Concussion support group

[Chadd 916]

Edit: should mention this is not a thread about diagnosing a concussion or replacement of a doctor's wisdom. Just a support "group"

Exactly correct. While many of us have experienced serious concussion-related problems, we are not medical experts and do not know your medical history. Always see a doctor for an evaluation if you exhibit concussion-related symptoms.

I am of course NOT a Dr ...

Most of us aren't. Only a handful of our members are or have had extended medical training. In most cases they stay out of these topics, unless it is to push someone to see a doctor.

[tro 4]

Hey guys, the past year has sucked for the head.

- Feb dropped coming across the middle, didn't have the head up, but hey its beer league, right? not always as we know, head pressure, just didn't feel myself. Took 2 weeks off, 1 full week after symptoms ended.

- April popped in the jaw after the whistle, quess you shouldn't try to get rebounds while the puck is loose. Dr said it was more of a whiplash not a concussion, but she sent me for a CT scan, useless and unnecessary radiation. The symptoms were about the same, so I took 3 weeks off, got a custom mouthguard.

- Oct got drilled by a goon, didn't even have the puck, felt fine during the game, I give myself a quick SCAT test. Later that night felt nauseas, which let to headaches and pressure. I had done my baseline Impact the day before the hit, so I did one 2 days after the hit, and did better the 2nd time, odd, but the symptoms were still there.

I have been doing alot of research and with past useless experiences (I don't find regular Dr's are very good at diagnosing), I requested a referral to the new concussion clinic at the University of Calgary. All day long they deal with concussions. They have a new robot machine they have been using on Parkinson and Stroke sufferers to test memory and reaction time. They feel it is much more use full than the impact, either way, the more testing the better. My memory and reaction times remain in the high percentile on impact and robot, so it doesn't seem that the knocks are having a noticeable effect. Took 3 weeks off games, played some shinny, moved to a RBK 11K(no helmet will stop it, but all the protection the better.

Dec- puck to the jaw/visor., felt fine again, pain in the jaw moved to the head later on. Started to get minor nausea days later Did impact at home, all good. Went to UofC, went through the SCAT and robot machine(tested better than 1st time), Dr said he wouldn't say concussion, but wouldn't rule out. Told me to exercise, no symp, I can play.

Now it comes down to the personal choice of what am I risking, this is just the past year, Ive been hit hard in men's league a number of times over the years, high school football(you just didn't come off unless your were really out of it) cage rage with the bros, competitive hockey from age 5 to 17, all the other stupid shit guys do.

Who knows how many times the brain has been rocked. Never been knocked out, never had memory or balance issues. But you read the studies, here the news and it freaks me out a bit.

What will the brain be like at 60?? When is the next hit coming that lays me out cold?? Ive lost my aggression on the ice, I am scared to get a puck up the middle, never thought twice about it before.

Ive started to think about quiting, but that makes me sick and angry, quit hockey? really? how the hell do you quit hockey? change your game? seems like Ive done that a little, and not for the better(used to be amoing the top in scoring and now Im not even close, so that really is a piss off) play a lower league? but if you don't lower your play, your a ringer type and still get hit. Ive moved to a cage, studies show they don't prevent concussions, but symptoms seem to be less and players return to play quicker, so I'll take the trash talk and know I'm doing everything to limit the impact.

My advice, not the you need it, take a impact test, take the symptoms seriously (1 problem I have is Im a bit of a hypochondriac, so I maybe looking to much for symps) find a good Dr, ask for referrals to Dr who deal with it all the time. Use the best protection available. Take time off, if pros can miss NHL games/even playoffs, you can miss some beer league.

Thanks for the topic hoggy, most people I know outside of my teams, just don't understand what you are going through, the symps, the stress, and the fear of damage later on.

Later,

[Thinkingjack 51]

whats the difference? I have heard that tossed around before

its the lingering effects that throw off your Everything. Too long to write so i looked up the wiki form of it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-concussion_syndrome

[greech 4]

PCS sucks too. Worse than the concussions themselves for me was two years of varied PCS symptoms.

[hampshirepuck 2]

PCS sucks too. Worse than the concussions themselves for me was two years of varied PCS symptoms.

Yeah tell me about it. I really don't know what was going on until i really started reading up.

it was wierd I had all these conditions doctors claimed were bi-polar, ADHD, chronic migranes, loss of hearing and blurred vision... then one day all the symptoms were gone. very strange.

[Thinkingjack 51]

Yeah tell me about it. I really don't know what was going on until i really started reading up.

it was wierd I had all these conditions doctors claimed were bi-polar, ADHD, chronic migranes, loss of hearing and blurred vision... then one day all the symptoms were gone. very strange.

hit the nail on the head, one doctor tried to put me on medicine for people who were Bi-Polar, another contested him, i probably already had ADHD anyway so thats whatever, but gladly my main doctor diagnosed the PCS and helped then life got better.

i believe i spent more time (4-5 years combined) suffering from PCS than the concussions themselves which sucked, thats why i was really depressed my favorite players retired from it like Primeau, and Stevens.

[hampshirepuck 2]

i believe i spent more time (4-5 years combined) suffering from PCS than the concussions themselves which sucked, thats why i was really depressed my favorite players retired from it like Primeau, and Stevens.

Same here, It was pretty nice to put closure to what was wrong with my head. I was wearing a Bauer 5000 at the time when it was brand new technology, I wonder if I got the same hit now in 9900, I would have had the same result

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

Same here, It was pretty nice to put closure to what was wrong with my head. I was wearing a Bauer 5000 at the time when it was brand new technology, I wonder if I got the same hit now in 9900, I would have had the same result

If it makes you feel better the likelihood is that you would have still gotten the concussion. All depends on how it was worn the impact and how you were hit??? You could have had on the 4000 and been in better shape all depends on the hit or fall. But if you hit your head hard enough it doesn't matter what you had on your head.

[hampshirepuck 2]

Yeah I don't remember much of it except for going into the corner then waking up in th ambulance, but I saw the tape and my head went straight into the boards, it looked similar to the travis roy hit which is why so many people got freaked out. I wear the 4500 now, but my days of hitting are long gone

[puckhoggy 0]

Same here, It was pretty nice to put closure to what was wrong with my head. I was wearing a Bauer 5000 at the time when it was brand new technology, I wonder if I got the same hit now in 9900, I would have had the same result

I was wearing my 9900

[puckhoggy 0]

So I was totalhockey.com looking for a helmet accessory, when I came across an item called "Shockwave Helmet G-Force Impact Indicator"

It's basically a helmet sticker/indicator that measures force that could lead to head trauma. Anybody heard of this before? I went on their site as well and didn't know what to make of the item...

[Chadd 916]

So I was totalhockey.com looking for a helmet accessory, when I came across an item called "Shockwave Helmet G-Force Impact Indicator"

It's basically a helmet sticker/indicator that measures force that could lead to head trauma. Anybody heard of this before? I went on their site as well and didn't know what to make of the item...

The only problem is, there's no way to know how much force is required to give any one individual a concussion on any given hit. It's better than nothing but it really doesn't prove anything.

[Jason Harris 31]

A fantastic article about concussions from the Boston Globe: http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-07/opinion/30601198_1_subconcussive-brain-banks-chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

The only problem is, there's no way to know how much force is required to give any one individual a concussion on any given hit. It's better than nothing but it really doesn't prove anything.

Sometimes a slight bump is nothing, sometimes, it's a concussion with headaches and side effects for days, weeks, months. Best thing to do, is get a baseline test. We have all of our high school players do it at the beginning of the season. If any of them get rocked and complain of a headache or anything, we send them in for testing the next day to see if there are any cognitive effects present.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

So I was totalhockey.com looking for a helmet accessory, when I came across an item called "Shockwave Helmet G-Force Impact Indicator"

It's basically a helmet sticker/indicator that measures force that could lead to head trauma. Anybody heard of this before? I went on their site as well and didn't know what to make of the item...

The biggest issue here is that they have not been tested with the helmet companies so here in Canada they would nulify the certification as it is an alternate piece of equipment!

[bandits_5 18]

Drink your muscle milk boys! http://thedp.com/index.php/article/2012/01/penn_med_study_shows_muscle_milk_may_treat_concussions

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

The only time I had Muscle Milk was the cookies n cream flavor that made me gag so hard I felt it in my taint.

[number21 3]

Drink your muscle milk boys! http://thedp.com/ind...eat_concussions

Or eat real food like meat and dairy responsibly.

(Personally, I don't buy into supplements, unless someone has a condition that results in a deficiency. Just a personal belief.)

[bandits_5 18]

Or eat real food like meat and dairy responsibly.

(Personally, I don't buy into supplements, unless someone has a condition that results in a deficiency. Just a personal belief.)

I am a big fan of things like Muscle Milk , Myoplex , and other Protein Powders . But for me its because I dont have the time to sit down to 5 or 6 small meals a day. Between work , coaching 2 youth travel teams , and playing beer leagues , time is of the essence. They're great for post game , packed with vitamins n minerals , and now as the article says , they can help recover from concussion ( i hope i dont get one to test it though )! WWGRD!

And I would'nt nessasarily call Protien powders a supplament. They're food , in covienient , on the go liquid form.

[Chadd 916]

And I would'nt nessasarily call Protien powders a supplament. They're food , in covienient , on the go liquid form.

They avoid FDA regulation by being classified as a supplement. If they were food, they would be subject to government testing and regulation.

[bandits_5 18]

They avoid FDA regulation by being classified as a supplement. If they were food, they would be subject to government testing and regulation.

True. But if you buy from a reputable company , youll probably get what the label says. Now if you buy off the guy in a trench coat in a back alley off of 5th ave., well then , ur takin a chance.

Anyways back on topic. I was just sayin that they tested Muscle Milk and it was believed to help reduce concussion symptoms and duration of the concussion.

http://thedp.com/ind...eat_concussions

[Chadd 916]

True. But if you buy from a reputable company , youll probably get what the label says.

The issue has more to do with testing the claims they make than the contents. Though that is obviously a valid concern, especially if they're importing it from China or another nation with lax testing standards.

[bandits_5 18]

Ill take my chances with the protein powders vs McDonalds or Burger King though , haha

[forbs02 20]

I wanted to post this article because it relates to this group.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/140667083.html

I have watched this player work very hard in her rehab just to get back to having a normal life. She is a great person and has an excellent outlook on life. This was her first concussion and it ended her very promising hockey career.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Wow.

Thanks for sharing that with us, Kate.