Ask Your Health Question. Health Experts Answer You ASAP.

(Not a Health Question?)

SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Sent to Health Experts November 30 10:17 AM

CAN A PERSON WHO HAS SUFFERED A SEVERE BRAIN INJURY WHERE THERE WAS INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE AROUND THE VENTRICULAR TRIGONE. CAN THE BLOOD VESSELS BECOME SO ENLARGED THAT THEY CAUSE SEVERE HEADACHES? IF SO, WHAT IS THE TREATMENT?

Optional Information:
Male , Age: 47

Already Tried:
TOPAMAX

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $20
Answer
December 1 2:08 AM (15 hours and 51 minutes and 12 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Yes, the blood vessels can enlarge to a point of causing pressure on the brain and/or nerves and headaches. There could also be something else going on.

This is something that can and should be checked out by a nuerologist and/or CT scan...among other tests.

I, myself, suffer from a chemical brain injury... caused by toxic exposure while I was in the military. It causes extreme head pain caused by accute and chronic sinusitus, and I tried Topomax with NO relief at all.

Nuerontin, on the otherhand, provided pretty good results for my chronic and severe headaches...but I had breakthrough pain after 6 months of stable doses at 900 mg. per day. I worked up to that amount from 300 mg. per day at first. And I understand that I could have gone up in dosage...but I have now found relief in treating the chronic sinustis with steroids, allergy, and pain medications better than straight, chronic pain meds.

The reason I tell you all this is because I hope you will seek further information from a neurologist to find the root cause of the headaches...and possibly better solutions to your pain.

Good Luck! And please click the green ' ACCEPT ' button for my efforts to assist you...OR...
Feel free to provide more information.
Bonuses welcomed and greatly appreciated...
and Feedback helps your rating (& mine)
on future questions.
________________________
"always willing to answer, counsel, and help..."
Picture
Diana, Th.D. -- Forensics / Abuse Counsel / Meds + -- 100% Positive Feedback on 64 Health Accepts
Psychology / Counseling / Substance Abuse & Medication training / Disabled Child
Reply
December 1 11:24 PM (21 hours and 16 minutes and 37 seconds later)
         
I'VE USED NUERONTIN WITH NO RELIEF. I DO SEE A NEUROLOGIST.MY VT SCAN REVELED PUNCTATE HEMORRAGE IN THE RIGHT CEREBRAL PEDUNCLE, HEMORRAGE AROUND THE LEFT OCCIPITAL HORN,BIFRONTAL EDEMA, & INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMMORAGE AROUND THE VENTRICULAR TRIGONE. DISINHIBITION & VERBOSITY ARE STILL VERY EVIDENT.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 1 11:53 PM (28 minutes and 43 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Do you have any family history of migraines/ cluster headaches. I believe that sometimes use of migraine prophylaxis drugs like Propanolol,timolol and others like Topiramate, methysergide, pizotifene, oxetorone, flunarizine, amitriptyline etc. maybe very useful in preventing recurrent headaches, since they certainly have a role in cerebral blood vessel vasodilatation.

Please ACCEPT the reply, and give a BONUS if it was useful. If you need more information, just let me know.
Regards
Dr. Gupta

Reply
December 2 5:04 AM (5 hours and 11 minutes and 2 seconds later)
         
MY MISTAKE, I HAVE USED PROPANOLOL BEFORE WITH NO RELIEF. THAT THING U CALLED CEREBAL BLOOD VESSEL VASODILATATION. IS THAT WHAT I HAVE? IS THERE AN INCREASED RISK OF STROKE WITH THIS CEREBRAL BLOOD VESSEL VASOLATION? NO FAMILY HISTORY OF MIGRAINE'S OR HEADACHES OF ANY KIND.ANY INFO ON TREATMENT OPTIONS &/OR MEDICATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS!
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 2 7:24 AM (2 hours and 19 minutes and 44 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Hi,
Well one of the theories of migraine used to be cerebral blood vessel dilatation.. that does not seem to be the only reason why people get a headache now but many of the prophylaxis medicines for migraine were initially used for this purpose.... to produce a vasoconstriction of the cerebral blood vessels.
As you are aware there may not be any sure shot treatment option for you at the present time, however I would advise your neuro to try prophylaxis with some of the other meds like valparin, methysergide, pizotifene, oxetorone, flunarizine, amitriptyline, topiramate etc.
I would specifically be looking at the last three drugs, flunarizine topiramate and amitryptyline since in your situation they are probably more likley to succeed.
You would need a fair trial of at least a couple of months for each drug to make sure that they may or may not work.
All the best

Please ACCEPT the reply, and give a BONUS if it was useful. If you need more information, just let me know.
Regards
Dr. Gupta
Reply
December 2 8:48 AM (1 hour and 24 minutes and 24 seconds later)
         
THANKS DR, THE INFO U PROVIDED HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. I'VE HEARD ON ADVERAGE A SEVERE BRAIN INJURED PERSON LIVES ABOUT 11 YEARS FROM THE TIME OF THE BRAIN INJURY? IS THAT TRUE? IF NOT, DOES SEVERE BRAIN TRAUMA SHORTEN ONE'S LIFE SPAN EITHER BY THE BRAIN TRAUMA OR THE AFTER EFFECTS LIKE OBESITY, BALANCE PROBLEMS...ETC?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 3 8:12 AM (23 hours and 24 minutes and 1 second later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Hi,
There is no reaon to believe that in your specific case the brain trauma will lead to any reduction in your life span...the event that has occcured was a one-off with no reason to lead to a reduced life span,

Please ACCEPT the reply, and give a BONUS if it was useful. If you need more information, just let me know.
Regards
Dr. Gupta


Reply
December 3 8:28 AM (16 minutes and 16 seconds later)
         
WHY DO SO MANY HEAD INJURY PATIENTS GAIN SO MUCH WEIGHT FOLLOWING A HEAD TRAUMA? I BET THE STERIODS PLAYED A ROLE. WHY DID THEY USE STEROIDS TO TREAT HEAD INJURED PEOPLE? DID IT HELP? DO THEY STILL USE THEM TO TREAT HEAD INJURIES? IF NOT, WHY NOT? THANKS, ME :)
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 3 9:19 AM (50 minutes and 4 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Well you are partly correct in your assumption, however other factors liek a sedentary lifestyle after a serious unjury and no significant exercise too contribute to weight gain after serious injuries.
Coming to the second part of your question, steroids have been conventionally used to reduce the inflammation (swelling) that occurs in the brain after traumatic injury. However a recent (feb 2005) study questions this practice and in fact says that more people die when steroid are used to treat traumatic brain injury..
Read more here

Please ACCEPT the reply, and give a BONUS if it was useful. If you need more information, just let me know.
Regards
Dr. Gupta


Reply
December 3 11:07 AM (1 hour and 48 minutes and 34 seconds later)
         
THANK U DR. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 3 1:38 PM (2 hours and 31 minutes and 3 seconds later)
         
THIS ANSWER IS LOCKED!
You can view this answer by clicking here to Register or Login and paying $3.
Think you can answer this question?
Login or Become an Expert

Related Answers

 

DISCLAIMER: You acknowledge that any information you may obtain from individuals you contact through use of the JustAnswer service comes from those individuals, not from JustAnswer, and that JustAnswer is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty and no representations are made regarding the qualification of an Expert. Responses and comments on JustAnswer are for general information and are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (such as medical, legal, investment or accounting) and do not establish a professional-client relationship. JustAnswer is not intended or designed to address EMERGENCY QUESTIONS which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals. Please carefully read the Terms of Service.

JustAnswer > Online Health Advice