Bleed on the brain - recovery.

oooft.  nothing practical to add but I hope you heal up and feel better soon.

Any symptoms?

I'd be interested in definitive guidance here but when I last looked on behalf of a friend who had a traumatic brain bleed it was sadly lacking (I'm a GP). And he had zero information from the hospital. If you have severe symptoms then the head injury charities can be helpful but I get the impression from your post that is not the case here. As a minimum look at the rugby return to play post concussion guidelines and extend all the time-frames (your injury is likely worse). 

If it was me I'd definitely minimize the risk of any further head injury in the next few weeks - the risk of significant brain injury is much higher initially with any further trauma - even if mild. I would also do the following although I'm not sure of the evidence:

1. Avoid alcohol

2. Optimize sleep (probably the reason to avoid alcohol etc). Sleepstation has some great sleep hygiene advice.

3. Rest the brain for extended periods initially - avoid overstimulation etc

4. Expect a few weeks off work

5. Absolutely prioritize brain recovery. It looks like you have one chance to do it properly. 

6. Restart light exertion eg gentle walks once your symptoms (headache etc) are significantly improving. Then gradually increase vs any recurrence or flare of symptoms and fatigue.

7. As with any injury affecting exercise you need to focus harder on managing the lifestyle factors within your control - eat healthily, try and do pleasurable things etc

If there is enough trauma to cause a bleed then I think we would assume significant associated trauma in other parts of the brain, even if it is not evident at this stage. Hence a cautious approach. It is one of the very few situations where rest is appropriate - I'm almost always telling people they need to up their game, but not here. 

The fatigue can be profound and cognitive issues can become apparent as you recover so don't panic if these happen. 

That's my experience anyway - as I said I'd be delighted if someone more knowledgeable chipped in ....

It sounds like things have come on a bit since I did something  similar when about 20  (1980)  I was in Hospital for 1 week after op.

on epilim for a year. there was some memory testing done by neuro psych  team. have you been offered any follow up? I was off work for 3 months mainly cos told not to drive. ended up puttting on a bit of weight being bored at home, but following steps1-7 from doc. sounds a good start to avoid that. I was tired all of the time so slept a lot. went back to work 2 days a week which knackered me to start with. I did develop some LHS weakness in arm. should have had some physio maybe? 

Any way  a bit of a ramble but upshot is i did survive it for 45yrs so far. I hope all goes well for you and take care.

... is this really Ronan Dunne?

But seriously, was there no more information provided for you? Was there a family member or friend present?

3cm is quite large. 

This is a factsheet that hospitals in my area give patients with potentially less severe injuries than you've had: Minor head injury: Emergency Department factsheets | Clinical Excellence Queensland

Obviously, take the advice of your Dr first, but i'd be looking out and asking those close to you to look out for:

Problems to watch out for
in the next few days to
weeks
In the next few weeks talk to your doctor if you
notice:
 irritability
 mood swings
 tiredness
 concentration problems
 behavioural changes.

There's some good information on the Headway.org.uk website both for those with a brain injury and also for employers when you return to work.  Hope you recover quickly!

I had a bleed sustained in a kickboxing bout that was allowed to grow for four weeks and one day, thanks to a series of apathetic GPs and ED triage nurses. I was begging for a scan as the pain behind my eyes was off the scale, only when my eyes started rolling in my head did someone insist on my behalf for a scan.

All of my brain was in half of my head, they said I had around 18 hours before I would start fitting or have a stroke, so I got to the top of the list for surgery. Blue lights to QE in Brum, then drilled.

Upon discharge, my consultant said it was unusual to see a scan like mine that wasn't post mortem (first time my nurse wife took it seriously 😂😶).

This was oct 2019, had a few months off driving but was back at work within 4 weeks (non manual job) just to give me some sanity.

Followed all the advice above, and am still really careful about knocks etc. I've cut down the drinking, and continued to keep myself in shape.

The doc did say that I would be more impatient/ less tolerant as a result of the bleed, over the years I have learned to recognise this and try and manage it.

I also drink loads of water.

Good luck, plenty of blokes on my ward were in a real mess with a bleed, there's something to be said for a general level of fitness pulling us through these things.

Test...

In our hospital (DGH, no neurosurgery) the Emergency Department team look after traumatic head injuries in hospital and in clinic after discharge- would normally do phone and face to face follow up. The self care advice above is good, plus remembering to maintain social contact and fresh air while in the ‘rest/do nothing’ phase. We know that isolation and inactivity create their own mental health issues that can be attributed to the injury but are actually more due to the temporary change in lifestyle. You shouldn’t be driving, and should have had advice re notifying DVLA. As above, Headway (brain injury charity) provide a load of good resources and would be my first point of call. Good luck!

Appreciated.

I was given advice by the hospital, but given singletrack is such a fountain of knowledge it's silly not to ask advice 

Will have a look at links provided as and when I can take it in. 

Currently apart from being tired, I have no other symptoms so fingers crossed it remains that way 

Posted by: sc-xc

↑

All of my brain was in half of my head

DUDE.

In the next few weeks talk to your doctor if you
notice:
 irritability
 mood swings
 tiredness
 concentration problems
 behavioural changes.

Isn't most of that fairly normal during recovery from brain injuries, even concussion? (Asking after I smacked my head into the ground last year and had a longer recovery than expected, including all of those things!)

I had a "moderate to severe" subdural haematoma a year ago last November. I can post a pic of a bashed helmet if anyone wants. Long story but I self discharged against advice I think on day four after admission as I felt fine(ish) and was at the Airdale where there's no brain surgery anyway. 

And then went back to work the day after that, signed off by head of neurology, London meetings and stay the next day (having initially been asked if I wanted to be signed off for two months). I'd also driven to our place on the coast to shift furniture. I was staying off the bike. Thought I'd fully got away with it but story doesn't end...

Week after that I was in the office and started getting odd visual symptoms in intermittent episodes in a corner of my field of view. Back to A&E, thence neurology. Bleed had been on the visual cortex, bit of circuits shorting out or whatever as it healed, defined as seizures (though I was able to carry on cleaning my teeth whilst they were going on). Only at this point was I advised not to drive for an initial six months. 

Everything resolved after a few days, full normality (for me) in another week or so after that. I do wonder if the occasional cognitive lapse might be less occasional than might otherwise have been the case, colleagues possibly likewise, and I could speculate on what trouble I've stored up for the future. But what would be the point of that? 

The driving thing made my wife recover confidence in the car which is great. For now that's about it...

I have experienced two spontaneous bleeds on my brain - both treated with surgery.

The recovery time from the first bleed and surgery was three-months.  I didn’t try to ride until after that point.  During my recovery, I spent 3 weeks as an inpatient and was discharged.  Post-discharge - I was extremely fatigued and two-weeks post discharge started to experience severe headaches.  Since that event, I have:

• Impaired balance.
• Loss of confidence communicating.
• Increased irritability and lack of patience.
• Decrease in visual acuity.

Riding-wise, I have enjoyed the patience and tolerance of my riding buddies.  I took my time getting back on the bike, and ride considerably more cautiously than I used to.  I ride around my shortcomings - so less slow speed, technical riding.  I have always valued getting out there - but even more so now.

The best advice i can give, is take your time, build your confidence back slowly and don’t be too self-critical.  Give yourself the break - I didn’t give myself.  

Best wishes for an effective recovery.

Posted by: johnx2

↑

Thought I'd fully got away with it but story doesn't end...

Oh no and still hasn't - I obviously hallucinated the forum looking weird and posting something, but then it was like the whole forum just vanished. Did I almost buy the domain name??

I had a concussion last summer which the medics feared was a seizure or heart attack, collapsed while riding and hit the deck head first. Advised not to drive for 3 months.  Only after effect not already noted was dizziness spells, quite unnerving at first, but I assume it's your brain telling your body it isn't happy.

So after loads of tests given the all clear.  Dizziness only happened in bed when turning over, never when upright.

I just took it all really easy, no over exertion, loads of rest, more sleep.

I had a concussion last summer which the medics feared was a seizure or heart attack, collapsed while riding and hit the deck head first. Advised not to drive for 3 months.  Only after effect not already noted was dizziness spells, quite unnerving at first, but I assume it's your brain telling your body it isn't happy.

So after loads of tests given the all clear.  Dizziness only happened in bed when turning over, never when upright.

I just took it all really easy, no over exertion, loads of rest, more sleep.

Avoid heavy metal concerts 😉

Get Well Soon 😀

Avoid heavy metal concerts 😉

sound advice generally 

Avoid heavy metal concerts 😉

sound advice generally 

Dizziness when turning over in bed *could* have been benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV):

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo-bppv

I had that after a helmet smashing bump on the head a few years back. Turning over in bed was when I noticed it most. It faded over the following weeks.

I am suffering with the dizziness in bed, so thanks for that!

Lovely bruising now appearing through my eyes and chin as the scabs fall away. 

Today also marks the first day where I've stayed awake for more than 2 hours throughout the day. 

The lack of painkillers isn't becoming quite apparent also as the bruising comes out.

Today's job was going to the dentist who the hospital referred me too because my lip isn't internally attached to my gum. The dentist has now referred me back to the hospital, I feel like getting this sorted might be the most painful bit so far.

Sorry to hear you've had a clonk on the head.

Just to add I had a bad knock back in 2018. Initial symptoms didn't seem too bad so I too rushed back to work too soon and ended up with some fairly protracted post-concussion symptoms.

I'm yet another voice saying be patient with your injury and be mindful of your symptoms. Make sure those around you know what to spot as well - mood in particular can be tricly to self-diagnose.

A real saviour for me during the earlier phases was audiobooks. Something really unchallenging where it doesn't really matter if you doze through part of a chapter. I listened to one of Geraint Thomas's books and it was perfect - no jeopardy, no hard concepts, just someone talking affably about something familiar.