How a concussion changed my life

How a concussion changed my life

After a freak accident, Alana Hurov coped with post-concussive syndrome and depression. The life-changing experience led her to change careers and found her own company.

By: Alana Hurov Special to the Star,  Published on Wed Jul 25 2012



One moment I was reaching up to close the living room blinds and the next I was on the floor, blood dripping down my face.

The five-foot long window treatment in my downtown Toronto condo had come down and hit me between the eyes.

A freak accident.

I staggered to the couch and called a friend to take me to the hospital.

I had suffered a “mild” concussion. The emergency room doctor explained that the blow to the head had caused my brain to bounce around in my skull.

The diagnosis: a mild brain injury, a broken nose and temporary symptoms ranging from headaches to dizzy spells. I was told to take a few days off work and stock up on Advil Extra Strength. All should soon return to normal.

Except it was anything but normal.

That was March of 2009, and days of recovery turned to months. I was in and out of the emergency room suffering debilitating migraines, insomnia, vertigo and fatigue. Exhaustion consumed me.

Brushing my teeth, showering and dressing became huge obstacles.

I took a long-term leave from my jobs as a certified yoga/ Pilates teacher and TV producer. Instead of going to the gym and booking interviews, I was visiting neurologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, support groups and eventually rehab.

Finally after about three months — I received a diagnosis that explained what was happening to me — and ultimately changed my life.

I was suffering from post-concussive syndrome.

Dr. Shree Bhalero, medical psychiatrist at the University of Toronto and a specialist in traumatic brain injury, describes post-concussive syndrome as a series of symptoms that follow a blow to the head.

“Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, depression, personality changes, impaired concentration, insomnia, reduced ### drive and lowered tolerance to noise and light are just some of the possible symptoms.”

And they can last a year or longer.

“Studies show that 30 per cent of concussion patients suffer from post-concussive symptoms,” says Dr. Charles Tator, a neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital.

Dr. Michael Cusimano, a world-renowned neurosurgeon based at the University of Toronto, says many factors determine the severity of a brain injury.

“Different people have different genetic susceptibilities,” he says. “A minor brain injury to some may become deadly to others.”

Other factors include how fast the brain was moving inside the skull at the time of impact, the area of the brain that was struck, and the daily work demands on the patient. “A journalist will use different parts of their brain than a factory worker,” says Cusimano.

Tens of thousands of people get concussions every year in Canada, but there are no hard statistics because many go unreported or misdiagnosed, says Tator, who is also he founder of  , a national non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries.  

Women tend to concuss more easily than men and take longer to recover. While it’s not clear why this is, “one theory is that women have weaker neck muscles,” says Tator. “When the blow to the head occurs, women may have more of the whiplash effect, which causes the concussion."

A study published in May 2012 by researchers at Michigan State University found that women report more symptoms of post-concussive syndrome than men.

In my case, I caged myself inside my downtown condo for nearly eight months — too tired to move and too ashamed to be seen. I was consumed with anxiety, sadness and negative thoughts. I fantasized about taking my own life. Thankfully my family doctor put me on antidepressants.

Within a month, I had more energy, felt inspired to lead a normal life and gained the confidence to teach yoga again. It gave me renewed strength, confidence and a sense of purpose.

My feelings were not uncommon.

Thirty per cent of all concussion patients suffer from depression, according to Bhalereo.

After nearly a year, I reluctantly returned to my television work. Walking through the doors I was unsure how I would readjust to a high-stress producer job. For 15 years, I'd thrived on deadlines and breaking news. I now struggled with all of it.

I looked like the same person, but felt completely different. I became anxious under pressure and got migraine headaches. I forgot names and faces of people that I had known for years. I was extremely sensitive to my environment and no longer enjoyed the constant stress of a newsroom.

By 2011, the anxiety and headaches had subsided. But something still felt wrong. I just wanted to be healthy and happy again.

I decided to leave network television and dedicate my life to health and fitness. I launched my own mobile company,  Hotel Yoga and Fitness  . My goal now is to help others get healthy, especially those struggling with anxiety and stress. I realize I probably wouldn’t have fallen into such a deep depression if I'd looked after my physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

As bizarre as it may seem, a window covering changed my life forever.