[smac]

Hi everyone,

I am experiencing PCS and have hit the 4 month mark of chronic headaches, photosensitivity, fatigue and pressure in the head upon doing anything that even slightly raises my blood pressure (stressful meeting, walking upstairs quickly, doing a single squat, etc). Prior to my concussion I was extremely active, 6-7 days per week of high intensity cardio, strength and sports. Needless to say I'm feeling quite down in the dumps with the lifestyle change. Walks are where its at for me lately, and that i have to be happy with

I have a lot of questions that my GP won't or can't answer. He refuses to refer me to a neurologist telling me they won't be able to help me any more than he can, and that the only treatment option is rest so there is no point. I didn't get a CT (nervous of radiation) and MRI will take another 6 months or so. He said if I get the MRI he will consider referring me after. I'll be 1 year post at that point.

A big question I have is around further damage. Are the headaches and symptoms I'm having now a result of the metabolic distress that I understand happens during the active concussion? or is it just residual inflammation or sensitivity and I'm not actually currently still experiencing distress. I would like to understand this better so I can feel comfortable pushing myself a bit to increase my activity. His response to this question was that I had a head injury and I shouldn't push myself...I'm really just hoping to understand what is going on and what isn't going on so I can better adjust to this new way of living.

If anyone has any input or suggestions I would really appreciate it. At this point I am keeping activity at status quo (a couple walks per day plus household activities but no other exercise) and hoping to God that my symptoms are gone at 6 months so I can cancel my MRI appointment and stop seeing my very Unhelpful doctor.

He has also made me very nervous of the MRI telling me that altho its not ionizing radiation it can still 'burn your brain'. So my safer alternative all of a sudden does not seem so innocuous.