Help! Does this sound like PCS?
 

Hi All,

Any thoughts greatly appreciated! I am 30 years old and what will be 3 Saturdays ago this Sat coming i stood up from my washing machine (fast) and whacked the top/back of my head on an open cupboard. I hit it hard enough that the force sent me back down to a crouch and the intensity forced me to crunch my eyes shut in pain. I didn't however lose conciousness, feel sick, have any visual disturbances etc. I immediatly did have a headache though! the initial "burn" type feel when you first bump your head hasn't stopped since. It has improved in the middle of my head section but the back/left it is still very bad. I went to the docs on the Monday and he said i have PCS didn't send me for CAT or MRI as no other symptoms and have felt / still feel fine otherwise. When i was still in pain by the 1st Friday he pescribed Amitryptiline. This has worked in as much as i no longer can really feel the headache. if i take paracetamol on top can't feel it at all. Once the paracetamol wears off if i am doing lots around the house (i have 2 under 5) then i get a kind of dull or light ache at the back/left sight of pain. I am not really a fan of taking meds though and he said i need to take a month to start with?

Also i am a MAJOR panicker so i am diagnosing myself with subdural slow bleed haematomas and all sorts of other stuff and half wishing i had a CAT / MRI to make me feel better that i didn't have it. I did ask Dr if i needed one on second visit and he was emphatic that no i didn't had no other symptoms than headache he is confident i just have PCS. I am still panicking though...

Do my symptoms sound likely to be PCS to those on here who have experience. I do think i have been VERY quick to anger since i hit my head but no other symptoms other than the contstant never ending burning headache since i hit it.

thanks
C
x

If you had a brain bleed, you would already be dead. So, no worries there.

You are lucky that your doctor started you on amitriptyline so quickly. A lot of doctors go for traditional painkillers first.

Have you been able to get some brain rest? That is the quickest way to get feeling back to normal.

Sounds to me like a scalp injury. From what I've heard, they can cause a lot of pain. You might be having pain from a muscle spasm in the connective tissue between your skin and skull. It might have been inflamed by some hematoma, or a damaged nerve. :winky:

orfray makes some good points. If the paracetamol (Tylenol, acetaminophen) works, stay with it. You should try to slow down and reduce your stress load. You probably should alternate pain killers so you give your liver a break from the paracetamol. Your doc sounds like he understands concussion.

Don't worry about the CT or MRI. That is only needed at this point in time if you suddenly get an "extreme" head ache, lose muscle control, get double vision or start slurring your word. Not very likely. Stay out of thunder storms. You are more likely to get hit by lightening than need an MRI or CT. Bad analogy but I hope you get the point.

Go hug your kids and tell them you need them to help you get better. They can surprise you when you need them to settle down so mommy can get better.

My bets to you.