Mark...or anyone -- thoughts here:

I just don't understand it...within 10 mins of doing anything -- even just being in conversation with my family, my head starts feeling weird.

I'm also noticing different (new) symptoms like -- this strange throbbing thru my body. I have taken my blood pressure and it is kind of high -- 135/88 -- in that general area. Is this a concern?

I also have this weird feeling in my face...mostly left side around my jaw -- and my ear will sometimes throb or feel like i'm being stabbed!

The headaches get pretty bad, but the fatigue...wow...I have to lay down and close my eyes ...I'm not sleeping but ..I can hear everything but I can't move.

I can barely go on the computer without my head feeling strange, can't watch tv...its crazy

If you think this is mostly anxiety, then I'll try taking the klonopin (.125)during the day, but I've been hesitant because of the level of fatigue just taking it at night (and the paxil .25) I'm on.

I just feel like I can't even be around people.

Yesterday I was out on my deck most of the day (it was so noisy from the landscapers and someone cutting trees)...I was in terrible pain. Could just the noise do this???

What am I supposed to do live in solitary confinement in my house??

Sounds normal to me. I've been going throught that now for 2 months. Is this stuff new to you? Seems like you have had your PCS longer than me and you would be old hat at this by now. Are they new symptoms?

I have noticed that when I worry about it less, it is easier to handle. Doesn't make it go away though.

Just do the best you can to get through each day and hope that another day down the road it'll get better. My doctor tells me I will make a full recovery. Have they told you the same? It is hard to wait even though she tells me that.

I have been going through that for 2 years. In the beginning one neurologist told I will be fine in 2 months (she googled right in front of me about PCS from Wikepedia which I did before I went to her and she prescribed exactly what I thought - Elavil) and for about one year I took all the medicines, rest, PT etc., Only some got better, some got worse and lot of new symptoms gradually appeared. I have seen many top doctors in this metro area and most of them don't have a clue about PCS.

My experience and seems few unlucky people suffer with Persistent Post Concussion Syndrome and unfortunately I am in that group. In the first 5 weeks I saw great progress and I was very positive I was going to make a complete recovery. Not sure why the hell broke loose after 5 weeks and struggling in this hell.

waterpark,

What is the longest time you have been able to go without excessive stimulation? It sounds like maybe a few hours.

I would suggest asking your doctor about upping your Paxil to a more anti-anxiety/OCD level. 25mgs is just a mild anti-depressant dose. Getting your mind to stop ruminating on all of your PCS symptoms and the stimulations around you may be helpful.

Try to remember that Paxil and similar meds take a while to become effective.

Am I right in thinking that you spend a lot of time ruminating/obsessing about your symptoms? You frequent posts to new topics/threads suggest that to me.

btw, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is just one part of the broad spectrum of anxiety disorders. Paxil can be very effective with OCD.

How many were talking when you overloaded while in conversation with your family?

two people were talking when overloaded..but that can happen with just one person.

Today I had to get out of the house...haven't left in a week. Daughter took me shopping for a half hour and I just didn't feel right..had to leave. Rested my eyes in the car...rested when I got home...still feel crappy.

yes..I obsess over it I know that. I just want to get better. I can't do anything. I want to be with my family and do things. I can't even go to my boys baseball games without getting overloaded or even read a damm book or watch tv.

I'm really going stir crazy and feel lonely. I am so upset all the time.

I'm seeing my neurologist/headache specialist on Thur.

I just don't know why the stimulation gets me so quickly.

If I had a speech problem -- they would be sending me for speech therapy. If I couldn't walk right...physical therapy. Why isn't there therapy to help with the overload????

I totally understand how you feel, trust what Mark is saying, he knows tons here.

I just learned that speech therapists are actually speech and cognitive therapists, so they are the ones that can help with cognition (not just speech as is commonly thought)

REST REST REST. It is one of the single most important things you can do for your brain. I know you are sick of it, I get that way too. But with your environment with the kids, etc. any rest you do get, gets used up immediately. There doesn't sound like a reserve is able to build up.

I have alot here to do with animals and have limited help, so I really can relate!! Plus you WANT to do things, you get bored, but when you try, you get overloaded...and for me, that means REST again. Ugh, I know!

Rest any time you feel your symptoms. Try to build up more of a reserve and don't judge yourself for not being able to do what you used to. I did that and fought the process, that's why I am STILL dealing with this over a year later... I didn't listen and it prolongs the healing process.

Rest and then do something you CAN tolerate, but only for a min or two. Then rest more. As soon as you feel any symptoms, back off and rest. Even if it is only 5 min later.

This is like no other injury and it takes lots of time, months and even years. It is hard to get used to that idea, but it really helps to slow down and go easy on yourself.

The group has been really reassuring to me in my process, so i hope this helps in some way

:-)

just sitting at dinner with my family brings on symptoms and i have to retreat to the bedroom for a while.

i can't do anything...for more than a few mins...even here ..computer bothers me and i love to read. I can't even read a book (but maybe I will just have to do a few pages every hour )

I'm bored to tears! LITERALLY. I just don't know what to do with myself.

I'm so sad all the time....I just want my life as "mom" back. I want to do things with my kids and friends.

I know its the same for everyone..but I seem to be super sensitive to stimulation.

How would cogntive therapy help? How can I get this help??

Look into PT, if you haven't already done this. It could help
with both the headaches and some of the other things.

I would then also as Mark suggested talk to the doctor about upping
some of the medicines. I am not sure what else you can do to help
yourself. But I do know in the beginning if I didn't continue, even
though it bothered me over time. Then I wouldn't be able to continue.

i'm the same. i can only talk a few minutes and I can't do much with anyone. I pretty much can't do anything.

Sorry you are going through this. Hope it gets better. Mine only gets better with rest.

Because PCS is highly frustrating, it is easy to let it get the best of you. That is exactly what I did for about the first two years. I found myself very angry all the time at the things I could and still can no longer do. I beat myself up all the time about these types of things and I truly think it may have made it worse back then. Finally, one Neurolagist talked me into talking to a therapist. At first, I was against this idea because I didn't feel depressed, I just felt very angry. After seeing the therapist on two different occasions, I started to see things in a different light! I walked out of his office with a much better outlook on dealing with PCS. Am I happy that I've had this for almost three and a half now??? Heck no! But I am now more at ease about living with this on a daily basis. Sure sometimes I still get a little mad at myself every now and then because I can't do the things I used to be able to. But overall, I have found a way to just take this one day at a time. My motto is whatever happens, happens. Maybe this is kind of a carefree attitude, but at least I'm not highly ticked off every day anymore. The way I see it, things could always be worse than my situation anyways.

Biggest advise I can give is, don't beat yourself up about not being able to do certain things. Try and give yourself plenty of rest, as this can really make you feel better. Set goals for yourself, little and big.