Senility After TBI: Lori Part Twenty Three
It has long been suspected that brain injury accelerates age related cognitive decline including senility after TBI. The research is beginning to show that those who’ve had significant brain injuries when they were younger, are going to show signs of senility after TBI quicker and younger.
Do you feel like you are cognitively worse that you were three years ago? Five years ago?
No.
Now you’ve mentioned a couple of examples of things that you’ve said “I don’t drive the last two years, I’ve –”, you know, “I haven’t been doing this.” Um, “I’m having problems that my friends also have,” but you’re, like, through, between a line saying, “But I know mine are worse.” Uh, do you see that happening?
Yeah, yeah, now that you say that. And yeah, I guess, I guess, uh, because I don’t drive as much that I am cognitively more decreased. Yeah, okay.
Do you feel that your emotions are changing again?
I cry a lot easier. A lot easier. Um, basically it’s the, the tearfulness and crying.
Now, do you think there’s a, a menopausal explanation for that, or does menopause seem to be hitting you harder than other women your age?
I really think it’s hitting me harder than other women my own age. I’ve spoken online and then I’ve talked to and, I would just love to have the time and the strength and the patience to research this because I think that’s huge. And I’m, I’m sure, yeah, that the whole menopausal thing is more huge because of the brain injury that I went through.
Have you had any hormonal testing?
Yeah. And I’m, I’m post-menopausal now.
But you’ve not seen anybody who is a specialist in brain injury, an endocrinologist – that type of thing?
No.
I got you some information on that. You might follow up on that.
Thank you. I would love that.
Well you’re, you’re an interesting case study because you do have this tremendous improvement curve, so if things that are starting not to stay on that track now, that’s an important case study.
Okay.
Sometimes, most of the times I suppose, the questions we ask can force the survivor to think about things that it is easier not to think about. In the case of senility after TBI, survivors not only don’t want to think about it but the chances of early onset senility after TBI is even more frightening.
For more information on hormonal changes that are caused by TBI, see http://www.internationalbrain.org/?q=node/119 more specific to women and http://www.craighospital.org/Left-Nav/Research/Abstracts/TBITestosterone more specific to men.
Next in Part Twenty Five – Sleep and Fatigue after Severe Brain Injury
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Emotions are tough after TBI. Relating to your “old” self makes you sometimes break down. Realizing that the old softball player, fifty hour a week worker days is over. That hurts…….