Post-concussion related, feeling worse and worse.
 

I got a concussion about 3 weeks ago. During a hockey game, my head got checked and I smashed it into the boards, lost consciousness and then hit my shoulder and face on the ice.

All in all I got:

- a broken nose
- a broken cheekbone
- a perforated sinus
- 4 of my teeth have gone numb
- damaged shoulder ligaments + damaged rotator cuff
- concussion (loss of consciousness for 5-8 minutes)

I've been looking around on internet at stuff on post-concussion syndrome and it looks like I got one hell of a blow. I lost consciousness for about 5-8 minutes and that, according to the rankings of degrees of concussions, is pretty serious.

Now, I felt great 1-2 days after the concussion, when I was at the hospital and the first day at home, felt ok, no headache, nothing.

BUT, things have drastically changed.


So anyway I've been going to the physio, I've had 2 sessions so far, he's been working on my shoulder quite a bit.

But my head is what's getting pretty bad. At first, 1-2 weeks after the injury, I felt ok, mild headaches during the day and especially when I woke up, tired all the time even though I had been sleeping 7-8+ hours, a bit of trouble focusing in class but it was ok, it was bearable.

Now, 3 weeks later, I'm feeling worse. Went to the physio on Wednesday, told him that the symptoms were still there (headache, trouble reading long texts, everything kinda goes blurry after a few lines, etc...) and he said there's no way I can start sports again and that we'd see next week.


I hope that a month is all it'll take but I'm starting to worry now. I really feel "different", I can definitely feel something is not right.

Anyway, on friday, being the biggest ******* in the world, I decided to go to the gym. I just wanted to see how it would go. So the first few minutes of the warmup (stationary biking) went ok, I virtually put no resistance. After about 8 minutes I decided to put some resistance. 3-5 minutes later I'm feeling like shyt, huge headache, feeling not well at all. Got off the bike and I decided to do a leg workout (since I couldn't work on my upperbody cuz of the shoulder injury). I don't know why (certainly cuz I'm an idiot) but I did the whole workout and I felt like absolut ****. I felt dizzy after every set, felt very light headed, big headache, I almost fainted after my last lunge set. It felt like I was in another dimension the whole workout. I was listening to a podcast, I seriously couldn't focus on anything, I can't even remember a word from the podcast. Usually I remember everything.

I know I'm a ******* ******* and that I shouldn't even have gone to the gym in the first place. It's just that I'm sick and tired of this crap, I so badly want to return playing. What sucks is that the hospital said that after 2 weeks I can start again but the physio, who's worked a lot with hockey players that have had concussions said no way. I should have listened to him, I'm an idiot.

Since then, I've been feeling like ****.

One last point. It seems like computer screens give me a headache now. After about 15-20 minutes, I get a headache.

Also the physio asked me if my smell or my hearing had been affected and I said I didn't think so. He said that was a good sign.

Sounds pretty bad. There are people on this forum that will help you out better than I, but from the sounds of it (and by making some similar mistakes myself), I would suggest taking some time off for quiet rest (no TV), stop trying to fight the concussion, and disregard what almost all "experts" think.

Even if you think your symptoms have dissipated, wait a few more weeks to introduce yourself to your old regime through small, baby steps.

There are many other helpful tips but these are just the ones that I wish I had known initially.

Thanks man.

It'll be tough to stop TV/Computer. I have to use a computer virtually everyday for uni (papers to write, info to look up, etc...) but I'll definitely try to stay on these types of devices as little as possible.

I should also add that on some days I feel "ok", slight headache, feel a bit tired and on others I'm just useless. I find it to be a bit uneven. It's like a rollercoaster.

everyone here knows that rollercoaster quite well. PCS symptoms seem to arise a day or 2 later so it's difficult to understand what is causing them.

I would start a journal if I were you. I stared a journal to track my diet, activities, and how I felt throughout the day. In another part of my journal I also kept note of what I'm thankful for each day. It is an anxiety coping method that I use. Basically by writing these things down you force yourself to think about them longer so you're indirectly re-routing signals in your brain and strengthening these areas to make you feel better.

Anxiety was the hardest thing for me. Anxiety produced from not know if I'll get better. Anxiety from being less than I was. And Anxiety from PCS as a symptom itself.

You'll get better. Sorry but I can't promise an easy recovery. Just hang in there!


EDIT: oh and in case you haven't done so already... Stop drinking alcohol

Great idea (the journal). I haven't even thought of that.

i have the rollercoaster too. im 27 and hit the back left part of my head in February. i though i was getting better months ago but i reaggrivated myself and have been feeling like **** for months.

get ready to feel like **** with no end in sight. im not trying to be a downer but ive realized with these bad concussions that your basically screwed. im a shell of my former self. i used to be a active party animal now im only semi active and dont party

im still in good shape because i maintain but i can lift like i used to. i need to get 100% agian but the way i feel now i doubt ill ever be 100 agian. i think once you hit your head your a changed person for life

Are you serious? Man that's a downer. Did you lose consciousness? Do you also feel "different" now? I can't really describe how I feel different but it's a mix of tiredness/"unfocusness"/light headed feeling. It's like I'm in some kind of another dimension where focusing on something 100% for more than a few seconds is impossible, at least for now.

claritan wrote: " i think once you hit your head your a changed person for life "
__________________________________________________ _________
This is very true for many of us.
Fortunately pertiman, chris, claritan, each of you have younger-age onset of injury on your side. Which is in all of this for you a plus, a good thing going for you.

pertiman, you are wise to be mindful of your computer use re: " I have to use a computer virtually everyday for uni (papers to write, info to look up, etc...) but I'll definitely try to stay on these types of devices as little as possible.

It's an 'easy' one to 'not think about', easy to overdo it w/o knowing that we are, and to not know it until after the fact of having already overdone our capacity in one sitting. I still sometimes have to do my work in 5-10 minute sessions, walk away from it, go outside, pull weeds or rake leaves, do something entirely different that doesn't require such focus & concentration --- (although it often 'feels' like it doesn't, I know.) It's easy to feel like "It's easy for me", i.e. is not 'costing' us, when in fact it often is & we don't know it; until later, e.g. we find ourselves 'spent' or other symptoms exacerbated & can't imagine why.

It's the same with driving --- it's a skill that we take for granted.
It in fact is a very complex activity requiring great concentration, focus of attention, and brain-energy capacity.

Quote from hockey a few years ago: "I hear your frustration about working out with PCS. What helps me, and might help you, is to carefully monitor your heart rate during exercise. Over time you may be able to establish a "safe range" where you can exercise without making your headache, etc... worse. Cheers."

Good luck to you. Take it easy, Guys. Sounds like you're doing well with taking care.

You are very early in your recovery. Most people recover fully. If I were you I would hope for a 3 month recover. If that doesn't happen hope for 1 year. From what I've heard it's 3 months for a relatively bad concussion. 1 year for a really bad one. If it takes you over 3 months I would start questioning your return to hockey thereafter.

i have no idea if i lost consciousness. my concussion happened during the Superbowl and i was really hammered. i woke up the next day with my head killing me and a golf ball sized bump on it

since then ive had a lot of different symptoms. the good news is most of my symptoms have went away like anxiety and really bad fatigue but the symptoms like double flashy vison, brain fog and and overall odd feeling still are with me

i totally here you on the other dimension thing i felt like that earlier. i was out at the store and nothing seemed real and its like i was in my own world. i was driving home and thought to myself did i really just go to the store because it seemed like it didnt happen

you will get better like i have but im not 100%. some days im 90% other days im 60%. its weird because im young and healthy and should be better by now but im not. its been 9 months and im wondering if this **** is gonna take years. its looking that way