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Old 04-21-2013, 10:16 AM
Tpont21 Tpont21 is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 58
10 yr Member
Tpont21 Tpont21 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 58
10 yr Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fkd5322 View Post
I'm still having headaches from the post concussion syndrome. I had a concussion with bleeding a year and 3 months ago. Do you think I should get a doctors okay to exercise and join a gym or am I suppose to take it easy or not do it at all. I don't have health insurance so going to see a doctor to talk to him about this would cost be an unnecessary amount of money. What do you guys think?
Coming from someone who weightlifted five days a week prior to my injury I would suggest that you NOT lift any sort of weights. Lifting weights has caused me to have relapses. It took me two months of back and forth feeling better, exercising, then relapsing before I realized that it is not worth it. Yes, I have lost some muscle mass too, but who's to say you can't gain it back when you're all better? It is very difficult for me not to exercise, but I realize healing my brain is more important.

It is probably OK to walk and do some light yoga/stretching, as these activities are not very demanding but will still give you the satisfaction of doing something and it is good for your body. This is what I have been doing for about 2 weeks now and I will continue to do it until I see a specialist.

Unfortunately a concussion is a test of patience. I no longer have headaches yet I still haven't went back to weightlifting because I still have other symptoms such as anxiety, foggy thinking, fatigue, and dizziness. Ideally you should be symptom free for 2+ weeks before even considering to lift light weights and ramp up your physical activity. It sucks, I know. But in the end when you recover faster you will be thankful you made the sacrifice. If I could go back to the day after my injury I would have quit all demanding physical activity from the get go.

I can only offer advice based on my experiences. Good luck on your recovery.
__________________
I was in a snowboarding accident on January 19, 2013. I caught an edge on my snowboard while carving down the mountain without a helmet. I smacked the back of my head hard on the ground. I was not knocked out and it took about a week for symptoms to come into full effect.

Since my accident I have been in a cycle of feeling better and then relapsing. It has happened many times. Although I think the overall trend is slowly traveling up. My symptoms included headaches, anxiety, sensitivity to light and noise, dizziness, fatigue, confusion, trouble concentrating, brain fog, loss of social interest, irritability, and mood swings.

Many symptoms have since resolved and I am left with slight dizziness, sensitivity to large crowds and busy environments, small amounts of anxiety, and brain fog off and on.

I am currently under the care of a neuropsychologist at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic. I am also undergoing balance/vestibular physical therapy to help with my remaining symptoms.
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