Mark,

Can I raise my tolerance for physical activity by being physically active?
And if I don't raise my tolerance and then go on a heavy physical activity, can I cause myself brain damage because of the sudden spike in physical activity? (If that can cause symptoms to return, it means it can cause brain damage, no?).

DannyT,

Skipping the Ritalin sounds like a very good idea for concussion recovery, but sadly I cannot study well enough without it. I was prescribed Ritalin last year for my ADHD, and it really helps me study. Before starting the Ritalin, I couldn't focus at all in class, had very bad grades and got myself in trouble for my hyperactivity and impulsivity (saying inappropriate things at the inappropriate times). The Ritalin helped me finally change it and become a better student. I can stop taking it, but it'll mean I'll return to be a bad student again and get bad grades, which can seriously harm me at the future.

Regarding the withdrawal - Yes, it's not very nice to go through withdrawal from Ritalin and PCS at the same time, but I'm doing it well. It's difficult, but I'm determined to improve my situation and get rid of the PCS. Also, immediately after stopping the Ritalin a few days ago I started taking extremely high dose Omega 3 every day (took it for 5 days now), and it is a great help. It's making me feel better and better every time and I'm very optimistic! I'm still extremely hungry and sleepy because of the Ritalin withdrawal, though.

I'll return to taking my Ritalin tomorrow (I go back to school), and keep taking the extremely high dose Omega 3 every day for a while to improve my situation. I hope the Ritalin won't worsen it, because it's just a medication that I have to take as I explained above.

mrsD,

I'm 16 years old and I live with my parents. They know everything about my ADHD and the Ritalin prescription and I let them know every time that I take it.

I am fully aware that Ritalin is a powerful, potent stimulant of the CNS which works similarly to Amphetamines, but I still think I should take it.

Unlike recreational drug users that get harmed from their use, I take therapeutic doses (low doses compared to recreational users) of Ritalin to treat my ADHD. The dose makes a big difference - what may cause great harm at a huge dose might not cause any long term damage at a normal/low dose.

So I don't believe that at these doses, it causes dopamine depletion in the long term (it causes a dopamine depletion, though, but my dopamine will return to normal if I just stop taking it for a week). Even if it does cause slight dopamine depletion which is not so easily reversible (I truly think it doesn't), it's still a medication I have to take to manage my life and do things correctly. I just cannot allow myself to be that bad student that makes noises and disturbs the class at many lessons, I cannot allow myself to get such bad grades even after studying well (or at least trying to study, since it's very hard without the Ritalin), I cannot allow myself to be impulsive and make the wrong decisions, and I can give many more examples of why I should take the Ritalin to treat my ADHD. I never abused it and never will - I am a responsible user of my medication.

russiarulez,

I have also heard of people that get very bad concussions and make an extremely good recovery within a few months. It just seems so awkward that sometimes, the people with the lighter and milder concussions are the ones that suffer for much longer...

And about the activity level - do you think that if you would have gradually increased your physical activity level, the snowmobiling activity wouldn't have made your symptoms returned? I mean, you said that before the snowmobiling your activity level was 10-20%, and at the snowmobiling it was 90-100%. Do you think that if you would have raised it every week (for example, 20% activity on the first week, 30% on the second week, etc,.) gradually and just a little bit every time, the snowmobiling wouldn't have caused your symptoms to return? Am I right?

And that field trip is very important to me, I really want to go to it and have some fun. But at the same time, as I said, I'm very worried about the jarring the my brain will receive from all the unstable footing at all the rocks on the mountains (if you were walking on mountains you know how it feels - you have to jump between the rocks and it makes your body shake VIOLENTLY). I'm very afraid it'll be bad for my brain.

So do you think that if I gradually increase my level of physical activity, I will be able to just go on this field trip without problems? I'm planning to soon start some regular physical activity and gradually raise my level of that activity, so will that help me raise my tolerance for physical activity for the field trip (so that my symptoms won't return during the trip)?

If you have any suggestions to me what to do in order that I can go on this field trip and return home without getting any setback of my PCS, please tell me. As I said, this field trip is extremely important to me so I want to know what is necessary to do so I can go to that field trip.

Thanks,
-ProAgonist