Advice, please. My head.

[Shari]

Thursday afternoon, Wee and I were in a little car accident. We were traveling 30-40mph and were t-boned on the driver's side by another car.

Everyone walked away, tho I did hit my head on the side window and have, I think, I minor head injury. As expected, I have/had a pretty substantial headache. Friday, however, I had a lot of "blonde moments", so I decided to see my doctor. Neuro exam was all as to be expected, and being late on a Friday, we opted to not do CT or MRI. He told me not to take anything more than acetametaphin (I had been taking ibuprofen) and to call if anything got even slightly worse.

My head is still pounding, but I can't say its worse. I feel less disorented than I did on Friday, tho I'm still doing stupid stuff fairly routinely (milk in the pantry type stuff). This afternoon, I decided if I was going to die, I'd be dead, so I dug into the ibuprofen bottle. I've been alternating ibuprofen, acetametaphin, and one dose of excedrin. Tho my headache decreased andd the pain I was feeling was more in the base of my head and neck and more tolerable, I am now running a low fever, despite the medications.

doctor gave me his home number, but I dont know if a fever is related to a head injury at all? I don't think anything more is goinig on, but I'd sure like to feel better. I'd like to go to work tomorrow!

Any experience?

 

[tiredmommy]

Call the doctor... you've got something going on. I'd hate to think that the fever might be related to swelling. Call tonight; he may want you to go to the emergency room tonight.

 

[ML]

Please call.

 

[everywoman]

okay---I didn't know so I googled it and this is what I found
What Are The Things You Should Watch For?

1. Extreme sleepiness.
2. Repeated vomiting.
3. Seizures or other unusual movements.
4. Marked restlessness.
5. Inability to move an arm or leg.
6. Fever.
7. Severe headache four hours after injury and in spite of taking aspirin or Tylenol®.
8. Confusion.
9. Different sized pupils (the dark opening in the middle of the eye.)

I would call the dr. or go to the er to be safe.

 

[flutterby]

Call the doctor. Go to the ER.

Now.

 

[Andy]

Any time a doctor gives his home number do not hesitate to use it. Call NOW - don't be polite and wait until morning! Docs do NOT routinely give out their home numbers. He is concerned about you and I am sure he is wondering how things are going. He WILL tell you that you should have called him sooner. CALL CALL CALL!

If you don't want to call him than go to the ER NOW - THIS SECOND. Take doctor's number with you and tell ER staff he gave his permission for you to call him.

 

[miles2go]

I assume you heeded the advice here already. Lookup subdural hematoma, and trepan too. But after you get someone to drive you to ER while calling your doctor on the way. In short, you can have bleeding between your brain and skull that is painless but is forming a bubble that is pressing on the brain. even a smallish impact can cause it. the sooner they diagnose it and have a chance to drain it the better.

 

[Shari]

I called the doctor...as long as the fever stays low (below 101), I will see him before regular appointments at the clinic in the morning. If it hits 101 or above, I call him and go in. As much better as I felt with the advil, I'm avoiding it...back to just tylenol. Will ask for something else tomorrow (codeine, maybe?) Am guessing work is out tomorrow... :-(

Temp is down for now. My temp usually runs around 97, and I'm down to 98.4, so its good. Really tired, but can't seem to sleep...

Thanks, all. Sorry for being absent.

 

[KTMom91]

Hope you're feeling better soon. Is Wee having any after effects?

 

[Shari]

Only a major meltdown when I wasn't home when he got home on Friday...he, of course, told everyone of his exciting event, and they, in turn, called me, concerned. When I wasn't home when he got home, he panicked and threw a fairly major tantrum, but, was later able to say it was because he was worried.

And he certainly doesn't help the headache. lol

 

[Mamaof5]

The fact that an anti-inflammatory (NSAID - the advil) makes the headache better than the tylenol does says a lot. Please do be careful, I hope you are okay. The NSAID may be masking a brain swelling (concussion?) because of it's anti-inflammatory properties.

I'm sorry you were hit, my mom was hit earlier this year after brain surgery no less (tboned, other driver was speeding and ran a red light, totaled my mom's car). Hope you difficult child is okay too. Wow, the last thing you and difficult child needed isn't it. It's amazing how many people are given licenses that shouldn't be allowed to have one.

 

[gcvmom]

Please post an update when you get back from the clinic! I hope everything is o.k. -- you've got ALL of us worried now, too!

 

[Hound dog]

Shari you need that MRI /CTscan, fever or no fever.

Yes it could be just a concussion, but you've no way to know for sure until you've been tested properly.

My Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was initially missed, as was the decompression fracture of my skull, although the area was quite large. Family thought something was "off" but didn't think to mention it to the docs. Docs thought I was the space case of the universe due to the high doses of Morphine they had me on for the shattered shoulders. (which by the way I shouldn't have been given with a head injury) But even extremely high doses of morphine don't make me a space cadet.

On top of it all, this happened via a car accident. You need this injury and any possible effects from it documented asap to be reimbursed for any and all medical costs that may result from it.

My short term memory was basically squat for almost 3 yrs.

hugs

 

[totoro]

I hope you are doing OK. Please let us know and take care of yourself.

 

[Star*]

Shari,

I've been hit seven times by drunk drivers and 2 more times by non drunks......(I'm flypaper for freaks -swear) I've had multiple concussions. (I know THAT explains a lot huh?) SHUSH UP YOUZE.

Anytime you take a blow to the head there can be swelling, SOME MEDICATIONS.....can aggravate this and cause undue swelling. (Whoda thunk). Like Momo'5 said - The fact that one medication works and the other does not says something. At this point? If an MRI has shown no swelling significant enough to show up on a screen? It's still possible that with your brain on spin it's trying to calm itself and rest and ice are about all you can do. A knock to the noggin shouldn't be taken lightly. It could ALSO.....be a pinched nerve, a vertebrae slightly out of alignment, tense muscles, stress trauma....and a combination of all of them. It's like your body is TELLING nae SCREAMING - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Seriously - I know you are an all out gal but I think for a few days - your family should consider you in bed, resting with an alternating ice and heat treatment and possible trip to a chiropractor. If for nothing else than an alignment or massage. Also - Try this stuff called HEAD ON. It's in a tube, it's REALLY awesome for head pain.....it's about $10 a tube and a little dab on both temples soaks in quick and gives pretty quick relief. It beats taking all those pills too.

Hope you and wee feel better soon.
Hugs & Love
STar

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Shari,

please let us know what the doctor said this morning.

Sharon

 

[JJJ]

Shari - how are you doing?

 

[Shari]

Hi all. Thanks for the concern and sorry to give you undue worry! I came to work today (WOOHOO!!!!) and I'm a tad behind, but I do apologize for leaving you hanging!

Saw doctor yesterday and did the CT. No bleeding, no major damage, just swelling, which was to be expected, but not anything massive. Tho he expected the headache to be at least markedly improved, and it had not (which is not all that uncommon for me...once I get something inflammed, it takes a while (and generally some outside help) to get that swelling to go away for whatever reason). In fact, by the time I saw him, I was pretty much ralphing up about half of what I was taking in, so....no, NOT an improvement. Since no bleed, that made ibuprofen, etc, ok, and he gave me a "kick start" with some steroids.

I feel 300% better. I am still very aware that there is a melon on my shoulders, but its not a throbbing, screaming, 100 pound melon up there. Its just a little "eye-strained, tingling start of a headache in the base of my head, I know you're up there, and occasionally I should know something I don't" feeling. I can handle that. And miraculously (sarcasm, there), once the headache was under control, the nausea took a walk, too.

I hope to make it to the chiro later this week and hopefully he can put things back into their rightful places and I'll be all be just like new again. Well, except I wont be naked this time. And the car's still screwed. But you know what I mean.

Thanks!

 

[KTMom91]

Glad you're feeling better!

 

[Star*]

Oh honey - keep yer trap shut and RIDE THE SICK BIG PITY TRAIN TO WELLSVILLE.......PUHLEASE......

Glad to hear you're feeling better but I think WE are the ONLY one's you should tell. Know what I mean? (HUGE WINK) at least say something like - The doctor said this medicine could take ALL WEEKEND to work. IF I have bed rest.