Thanks Mark, that was definitely helpful.

I haven't really been giving myself brain rest for a while now. I was in the beginning, but eventually my physical therapist told me I could start getting back to life and trying things again because it wouldn't really make anything worse at this point. Heck, a neurologist I went to see told me the same thing after only four weeks (I think that was bad advice for that early into it). So while I don't do everything as high-stress as I used to, I haven't really been limiting too much stuff out of my life.

Hmm, I didn't even really think about stopping the exercises. I still do a few balance and vision exercises at therapy. Is doing any exercise recommended? I do cardio at the gym.

I feel like I haven't been actively trying to reduce any stress levels because it doesn't seem like anything I do makes my symptoms worse. They're either just there or not there, usually regardless of what I'm doing. I did go back to work a month and a half ago, I'm stocking shelves at the moment (recent college graduate here haha). They only started me back on 4 hour shifts, but now they said since I've been doing okay they're probably going to increase that to 6-8 hour shifts.

No arguments that school definitely didn't help my recovery. It would have been easier to withdraw from classes but at the same time I would have kicked myself if I withdrew so close to graduation. And it's like I said, things have definitely improved since I graduated. But now they've kind of hit that wall.

I've mostly stayed away from alcohol (I never take any other form of intoxicants). I didn't even touch any of it for a good 2-3 months after the injury, but then I got that advice from my physical therapist that I'm at the point where I can start trying those things again. So I did try to get drunk one night, and it made my symptoms a lot worse. Since then if I have any drinks it's only ever 1-3 at a time. I had one night where I felt buzzed, but that was the most I've drank since then. I'm generally staying away from it for the most part, although I occasionally indulge myself.

I do still take my allergy meds. I didn't know they negatively affected the brain honestly. Although I feel like if I go off of those, it'll cause other problems.

I didn't read the Vitamins sticky, I'll look at it. Although I have tried taking supplements and didn't find that they helped me much. At my initial ER visit the doctor recommended fish oil pills, and later on when I saw the neurologist she laughed at that, saying they don't really help at all. So I stopped taking them and started taking Vitamin D, although I didn't find much success with that so I stopped that as well. Maybe it might be time to try something again.