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Member
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 214
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 214
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Yesterday I continued to feel progressively worse headache-wise, with pain not just restricted to where I was hit yesterday, but mainly on my top-of-the-head headaches, which were quite worse. I haven't had any more dizziness since the bout shortly after the head bump. Cognitively I feel a little more drained, but this could be explained by a spike in anxiety.
Emotionally I'm not doing so great, cycling through bouts of anxiety, crying, and feeling ok. I was hopeful that this could provide some relief (certainly not putting all my eggs in its basket so to speak, but hopeful that at least two weeks of refocusing just on my health could give me a boost before starting teaching). Now I'm worried that I won't be able to distinguish whether my dip in feeling good is from the head bump, and if so, how bad was it, or if I'm having an adverse reaction to the treatment. It doesn't help that I'm all alone in Toronto (and the weather is gloomy all week!).
Am I just freaking out needlessly? I guess that's a stupid question, as even if the bump did damage freaking out about it is always needless. The initial dizziness after the bump has me worried given that immediate symptoms like that are a sign of a concussion, but part of my also thinks that a spike in anxiety could cause them too. Any insight on this?
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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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