I've had PCS for about a year now and I need advice. I've been with my girl for almost 4 months and just now told her about my head pain and issues it causes. She's been very supportive but I feel like I lean on her for support too much or that I'm ruining our relationship from my own problems. I can't ride on roller coasters with her, I can't drive to see her sometimes, I complain a lot and no medicine helps...it's tough and i feel like I'm going to lose her from this ****

How old are you both?

From my many years of life, my knowledge wants me to say ...

If she is the ONE for you , she will understand, but 4 months of dating is not long usually enough to really know for sure if it will be a forever match or not.

So do the best you can and be yourself and see where life & the future goes.


I feel so philosophic right now..

Rather than seeking advice about dealing with your girlfriend, I suggest you tell us about your PCS struggles so we can help you with them. If you tell us your complaints, you may feel less need to tell her.

Have you downloaded the TBI Survival Guide yet? You need to. Print it out and highlight your struggles as you read it. the you can let her read it. It can be downloaded at www.tbiguide.com

If you girlfriend is just a recreational dating relationship, then it may be a tenuous relationship. If you see a promise of a life with her, you can consider whether the two of you can be together with your PCS.

If you still have symptoms at 1 year post injury, your odds are getting slimmer that you will overcome the remaining symptoms. It is time for you to start working on developing skills for living with your symptoms but not being overly controlled by them. There are many of us who have live years and even decades with PCS. We have many work-arounds and accommodations for dealing with our persistent symptoms.

I have learned how to continue to ride roller coasters. I need to hold my body so that I can absorb the vibrations and jerks. Letting the restraining devices jerk you around is too violent. I sit forward on the old fashioned wooden coaster types. They tend to vibrate the worst. The smoother steel coasters with the over the shoulder restraints can be beat by holding the restraint so your body is floating between the limits of the restraint.

This technique has allowed me to continue to do many activities that tend to be more turbulent. I do this same technique when driving on a rough road. It is amazing how much vibration the back can absorb when your shoulder blades are away from the seat back. Rolling your shoulder forward creates even more ability to absorb bumps. I snow ski and can avoid the head movements by doing this.

Now, go download the TBI Survival Guide. Read it and get to understand your symptoms. Ask any questions you may have about your symptoms. There are lots pf good answers available here.

My best to you.