Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho
UK Accountant,
Welcome to NeuroTalk. Wow, what an experience. As rmschaver said, rest is the most important. It appears you took time off to rest but did not use it well to get good rest.
As I call it, quiet rest is the only worthwhile way to recovery. You are fortunate that your memory appears to be good. You long post demonstrates that. It also shows you are struggling with anxiety. This is common. Anxiety is the worst thing for recovery from PCS.
You really need to arrange an extended period of time off. If you do not get ahead of this, it will eat your life and spit it out. Quiet rest with controlled simple stimulation to keep a moderate blood flow to your brain will be best. You need to learn to recognize when you have tried too much. Getting spacey eyed or a bit dizzy or any change in perception means you need to stop and rest with your eyes closed.
Your B blood work was good but the normal range is too low for someone with a brain injury. Your B-12 level should be about 1000 pcgs/mL. The low normal starts at 200-300 pcgs/mL. A 500 to 1000 mcg B-12 daily would be good plus a B-50 complex and high potency multi. No caffeine, MSG, alcohol, or artificially sweetened drinks. Get good meat protein.
When you start feeling better, wait a week or two before adding an activity. Good days does not mean your brain is healed. You need the good days for your brain TO heal. It heals very slowly when you are fighting PCS symptoms. Linking as many good days together as possible is best. Two steps forward and one step back will not be much help. Just because you can do an activity and not feel bad that day does not mean that activity is OK. Most relapses are delayed to the day after the activity that caused the relapse.
There are likely more things to consider but I am having a slow day. Sundays/weekends tend to wear me out.
My best to you.
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Mark in Idaho, thankyou so much for your response and the work you do on this forum, it is literally life saving.
However, I'm sure you thought I needed a stern talking to (and I probably therefore do) but your response has scared me a bit!
You said "It appears you took time off to rest but did not use it well to get good rest." What should I have done better? What programme can I do that doesn't involve me going mad? I seem to need interaction and really struggle to switch off, I am used to working 12 hour days, driving for 2 then doing something social every evening and travelling lots - I find it really tough even to listen to an audio book for 1.5 hours an afternoon. I just need suggestions on what to do I guess, if anyone has any? I love the fishing idea but it's just not something I can do and I don't want to be alone for long periods away from my comfort zone of house or work.
My memory gets bad on bad days, mainly short term memory (I cna never remember what I did at the weekend when people ask) it was good during my original post but today I can't do mental arithmetic or focus on my work so I am on this forum instead.
You said "You really need to arrange an extended period of time off. If you do not get ahead of this, it will eat your life and spit it out." How long a period of extended time off? I need to somehow get my doctor and boss to sign off on this. You are the only person who has told me this, why isn't my neurologist saying it?!
What do you mean it will eat my life and spit it out if I don't get ahead of it? i.e. am I doing damage by not resting or just prolonging the recovery? That's the question no-one seems to be able to answer me and really scares me. If someone told me I'm doing permanent damage by continuing to work until better I'd have been off for 6 months but as it is I haven't been told that so am continuing to try to work for my sanity and of course need the money, but could manage on a little less.
Thanks re. the B vitamins - I will get some. I have not had alcohol or caffience since the fall and have been eating much healthier too and continue to drink lots of water. I think my diet is ok and I've been walking about 3-5 hours a week so I think my fitness is not too awful, even though I used to swim 60 engths most evenings and have put on quite a bit of weight, I can handle those things.
thankyou.