Matt in Texas first post Reposted from stickies
 

Hey friends, I am new to this board. I have been going through PCS for almost a year now (March 3 will be the anniversary of the day I hit my head). I am a preacher so this has really shaken me and has utterly brought me to the depths of despair. It started a week after I hit my head. I would describe it as hell on Earth. I had extreme anxiety, depression, migrane headaches, OCD, confusion, no good feelings, and horrible thoughts.

I had the words of Jeremiah the prophet,"Cursed is the day that I was born" in my heart. It got so bad that this past month I almost died. The doctor told me on February 1, 2012 that my body entered flight or fight mode, 24/7, even when I slept. He said that I had to literally reverse the chemicals in my brain, regenerate dead brain cells and neurotransmitters. However, he did say that I was going to live and talk about this one day. They wanted to put me on prozac, but, I did research on it and decided not to. I was at my wits end and last hope.

I decided to do my healing the natural way. I stopped eating fast food, processed food and red meat. I started eating everything organic and researched brain super foods that brought healing to the brain. Within three days, I saw a significant difference. Then I added all natural raw milk to my diet. I read that raw milk is actually nature's perfect food and regenerates brain cells. You just have to find a farm that has a license to sell it. Just a few days after that I had everything get better. I also added working out to my regime.

The brain needs blood flow to heal so working out helps alot. I also only drink Alkaline water. I am taking Beyond Omega-3 Better brain Vitamins from Garden of Life, B-complex and St. John's wort. I also take RAW Meal Supplement by Garden of Life. I am now on day 28 of actually doing something to get better and now everything is getting better. I am dealing with the OCD part of this still, although it has slowed down tremendously. I know that I am going to get fully healed in the next month. God is faithful. I thank Him for showing me the way to get healed.

Your diet has a huge role in your healing. Many of the processed foods have chemicals in them that alter and damage brain function. Stay away from things with MSG and high-fructose corn syrup. Really, anything artificial well not do well for your brain. Anyone who has an ear let them hear.

I am not a doctor. Just one who seeks the truth in everything and a fellow sufferer of the horrible post-concussion syndrome. May Christ be with you in the time of sufferings.

Reposted for Matt in Texas by

Matt in Texas,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Your experience last month sounds familiar.

I am glad to hear you are doing so much better. You were fortunate to find a doctor who could explain the 'fight or flight' part of PCS. He did misinform you about regenerating dead brain cells. Dead brain cells are gone forever. The neural connections called axons and dendrites can regenerate. There has never been any evidence that shows neuron can regenerate once they die.

Your self prescribing has its pros and cons. St John's Wort is very similar to Prozac. In fact, Prozac was developed to try to copy the active ingredient in St John's Wort. A better source of some of the effects of St John's Wort would be tryptophan or L-tryptophan. Some will consume 5-HTP to get this effect of increase serotonin production although the Tryptophan is a safer source.

I wonder what you were eating that was so problematic. Maybe caffeine and other excito-toxins?

Your new diet sounds good but you may be missing out on a good source of BCAA's (Broken Chain Amino Acids) that are important for brain health. They are very difficult to get naturally unless one consumes meat protein. Pork has the highest levels of BCAA's.

The raw milk has some good properties, especially not being homogenized. The pulverized fat molecules in homogenized milk can cause lots of problems at they can pass through the intestinal wall without being digested. Here in Idaho, we can buy raw milk at the store.

One of the best values of proper brain nutrition is those nutrients that help strengthen the blood brain barrier. This helps to keep toxins from impacting the brain cells. Good nutrition also help the brain flush out the toxins created by the injury.

Unfortunately, the anxiety caused by PCS floods the brain with toxins. Getting them out was likely your strongest cause of improvement.

I had a similar improvement 30 years ago when my doctor got me started with a 2 week fast accompanied by starting a regimen of brain health oriented supplements.

Understanding the Biblical implications of anxiety and stress can become a life changing event, especially after a concussion.

My best to you.

Thanks
 

Hello Mark,

I just read your response. Thanks for taking the time out to respond. I almost 100% better. It has taken longer than I thought but nevertheless I am recovering. I have Joy and peace and yesterday was the first time I had preached without any intrusive millions of thoughts running through my brain. I didn't realize how damaged my brain was at the time. I have a couple of questions for you. There times when I feel fluids forming or goingbthrough my brain throughout the day and sometimes I can feel cracks in the middle of and top part of my brain? Did that ever happen to you? Of so, can you explain to me what it is and what I could to help the healing process? I usually feel most of the cracks after I work out and drink a lot of water.

I don't know what you mean by cracks. Other than head aches, the brain does not have sensations like you describe.

How did you hit your head?

I hit my frontal lobe
 

I hit my frontal lobe head on against a wooden bunk bed at bible school. I read up on it and it said that that if one has been under extreme anxiety that the brain begins to start having crackling noises. My brain has been doing it ever since it started healing. Everytime it happens the part of the brain that cracks starts feeling better. I don't what it is though.

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I mean I hit my forhead. I already had an anxiety disorder and struggled witj depression before I hit it