PCS long recovery
 

Hi everyone,

I have been reading this board for a while, but not yet posted.

I was mugged about five and half months ago and have been struggling with post concussion syndrome ever since.

I don't remember it, i just woke up on the pavement to some very unpleasant teen age girls demanding my purse.

I have learned a great deal from this community about recovery, as well as been impressed by the perseverance to overcome such a challenging injury.

Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences - its helped me realize that whats happening to me is not science fiction but a part of the human experience, which has been unbelievably helpful.

I have made great strides since the first weeks and months where basic conversations were challenging and everyday noises deeply painful.

However, now that I am no longer dizzy and nauseous every single day, I am well enough to notice other deficits that previously eluded me, such as the frequent though brief brain freezes, which seem to come on after a lot of visual or mental stimulation like conversation.

I am doing everything I can - neuro psych evaluation came out pretty normal thankfully; chiropractor has helped with tension headaches; found a good rehab doctor who has put me on amantadine, nortriptilyne, and lunesta; starting vision therapy tomorrow; trying to eat well and introducing supplements.

I started back at work part time after taking a few months off. Its been good to think about something other than the concussion, but its challenging in trying to do what I used to I am reminded of how far I have to go.

I'd love advice from anyone who has succeeded in finding the patience and strength to make a long term recovery.

In particular I feel like I need help in how to communicate with coworkers and others that even though I'm six months from the injury and I look fine, I am neither fine nor doomed to my current levels of ability.

I also struggle personally with both accepting where I am while maintaining hope for further recovery.

Just be honest with the people at work, or ask them to read up on it so they can understand better. You are still early in your recovery so you can accept how you are now by knowing that you will get better and better month after month. You should have GREAT hope for further recovery. There's no reason to think otherwise.

Capital,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to hear about your assault.

I suggest you watch the YouTube video series, "You Look Great." at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Xso...ature=youtu.be

Then, try to get your closest coworker to watch it.

As others have said many times, you still have plenty of time for continued healing and improvements.

My best to you.

my therapist has been worth his weight in gold for some of the things you're struggling with--acceptance, strength, perspective, perseverance, communication.

not rocket science stuff, but just talking through stuff every week and having him challenge me, and knowing i'm sorta accountable for those challenges has really helped. not solved everything, but helped.

also helps he's a sporty guy who's had a few concussions himself, though milder, so he knows how to really place things in context and not blame everything on my anxiety :)

Hi Capitol,

I am sorry to hear of your troubles, but I am glad you know that you have lots of recovery potential at 6 months post injury. You might try getting your doctors to give you handouts on concussions that you can share with co-workers, or even help you if you try to explain what has happened just to take some pressure off yourself.

I hope you will gt a counselor/ therapist as Underwater has mentioned. I have just begun with one, but I have already found it is very helpful, even if it is just to speak to someone with an empathetic ear.

Please take care, M-i-m