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Old 04-30-2019, 10:44 AM
tyler123452 tyler123452 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 7
5 yr Member
tyler123452 tyler123452 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 7
5 yr Member
Default Lingering PCS - Questions

I'm a 26YO with PCS for 6.5 months now and am frustrated by the lack of progress. I have a few questions that medical professionals have been unable to answer. If anyone can provide potential answers based on their experience or knowledge, go for it.


History
Hit back of head on wall 09/30/2018 on vacation in Europe. Light sensitivity, felt off after. Cleared up after a few days. Hit head 2x on low ceilings, became symptomatic again. Upon returning to states, was able to work in front of computer for 2 8 hour days and play video games the next day. I felt tired after about 6 hours of work, but not terrible. The next week I started to feel terrible - bad anxiety, blurred vision, dizziness, lightheadedness, slow brain, etc. Went to doctor.

Since then, I've been working with the local (Minneapolis) concussion clinic. Most of my struggles at this point involve using my eyes. Light sensitivity has decreased, but I struggle to read and do screen time for more than a few minutes at a time without some combo of dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, poor mood. I was diagnosed by an optometrist with previously undiagnosed visual problems and have been doing visual exercises and wearing prism glasses and readers along with vestibular exercises. Still, I don't feel like I'm getting better at using my eyes without feeling like crap. I'm working part time from home, 15ish hours per week. Work tolerance and symptoms fluctuate significantly. The following can bring on symptoms: eye usage, postural changes (ex: sitting down), anxiety, long time in busy envirnoments. I'm on Zoloft and behavioral physch for the anxiety which have helped. The doctor keeps saying something like "hang in there, it'll just be a few more months", which is obviously frustrating considering it's been more than a few months. I feel like I'm better at managing the symptoms than I was 5 months ago, and some symptoms (ex: light sensitivity) and things that bring on symptoms have improved, but others (visual fatigue, succeptability to postural changes) have not.

This is a pretty summarized history, and I can provide more info as needed.

Questions
-The prism glasses are less visually fatiguing than my old glasses, but still are more fatiguing than contact lenses. No one has known why; they expect glasses to be easier, as was the case before the concussion. Does anyone know why?
-I've noticed a light pulling sensation at the outside of each eye that I think is there constantly. It goes away briefly if I stretch the side of my face and neck. My eyes feel more relaxed when it's gone. Do you know what this is, if it matters, and if so how to treat?
-I've been seen at a local optometry practice that has experience treating patients with TBI. I have not seen a neuro-ophthalmologist. Do y'all think I should? Has anyone had more success with neuro-ophthalmologists than optometrists?
-Is it worth trying no screen time at all for a few weeks?
-Has anyone else had succeptibility to postural changes? What is the cause and solution?
-Anyone else with a similar trajectory have other things that they did that helped?
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