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Originally Posted by nimrod4u
Thanks for the encouraging note, Canadoc. I know that staying positive is paramount in order to recover, and I am fortunate to be experiencing slow and steady improvement. I have found that woodworking is a great activity that I can pursue in between vestibular and vision therapies. I can get my heart rate up to 165 now on the elliptical machine without bringing on excessive symptoms, although I went to an NBA playoff game last week and felt on overload of stimulation. I also felt like I was going to pass out on a walk the following evening after a long day of doing stuff, so I guess it depends on the day and circumstances.
A couple interesting developments have been revealed by my blood work recently. My vitamin B, vitamin D, and cholesterol are all extraordinarily low (Total Cholesterol is 101; Triglycerides: 30; HDL (good): 74; LDL (bad): 21). Do you know if having too low cholesterol can affect brain health? I forget the exact vitamin B and vitamin D numbers, but they are well below the typical range. One doctor thinks my bloodwork in conjunction with my PCS symptoms could actually be an indication of Lyme disease, so I got tested for Lyme disease but I am still awaiting the results.
Regarding alternative treatments, I am considering trying hyperbaric oxygen. I am reading Dr. Harch's book, "The Oxygen Revolution," about using hyperbaric oxygen to treat PCS. It reviews some fascinating studies on the effectiveness of HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen treatment). HBOT appeals to me because I have always said that my PCS symptoms make my brain feel like it's not getting enough oxygen. I know that traditional, old-school neurologists belittle HBOT treatment as a snake oil solution with no evidence behind it, but I think recent studies that implement SPECT brain imaging can objectively show an improvement in oxygenating the brain and seem to have a real effect in helping the symptoms for combat veterans. Do you have any thoughts or experience with HBOT?
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Before I answer this question, I'm going to do a little research. There is plenty of information available on the internet these days. The problem is the quality of the info. In order to justify a recommendation, people sometimes quote studies that were either improperly powered to make specific conclusions because of sample size, were not randomized, had selection bias, etc...... Sometimes there aren't any properly constructed studies to answer a specific medical question and one has to rely on the best available evidence. I know little about HBOT and PCS recovery but will venture to see what quality evidence there is to justify such a cost. Stay tuned.
Canadoc