erica21 and others,

Please be careful how you think about "recovering fully." You will always be Post Concussion, even when you feel 100%. Your brain will be subject to stress in every way. The best way to accept this prognosis is by just doing it. There is no easy way. Find the new you and start to build your life around this person.

There will be times when you have a high tolerance and other times when you have a low tolerance. The low tolerance times will likely be when you have other stressors setting you up for a relapse (decompensation) due to loud noises, flashing lights, chaotic environments, a high fever, etc.

You may be able to go a long time without a decomp then have a string of decomps over a short period of time. If you have people close that can help, ask them to describe the old you versus the new you. As you come to understand how others' perception of you have changed, you can learn to adjust from within.

For example, I over-react. My wife helps me leave situations where I will likely over-react. I also have to take responsibility to situations I get into. By making better choices about "having to be right" or "having to right a wrong" or "refusing to accept NO," I can avoid getting into situations where over-reacting will become a problem.

Getting drunk is a common problem for PCS. It is like getting a concussion again.

Work at learning coping skills for memory weaknesses etc. Develop habits that will carry you when you have a decomp period.

To highlight this need, let me explain my situation. I lost short term and immediate memory skills almost overnight on Jan 16, 2001. I had been used to a photographic memory. I did not use any memory tricks or systems. I did not need them. Now, I cannot remember to use the memory tricks or systems.

As a comparison, my father suffered a very slow memory function decline over 30 years. As he noticed his struggles, he developed habits of using note cards, check lists, and other memory aids. By the time he was seriously unable to remember important things, he had already developed habits that allowed him to continue to function at a high level. We did not understand how bad his memory had become until a doctor did some memory function tests. When we were told of his declining condition, he finally told us about the many things he had hidden from us by using his notes, etc.

Since we have a likelihood of an Alzheimer's like dementia at up to 18 time higher probability than the non-concussed population, developing these memory skills while we still can will be a great benefit to ourselves and our families.

btw, one of the long term symptoms of PCS is mental rigidity or inflexibility. This means we can get stuck with an erroneous understanding of something. If we have learned habits to help us understand our failing memories, it will lower our own frustration and the burden it puts on our families, etc.

As kimmyann said, one second later and you are a different person. Try to accept and embrace this new person so you can build a life with this new you.

For those of you with hopes of continuing with your sport, consider how you can destroy you life with another concussion. Build that new life without a concussion risk. You will be rewarded by the time you are forty something.

My best to you all. Here's to hope that you can enjoy your later life better than I am enduring mine.