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Old 04-25-2013, 07:23 AM
isobel_london isobel_london is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1
10 yr Member
isobel_london isobel_london is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1
10 yr Member
Question Exercise helping? Or is it the holistic approach?

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, but I've been watching the boards ever since my TBI (cycling accident: me + car door = unconscious 10 minutes, hospitalised, amnesia, the lot) in October last year. I've suffered PCS ever since, in spite of my doctors telling me that it would be unlikely to last more than 3 months. My GP has finally agreed to refer me back to the hospital to see a neurologist, but basically said she was only doing it to get me off her back. SO FRUSTRATING.

Anyway, I'm medicated (20mgs Amitriptyline per day), but that wasn't really working, and the headaches were seeping back through, and affecting my day-to-day life again. At the same time I also realised, to my horror, that I'd put on 20lbs since the accident - a combination of comfort eating, and not cycling every day as I used to.

So, in a full-on holistic approach, I went on a healthy-eating diet, quit drinking, quit caffeine, started seeing an osteopath, and also started going to the gym. 10lbs down and going strong! More importantly I've also had a week with only approx. 2 hours of headaches, rather than three weeks ago, when I'd estimate I was suffering at least 75% of the time.

HOWEVER, the thing I wanted to raise is - the gym is the thing that makes the headaches disappear like magic. Honestly, a workout usually clears me for 12 hours, and a spin class for 24 hours! And I'm back to cycling to and from work too, and that's making a difference as well, especially to how I am by the end of the working day.

Has anyone else experienced exercise improving their PCS? Is it just a short-term thing, or does it have a longer-term healing effect? Or am I actually just reaping the rewards of no caffeine and booze?!

Really interested to hear what everyone thinks!

Isobel
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