[Xoe22]

Ok long story short I got two sports concussion a little less then two months apart. I was knocked out in both of them. My first one I was out for about 10 seconds and the second one I was out for about 30 second.

Anyway at the end of the month I will be in my 4th month. I am so much better but still dealing with these damn headaches.

Sometimes it's just pain or it may be pain and presure. Sometimes I have migraine type of pain. My doc has me on sometype of anti-depressent that has been aproved for headache and migraine pain. I have had a hard time with them because they knock me out and I feel out of it all day. So taking them every night is hard for me to do.

Some days I have a constent headache that last for two or three days. Some days they are off and on. And then I may be headache free for 4 or 5 days.

Any advice would be great. Also what has helped you? And do my headaches sound weird?

[confuused905]

pcs from sports concussions usually resolves in young adult males. just look at all the NHL players who come back after 1 or 2 concussions, even if it takes them a year to rest.

usually its the guys who get 4, 5 or 6 concussions who have to retire for good.

getting knocked out for under a minute is really not a good indicator of injury severity. according to an article i read, amnesia, low energy/fatigue and headaches are better indicators.

if you only have one symptom, consider yourself lucky. most people have 3 or 4. just get plenty of rest and proper nutrition (EPA, DHA, B12, B6 and vit D).

stay away from fast foods. most fast foods contain MSG, an excitotoxin that can trigger headaches and kill brain cells. read ingredient labels. sometimes MSG is labeled as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein".

i had a relapse recently after i ate chinese food. there's an excitotoxic cascade following concussions that causes the symptoms. a damaged brain that experiences more stress will tend to magnify its symptoms.

[Eowyn]

I am six months post-concussion. I was not knocked out and in fact had no symptoms until the following days. Persistent headaches have been my major symptom, too.

I've been on amitriptyline for about a month now, which is the first thing that has made any real difference. Still, I'm finding that it's easy to overexert myself and still get headaches. When I feel good, I tend to do too much. Unfortunately, the headaches don't come on right away so it's hard to recognize where my limits are.

The best solution I've found is to lie down in a dark, quiet place with a cold pack on my head and/or neck. Sleeping helps too, sometimes.

I've been taking a B-complex, vitamin D, and algal DHA daily.

Don't have much other advice than that, but I do know how badly it sucks. Hope you find some relief soon.

[Xoe22]

Originally Posted by confuused905

pcs from sports concussions usually resolves in young adult males. just look at all the NHL players who come back after 1 or 2 concussions, even if it takes them a year to rest.

usually its the guys who get 4, 5 or 6 concussions who have to retire for good.

getting knocked out for under a minute is really not a good indicator of injury severity. according to an article i read, amnesia, low energy/fatigue and headaches are better indicators.

if you only have one symptom, consider yourself lucky. most people have 3 or 4. just get plenty of rest and proper nutrition (EPA, DHA, B12, B6 and vit D).

stay away from fast foods. most fast foods contain MSG, an excitotoxin that can trigger headaches and kill brain cells. read ingredient labels. sometimes MSG is labeled as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein".

i had a relapse recently after i ate chinese food. there's an excitotoxic cascade following concussions that causes the symptoms. a damaged brain that experiences more stress will tend to magnify its symptoms.

Well I am a female about to turn 30 in a few weeks. I have dealt with dizziness,memory issues, oversemlation,light and noise sensitivity, headaches all those cleared up. I am now only dealing g with the headaches going on 4 months.. I have been advised to never play my sport again by doctors. This is my second confirmed concussion but I think I have had a few undiagnose. I still don't remember the whole incident of the second one. I'm sorry I don't consider myself lucky on bit. I have to give up my sport and be in pain. I can't ever do workout good without getting dizzy. This cuts into my life. Noting lucky about my situation. I know two severe concusions in such a short time frame is not a good thing. Thanks for the tip on the food.

[Xoe22]

Originally Posted by Eowyn

I am six months post-concussion. I was not knocked out and in fact had no symptoms until the following days. Persistent headaches have been my major symptom, too.

I've been on amitriptyline for about a month now, which is the first thing that has made any real difference. Still, I'm finding that it's easy to overexert myself and still get headaches. When I feel good, I tend to do too much. Unfortunately, the headaches don't come on right away so it's hard to recognize where my limits are.

The best solution I've found is to lie down in a dark, quiet place with a cold pack on my head and/or neck. Sleeping helps too, sometimes.

I've been taking a B-complex, vitamin D, and algal DHA daily.

Don't have much other advice than that, but I do know how badly it sucks. Hope you find some relief soon.

Thanks for the reply. We are on the same meds. I find it hard to tolerate and it's only 10 mg. I'm kind of starting to think this may just be part of my life now and I have to just suck it up. Over the counter pain meds don't do crap. I o.ly take them when its real bad. Are your headaches similar to how I described mine?

[Mark in Idaho]

confused said

<pcs from sports concussions usually resolves in young adult males. just look at all the NHL players who come back after 1 or 2 concussions, even if it takes them a year to rest.>

This is a much disproved statement. Return to play is much different than 'resolves completely' or 'recovers.'

The passion to play and financial rewards of getting back on the ice often over-rule common sense.

'Once concussed, always concussed' is the rule. Move forward dealing with prolonged symptoms as best as is possible. BUT, remember, your brain has suffered an injury. Treat it well and you will get the best results.

I know the head ache issue well. I have head aches at least 25% of the time. Fortunately, they are rarely the debilitating kind suffered by many of you still in the early stages of PCS.

Taking aspirin and acetaminophen combined helps me with mine. I take the enteric aspirin that does not dissolve in the stomach. Be aware that acetaminophen can be hard on the liver so do not take it too often.

My heart goes out to you head ache sufferers.

My best to you all.

[Eowyn]

Originally Posted by Xoe22

Thanks for the reply. We are on the same meds. I find it hard to tolerate and it's only 10 mg. I'm kind of starting to think this may just be part of my life now and I have to just suck it up. Over the counter pain meds don't do crap. I o.ly take them when its real bad. Are your headaches similar to how I described mine?

Yes, I also find that OTC meds are not at all helpful. I was on tramadol and vicodin for a while. The combo seemed to help reduce the pain for a while, but made me loopier than a latch-hook rug, and of course you can't take those long term.

I am on 25 mg of amitriptyline. The first few days I could hardly wake up, but it's getting better now. Unfortunately, as it gets better I also notice my headaches getting worse again. I'm hoping I won't have to have my dosage raised.

I have a iPhone and have been using the iHeadache app to track them. According to the symptoms I put in, most of mine get classified as migraines: worse with movement, throbbing pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and lasting longer than 4 hours.

Prior to amitriptyline, I was having daily headaches ranging from 3-7 (out of 10) on the pain scale. Since amitriptyline, they are more frequently 1-3 and I don't have them every single day. I am having a 4 & 5 today for the first time since starting it. Most days I'm still able to function even though I have a headache, which I was NOT able to do before I started amitriptyline.

Even if you don't like it, it is important to take it every day. Because it's for chronic pain and works like an anti-depressant, you have to build up a certain level in your body in order for it to help. So do keep taking it or if you just can't stand it, talk to your doctor about some other options.

I have also been doing neck & back rehab and seeing a chiropractor for my spine (I also have a history of sciatica and pinched nerve in my neck prior to my concussion) and I notice that my head sometimes feels better when my neck feels better. Then again, sometimes it doesn't.

I also finished nine weeks of vision therapy after my optometrist discovered I was having problems with binocular vision. That also seemed to help reduce headaches triggered by reading and other visual stimuli.

I'm spending this afternoon researching headache specialty clinics in my area. That's probably my next step. If you find something that works, let me know.

[musiclover]

I feel for you! Headaches are one of my major pcs issues that I have dealt with for the last 9 months. I am on an rx called voltaren, which is an anti-inflammatory, which does give me a little relief, but that varies from day to day. Because I have major sinus issues, my headaches are daily, but when they are kicked into high gear, they become very similar to migraine with the nausea, light sensitivity, etc. What helps me most in these situations is laying down in a dark, quiet room, minimizing stress (easier said than done), etc.

Hope things improve for you

[JoeT]

Hi. Just wanted to let you know that I think they had me on ever drug made for over a year and none of it helped. My head was so bad that I would just walk out of where ever I was and even in the middle of winter in wisconsin just start walking with out knowing even where I was going. As far as I am concerned I would be completedly insane. They just kept telling me that if the drugs did not help it was my fault. I can say that I know I would not have been able to live like that much longer. Fortunatly my son and ex wife talked me in to acupuncture and it is amazing. I have not had any pain in my brain for over a week. I have even started looking online and acupuncture is what they are doing for the Marines in afganastan.

**
**l

I wish I could say that I am back to normal because I think that for over a year I have thought that the pain was the problem with my thinking but even know I can email and text I still can not talk to people with out going blank or haywire. This is a hell of a lot better with out that pain insanity for sure tho. But I am totaly sick of having no real life tho.

[changes]

i'm sorry for you all i cant even imagine how hard can this be, fighting with headache for such long time.
i try to think this is all in my head i can beat my headache and other things just with strong will... but it doesnt seem to work... first thing when i wake up is headache,this pressure in my head which gets worse if theres niose.. i dont drink coffe anymore, i quit smoking after 7yrs 30 a day.. dont even think about consuming alcohol.. i hate what am i turning into, just complaining all the time..

i'm starting colege in october i hope i'll be better by then, but now i get horrible headache just solving crossroads or sudoku...
i wish i could give you an advice.. its good to stay in quiet and dark room but u get sick of it.. medications? hmm , good for few hours but is it good on long run ??

anyway wish you all nice day, stay positive