Hope the appointment went well. I think your doc hit the nail on the head. Your neurologist won't fix your brain, so much as she will gain information about what's causing your symptoms and that will help you learn strategies to sidestep them. Any therapy work you do with OTs, Speech and Balance therapists will be devised to see what you have going for you and see what you struggle with and find ways to improve those struggles. Sometimes it's about using a dayplanner for memory or a whiteboard or timer. A GPS in your car...
Sometimes they can retrain your brain to balance you better. If not, there are obviously canes and other tools at your disposal. It's all about learning the information and then finding ways to better those challenges. Good luck.

Well, I saw the neurologist today and came out kind of confused. She feels that the memory problems and things like saying the wrong words or not being able to say what I mean, etc. weren't from the fall, but from some problems I have had from lupus and fibromyalgia, and were problems that almost everyone has daily. So from what she said, I think she was saying that the fall exaggerated problems that were already going on, and that I may have not been aware of. She did say that I have problems with my balance, as I knew . But she said nothing about what I should do about it. She said it won't last any longer than the end of the summer-hope that's right. She does want me to start taking a drug for ADD-she feels that a big part of my problem is the inability to focus on what ever task I am working on-she said that forgetting words, speaking nonsense words, or saying the wrong words is caused by the inability to remained focused on what I am doing. Do you think the brain injury I had would cause this, or increase this? She is going to have me get an MRI just to make sure nothing else is going on. I feel like she was pretty much telling me that what I think are problems caused by my fall were things that everyone experiences every day. I really don't think so-I never forgot words or messed up my speaking like I do now. And the balance problems I've never had-I was a gymnastics coach for many years, and had excellent balance up until now. I guess I'll talk to her after I have the MRI-hopefully before the end of the month, since I may not have health insurance after then. Do you guys think what she said to me is accurate? I guess I'll just have to get used to this new me-she didn't say anything about seeing an OT or any other therapist. What do you think my next move should be? Thanks for any help you can give me. God Bless! Kathy

Whether you had problems before or not, I still think that new problems surfacing after a TBI (and especially these specific TBI-typical problems) mean they can be attributed to your head injury. That only makes sense to me. And for her to say you'll be rid of them by the end of summer is not right. No one knows what will heal and how much and when. All your symtoms SCREAM traumatic brain injury and, if you didn't have them before, then I doubt they are from anything but your head injury. Either way, she can't know when they'll go or if they will. If you haven't had any therapies or rehab yet, that should be what she prescribes. If not, I'd strongly consider getting a second opinion.

I hope your neuro appointment went well. I know it can be scary.

An MRI scan - Magnetic Resonance Imaging - can reveal problems not shown by Xrays and CAT scans. It is a different way of looking at the brain.

Good luck with things.