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Old 05-19-2015, 06:11 PM
Laupala Laupala is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 214
10 yr Member
Laupala Laupala is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 214
10 yr Member
Default Anyone else have constant headaches?

I'm just sorta curious as to the experience of other PCS folks. Headaches have been the most salient of my symptoms, as I haven't not not had some form of a headache for the past 15 months (except for about an hour maybe 3 weeks post-concussion after I went on a 30 minute walk). They thankfully aren't usually debilitating headaches, but they're always there and are hard to ignore when they start to get worse for whatever reason.

They've developed in complexity over the past 15 months, usually associated with where I've subsequently bumped (or even at times think I've bumped) my head. I've tried advil, tylenol, amitryptiline (didn't stay on it long as it made me feel out of sorts) NUCCA, PT, acupuncture, HBOT, muscle relaxers per neurologist who specializes in cervinogenic headaches, prism glasses, vision therapy, neurofeedback (which might have been helping but I've had a recent setback from another dumb head bump). Nothing has really helped.

The most recent recommendation has been gabapentin, but I've heard conflicting things. As it was explained to me by a PT, my nervous system is on high alert, and is like a motion-sensitive light going off when a leaf moves when it is supposed to be tuned to people-sized objects. Others have said it's likely anxiety, but I've had long periods of time (weeks) where anxiety really hasn't been an issue, and yet I still always have a headache.

Is this something that all PCS sufferers deal with? From what I've read it seems a lot of PCS headaches are transitory, not constant like mine, but I figured I'd poll you all and see if anything has worked for you.
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26 year-old PhD student in evolutionary biology, slipped on ice in Feb 2014 while clipping my fingernails and walking to save time (dumbest reason for PCS ever?). Initially just had headaches and didn't feel quite right, but a minor head bump 5 days later started a downward spiral of anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue. Had trouble concentrating on reading/looking at screens

April 2014 - did exertion test, passed, started exercising and doing more, but didn't feel much better.

May 2014 - Went on backpacking trip OK'd by doctor, trip itself went fine, but felt worse a few days after getting back, more difficulty concentrating, worse headaches.

June 2014 - Bumped head on ceiling walking slowly down stairs, no immediate symptoms, but caused worsening headahces, more difficulty concentrating and looking at screens. Have not felt as good as I did before this since this bump.

December 2014 - after feeling relatively better I went xc skiing and fell but didn't hit my head (something my psychologist who specializes in brain injuries told me he hoped would happen so I saw it was OK), felt worse

Feb 2015 - back in grad school, light teaching load and some research, nowhere close to operating at my full capacity. Still have constant headaches, difficulty reading/looking at screens, mild anxiety and depression, and just not feeling like my normal sharp self.

Trying, but struggling, to believe that I'll get back to my old self, or at least get close.
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