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Suggest Treatment For Loss Of Memory After Traumatic Brain Injury

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Posted on Tue, 28 Feb 2017
Question: Hi, I have a question in regards to a sexual assault diagnosis. I have a friend who I had over for a my birthday party at the end of August. My friend normally does not drink but decided to drink that evening (liquor). She became extremely intoxicated and at one point stumbled and fell. There was a deck and a pool out back and her leg actually fell in between the pool and the deck causing her to straddle the deck. We helped her up and only complaint was pain to her knee. She became very sick and was throwing up and dry heaving for a couple of hours. I and a close friend of mine were in and out of the bedroom taking care of her, holding hair back etc. she eventually started to complain of how her stomach hurt so bad but I assumed it was from being sick and dry heaving. My friend who is male was left in the room at one point but not for very long and another friend saw him just sitting on the floor playing on his phone while he slept. I was the last to go to sleep. The girl woke up the next day stayed for a couple hours and left only complaining of knee pain. Three months later she tells me she was sexually assaulted at my party and screen shot a photo of the diagnosis. She says she doesn't remember the fall or anything after, ( except waking up in the middle of the night with no one around her with a sharp back pain) but since someone say my male friend jn the room alone with her at one point she is now blaming him for the assault. She says it was assaulted anally. The injuries she spoke of are Hemorrhoids (I believe internal) "trauma inside" and lost all control of her bowel movements (unknown how long) She has also suffered from anorexia and bulimia since she was 9 yoa (now 29) she has also over exercised to compensate for the other disorders and has a used laxatives numerous times throughout her life. She is still underweight. My question is could this trauma have been caused by a straddle injury on top of the abuse to her body all these years? If she didn't tell the diagnosing doctor about the fall could she have been misdiagnosed? I'm just trying to help a friend because his reputation and life are destroyed. There just wasn't enough time for this to have happened.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
It is quite possibly due to trauma

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using HealthcareMagic.

I read your query with keen interest and understand your concerns.

After a trauma, loss of memory (anterograde amnesia) is quite common and this becomes more common when there is intoxication. First of all her denial of fall and subsequent events can be clearly explained on the basis of her intoxication itself leave aside the trauma from the fall.

We as doctors believe what patient says (sometime the person accompanying) and make a diagnosis on their basis of available information. I hope you understand that doctors do not have investigating capacity and rely on the information provided by the patient (yes we suspect when something is out of order or there is manipulation). If somebody hides some part of information or lacks that information (more likely explanation in regard to your female friend due to alcohol intoxication) the diagnosis is made according to available information. I mean to say that chances of misdiagnosis are very high in both situations (hiding information or not aware of information).

Regarding helping your male friend I think you should communicate in affirmative tone that being alone is never a indication of sexual assault and nobody have seen anything related to it. Having backache and loss of bowel movements after three months is unbelievable complication after a single anal intercourse.

I hope I am able to answer you.
If you have more questions feel free to write back to me.
Thanks and regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (33 minutes later)
The party was on a saturday (sunday she left, but stayed at the house for a couple hours after waking) she says she went to the doctor after so the symptoms may have occurred anywhere netween sunday and tuesday... (I believe she went to the doctor tuesday) i wasnt made aware of the situation until 3 months later. Does this change anything. The deck is somewhat elevated a little above the pool. There is an opening between the two surfaces. Would this change anything? Noone say anything in regards to an assault.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (3 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
The height of deck definitely have impact

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for reverting back to me.

If the height of deck is more the chance of trauma is more and so the anterograde amnesia.

In addition the opening between two surfaces have likely to cause kind of stretching over the limbs and so backache.

I think both of your observation are important.

Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for my future patients.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (7 minutes later)
I have so many questions (i apologize I just tried to do my own research). So the blunt trauma to that area could have caused internal anal injuries and the constant abuse to her own body over the last 20 years, and abusinf laxatives could have caused prior damage making her more vulnerable? More vulnerable to internal/external hemorrhiods, and lose of anal spincter control? And the fall could have caused back pain later in the evening?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (23 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Use of laxative is known risk factor for haemorrhoids

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for follow up.

I have no issue with number of questions and you can ask any number of questions.

The current post is like a information and not a questions. Having said this I like to confirm that your assumptions are completely true as haemorrhoids are the known complication of excessive diarrhoea, constipation and laxative use. Her food pattern over a period of time along with laxative use could have contributed to the haemorrhoids.

Regarding the back pain I again affirm your interpretation.

Thanks again.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (16 minutes later)
Loss of bowel control can be a direct cause of trauma from a straddle injury? Tearing can also be a cause?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (7 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Yes it is true

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks again for follow up.

Straddle injury due to stretching of the nearby nerves can lead to loss of anal sphincter function. It can be called internal tearing and there is possibility.


I hope this clarifies.

Since this is last follow up for the current question thread I like to inform you that if you have more questions use my url and post further question.
Use of my url will deliver the question directly to me and help in continuity of care.

My url is as follows
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386

I look forward to assist you further.
Wish you a great health ahead.
Thanks and regards.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2000

Answered : 3355 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Loss Of Memory After Traumatic Brain Injury

Brief Answer: It is quite possibly due to trauma Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for using HealthcareMagic. I read your query with keen interest and understand your concerns. After a trauma, loss of memory (anterograde amnesia) is quite common and this becomes more common when there is intoxication. First of all her denial of fall and subsequent events can be clearly explained on the basis of her intoxication itself leave aside the trauma from the fall. We as doctors believe what patient says (sometime the person accompanying) and make a diagnosis on their basis of available information. I hope you understand that doctors do not have investigating capacity and rely on the information provided by the patient (yes we suspect when something is out of order or there is manipulation). If somebody hides some part of information or lacks that information (more likely explanation in regard to your female friend due to alcohol intoxication) the diagnosis is made according to available information. I mean to say that chances of misdiagnosis are very high in both situations (hiding information or not aware of information). Regarding helping your male friend I think you should communicate in affirmative tone that being alone is never a indication of sexual assault and nobody have seen anything related to it. Having backache and loss of bowel movements after three months is unbelievable complication after a single anal intercourse. I hope I am able to answer you. If you have more questions feel free to write back to me. Thanks and regards.