Post concussion syndrome ups and downs
 

I'm 2 1/2 months in to post concussion syndrome. BTW I've had probably 12 or so concussions in my lifetime but none in 20 years until November. I had a rough first 8 weeks and my work and live stress levels were a lot higher than normal. I turned the corner after a doctor fixed my positional vertigo and I started pt to get my eyes back connected to my brain so to speak. I felt like I was about 90% back to normal. My doctor recommended I try to start exercising again. Last Sunday, I was about a mile into a run on the treadmill and my heart rate was at 194 so I shut it down. That night i started to feel like I had regressed a little. This week I had a bad week week and regressed to about 65-70% and started having concentration and focus issues again. My doctor said it is normal and that he expects next week to regain back to where I was at around 90%. Does anyone have similar experiences about the ups and downs?

Also I had anxiety problems when I was younger which may or may not have been concussion related. I went through something very similar to this when I was 20 ish and it lasted about 3-4 months and then I snapped out of it. I do feel I also suffer from seasonal depression too.

Steve2442,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Your experience is not uncommon. Your exercise to a 194 heart rate was likely the cause of such a relapse. I would not agree with anything this doctor has told you. He does not appear to have any knowledge based on the research of the past 10 years.

I suggest you may need a week or two or even more to see any return to where you were before this setback. From what you say, it sounds like you are in your early 40's. Concussion recovery after about 40 gets much tougher. Stress will make it even worse.

It would be worthwhile for you to read the Vitamins sticky at the top. It has a lot of good information.

Please feel free to ask us anything or tell us anything. We have heard it all.

My best to you.

Up and downs is part of pcs. I've had many relapses over the course of 14 months so far, and my good days are dependant on how much exposure I have to what triggers my symptoms.

Steve,

That was a pretty common ordeal for me too.

I hated not being able to exercise.

It is of no benefit to push hard enough to make yourself go under for several days.

Go easy and build as you can. I have a cousin who told me to stop thinking about training and think rehab, it helped to view the decreased physical exertion that way.

Bud

Hi Steve,

Just for information sake, my neuropsychologist (who I just obtained after a relapse 8 months after my concussion, and 2 months after returning to work) says that she doesn't want me to do anything that will increase my heart rate right now because fast flow of blood through the brain is not good.

I can't remember exactly why because of the obvious, but I am taking her advice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've been told the same thing, now 2.5 years and 25 extra pounds later I really wish I was told it was okay to do light exercise.

For me the neurosurgeon explained it as the increased heart rate, causes increased blood flow, which increases pressure on the brain causing increase of symptoms.

Thank you all for the feedback
 

I lapsed for a couple of weeks but I've had almost a solid week of feeling good. I'm better but not back to normal yet. I have a physical job but I've been smart about that as well and haven't really had to many issues. My cognitive has been back to normal for about month. One thing that gets me is that sometimes I know the answer like it was an instinct but not really sure the process in which I know the answer. Once again thanks for the support. It is much appreciated.

I came out of pcs and I'm back to being myself. It was almost exactly the same way I came out of it 25 years ago and it took 4 months as well. I'm going to workout but but only about 1/2 speed of what I was doing before hand and try to gradually build it back up. My heart rate is back to normal again.

Thanks for the support