Hi Members,

My Name is Rosa. I am 39 years old and live in London England.
First I would love to say what a great idea the creation of this support group for many of us out there drowning in fear and pain. Seriously if I never came across this site I would have sworn PCS was a myth as it is so difficult to relay to people how you actually feel. Many have thought it was just my mind and no actual pain. Really?? I have told them this is no pain anyone would want to pretend to have.

I had a freak accident last year June 2013. I was sleeping when I was woken by a loud knock at the door. I was expecting my friend but was just shocked, frightened by the loud knock of the door. I jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs. All the time wondering why I felt so strange. I luckily opened the front door (which I don’t even remember doing) and then fainted falling backwards, I was unconscious but my friend who was outside the door then pushed the door open to see me lights out of the floor. He was petrified but I was even more than him when I came around to try and understand why I was lying on the floor staring up at him.

He immediately took me to the hospital and did checks: CT SCAN, 24HRS ECG, EEG, MRI BRAIN SCAN, ECHOCARDIGRAM, CHEST X RAY, and FASTING BLOOD TESTS.. All negative/normal. So apparently I had a Vasi Sycope from getting up too quickly and when I was asleep. BOY OH BOY. The weeks and months that followed I likened it to “deaths door” as the nausea, dizziness, weakness, HEAD ACHES were way too excruciating for me to believe I wasn’t dying!

Was feeling better 8 months on but accidentally bumped my head on the back of a shelf in January 2014. It wasn’t a great bump but enough to aggravate the nerves of the brain again, setting back my recovery once again.
I have attempted twice to return to work as an IT Auditor but have been unlucky both times as by the time a month passes the migraines persist again.
I know I am still recovery just not at the rate I wish or my loved ones around would like me too. So along the road I have become more patient and know that one day it will be over.

Ongoing Treatment:

1) I do acupuncture once a week.
2) I do cardio Exercise for 1.5 hours 4 days a week at the gym
3) Taking 25mg amitriptyline at nights.
4) Supplements 1 x 0mega3 1250mg and 1 x Multivitamin.
5) Occasional Yoga classes and Aqua aerobics


Questions to the Forum:

1) Has anyone since having PCS been able to return to work full time with no symptoms? How long after your injury was this?

2) I have seen a supplement regime posted. Does this actually help? How long before will you notice a difference?

3) I don’t have headaches now but my current symptom feels like a “a numb sensation in the back right half of my head with a slow throbbing”. Any suggestions on how the take the edge off?

4) I am due to return to work next week on a phased return for 3 months as suggested by my neurologist. In anyone’s experience would you suggest returning to work with my current symptoms? I will be working 2 days per week for 5 hours. (That’s my Dilemma). Do I stay or do I go?

Regards,
Rosa