How long does post concussion head pain and cognitive fatigue last?

@kayabbott Thank you for replying. Yes, you are right. I don't have any family to help. My husband was also hurt. So we struggle through each day. We are just now trying to straighen up the yard and house that have been neglected.

Atm, Neurofeedback is our saving grace. It was recommended and someone told me about a lady that offered $50 trials one morning a week (normally $200 for 20-30m session). We saw immediate improvements, which some suggest means compressed spine issues - then like our Chiropractor and therapist says, "that's a good sign, means electrical signals are getting through". The woman let us rent the equipment, then we bought a system and use it morning and night. $10K unit, but a lot better than $800-1000 per day, scheduling appointments and traveling back and forth. Essentially paid for itself in a week when we were doing 3 sessions a day, each.

@patty78962 It is important to be kind to yourself. Parts of you are healing, but the rest of you is still you. TBIs are particularly hard because of the good days, which get longer through time, plateaus with "is this all I'm going to recover?", and bad days. I tried to think of the bad days as my brain needing a rest to rewire. I didn't get to 100% on words or numbers, but enough. I replaced the lessened abilities with new learning and hobbies. I'm still lousy at Sudoku, but ehh, continuing to try is the needed part.

May 2019 - still deal with headaches, dizziness, cognitive impairment, brain fog, irritability, depression, etc. This was my 3rd concussion and by far the most severe - point of impact in 4-car pile up. Neurologist is very supportive, but recovery has plateaued. Put on a brave face, but struggles at home & work are taking their toll.

@cor17 As you have found, healing from TBI is hard and very slow. I didn't have physical injuries beyond my TBI and skull fracture. Physical injury adds to the fatigue. After 2 years I felt better, but still some physical and emotional fatigue. I exercised my brain and body when I wasn't fantasizing about naps. I still had to heal from the social isolation; every time a coworker joked about me being brain damaged I felt gut punched. Most people will have no idea of what you are going through physically and emotionally, and having at least one person for support is important. I was also working on integrating who I was with who I was now; even just having a TBI will change you for better and worse. I lost trust in my self and abilities until I had healed enough to recognize what a difficult journey I had been traveled.
Most of my recovery took about 2.5 years (as marked by smell and taste returning and word finding mostly returning). It actually took more than 8 years for my final-point recovery, when my left temporal EEG was normal and driving felt like cars were not aiming for me (processing incoming noise, motion, colors). It has been 33 years, and my word finding didn't recover completely, but it means I have a good excuse to cheat on crossword puzzles.

Just reading everyone's comments. Really helpful to hear what you are all going through, I got teary knowing I am not alone. My accident was a month ago, falling hard direct on my chin on asphalt pavement, slicing it open. I didn't have a bad headache at first, and the concussion symptoms affecting cognition only became obvious days later. Week 4 and I've developed a persistent headache like a band around my forehead, easing a bit with bed rest. The brain feebleness/cognitive incapacity is freaking me out. I'm seeing a physio next week and they will decide (in week 5) whether I get sent for scans. At my first concussion screening online the day, I was told to expect recovery in about 3 months, and that rest and cutting down as much as poss on stimuli is the most important thing. Has anyone else heard that magnesium glycinate (up to 3 mg) is helpful for sleep? I was also told that being on anti-anxiety/antidepressant meds and taking progesterone both of which I happen to be on are actually helpful for brain recovery. I'd be grateful to know what therapies/strategies others are finding useful. Thanks!

@kayabbott

Thank you for those time details.
I'm 23 months in, and...I just have days where I think THIS IS IT. It's not going to get any better.

The before and after mental battle does take it's toll. I feel like an idiot when the wrong word comes out, or I struggle with math, or forgot.

@patty78962

Wow Patty we are like twins! I am sending big hugs!

It is a struggle as I go into month 8. I am currently functioning at approximately 60% of my pre-injury cognitive baseline. I feel that if my headache was gone I would be able to function better but with the constant headache comes fatigue and just an overall attention deficit with none of the energy I used to have.

I am praying to wake up to my “normal “ self. Now I am being pushed to go backed to work which makes me very nervous as it is fast paced and stressful. I would love to go back. But it is not the type of job you can just take a break. My customers are global and very needy. Plus I need my math skills. I have 2 months to get ready. 😊 but my brain is just not in my control.

The hard part is that we look fine on the outside. So no one sees or understands the trauma our brains are suffering from.

Right now I try to take it one day at a time. Stay positive. Keep hope in my heart. Now waiting for Spring and hoping my brain wants to garden because I used to love to garden 🪴

@cor17 As you have found, healing from TBI is hard and very slow. I didn't have physical injuries beyond my TBI and skull fracture. Physical injury adds to the fatigue. After 2 years I felt better, but still some physical and emotional fatigue. I exercised my brain and body when I wasn't fantasizing about naps. I still had to heal from the social isolation; every time a coworker joked about me being brain damaged I felt gut punched. Most people will have no idea of what you are going through physically and emotionally, and having at least one person for support is important. I was also working on integrating who I was with who I was now; even just having a TBI will change you for better and worse. I lost trust in my self and abilities until I had healed enough to recognize what a difficult journey I had been traveled.
Most of my recovery took about 2.5 years (as marked by smell and taste returning and word finding mostly returning). It actually took more than 8 years for my final-point recovery, when my left temporal EEG was normal and driving felt like cars were not aiming for me (processing incoming noise, motion, colors). It has been 33 years, and my word finding didn't recover completely, but it means I have a good excuse to cheat on crossword puzzles.

Just feeling down….has anyone been told that someone couldn’t believe that you are still not recovered yet, by a doctor and coworker in that demeaning tone that makes you feel like it’s your fault?

I have never had such a hard time returning to work everyday with all these symptoms and just functioning everyday. Sometimes it’s all I can do to just survive the severe cognitive impairments and fatigue during the workday, make it home and just cry.

Thanks for listening and letting me vent everyone, I am so much better than before and I know I have a long way to go and I won’t give up but it is definitely hard to hear statements like that and deal with people who have no compassion towards our TBI difficulties and recovering as much as possible. I will never fully recover but I am working so hard to learn all of the tools and tricks to function at the highest level possible!

Have a blessed day