How i'm doing back at work
 

I just wanted to give an update on how Im doing back at work since mid January! I am 10 1/2 months since my accident. I went back to work 2 days a week doing 12 hour shifts....and this time it was during the day. I made the mistake last August and September of trying to work night shift and bought myself a 3 month disability. I did lose my old position and was unable to get a position in my ICU on day shift so i was just filling in on days when they were short.

February 12th i started my new job at a Scripps Memorial La Jolla in Interventional Radiology. Its a brand new area of Nursing for me and so there is a lot to learn. I was initially worried that i would have a setback with all the stress that comes from a new job and learning.....but i have been pleasantly surprised that i am keeping up with the pace just fine and not having many symptoms.

I occasionally get little headaches when i am overwhelmed at work, but once i take a fiorinal or tylenol, it goes away. My energy level is great. The shifts are 8 hour shifts and i have been working 4 days a week. I have enough energy to go to the gym after work or yoga, or hike. I havent had any problems with the lights at work, the dizziness pretty much disappeared right around when i started the new job, and i dont have any trouble with word-finding anymore.

I have been sticking with Acupuncture bi-weekly, i am taking chinese herbs to help with the breakthrough headaches and in hopes of getting my period back (havent had one in 10 1/2 months since the accident). i also try and get a healing touch treatment every other week, along with doing treatments on myself most nights. I still take omega 3s, B complex, B 12 shots, multi-vit, and still taking 80 mg nortriptyline at night. I decided to wait on weaning myself down until i am done with all the stressors that come along with the new job.

I feel very happy, positive, excited for everyday, and looking forward to new challenges and experiences!

I just wanted to share since i know a lot of people feel like no one gets better....but it is possible. All the rest and taking good care of my body really does work. I am so happy i stopped pushing through my symptoms last september and truly took the time to heal because i can see the results everyday now. Hoping the same for all of you out there.

It sounds like you're doing great!

One of my main symptoms is dizziness. When I get my heart rate up I get dizzy a few hours later. I see that you are doing yoga and going to the gym, but you are not symptom free. Does this physical excersice effect you at all?

My Concussion specialist is still advising me to not work out untill i a symptom free at rest. I really wish I was in your position and could still work out :(.

Anyways, happy to hear you are doing well.

That is truly great news!! Thank you so much for stopping in and letting us all know!! I hope you continue to improve until you don't experience any noticeable symptoms!

That is amazing that you haven't had a period in so long. Do your doctors all agree that it has something to do with the head injury?

If i have a sustained headache....i wont work out or go to yoga. But if i get a headache, its few and far between....maybe 3 or 4 a week now, and i take tylenol or fiorinal and within 20 minutes its gone and usually doesnt come back. And the headaches usually occur when i am at work, mid -day when im busy or stressed out....and like i said, easily taken care of.

I wasnt able to work out consistently until maybe mid November. I still dont let my heart rate climb above 100 and stay there for very long. My cardiac consists of rollerblading, ellipitical and walking on the treadmill and i still take it easy because i like to be cautious. I use very light weights and lots of balancing and core strength exercises. I didnt start yoga until January when my dizziness reduced to a few times a week as opposed to 10 times a day. I dont get dizzy during yoga, even with inversions....i actually was surprised it didnt come on during yoga, but i'll take it!!

I cant remember the last time i was working out and it brought on symptoms....its been quite a few months. But when those circumstances occurred, i stopped right away and went home to rest. Thanks for your kind words. So happy i am improving and maintaining a normal life again! I still listen to my body and take good care of myself which i think is huge!

My last period was the day i had my accident. Havent had another one since then. Thats the common thought....that the head injury is the cause for the amenorrhea. All my hormone levels are normal, my thyroid levels are appropriate, and internally....everything appears normal. Western Medicine is stumped and hasnt been able to give me a solid explanation for it.

My acupuncturist obviously is thinking along eastern medicine reasons and did connect my headaches thyroid, and amenorrhea to a blockage of energy along a certain meridian that supplies the pituitary, thyroid, and reproductive organs connected through the heart center, along with a "blood deficiency. I am taking chinese herbs to try and fix this imbalance. Its hard to re-iterate his explanation without messing it up....and especially when i am not as versed in chinese medicine. But i've seen a huge improvement with the headaches taking the herbs, so clearly he is on to something!

To be honest, i actually dont mind the few symptoms i have left....it reminds me that my body needs to be taken care of, needs to rest whenever i can, to continue to be mindful of my nutrition and supplement regimen, and to remember how far i have come in the past 10 months. It is also a reminder of the importance of positive thinking, the power of healing touch, and the courage and perseverence it takes to deal with adversity and illness. Hopefully i can be an inspiration for my patients dealing with chronic pain.

I remember reading your threads back in July. It's great to see how far you've come since then.

The very best of luck back at work, and to a speedy resolution of any remaining symptoms.

Since this thread, I have read that some experts believe that PCS is caused by damage to some part of the brain involved in the endocrine system; pineal gland pituitary gland, hypothalamus or thalamus because so many of the symptoms are similar. In fact, one symptom listed from such damage is if a woman's periods stop.

Just thought you might like to look into it, ask about it, and possibly get some tests done along these lines. Different medications can help ease this kind of damage and who knows... there might be other symptoms or issues that might come up if that's the case that you'll want to watch out for.

Thanks for the info!!! It looks like the chinese herbs really did help because i finally got my period this week!! Woohoo!!!! Sad that i am excited about this! hehehe