Dear PCSLearner,
I like the question and I think that the first response that there is no "normal" is probably on the mark.
I don't believe that there is one experience of post-concussion syndrome any more than I believe that there is one type of brain, one type of accident or one type of disease. But perhaps there are some common themes. Personally I believe that inefficient recycling of excitatory neurotransmitters might be something that some people with this "syndrome" have in common. Another common theme might be that the older you are the slower healing is. (So that part is good for your daughter anyway.)
My symptoms sound a fair bit different from your daughter's so I suspect that the type of injury might be different, but for comparison here is my pattern:
First few weeks
nausea, headache pretty much all over the head (tight band across top of head, foci of pain varying from top of head to back to forehead, odd touch sensations down sides of head, fogginess, dizziness, difficulty organising, extreme fatigue, persistent neurological spasm of some kind.
After 1 year
Lessening of symptoms
After over 2 years
All symptoms somewhat improved.
Headaches improved on the left side of the head before the right, so there was a time when foci of pain were mainly on the right side. Now the stabbing type of headache has almost gone and I am left with some dull aching over the entire head. Fogginess has improved, Fatigue has improved. No odd touch sensations down sides of head. Nausea only occasionally not all the time. Still have difficulty organising certain things. Fatigue has improved but still more tired than a well person. Still have neurological spasm, perhaps reduced in frequency.
I would love it if these symptoms were the ones that you get one week before complete recovery. However, I suspect that it is more likely that any further improvements will be the very gradual ones that I have experienced so far. Either I will just get to a plateau and always have some problems or the symptoms will gradually fade away over a long time.
It would be nice to hear from people who have made complete recoveries, but I suspect that once that happens they leave this site and never look back.
If I make a complete recovery, I will at least visit and post what happened. It would be nice for others to know what the future might hold.
CS
Quote:
Originally Posted by PCSLearner
Today marks my daughter's 7 month anniversary with PCS.
Of course the first thing we learned is that there is no "normal" when it comes to PCS. Nevertheless, I am wondering if any of you notice a pattern of symptoms subsiding.
Right now she has very sporadic headaches, usually very short "stabbers" just two or three times a week. She hasn't asked for pain reliever in a long time.
She still has more fatigue than usual, occassional lightheadedness, occassional nausea. Memory/concentration seem to be improving...she was able to memorize Marc Antony's speech from Julius Caesar without any headache-causing effort so that has to be a good sign.
She just cut down from 20 to 10 mg Elavil, fish oil and a multi. No other meds. We are awaiting results of blood tests for thyroid, etc.
I'm not complaining...she's doing really very well all things considered. I'm just curious to know if anyone has noticed patterns. I'm also curious to know if there are any additional diagnostics or treatments anyone would recommend. I keep thinking there might be that one key element I am missing that might help her. Vision/eye symptoms have resolved, no balance or dizzy issues.
OK...I'll be honest...I want someone to say, "Yeah, I felt just like that one week before my symptoms disappeared forever!"  |