The document details George Visger's long journey with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) following his career in the NFL, including multiple brain surgeries and ongoing health challenges such as memory loss and seizures. It outlines the impact of TBIs on his life, treatments he underwent, particularly hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and coping strategies he developed. Visger also mentions his e-book reflecting on his experiences with football and brain injuries, available for purchase online.

1. NFL Caused TBI:
Treatment &Recovery of
9 Emergency VP Shunt Brain Surgeries
A 31 Year Odyssey
by George Visger
San Francisco 49ers
1980 &1981

2. This is YOUR Brain

3. This Is MY Brain On Football

4. Traumatic Brain Injuries
“A Traumatic Brain Injury is like
throwing a rock in a pond. The ripple
effect as to the number of people
affected is huge.”
George Visger
1986
Workers Compensation Hearing

5. TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury
• Mild if loss of consciousness and/or
confusion and disorientation is less
than 30 minutes.
• “Don’t worry, you’re only
mildlybrain damaged”
• 15% have symptoms > 1 year
• Post concussive syndrome

6. Symptoms Of TBI
Post Concussive Syndrome
• Fatigue ✓✓(✓)
• Headaches✓✓(✓)
• Visual disturbances – sensitivity to
light✓✓(✓)
• Memory loss✓✓✓✓(✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓)
• Poor attention/concentration✓✓✓(✓✓)
• Sleep disturbances✓✓✓(✓✓✓✓✓)
• Irritability-emotional
disturbances✓(✓✓✓✓✓)
• Seizures✓✓
• Loss of motivation✓

7. Hydrocephalus Symptoms
• 1981 – August
• Major headaches, projectile
vomitingpartial loss of visionandhearing
nightly
• Diagnosed as high blood pressure by
team doctor –diuretics for 17 days
• September - Focal point paralysis of right
arm, diagnosed with brain hemorrhage
in locker room, emergency brain surgery

9. Coma/Seizure/Brain Surgery History
• 1981 – September. Hydrocephalus – first
brain surgery during Super Bowl season.
• 1982 – May. Arrested 3Xs since first
surgery, all after drinking a few beers.
• 1982 – May. Second & third brain
surgeries 10 hrs apart. Given last rites &
hospital bills. Gran mal seizures, coma
and placed on Dilantin.
• 1982 – May. Tested for brain seizures
from alcohol. Major seizures after two
beers but functioning fine. Quit drinking.

10. Coma/Seizure/Brain Surgery History
• Battled creditors till 1986 for payment of
2nd& 3rd brain surgeries.
• 1985 – Two additional knee surgeries
• 1986 – Won Work Comp case & returned
to school to complete my biology degree.
• 1986 – 1987 - Four brain surgeries, and
two gran mal seizuresin10 - month period
• 1987 - 55 minute gran-mal seizure in
Organic Chemistry 2 days post brain
surgery # 6. Developed dyslexia.

11. Coma/Seizure/Brain Surgery History
(and other maladies)
• 1990 – December. Headache Clinic for
headaches, lack of memory, increasing
irritability and short tempered.
• 1990 – May. Completed Biology degree
• 1991 – December- VP shunt surgery # 8
• 1993 - December – Major headaches,
Headache clinic

12. Coma/Seizure/Brain Surgery History
(and other maladies)
• 1995 - Major headaches neck pain. CT scan
.
• 1998 – December. Gran mal seizure at
work. Began taking 150 mg
Phenobarbital/day. Shunt-o-gram. Radio
isotope shot into spinal cord instead of
shunt (nice shot Doc.)
• 1998 – December 18. Shunt-o-gram radio
• 1998 – December 21. Shunt-o-gram radio
isotope, examined for possible shunt
infection
• (What is the relationship of December?)

13. Coma/Seizure/Brain Surgery History
(and other maladies)
• 2000 - Dr. Vijayan anger management issues
• 2004 – Continuing on Phenobarb, memory
issues more noticeable.
• 2005 – October. Right arm clumsy & numb,
top right foot numb. Arm numbness went
away but numbness in foot remains.
• 2006 – April. Back pain, irritability and
anger management issues, numbness right
foot, memory problems.

14. Prescription/Supplement History
• 1982 - 1993 Dilantin for seizures – short term memory loss
• 1993 – 1998 Stopped taking Dilantin due to side effects
• 1998 Major seizure. Placed on Depacote – esophageal ulcers
• 2003 Phenobarbital - lethargic
• 2006 Kepra –short term memory issues (Lexapro for memory)
• 2007 Zonegram – short term memory issues (Lexapro)
• 2009 Lamictil – minimal side effects, Ambien for insomnia,
(Lexapro)
• 2009 12 – 18 gm/day of Dr. Sears Omega 3 fish oils, and
SeaHealth Plus antioxidants. BeganHBOT treatments
• 2010 Resperdal, Lexapro, Aricept and Namenda for memory,
Lamictil for seizures, Ambien for sleep. Disoriented, lost,
vomiting 4-5X/day, dizzy. Told to get my finances in order
• 2011 Quit all drugs except Lamictil. Suddenly can think again.

15. Treatments/Test Results
• 2008 – April 1. MRI of cervical spine. Degeneration of
discs at C-3, 4, 5 & 6
• 2009 – July. Anger management issues, referred to
Amen Clinic (fought Workers Comp until October to be
seen)
• 2009 – October. Began Dr. Sears Omega 3’s and
SeaHealth plus antioxidants to reduce inflammation
• 2009 – October. Three-day neurological eval Dr. Amen’s.
Micro-cog memory test = 56, SPECT = major damage to a
number of areas, early stages of CTE, rated me 80%
disabled. Recommended Hyperbaric Oxygen treatments
and Omega 3s.

16. Treatments/Test Results
• 2009 – October. Dr Amen #1 (3 day).
Microcog test= 57
• 2009 – November. Began Hyperbaric Oxygen
Treatment (HBOT) 1 hr/day @ 1.5 atm
• 2010 – July. Dr Amen # 2 after 40th HBOT.
Micro-cog test # 2 score 56 (no sleep).
• 2011 – January. Dr Amen # 3 after 80 HBOTs.
Micro-cog test # 3 = 59
• 2011 – Sept. Dr Amen # 4 after 90 HBOTs.
Micro-cog test # 4 = 64 (14% increase in memory)

17. Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment
(HBOT) Benefits
• Improves cellular metabolism
• Increases ATP production
• Reactivates mitochondria
• Stops apoptosis (programmed cell
death)
• Reactivates neurogenesis in neural
stem and progenitor cells.
• Validated by SPECT scan, performance
tests and behavior reports.

18. Hyperbaric Oxygen
Treatment Benefits
• Acute and chronic stages.
• Acute (1 to 6 hours post-incident),
ameliorates inflammatory response
and reprofusion.
• Prevents edema (swelling).
• Promotes new neuron growth
• Repairs damaged cells

19. HBOT Benefits
• Short-term 1 - 15 treatments
• Reawakens stunned cells – reduces free
radicals, reactivation of mitochondria
• Stops cell death (apoptosis) and long-term
atrophy
• Growth of new neurons (neurogenesis) and
dendritic sprouting
• IMPACT measures improve: short-term
memory, executive function, response time.
• SPECT shows apparent normalization of brain
function

20. HBOT Benefits
• Long-term, usually up to 80 treatments over a
period of 6 months.
• Stem cell mobilization up to 800%.
• Continued mitochondria repopulation, dendritic
sprouting and neuronal cell increase.
• Permanent improvement in brain activity
validated by functional imaging (SPECT scans)
• Permanent behavioral changes in memory,
executive and motor functions

21. Coping Mechanisms
• Notebooks – write down everything
• Post-Its
• Beeper on computer (2 wks, 1 wk,
5,4,3,2,1 day, 4,3,2,1 hr, 30,15,5
minutes prior to appointment)
• Beeper on my phone
• Don’t be shy - let people know you have
a memory deficit.

22. Coping Mechanisms
• Bring spouse or other w/
questions.
• Draft questions day before Drs
appt.
• Dyslexia. Double, triple check your
work. Step away&clear your mind
for a few minutes/hrs before
checking again.
• Can be triggered by standard 60 Hz
electrical.

23. Coping Mechanisms
• Work Comp. CA allows filing even if not a CA
team.
• Vocational Rehab.
• Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments (first time I
have improved in decades). Have your doctor
write a prescription.
• Omega 3 fish oils (DHA and EPA acids). Dr.
Barry Sears Omega 3s. Purified.
• Anti oxidants to reduce inflammation. Dr. Sears
SeaHealth Plus.

24. Coping Mechanisms
• Neuro-plasticity – can grow new
neurons = neurogenesis.
• If right handed, eat with left hand
• Kids memory games.
• Read
• Work your brain like your muscles.

25. George Visger
E-book
• OUT OF MY HEAD: My Life In and Out of
Football is available on Amazon Kindle
for $2.99 at this link:
http://amzn.to/znZuiL.
• Can order a plain PDF file of the e-book
by sending $2.99 via PayPal to
paypal@muchnick.net