How do you know you are overexerting...
 

In the previous post I detailed my injury. I am just 4 days into this new hit, while still recovering from a previous concussion that had been healing well for the past 13 months. But, I was not fully headache free when I re-injured myself four days ago.

My question is how do you go about telling if you are going way past a threshold you can handle..
What are some key signs of the fact that you are pushing it but not beyond a point you can handle. I know it's so subjective and there's so much trial and error, but I really just don't want to take any big leaps.

- in the past, I simply relied on my headache getting suddenly intense mid conversation and just struggling with coming up with any thought. Then having to reboot and try to escape from that conversation. That really screwed me up because I kept getting myself into engagements I wasn't prepared to handle.

- but in the past four days, I am finding that conversations are again very very exhausting for me. I figured this would be the case so I have not had any conversation more than a couple of minutes just to make sure I don't go past a limit that sets me back too much. I feel exhaustion setting in after every sentence I utter.

I am curious how people manage to manuever the line between pushing past your previous day's threshold without overexerting and causing a big setback.

The first 48 hours I was in complete cognitive rest, but I think in the following days I should engage the world, albeit in very measured small steps to get continue improving.

Like most injuries, take baby steps. slowly try limited activities and if no symptoms increase then a step more... as soon as you get symptoms increase back off for a bit. stay below the threshold for awhile then increase a bit .
Let symptoms be your guide. Do not push it as that makes for set backs...

Thanks Jo*

I really hope to recover the right patient way. Having spent the last two years dealing with this, the one thing I know to be true is that pushing it will cost me much more than sitting out because I have this tiny feeling that I might be pushing too hard.

I am wondering, for people who have had major setbacks while recovering, do you know immediately you have gone too far when you overstimulate?

I realize this is annoying but I had a 6 minute conversation this morning that left me pretty exhausted. It's longer than I've been able to talk to anyone since I got hit. Was with my doctor.

But, I am trying to settle the anxiety and understand... for most people - when you exert way too much to cause a major setback... is there a brutal headache that follows? In the past that is how I knew I was back in a hole.

I am able to type which is a huge bonus. And videos have not been a problem today. But, into day 5 after the hit... just want to make sure I take the right precautions and tread carefully...

I was curious about this but in a different way. I sustained a concussion in november and everything seemed fine until I started working out again and then the axiety and nausea started kicking my ***. If I work out too hard one day then the next two days I feel nauseated and really worn out. So my question is for the folks doing physical exercise how do you know when to stop exercising so you do not feel sick the next day?

The rule of thumb is to scale back to a pulse rate with no headaches or such and stay 10 percent below that rate. Most start slow and build to their symptom threshold then back off.

The brain needs to regain its control of blood and fluid flow. It takes time for it do that. Plus, the brain is intolerant of the toxins of muscle building exercise so pushing to muscle exhaustion is problematic.

I live a bit on an incline. I just took a walk down the hill and on the way back felt very fatigued. Very short less than 10 minute walk.

But, I am realizing it is hard to live in so much isolation while trying to engage. Are there any brain games or simple exercises people do to challenge their brains a bit.

I cannot talk for more than 5 minutes without exhaustion bearing down. And walking out longer than 10 mins seemed difficult today. I definitely cannot drive.

So, wondering if anyone's got any suggestions for activities or exercises or games that will challenge my brain in a measured way.

What I personally did and do when I feel my worst is either watch Youtube videos, which are generally easy to follow, or play this game called Tagpro which is an online CTF game that is not visually intensive at all. Here is a link if you are interested in trying it to make the time go by faster - TagPro Capture the Flag