Did I destroy my chances of recovery?
 

I don't want to go into specifics here, but rested in chunks for about 3 weeks, but then I tried to ignore my injury (Neuro said things would just get better) for several months--as much as this is possible. Eventually brought my activity level down quite low but have experienced very little improvement. I am 1+ year out and feel like I am just not improving, no matter what I do (or don't do). Is it possible for me to remain like this the rest of my life? (I am relatively young.) I don't have many cognitive issues, just headache/fatigue/stim issues.

I don't want to be this way forever. I want to return to my normal life, which has been totally ruined by this wretched injury.

im in the same boat as you, im only 22 and this has turned my life upside down, Id like to know the same thing, your not alone, I know that dosen't make it any easier

I can't imagine going on like this for a year, im barely at the 2 month period and it has become too much already

Nobody can predict whether you will continue to recover, and if you do, how long it will take. Nobody.

I recommend working on accepting your uncertain situation and looking for ways to work around your problems. If you're having anxiety, then perhaps it would help to see a therapist who specializes in anxiety. But it sounds like you're clinging way too hard to your "normal" life and trying to get it back. This is making you worse off both physically and psychologically. It is time to start letting go and accepting your limitations--whether they're only temporary or not. You need to adapt yourself to a new set of circumstances.

I'm almost two years out and I'm nowhere near recovery. I have no idea whether I will ever "fully" recover, or even if I will ever improve beyond the point I'm at now. But I know that there is very little chance that I will ever get my "normal" life back. I have to live with that and do the best I can with what I still have.

Many people with PCS fail to try to grasp that their previous 'normal' life lead to their PCS. I have learned to look at life with the perspective that:
The glass is not half empty.
It is not half full.
The glass is TOO BIG.

There is plenty in life to enjoy without needing to try to over-fill our lives.

Hello Wakey,

I would not worry too much. The truth is that it is very difficult to focus only on recovery all the time. If we don't do anything else the it is easy to get discouraged.

I did get hurt again, around the 2 year point. It was not as bad as the first accident but I think I lost around a year of recovery. Pushing it is not the best idea, but it is OK. Whenever I overdo it I can tell by the severity of my symptoms. Probably if you were causing a major setback you would know. We do not have to stress to much because our bodies will tell us.

Just be nice to yourself! I would like to encourage you about your length of recovery. I was seeing huge improvements after 1 year, just wish I didn't get hurt again. I think a lot of PCS is encouragement, basically the difference between a good and bad doctor!

P.S. I have the same symptoms as you, mainly the headaches.

wakey,

When you say you rested in 'chunks,' does that mean you rested for a few days then went out and did an activity? What kind of chunks do you mean? What kind of activities did you participate in between the chunks?

Hi Mark,

I didn't do much for about 1-2 weeks. I watched some TV, but at that time I didn't realize that was bothering me. I tried to do an hour or two of activities in the morning. But most of the time I just got burnt out. I stayed away from cognitively taxing activities for about 2 months or so, and most of my cognitive function returned after a few weeks. My rest consisted of lying in bed or outside, perhaps listening to audio, perhaps not. I felt "sick" constantly.

Good Brain health habits
 

Hey there Wakey,

I agree with other posters that no one can tell you whether you will have those symptoms longterm or not.

I think it's important to remember that brain tissue is the softest in the human body, multi-leveled in complexity and slowest to recover from damage.

Maybe you will want to think about an anology of having a broken leg - you wouldn't go out and try to do a marathon while your leg is mending. First you have to heal to a reasonable level, then start walking, then trotting, then running. Next you would increase frequency , intentsity and duration until you work back up to your former stamina level.

Why do we think that the brain would heal in a different fashion? Especially since our brains continue on with all of our habitual activities like breathing, heart beat, digestion etc??

I take Mark In Idaho's advice - think of progress in terms of months, not days. I don't feel great today, and am frustrated at the slow pace, but I look back and see marked improvement since Feb when I was injured, and July when I was having meltdown's at work and crying uncontrollably.

It's important to remember to create the environment for good brain health:

No alcohol - I stopped for at least the first 6 months. Now, only very occaisionally such as holiday or birthday may have ONE glass of wine.

Good diet - I won't go on more about that here.

Reduced stimulation, - yeah, I can't go to malls anymore, the sound overwhelms my brain and I am down for at least a day.

Etc.

But have you thought about taking on healthy brain habits?

Andrew Newberg the neuroscientist at the U of Penn lists 8 ways to exercise your brain for optimal brain health in his book, "How God Changes Your Brain."

On page 149 part of his conclusion notes, "Activities involving meditation and intensive prayer permanently strengthen neural functioning in specific parts of the brain that are involved with lowering anxiety and depression, enhancing social awareness and empathy, and improving cognitive and intellectual functioning....." they also protect against the effects of aging and stress and promote control over emotion.

They are: (numbered in order of importance)

8) Smile
7) Stay intellectually active (for us, gentle tolerated thinking - not super abstract)
6) Consciously relax
5) Yawn
4) Meditate
3) aerobic exercise - only as tolerated, but get your blood gently moving
2) Dialogue with others
1) Faith - equivalent to hope, optimism, and belief that a positive future awaits us.

Take care,