Exercise helping? Or is it the holistic approach?
 

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, but I've been watching the boards ever since my TBI (cycling accident: me + car door = unconscious 10 minutes, hospitalised, amnesia, the lot) in October last year. I've suffered PCS ever since, in spite of my doctors telling me that it would be unlikely to last more than 3 months. My GP has finally agreed to refer me back to the hospital to see a neurologist, but basically said she was only doing it to get me off her back. SO FRUSTRATING.

Anyway, I'm medicated (20mgs Amitriptyline per day), but that wasn't really working, and the headaches were seeping back through, and affecting my day-to-day life again. At the same time I also realised, to my horror, that I'd put on 20lbs since the accident - a combination of comfort eating, and not cycling every day as I used to.

So, in a full-on holistic approach, I went on a healthy-eating diet, quit drinking, quit caffeine, started seeing an osteopath, and also started going to the gym. 10lbs down and going strong! More importantly I've also had a week with only approx. 2 hours of headaches, rather than three weeks ago, when I'd estimate I was suffering at least 75% of the time.

HOWEVER, the thing I wanted to raise is - the gym is the thing that makes the headaches disappear like magic. Honestly, a workout usually clears me for 12 hours, and a spin class for 24 hours! And I'm back to cycling to and from work too, and that's making a difference as well, especially to how I am by the end of the working day.

Has anyone else experienced exercise improving their PCS? Is it just a short-term thing, or does it have a longer-term healing effect? Or am I actually just reaping the rewards of no caffeine and booze?!

Really interested to hear what everyone thinks!

Isobel

Hi isobel,

I, too, used to love exercise, but with my injury, exercise actually causes bad migraine type headaches. These headaches have not lessened in the 3 years since the return of my symptoms.

Even last night I tried to ride my road bike on my indoor trainer for 45 minutes in first gear. Before bed and now this morning, I'm getting a bad headache. 3 years later and this still sucks.

Neurologist and PsyNP have me on 100mg of Nortriptyline, which got rid of the daily headache and emotional roller coaster from this injury, but nothing I can take allows me to try to stay healthy.

I realize that I'll never get back to where I was, but I'd really be happy with 25%.

:(

I am quite the opposite. I don't really have many symptoms or headaches now thankfully, but the one sure way to bring them back is by going to the gym, as I discovered once again last week.

I agree with you mouse I have relapsed multiple times due to weightlifting. I had to give up the one thing I truly love doing for myself- working out. Now I'm restricted to walking. I'm hoping the neuropsych I'm seeing next week can provide me with some more guidance of what I can and can't do.

That's great to hear that exercise helps you. For the majority of us this is not the case. All head injuries are different.

My best to you on your recovery.

I'm thinking it's the holistic approach that's working for you
 

Every brain is different, so you never now, but I seriously would be surprised if the exercise is helping. I am still working up to working out again, even though Many of my symptoms have been gone for a while now. I'm very paranoid! Just be careful not to overdo it with the exercise. If you feel like you're doing too much, stop. You may be having progress because of other factors and I just wouldn't want you to have a setback! They are no fun! That said, I'm glad you are doing so well! Yay!