New poster, persistent problems
 

Hello!

Long time lurker, first time poster. Just a little bit of information about myself-I am a 25 year old male. I race motorcycles and on 05/2012 I had a bad wreck resulting in an impact seizure, massive concussion and airlift to the hospital. Stupidly enough I received another concussion, lighter, one month later. I bumped my head in August ever so slightly but had persistent concussion symptoms for at least a week after that. Finally, in October I fell of my bicycle, didn't hit my head, but still had horrible concussion symptoms for weeks.

2012 was a bad year to say the least. That said, I have been pretty good about avoiding any contact since then. I was taking 3000mg of fish oil a day and a b-12 supplement. Generally speaking, I feel pretty good. That said, I can tell I am incredibly prone to a concussion now. For instance, if I shake my head lightly, or turn quickly to see something I get an instant headache. It might even be a really light concussion because it makes me feel groggy, tired, and generally difficult to concentrate.

Honestly, I am not even sure the point of posting this. Perhaps it just to rant. But my biggest fear is that I will be like this forever. I would love to get back to racing, or not have this constant fear that the slightest of movements is going to take off valuable years on my life or make me an early Alzheimer patient.

I will take any advice on what to do to help me get of this slump!

Thanks

Dynasty,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. As you said, you are not sure why you are posting. Let me suggest why. You are looking for an escape from the reality that you have injured your brain in a way that will forever change your life. It sounds like you know the reality but are still trying to deny it.

You can still race motorcycles but the same risk will always be with you. Your Multiple Impact Syndrome is now a part of your life. You still have many things to do to improve your condition. Your supplements is a very small start. You need the full regimen. You need a B-50 or B-100 Complex to balance the rest of your B's.

The anti-oxidants and minerals are also important.

This is a time for you to make some life choices. You can still live a full and active life. You just need to learn how to make choices to limit your risks and enhance your recoveries.

So, go ahead, tell us about your concerns and what you are doing to try to get better. We are hear for you.

My best for you.

Welcome
 

Hello Dynasty,

Sorry to hear of your concussions. Check out the vitamin stickie at the top for some good nutrition for your brain.

Do you have any other symptoms?

As for racing motorcycles, I can't say if that is part of your future or not. I am just about 3 months in from my PCS stuff, and I am sure of some changes in my life, but I have never been into hard workouts or extreme sports.

This is a great forum and all kinds of good information here. In fact, I think this is about the only place I found on the www with any real info that helped me at all. My neurologist didn't think I needed to invest in pills, but I sure did.

All for now

pm

Thanks Mark and Poetrymom!

It seems like this is a great place for support and information. In a selfish way I wish I didn't need it, but that is life.

I just went to GNC and bought some more vitamins. So now I will be taking B-100, fish oil (2400mg per day), Acetyl-L-Carnitine (500mg), Megamen multivitamin, Vitamin D-3 (2000 IU). Feels like a lot of pills to be taking for a 25 year old kid with a history of perfect health. Then again, I guess I no longer have perfect health.

I am not sure I will race anymore, to be honest. At the very least, not for a while. I really hate feeling out of it.

Dynasty,

Keep in mind that you are not taking a lot of pills. You are supplementing your nutrition. Modern nutrition is usually severely lacking in complete nutrition plus the injured brain needs far more nutrition than a healthy brain. Think of these supplements as the SeaFoam or other fuel additive to help clean out your carburetor and engine and keep it running clean.

You also should consider ways to lower your excitement level. Excitement and sadness are both stressors. Your brain needs a low stress recovery period.

Mark,

I appreciate the kind words and advice. I checked your vitamin sticky and have ordered a few more for my regimen :)

I think I know the answer, but I hope this isn't a life long disorder I have to deal with. I remember drinking for the first time since the accidents in February, and for a week I felt concussed. Haven't touched a drop of it since, and I am scared to drink again. I wonder if I ever will be able to drink again.

Fortunately I do not need it, nor do I drink coffee or partake in other activities that seem detrimental to the healing.

Dynasty
 

I am coming to the conclusion that this **is** a lifelong thing to deal with much as I don't want it to be.

That said, I don't know for sure what I will not be able to do either other than no caffeine and no alcohol -- or when this does heal, maybe minimal alcohol, but I am so afraid of how it will affect me that for now I say none, nada, no.

Mark is right. We need a low stress environmnet, and I hope I can resume my teaching job, but wow, that's not low stress.

He's also right in that the supplements are good things -- they add to your diet. Yes, it's a lot I take. And I take more things at night too for hormone balance and sleep.

There's a great metaphor here about recovery and life with PCS. This journey is a marathon, not a race.

To each of us here, we are learning how to live in order to not relapse, because I know from experience, relapse can happen. We have to learn how to live fully, but carefully -- I guess. I don't know because I am still recovering.

Take care

pm

I think recovery is Possible
 

But it takes time and effort. It takes more time than I thought possible and there is always the chance for a relapse. We have to take extra care of our brains for the rest of our lives!

I believe I will ride a bike again someday, on a bike path, away from traffic, but that's as risky as I'll get! I've never been into extreme sports though, and most of my head injuries were from car accidents. I don't think I can avoid riding in a car! You just have to decide what is worth the risk, and know that what you are risking is developing the same or worse symptoms than what you have right now.