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übé®_grübé® How long ago was that and have you recovered fully now?I've been quite amazed at the lack of awareness on post concussion effects from my experience. I would hope it is getting better but your experience implies it is widespread as feared.
I think the danger is that if you are up and walking around, especially a few days after the accident, people think you are OK.
I tried to cover up my symptoms at first (badly) because I was part ashamed and also didn't want to be a bother. Once I started telling people, some people were able to offer advice. I am also on another (running) forum and a few people there told me their experience and it was such a relief for me to hear they recovered.
Kiern-
That was in 2012, so a fair while ago now. I'd say my brain's recovered even if I still get a bit anxious about cycling in a way I never did prior to the accident although I think that's just natural self-preservation instincts. I just consciously plan my rides to avoid particularly fast roads or massive roundabouts (where I got run over...)
Yeah it's a weird thing for concussion not to be flagged as a matter of routine-it certainly was when I did first aid a few years later so fuck knows why actual Drs don't bother to check. When I got taken into hospital I was given x-rays as they thought I'd broken my back but nobody checked for head trauma and I was sent home within 12 hours even though I'd a fractured pelvis so generally a pretty shit experience. The GP I saw a few weeks later said I should have been kept in for at least a few days to make sure I didn't have bleeding in the brain and that even two weeks later it was bad enough that she was worried about sending me away without further tests so it seems as much luck as anything else that nothing bad happened. I definitely remember really extreme emotional swings from anger to sadness but just put that down to shock or being pissed off about the cunt that hit me trying to blame me for the collision even while I was lying on the road unable to move... pretty fucking infuriating even now!
I hope you're taking it easy and giving yourself time to recover anyway-not always possible because of work and the need to pay rent etc but important to do as much or as little as you feel like and to avoid alcohol and caffeine or other stimulants and get as much sleep as possible to give yourself the best chance of recover. I'd also recommend taking really high quality fish oil if you can-lots of Omega 3s will also be really helpful, as will zinc, magnesium and vitamin B3.
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this.
I got badly concussed as a result of being hit from behind by a speeding motorist, the helmet was split in half and I had a concussion for about 6 weeks with eyes that looked like a slow loris's but the wonderfully inattentive shits at Harlow General where I'd been carted to on a spinal board didn't bother to tell me that, it was the horrified GP I saw two weeks later who was amazed to find me able to wander in to the surgery complaining of feeling sick and lightheaded under my own steam.
The helmet question wasn't and will never be part of the equation for me-it was shitty driving, poor medical care and then subsequently a total lack of action on behalf of the police that characterised the cause and effect of the whole situation and the quality of my recovery and I could just have easily broken my spine or been run over by the following car that skidded to a halt about a foot from my head.
OP- it took me almost a year to return to normal, things like balance, emotional state and vision were really badly impacted so I'd say a six month hiatus on driving is pretty reasonable although I did cycle from about 2 months after just because I couldn't afford to get around any other way.