my filters were stripped, everything was louder, smellier, more emotional, and my memory was shot. Brain injuries hit everyone differently. Without the focus, are there things that you do, that you enjoy? I escaped into watching movies (not loud ones).

I used music as my key. Listened to my favorite band, watched YTube videos, sang with the band... music, music, music

Dear @beauregard, @crawford, @kayabbott, @ricjm
(WOW, it was good of typing these names; 1st time)

——TBI Problems are Different than Others ——
You all write real-names, real-words, real-understanding, real-thinking of different TBI problems. That’s great. BUT for me, I lost 80% of my ability & memory & understanding of my bicycle accident 1 block from my house, 12 yrs ago. In that, I hit that bicycle from the top of my head on the left-side that road.

—- My Use Before My TBI Accident —
I am alive but I couldn’t help my family. Before my TBI I could do a lot of our house, payments, computer uses, working with a great city-technology depts that helped depts-over-depts, driving our pick-up needs, and-on-and-on. Most is gone.

-— Travel of Driving Anymore? —-
I have no ideas of my meds or to doctors or hair cut or going to parties or going to our church and in outside our house. My right-side eye use doesn’t work anymore that means no more driving. Losing no-more-driving is 70% of my needs.

—- Thankfully Alive! —-
Thankfully I’ve been mairred (sp?) for the last 41 yrs. She takes me to my meds, doctors, and the rest. My wife has told me that I was in a hostpitual (sp?). They asked her is it OK to tske off parts of my body that will help others? She hated that and caused at them. It took me a few years getting better. And I’m way better after this. Sure, I’m way down than before my TBI.

Thx,
Greg D.

I try to enjoy things but I work 14 hours a day 5 days a week. My biggest issue isn't the problems after surgery. It's more the fact that I keeps getting worse and developing new symptoms.

Fourteen hour days 5 days a week would be hard for anyone. I don't think I could function with 60 hour weeks. I hope the work isn't too stressful and you can get enough sleep.

You work 14 hours, 5 days a week? Stop it!!!!