Trying to Exercise Not Working
 

Hey all,

I am 15 months PCS. I have been unsuccessfully trying to exercise for the past 6 months. I have tried doing the bare minimum. Walking for a few minutes is fine one day and then the next day I will get tired even though I did the same amount. Even just 5 minutes on the exercise bike with no resistance and a slow pedaling speed makes me tired and my chest hurt. I know how important exercise is to concussion so I keep trying but I feel like I just keep making my symptoms worse and I'm not improving at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to start an exercise regimen for PCS. I've read the Buffalo Protocol but I can't exercise for 20 minutes. Plus, I've tried monitoring my heart rate and symptoms come on at different BPM's so I gave up with it. Any help would be great.

I'm confused. Is the only symptom from exercising tiredness ?

What other symptoms are you still experiencing ?

How is your health otherwise ?

I also get a tension headache, and squeezing in my chest. And this is from only 5 minutes. I am in good health otherwise apart from the PCS and mostly sedentary lifestyle it has resulted in.

I also constantly have nasal congestion so I'm wondering if that could be effecting things. I use the neti pot which helps momentarily until my nose stuffs up a short time later. It runs in my family, I've always had it.

I started with walking....but I will bet that was well over 2 years after accident?

I hope you find something that works.....I walk alot...helps my mind

Something that helps is have someone drop you off at the gym and tell them not to pick you up until three hours , or however long you like, has passed.

If you are stuck in the gym for hours, you will (or strongly might) find a way to just keep at it. I meander around very slowly and take my time and just keep going over the same thing if I have to. I go when no one is there.

I hope you can keep going. You are brave to try! :)

Mother of Dragons, do you currently work/study full time? Seems that a lot of our symptoms are similar and i do have a stuffy nose as well.
I'm going on 4 years now since my concussion and exercise has been an elusive thing. What has helped me so far is to quit working (I'm a software developer, so was spending 8+ hours per day in front of a computer screen).
In the past six months I've been able to do much more physically, and I do notice that when I start spending too much time in front of a computer I get feel worse after exercise and my dizziness really kicks in. Every doctor that I've seen tells me there can't be any connection between my eyes and the level of physical endurance, but I've tried this several times already and it happens every time.

When I was at around 12 months, I started on the "Buffalo Protocol" on a stationary bike. I literally started at 1 minute of no resistance and built up from there. It was a tough going for sure with many setbacks. But now I'm able to ride 15 miles on an actual bike a couple times a week.

MoD,

I bet you have become out of shape and are just experiencing strain from that. It might be worth telling your doctor, just in case there is something else wrong. I used to get out of breath because I was holding my breath. Go figure.

Regarding your nasal congestion. Have you ever been checked for a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates ? I had surgery for both a year ago. It has totally changed the way I breath. I don't get the nasal congestion I had struggled with for 50+ years. Enlarged turbinates can be a family trait.

The surgery is a simple outpatient procedure that takes 45 minutes or so. There is a common report after surgery. At day three, people say, "Why did it do this?" At 2 weeks, people say, "Why didn't I do this years ago ?" If the surgery is just to reduce the turbinates, it is not as uncomfortable.

MoD,

It took me 18 months before I could go beyond walking more than around the house and tolerate the obvious discomfort of symptoms.

After I went back to the gym it took another 3 months to be able to work hard enough to regain some as semblance of conditioning.

I kept pecking away at things to see what I could tolerate...if I couldn't I waited another couple of weeks.

Bud

physical therapy
 

physical therapy helped me. they focused on the neck issue which was keeping me from being able to move without lightheadedness. I started walking. a little each day. After 8 months was able to do a dvd work out (only to the half way point) but I had to really watch how much I moved my head through it.

Thanks y'all. I know I just have to take it slow and build up. I guess my symptoms are just so inconsistent from day to day that it's hard to establish a regular routine.

Russia, I had been working 4-5 hours a week for a few months but now I am back at school, only 1 class. So I definitely have the time to exercise, I just can't seem to find the right balance.

Mark, thanks for the suggestion. I will be making an appointment with an ENT to check for those issues. I really think that is a factor.

I also think the hot humid summer weather here in NY probably factored so now that fall is coming hopefully I can tolerate more. Fingers crossed.