PCS for a year...Head Pressure...Cannot work out
 

Hi all,

So I will try to be sweet and to the point. In august 2009 I suffered my first concussion while playing softball. I slid into home plate and was real out of it after I got up (dont really know how I got it or what). I continued to play 4 more games after that like an idiot. When I went home i tried to run the treadmill the next day but felt as if my brain was moving in my skull (just a way of describing it), so I stopped and rested for a week. After a week i healed and was good to go back adn play. A few months later i wacked my head on car door, had a headache for a week, went away, good. On January 2010 i was playing basketball and i got elbowed in the mouth. i fell to the ground and had an immediate headache in back of my head like right above my neck. I didnt really rest again like an idiot bcs i played D1 softball and was a captain, etc. So i continued to lift and run, etc. and after a week of playing hard on it i went home one night and couldnt even stand. I had a headache, dizzy, felt nauseus, etc. I told my coach i was sitting out until i felt better. Well my symptoms werent going away, so bcs i played on an athletics team i felt it was necessary to go to a real dr. just have them diagnose me with a concussion and my coach can stop giving me ****. Well when i went to the neuros they said it was anziety and all this bull ****. So i went back to play...bad choice. I didnt last a day. I told my coach Iw as done. Now i was just sitting out every day to hope my sumptoms would go away. All my symtposm eventually went away and i was left with a pressure feeling in my head. It is frontally located. when i wouled move, drive, walk, move my head, etc. i would feel it. alsmost like a bubble in my head. Over a year later I still have that feeling. If I exert myself in amy way that pressure feeling stands out and makes me feel really groggy. So basically it has ruined my life. Has anyon else experienced this syptoms? anyon please help me.

Have you had any imaging done to see if there's something physiological that's causing that feeling of pressure?

Other than that, I don't know what to tell you except to hang in there.

I've been suffering from PCS for a little less than a year due to a sport concussion, and although my symptoms have gotten better, I still have a long way to go.

I try not to think about or listen to the doctors that told me that I didn't have a concussion, or didn't believe in that they exist (shocking in this day and age when it's something that is all over the news whether you are into sports or not). I was so desperate to be active once again that when one of them told me I could go back and train, I did, which set me months back in my recovery.

I certainly understand how you feel. Not being able to train alongside the other athletes or even hang out with them has been really hard - my sport and training for it was such a huge part of my life, and PCS has taken it all away.

Don't worry about not working out
 

Hi-
I am 14 months PCS. My concussion was caused by a kayaker who lost control of his fiberglass kayak in big surf and hit me head on unaware. Lets just say I'm lucky to be here. After reading posts on this site for months I decided to join to respond.
I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I understand your frustration about not being able to work out. I still can't run, jump or jar my head in any way (No elliptical, treadmill, or any quick movements). I had a seizure at 11 months and deal with a constant headache, dizziness, nausea, etc daily. For abut 6 months and two after my seizure I had "sloshing" noises if i tried to run or move my head fast. That got better! My experience was it felt like my brain was an unprotected ball stuck in a box and it would hit all the sides of the box. Now, when i walk slowly the pain will increase rapidly, not to mention the onset of fatigue or brain fogginess. Don't want to go through all the negatives of my pcs, just want to show you that you aren't alone.

First of all, be nice to yourself- its so hard to go through this! You sound like a great athlete who knows how to push yourself to reach your goals. Being an athlete it is heartbreaking to not have your body perform how it should. But please don't hurt your brain by forcing it to exercise more than needed. Allow yourself time to grieve your old lifestyle. For months I would ask my doctors can i exercise and they would say don't push it. Of course i would try to increase my activity but i would cause more pain and harm than good and then be sad because of my "failure" at not being able to do it. Giving up a sport you love can cause anyone to be depressed but on top it it dealing with PCS is unbelievably hard.

Have you ever tried yoga? Even if you have never tried it or didn't like please give it a second thought. This book that I borrowed from the library and eventually bought online at amazon helped me so much. "Yoga for Pain Relief by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. It explains gentle poses and relaxation techniques and talks about suffering and befriending the body. Most of it is not hokey or new-age at all, very simple and straightforward. Hopefully you can consider this.

Also, do you have itunes? If you do, download for FREE the Yogamazing podcast. I can't do the majority of poses because of pain- no hanging my head upside down:) but its free so you can just do the ones that work for you. Each week there is a different episode- for example Yoga for Posture is what i do each day- modified. Its only about 15 minutes and so simple.

If you have access to a pool I would recommend you going. This is the only place where I don't get nauseated thinking about the pain I will get from exercising. For months I would just walk back and forth and eventually incorporated some water exercises. Kicking with a board is great b/c you can keep your head still and get your heart rate up.

Also, I hope that you have a supportive doctor and family. It is so hard to still have doubts about something undiscovered going on with your brain. Make sure that you have all the medical attention that you need and encouragement too. It's hard to get better if you don't trust that you are getting the treatment you need. Your comment about your doctor saying that you have anxiety- To be honest one of my doctors was not very supportive- I know what that feels like.

Bottom line- I know what your talking about and I hope that you can find something here to help you. If not know that Im hoping we both get better soon:)

P.S. Did you get your blood work taken? Check to see that you have all normal levels. I started taking vitamins, fish oil and CQ10.

The pool exercise is a great idea. I did it for a while. I would lunge the length of the pool then go back. I did 40 lengths without an problems. The water takes out all of the jarring motions. I incorporated some breast stroke motions with my arms.

Pulling back hard with my shoulders helped balance out the shoulder muscles that often get twisted out of position from the head ache stress that radiates. The goal is to push the shoulder blades back and toward each other. The hunched shoulder posture is a common result of feeling poorly. This remedies it.

I feel a sort of pressure in the front of my head as well, no pain, just pressure. It comes and goes, and seems to be worse when the other symptoms are acting up. It is different than the headaches I have everyday in different parts of my head and is connected with the "fog". I don't have anything helpful to offer other than I know what you're talking about...Best wishes. I'll post again if things change or I learn anything new.

OH , do I understand! I was injured in karate being thrown on the ground. Didn't know I had a concussion, thought I had a virus. Went back to class and was thrown multiple times. Like an idiot, kept trying to exercise little bits over the next year- although without any jumping or shaking or I felt my brain was sloshing around all over in there. I did not realize the extent of the injury and did not want to accept such a drastic change in lifestyle,friends etc, as karate and daily workout were very important to me.

However I was never sucessful being able to exercise llike I would like. When I did I would get fatigued, dizzy, pressure in my head, nausea, and insomnia.

It has now been over 2 1/2 years. This last year I completely rested physically, without even attempting exercise and I am feeling totally fine without exercise but become symptomic with it. So I am using the method suggested by the Buffalo Concussion Clinic to slowly ride an exercise bike keeping my blood pressure at sub symptomatic levels and I can ride for 20 min now. I will very slowly keep working on it.

I did find that the most exercise I could tolerate was in the pool in the summer! After I can do some more I may join a gym with a pool. Also I have taken up new hobbies so I have something to look forward to everyday. My cognitive problems have resolved. I am trying to learn French with Rosetta Stone and bought some video editing software learn how to do that too. These thing keep me sane! I grieve my old life, but am trying to stop wasting time as my life goes by while I wait for recovery. I , and everyone around me, got tired of being cranky and waiting.

I'm not saying you are doing this! Just that after a few years of dealing with it I'm finally learning not to fight it and work with it. And the good thing is- you do find out who your friend are!

You have that constant pressure, fog, sorta headache, brain lose in skull,thing that everyone with a concussion trys but cant explain. ive had that, as one of many symptoms from my concussion. It lingered for two years, felt like it wasnt going away ever, took two years but it really did go away. I think you should take things easy, but I have high hopes you'll be fine just in a matter of time.

Thank you
 

I just happened upon this discussion today as I attempt to find my
way out of a 3-year battle with Post-Concussion Syndrome. I fell on the ice on our driveway in February 2008 and have been struggling mightily ever since. I am grateful
to know that I am not alone; sometimes I feel completely alone and misunderstood, as I am sure many of you do as well. Roaring in my ears,
extreme head pressure, dizziness, nausea, complete fatigue....sound familiar anyone? I sometimes feel like I am losing my mind, but I somehow pull it together with the help of my dear husband and other family and friends, but
everyday is different, and none of them are very good. Nothing helps but sleep.
I remain hopeful, but it is hard to stay optmistic

i know somewhat you're going through, im 16 and was lifting weights for half a year untill my concussion came back a little over a month later ( 1st concussion )... i cannot workout anymore which is depressing and also this PCS isn't going away ;/

hope your doing good

Delo,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You are with friends who understand what you are going through.

You would benefit from downloading the TBI Survival Guide at www.tbiguide.com
You can print it out and slowly read throuigh it. Use a highlighter to mark the symptoms/issue that sound familiar.

If you would post your most troublesome symptoms, someone should be able to help you with some ideas. Read the posts about nutrition. Search for vitamins. Your brain needs extra nutrition to purge the toxins from the injury.

Many of us live with PCS and have learned many work-arounds and other accommodations that allow us to give as full life.

Let us know how we can help. There are decades of experience on this forum.

My best to you.