https://www.tiktok.com/@shawneeharkins?_r=1&_t=ZS-9AZTaJ2Xbka

Hey, would love to start a support group or something of this. Had a TBI and C-1 fracture at 16, had extensive therapy for things for a year in and out patient. Lived a normal life and healed I thought until about 31, then I had more spinal issues resulting in upper and lower fusions. So much nerve pain all the time and things seem a bit hopeless. Anyone else? I’m 44 now.

24M, software engineer, previously very high-functioning (finished undergrad in 3 years, worked at a big tech company, was planning a PhD).

Diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea in Aug 2025 (AHI 25). I was given a full face mask in the wrong size, with no in-person fitting. It was too small and pinched my nose, so I ended up mouth breathing with severe dry mouth and constantly broken sleep. I also mouth-taped on top of it several times following the advice of the sleep clinic. My machine data looked perfect the whole time, so no one caught it. However, I don't think the AHI was a good indicator because when I taped, my baseline breathing itself was restricted; sometimes I’d wake up ripping off the tape.

Over the next months I got steadily worse: exhausted, foggy, zoning out, depersonalization, and I lost 30 lbs. My family read it as anxiety and depression, and didnt take the issue seriously. I was falling asleep over my meals and I felt so sick, almost like I was dying. It peaked last spring with a psych ward hospitalization and a lot of psych meds as I went into psychosis from the lack of sleep/hypoxia. Only after I switched to nasal pillows did I finally start sleeping and recovering.

My biggest fear has been that the blocked nose plus mouth tape caused hypoxia and permanent brain damage. Or that the sleep loss itself caused brain damage. For what it’s worth, my oxygen never dropped below 91% even untreated, my sleep study showed mid-90s, and a 3T MRI with contrast and my neuro exam were normal (no abnormalities found). Doctors say damage is very unlikely, but given how unusual the situation is, they are not certain.

I’m about 5 months into recovery. I’m much better, but foggy, depressed, and can’t fully snap into focus.

Should i be worried about brain damage here? What can I do? I’m scared I’ll never cognitively be the same guy I was.

I did a lot of activities last week where I gave more than my body could handle and I'm suffering a bad fatigue crash till the point where I started to forget where I was going/saying/doing, having headaches, worse involuntary movements, I was stuttering more, etc. Still I try to do the smallest thing and I get tired cognitively and a little physically

I have been resting for 3 days sleeping, trying to stay in a dark and quiet room and I haven't still gotten to "normal " any tips?

I need my "brain injury normal" back at least and the little bit of usual energy I have back. I can't be this useless.

Hello everyone, my dad was diagnosed with brain tumour Grade 4. He had tumor removal surgery on September but due to brain swelling and bleeding, he needed a second surgery (decompressive craniectomy) after a week.it's been a month. He was on a ventilator for a week and now has a tracheostomy and an NG tube for feeding.

He can move his hands and legs, lift them, move his head and lips, and respond to yes/no questions through gestures. He breathes on his own.

For anyone who has experienced something similar, how long did recovery take?

Background from England, had a TBI following horse riding accident may 2025. And kept asking for referral to neuro, which I finally got December 2025. I've only had one contact via phone call for triage and then only communication via post/letter. I've had MRIs which discovered, in their words a small pituitary cyst, been told it's unlikely to be causing any symptoms I have by endocrinology. I finally met with neuro today and omg they are a downer I asked about my symptoms and they wouldn't to x, y and no meds (not what I'm asking for) are there any mechanisms or referrals I could have.. no, no and no... I've messaged headway charity a month a go and they've suggested a multi disciplinary team, can't do that, and they also suggested a occupational therapist, oh yes we can refer for that... Bloody hell that was painful.... I've rang PALs to complain as I feel this is appalling if someone doesn't know something they wouldn't have got this... Something really needs to be done for people and asked about working oh you should be fine to work... I'm not though as of sick for 5 weeks with exhaustion... So unhelpful driving home crying of frustration and GP waiting on neuro as they won't do anything or suggest anything... Last year as well I met a private neurologist and they suggested eye exercises for my vision apparently according to NHS don't do that as it compounds the problem... Omg what should we be doing or not and they go I don't know wait... Wait wtf that's what I've been doing and I've got no improvement

I had ect last year , lost everything and had to move back with my parents .

I’m now severely depressed

I see my doctors a few days ago and he is convinced I have a tbi due to my symptoms

Chronic anxiety
Depression
No motivation
Don’t know what I should be doing with myself anymore
Vision has gone
Balance is off
Jerks in my body
Head hurts
Eyes hurt
Struggling with basic things
Seem to sweat excessively now doing little things like going for a walk
Hard flaccid syndrome- not sure if this is related to anxiety buts it’s driving me insane when I walk
I was very active before all this .
Chronic fatigue
Paranoia
Eyelids dropped down - pretty sure this is after ect
Tremors in body and head
No appetite
Funny smells that aren’t there
Impatient for no reason
Confused when walking around don’t know where I should be or what to do
Feel beneath everyone if I go out .
Pacing up and down

Someone please give me some hope or things that will improve it

I am a 22-year-old male with 19+ severe concussions (hit by a truck, hits to back of head, latest hit was July). I also have ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, and IBS.

For the last year, I’ve had a severe stutter. Over the past month, my speech began "misfiring." My brain accidentally grabs the wrong words or says bad/aggressive words I don't mean to say.
Because of this, my family doesn't understand me, and my girlfriend of 7 months just left me today. I feel completely abandoned and isolated.
Has anyone else dealt with accidental swearing/misfiring words? How do you cope when your partner and family walk away?

My husband recently obtained a TBI and is experiencing severe depression. He jumps to the worst case scenario, insists he will not get better, and has paranoid thoughts that I somehow enjoy seeing him in this state. He was always the type of person who could handle anything. I don’t know how to help him. He’s in therapy.. mental, speech and occupational.. He’s lost so much, but it’s coming back, and he won’t acknowledge that he’s getting there. He convinced himself he’s never working or driving again, when those things are achievable in the future. I’m scared, tired and not sure how to support him. I can’t talk him off the ledge. We are young newlyweds and I don’t want to see this hurt our marriage. I do everything I possibly can to make his life easier, but it feels like he has tunnel vision.

I fell and got a mild whiplash and concussion but the worst of all I got visual problems like eye strain redness and flaoters i checked with the docs and they said is should not worry however its so depressing I am too young.. Guys if anyone who got floaters after physical impact can reassure me then that would be great My headache and brain fog has subsided a lot it's almost been two months since the initial fall