100% Recovery?
 

Hi,

Just curious if anyone has experienced a concussion and PCS and then has made a full recovery?

And, not to trivialize anyone's experience or symptoms, but I mean 100% recovery. Like how one recovers from a paper cut - no lingering symptoms, no good/bad days, the only reminder they have of their concussion is the memory of the event.

I'm just approaching 11 months of my PCS and I have not noticed a measurable change in symptoms since day 1.

If you have experienced 100% recovery, please let us know what type of PCS symptoms you did have, how severe they were, and how long it took you to recover.

Some people will appear or even claim to recover 100% in function. The truth to this claim is that the concussed brain will always show evidence of the concussion, especially during stressful times.

It is very possible to recover in function in such a way as to be able to resume all activities that were done previous to the concussion. The likelihood of a second concussion causing more serious symptoms with a longer period is greatly increased.

The tests like ImPACT and others do not test to a deep enough level to identify the persistent symptoms.

It is like a newer car that can do highway speeds easily and even pull a trailer at highway speeds with no problems. Later, after thousands of miles of wear and tear, the car can still easily do highways speeds but may struggle to due highway speeds pulling a trailer and will likely overheat trying to do so.

The concussed brain loses its tolerance for stress but can often perform at high levels when stress is low. This is why there is so much need to learn to control stress after a concussion.

One of my concussion symptoms effected my ability to be a pilot. I developed and intolerance for sustain time at altitudes in the 10,000 to 12,000 range. It manifest as very mild head aches but very serious cognitive difficulties when I needed to make quick decisions about entering congested airspace and landing patterns, etc.

What symptoms are you struggling with the most?

I have a friend who had PCS for around 3 months and has made a 'full recovery'. He works in a stressful job, drinks a lot, doing stupid stuff and falling over a lot when he's drunk, and it doesn't seem to bring back his symptoms. Hopefully it'll stay that way though I do worry for him obviously. And yes I do warn him about it.

It gives me hope that I, who have no intention of drinking or falling over, will be able to make a similar 'full recovery'. Whatever else, I'm certain that any concussion makes you more susceptible to future impacts, however good or normal you feel.

Those who have a lower standard of achievement often overlook their symptoms. They often overlook their inadequacies as a whole. They are the ones who oftentimes never complain about their concussion symptoms, maybe because they do so many different things, such as getting drunk, doing stupid stuff etc. that their threshold of normal is set quite low.

It is well know in the concussion research community that those with higher standard of achievement and intelligence are far more aware of their concussion symptoms. I think of it as a sort of "Got to keep a Ferrari tuned up but a Ford Escort can go on with very little maintenance."

Having been hung over once in my life, I can easily compare PCS symptoms to being hung over. Someone who is used to being hung over from time to time would barely notice PCS symptoms.

Airmaster-

Neuro told me I might never get back to 100% of where I was.
I like to say 97% is the new 100%.....I'll take 97.

i pray. We will recover :)

I know better after observing the slow deterioration after each concussion. I look at recovery differently.

I focus on gaining the skills needed to return to functions similar to my functions before my head injury.

If we expect our brain to return to normal, we will be disappointed over the long haul. If instead we set a goal to better ourselves so we can do the things we want to do, we will have less discouragement.

I know that I will never be able to read and process fictional writing or overly descriptive writing. I also have lost my ability to spontaneously speak with eloquence. I can write very well because I have the opportunity to reread and edit my writing. I know others with PCS/TBI who have the same struggles. They can write well but struggle to speak at the same level.

Verbal memory and processing struggles do not stop one from living a full life. We can learn to overcome most of the prolonged limitations so we should be willing to take on these challenges regardless of whether we will ever recover to the extent hoped.

Thanks for asking! We all need succcess stories to keep our hopes up! I am better than I was, and I know I will imrpove some more. It has been hell, of course, especially for the first 14 months. The last two months have been better...

I think there are some great success stories, and everyone is different.

Hang in there...you will improve. keep thinking neuroplasticity, and do everything possible to help your brain!

I imagine it depends on what happened to you pre-injury, the extent of the injury, what part of the brain was hit, and how you set about your recovery/rehab. No head/brain injury is ever the same, so all these factors influence outcomes.

There is definitely hope
 

A very good friend of mine had two separate severe tbi's, and she is now a fully functioning, athletic yoga instructor/office manager, with two kids and a very full, rewarding life. I don't know that she would say she's 100 percent better--I'll have to ask her--but if not, I'd still say that she's functioning better than a lot of people who haven't had tbi's. It is possible, and I believe that I will get better with more time and therapy.

I have totally recovered my cognitive function and my horrible headaches are gone (knock on wood!), so now I am just struggling with eye-related dizziness and photosensitivity. I'm going to a neuro-optometrist for therapy, so I am very hopeful it will help me recover fully.

If you think about it, I bet there aren't a ton of people on this forum who've completely recovered because they've completely recovered. A site like this is for people who are actively struggling and need support. :Good-Luck: