dbg1,

Contrary to some previous comments, there is not normal recovery time. 85% recover spontaneously in the first few weeks. The rest can take a wide range of recovery time.

Rather than jumping into medications, you first priority should be to get the quiet rest your brain needs. If you have head aches and insomnia, amitriptyline (Elavil) in small doses (10 to 20 mgs) is the usually first medication effort. Effexor is odd as the first med.

Handling phones with confrontational patients is very counter to recovery. Try to get your employer to move you to a less stressful position while you take time to recover. Otherwise, you may become unable to tolerate the office environment.

For many, white noise is not a solution. Quiet environments allow the brain to relax. White noise still requires audio processing. Instead, you may find a music genre or even a limited number of tracks that allow your brain to focus on the known lyrics and melody and relax. It should have a quiet beat and soft lyrics. Think of soothing and maybe boring music.

When you get home, try to take time in a quiet dark room to let your brain get a rest. It will help if you can take times like this during the day.

Read the Vitamins thread . It has good information and some useful links at the bottom.

You should take ibuprofen or enteric aspirin instead of Tylenol. Tylenol can be tough on the brain. If working out causes head aches, you should reduce the intensity of that.

What med did your neuro prescribe for before your workout ?