Traumatic Brain Injury

[Dolomite_supafly]

So as most of you know I was in a helicopter accident in 2008. And since the accident my memory has been exactly crap. I basically forget the last 10 minutes or if I am aggravated or distracted I forget everything within the last minute or two. And up to this point my wife has always thought the memory issues were related to the medications I take daily and I agreed with her. Well a few months back I was talking to my "back" doctor about the memory issues and if we could change medications. He said the medication I am on should not affect my memory and if it did it would only be for a short time when I started taking them. He said by now you should be used to the medications and the memory should be fine. I told him it wasn't. Then he suggested it might be a TBI and asked if I was knocked out in the accident, I wasn't. Then he asked if I had bumped my head during the accident and I told him I honestly I do not know but it was a very violent crash so it is very possible. He wanted to have me evaluated for a TBI but I told him to wait on it for now. I asked him if anything can be done and he said it was likely as good as it is going to get. He said even though I was not knocked out I could have a TBI like football players and boxers get. He did say the memory issue, and how I forget, is indicative of a TBI.

 

Question I have is who else has a TBI and what testing did they do to determine that?

 

I was supposed to get my memory evaluated a few years ago but it also fell through the insurance cracks.

[Raoul]

Was the crash military?

If so have you registered with the VA?

[c.a.willard]

Usually testing is a combination of imaging(MRI and CT) along with cognitive and neuropsychological tests. Don't have a TBI myself, but have had a few of my good friends go through the screenings for the VA.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I am former military but I was not at the time of the accident in Afghanistan.

 

Yes, I am a long time VA member.

[KahrMan]

Don't discount your medication theory.  My wife has never had a TBI but does have issues with memory.  We are convinced that it is a side effect of some of the medication she is taking.  When you are taking multiple medications from different doctors, I don't think they really know all the side effect from the interaction of the different medications with each other.

[Omega]

I am former military but I was not at the time of the accident in Afghanistan.

 

Yes, I am a long time VA member.

I would make contact the VA TBI clinic in Nashville.  I am not sure but I thing even if it is not service connected they will see you for evaluation.  I was sent there due to some questionnaire they did prior to an appointment I had.  They doc there did a very good assessment which of course indicated I had no TBI.

[Raoul]

I would make contact the VA TBI clinic in Nashville.  I am not sure but I thing even if it is not service connected they will see you for evaluation.  I was sent there due to some questionnaire they did prior to an appointment I had.  They doc there did a very good assessment which of course indicated I had no TBI.

This.^^^

Also if you could find someone to do an honest assessment of your meds would be a good first start.

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

[raildog]

Usually testing is a combination of imaging(MRI and CT) along with cognitive and neuropsychological tests.

This is what they did to me both times they thought I had a TBI. Both times told me i would have to have a brain to have a injury then set me back to the fob to fight some more got to love the ARMY

[Tncobra]

Are you taking gabapentin?

[Dolomite_supafly]

Are you taking gabapentin?

Nope, but I was on it long before the accident for some other injuries but I have not taken it in at least 14 years.