Quote:
Originally Posted by drod313
About 4 months ago I was out with some friends.. I was heavily intoxicated and at the end of the night somehow hit the back of my head extremely hard. I do not remember how, but the next morning I woke up and had a severe headache and felt terrible.
Threw up repeatedly all day and spent the day in my bed with what I thought was the hangover from hell. I couldn't understand why the room kept spinning around me when I would move in bed.. I had no balance either.. the next day when it didn't get any better I went to the ER for a cat scan and was told I had a concussion..
The cat scan came back negative, but I was told to go see my PCP. I made an appointment with my PCP and saw him for the next few weeks.. I had terrible symptoms for about a month.. would just come home from work and go straight to sleep.. I had to keep working because I had no PTO to use.. I have an inside sales job where I am on the computer all day, so needless to say it was very difficult.
After 2 months I was symptom free.. I slowly got back into my routine.. working out.. running.. playing sports.. hanging out with friends and drinking.. I had drank a few times, but for some reason last Saturday 11/24/12 I was out with friends drinking, I got pretty drunk but did not hit my head or anything of that nature.. the next day I woke up with what I thought was a hangover.. but it got progressively worse throughout the week.. my symptoms slowly started coming back.. I went to the gym on Monday and started feeling dizzy and light headed and my eye sight didnt feel normal.. these effects all got worse as the week went on..
This past weekend I did nothing but lay in bed and relax because I didn't want to make things worse.. I went to my PCP yesterday and he said I have Post Concussion Syndrome and need to go see a neurologist as well as an Ophthalmologist.
I was hoping someone might have some experience and could tell me if I will start to feel normal again like I did last time.. and if so what should I do differently? Should I stop drinking all together? Take a year off?
I was fine when I was just working out and playing sports.. I think getting back into the same state of mind I was in when the concussion first happened is what triggered it..
If anyone can help or has some suggestions, I would really appreciate it.
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drod,
Welcome to NeuroTalk.
There are plenty of posts and posters with your same/similar experience here on the
TBI-PCS Support Group @
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum92.html
You will do well to re-post (copy and paste your New Member Introduction, above) as a new thread there.
The New Thread click-on is at the upper-left of the page.
Meanwhile you'll find plenty of threads/backposts of those similar whose injury situation/circumstances and relapse condition are much like yours.
You'll definitely need to be giving up the 'drinking as usual' activities and the going for heavy-duty workouts. Your brain is trying to mend & to heal itself; drinking alcohol 'as usual' behavior destroys the precious neurons & neuro-connectivity that you very much need to function in ordinary everyday life as you heal/recover. The overactive workouts exacerbate PCS symptoms and throw you back.
You'll need to learn to
take it way easier than you're accustomed to living; be kind and gentle with yourself.
It isn't easy; we know. You can do it.
You'll also want to refer yourself to study up on
Mark in Idaho's
nutrition and nutritional supplements recommendations. You need brain-healthy foods to help your brain recover. See Mark's posting on vitamins & supplemtns at
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ht=supplements
There are plenty of good people with lots of experience who will be supportive and helpful, with advice on your physical workouts/cardio, working (or not), and lifestyle modification. You can do it.
Meanwhile, what are you now doing differently to help your brain to recover?
That will be a good start.
Best regards,
Theta Z.