Post concussive syndrome problems after a rocket blast,

Question

I was involved in a rocket blast on the left side of my head on 31 March 2007, I went and had a CT Scan and spent a couple days in the Baghdad ER, Soldiers are constantly more severely injured so I being an officer sucked it up and had them send me back to my unit.  Problems are all normal to the concussion no problem will take time, but what still bothers me is I have passed out a couple of times in the last couple weeks, bloodied my nose, created a new bump on the side of my head and it is a real nusance being a Soldier in the war zone. I did go and have an MRI done a month after the blast by the Kuwaiti's but no abnormal findings supposedly I never was able to speak to the doctor (didn't speak english) according to the translater.  I still have sporatic intense head aches, black outs with extended movements in this 115+ desert heat, and frequent trouble with short term memory.  I just want to know am I too concerned over what is common and this is all normal and I just have to be patient?  When I was a child my skull was crushed on the left side, I lost all control on the right side (parapalegic for weeks) and I spent seven years in physical and speech therapy. I just don't want to go through any of that again and want to know if there is anything else I should be aware of. Thanks for your time.
CPT Blazek

NaniKai · Answer

I don't know if you'll even see this but thank you for serving your country over there in the war zone. Please take Quix's advice and get checked out and stop "sucking it up". Passing out over there can be so very dangerous and I'm sure that your loved ones would be very upset to know that you're over there in this condition, fighting to protect us and passing out! 
Godspeed!
You're My Hero!!!
Good Luck
NaniKai

Quixotic1 · Answer

It would be reassuring if the MRI was normal, but you really don't know that.  As a physician myself, I know of many cases here where abnormal results were not properly conveyed - and that's with us all speaking the same language. You need to request another work up or, at least tell someone who can do something about it that you are having black-outs! Also try to get an official "reading" or printed result of the MRI.

Post concussion syndromes can be very difficult to deal with and can last months.  Ongoing headaches and cognitive dysfunction certainly are common with concussions. This is not my field of expertise, but I am VERY concerned at the repeated episodes of loss of consciousness.  The stress of the heat certainly does not help when your brain is bruised, but even if you don't want to  complain, none of us over here want you dropping in the heat and suffering more brain injury from heat stroke (and your brain IS DEFINITELY more sensitive to insult until it heals after a concussion) nor do you want to drop at a critical moment and not be there for the soldiers around you.  Please stop "sucking it up" and take care of yourself.  If not for yourself, do it for us at home, your loved ones and the people there who depend on you.

Please, act, and keep us posted,
Quix

Post concussive syndrome problems after a rocket blast,

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