[PlasticMonkey]

Hello im new here, at the beginning of march i was outside raking leaves to put in bags because my yard was getting pretty flooded with them. I didnt realize i left the rake laying around and as i was putting leaves in a bag i stepped forward on the rake and smacked myself in the face pretty good hitting myself in the lip and just above my right eye almost knocking myself out.

I didnt think to much of it at the time, just went back inside and put ice on my lip because it puffed up pretty good. I'd say a good week and a half later i was sittin at my computer screen as i do most of the day everyday (currently suffering from Ulcerative Colitis, unable to get a job till im in full remission) and i got what i think was a panic attack. Cant really even remember what i was thinking about but my heart started racing for no reason and i panicked, went to my parents room to let them know what was happening.

They thought maybe it was because of what i ate because we had fast food that night for dinner. For some reason everytime i stuff myself my heart rate increases slightly, it always has. But i doubt that my heart would increase that fast in such little time over something i ate. But at the time i took their word for it, sat down and went back to what i was doing. The next day it happened again, out of nowhere my heart rate increased pretty good.

At that point it was when i realized i was experiencing anxiety. I was shaky and scared constantly thinking about the time i was smoking marijuana. Because smoking weed was the first time i've ever had anxiety. Apparently i was just so stoned that i panicked, smoked it again a couple months afterward and it happened again so, i read about it online and people suggested i may be allergic to it. From that point on i have been completely sober. Anyways i went in and told my parents about having anxiety, they both thought maybe i've just been stressing out about financial problems.

For the next 2 days it was just hell, i felt so terrible to the point of tears because i couldnt realise what was happening. I kept feeling like there was something wrong with me like maybe i was starting to get a heart attack etc. I felt really dizzy and nauseous until i finally broke down into tears and my parents took me to the emergency room. The wait there was extremely long and people were getting called in before me even though i was there quite a bit longer than they were, so we just went home and made an appt with my doctor.

Turns out they thought i had a concussion that just didnt show up till 2 weeks later and said that im experiencing PCS (didnt go to the doctors till the 15th). Which i guess did make me feel a little better finally knowing what i was going through, and in time i would get better considering the blow i took wasnt nearly as bad as other people. But for a week afterwards i was still getting anxiety and throughout the week it was slowly getting better. Sometimes i would wake up with my heart beating really fast, but for most of the week i had insomnia.

Eventually it got to the point where i was definitely making improvements to where i thought i was all better and cured for a few days, Till one day i went outside and mowed the lawn. I got my heart rate up pretty good, and went inside to take a break because it kinda felt like i was scaring myself into thinking my heart was beating way to fast than what it should be at. It started bringing the anxiety back. I started thinking maybe i was going to get a stroke, couple days went by i felt a little better then i thought i was getting tetanus(lol)

Then i thought to myself that obviously i didnt have either of those otherwise i wouldnt be alive. So i settled down a little and felt kind of iffy for the next couple of days having weird thoughts like thinking maybe this all isnt real, all in all just thinking a lot about different things, some bad some good. Last Wednesday i started getting some bad anxiety i got so worked up in thinking i had tetanus. I felt like it was hard to breathe, i started getting extremely dizzy and it felt as if i was going to pass out. I didnt pass out infact about 5 minutes afterward i started feeling better. And till today i have been feeling okayish but im still getting Anxiety like symptoms, for example when i lift my arm it feels slightly shaky, i still feel dizzy and somewhat nauseous. Off and on i feel pressure on my head and pressure just above my nose right between my eyes.

Yesterday I actually got up and cleaned the bathroom, to where before i just felt like i couldnt do anything and just sat around watching movies. Sometimes i would out of nowhere smell random things like someone farted or somethin when no one did or when i was by myself (and im sure i would know when i farted or not xD)

Since yesterday it seems as though concentrating on things has become a little difficult, like i said b4 im still a bit dizzy, shaky, and nauseous. As far as i can tell every conversation i've had with my parents has been okay, i didnt really slurr any words didnt have much trouble thinking of what to say but for some reason im nervous about if i start doing those things. I read about someone having PCS and their symptoms were getting worse, they ended up thinking that it was just the concussion getting worse till they later realised it was actually anxiety or somethin like that.

Am i getting better or am i getting worse? Does anyone think i may be experiencing Anxiety instead of PCS because Anxiety carries all the same symptoms PCS has? I keep telling myself things will get better and hoping they will. Im looking for small improvements that im making compared to when i first realised i had PCS. I guess the thing im worried most about is, if i have PCS or just having Anxiety(no i dont have a history of anxiety with the exception of the times i smoked, while sober i've never had anxiety or panic attacks till after i got hit in the head with the rake) I also have blurry vision and am sensitive to light, the blurry vision isnt REALLY bad. But it is blurry.

Im also worried about if this is me just having PCS, what if its permenant? Like i've said i try to keep thinking positive. What do you guys think? I havent had any scans or anything. I've had an X-ray of my head and thats about it, they wanted it to see if i had cracks or anything and to look at my sinus's. Do people with PCS experience anxiety like i am? and is it normal to experience all of anxiety symptoms even though someone might only have PCS?

I apologize for this giant rant.

[Mark in Idaho]

PlasticMonkey,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to hear of your fight with the rake. Ouch!

And, Thank you and Thank you for using plenty of paragraph spacing. It makes it so much easier to read a newby's post, especially a long one.

It sounds like you are suffering from PCS. The anxiety is a common symptom of PCS. Your anxiety attack is not uncommon. It can be purely physiological with no emotional/psychological component at all.

Your fast food may have been high in MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate). It is an excito-toxin that speeds up the brain's processing speed. Unfortunately, the PCS brain can not tolerate the speed up and becomes unstable. A jolt of caffeine or caffeine and sugar or caffeine and sugar substitute (aspartame) can also contribute to a brain over-speed event.

The other cause of anxiety attacks is visual or auditory over-stimulation and other stressors. Video games, certain music genres, flashing lights or computer screens, and many other things can cause anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the most disruptive symptoms of PCS. Learning to avoid the stimulating triggers can be a big help. It can take a concerted effort at evaluating your environment to learn your triggers.

There are some nutritional guidelines to help you along the way. B-12 (500 to 1000 mcgs), a B-50 or B-100 complex, D3, Omega 3's, all of the anti-oxidants, meat protein (pork is best), and some other things but my brain is struggling today.

Rest and quiet are the best ways to help with recovery.

Let us know how else we can help.

My best to you.

[PlasticMonkey]

Thank you for your reply, i cant be sure if sitting at a computer screen playin games is making it better, but it doesnt really seem like im getting worse while on the computer either. The anxiety has really lightened up or so it seems. Im not worrying about anything, i feel pretty fine other than occasionally i'll see things while im playing a game or searching the internet and get the kind of feeling you get when going down a big hill while riding a roller coaster. My stomach kind of just jumps every now and then, not exactly sure why. Is that bad maybe?

As of now im still felling slightly dizzy, feels like there's pressure on my head and a leftover headache that i have been having all day. The headache started when i woke up, so i have been slowly taking Acetaminphen, In texas we have a store called HEB and what im taking is just their brand of the drug. I've only taken 4 throughout the day and the headache is almost gone =D

It actually does feel like im getting better sometimes out of nowhere the pressure on my head will increase, then lighten up, then increase again, and lighten up etc etc. But what bothers me a little is, a week after i went to the doctors i started getting better and like i said out of nowhere the symptoms just re appeared. Just not as bad as the first time, is it normal for the symptoms to come and go like they are? and will they continue till im fully recovered?

It is still kind of hard to focus on something. and sometimes while in the middle of somethin i'll space out for a few seconds then get back to whatever i was doing. I do sit at a computer about 12+ hours a day. Do you think i should maybe stay away from it or limit myself on how much im on it? Once again thank you for your support, im sorry to hear about all the concussions you've had and what you have gone/going through. I think reading about other peoples experiences has made me feel quite a better considering my symptoms are nowhere near as bad as others.

[Mark in Idaho]

The computer games will effect your recovery and symptoms. The increase in symptoms may not be immediate. The brain gets stressed and reacts when it finally hits critical mass.

The anxiety from PCS has very little to do with thoughts. It is based on the way the brain processes or tries to process the stimulation from your environment. The computer can be a huge source of stimulation, even when you think the stimulation is not problematic.

The roller coaster of PCS is normal. Expect it to continue, especially if you do not find a way to reduce stress. The goal should be to minimize stress and the symptoms that follow because the best healing happens when there are no or minimal symptoms.

The acetaminophen is fine for the head aches. Brand does not matter. If it does not work well enough for some head aches, take some aspirin at the same time. Aspirin and acetaminophen can be combines safely.

What do you do on a computer 12+ hours per day? There are some computer activities that should be limited.

When you are struggling to focus, stop and note your environment. Are there lots of sound or visual stimuli? Many of us have to develop new skills to help us focus. PCS often causes us to be easily distracted.

It would help if you had a home blood pressure kit. If you take your blood pressure when a head ache hits or you get the strange roller coaster feeling in your stomach, you may notice an increase. This rise in BP is a common problem and cause of symptoms.

More later.

[PlasticMonkey]

Yeah i normally have the tv going while im on the computer and then i'll get distracted and focus on the tv then go back to the game. Sometimes i lose focus just because i start thinking of something else that has nothing to do with what i was doing on the computer. All day while im on the computer im either chatting with friends or playing games.

Do you think maybe it would be okay to watch movies instead of staying on the computer all day? Or can you recommend an activity that'll keep me from boredom that wont harm my healing process?

[SpaceCadet]

Hey there buddy...Welcome to NeuroTalk.

I just got a visual of you stepping on a rake and getting smacked in the face....OUCH...I thought that only happened in cartoons.

I just wanted to second the advice Mark gave you about playing video games. I played video games non-stop at the beginning of my recovery. I didn't think it was doing me any harm because, well, it wasn't causing any symptoms. Then, in November...I spent all day playing Modern Warfare 3 and I was a complete space cadet for a week. Ever since then, I have not been able to play games OR watch TV. It really does a number on my cognitive symptoms, so, its just not worth it to me.

I suggest taking a break from playing...Give your brain a chance to heal. If you don't want to hang the controller/keyboard up completely...at least play in increments.
I suggest 5-10 minute sessions and then an hour of total rest (no stimulation at all).

Good luck and I'm sorry about your injury.

Nick

[PlasticMonkey]

I guess i can hang up the keyboard on games till im healed, not a big deal. You think it would be okay if i sat around on youtube and watched videos for awhile or watched movies? and if it is okay how long would it be safe to do those things?

[Mark in Idaho]

The YouTube videos should be OK.

The signs you should be looking for are simple.

Anytime that you think you missed something , you brain is finished for the time being.

Anytime you need to reread a line your brain is fatigued.

Any time you sense a need to refocus visually, your brain is fatigued.

Any time you sense you zoned out, your brain is fatigued.

And so on.

Sometimes, like at work, all you need to do is close you eyes for a few minutes, sometimes, just a few seconds, to get your brain back on track.

It is a skill that you will need to develop by trial and error. In the beginning, it will take longer to recover. Once you learn to recognize the fuzzy brain, you can stop sooner and recover quicker.

Taking a eyes closed break at work during coffee breaks will go a long way to helping you make it through the day. Even better if the eyes closed break is where there is minimal talking. Shorter but more frequent breaks is better than longer and less frequent breaks.

Hope this helps.

My best to you.

[PlasticMonkey]

i took your advice and havent been on games pretty much at all today, i've been on the computer here and there but i took a 3 hour nap earlier today which feels like it helped A LOT. I was also resting a couple hours ago after getting up and cooking a bit, while cooking i started feeling a bit more dizzy than usual, so after cooking i rested and couldnt help but notice that my eyes felt as if they were bouncing around while they were closed..Is that normal?

[EsthersDoll]

I have taken the dizziness to be a warning to myself that I'm trying to do too much... so I will rest and try to take it easy (if I can) after I feel dizzy. The dizziness I experienced right after the injury I sustained was MUCH worse than it is now, but it's still a warning to me.

I try to watch light-hearted movies - horror movies and suspense thrillers are going to increase my stress levels - even if they didn't really "stress me out" before the injury - the feelings they bring up in me give off signals and chemicals in my brain that aren't good for my recovery.

I try to color to keep busy and I've been sewing felt christmas stockings for my niece and nephew.

Try to find some low stimulation activities for yourself like coloring, sewing, knitting or something so you don't get too bored.

Worrying and stress are not supposed to be good for the healing brain - so try to relax. You'll notice what you can and can't do because you'll get symptoms. Almost anything is worth trying - but we don't know whether you'll experience symptoms from doing something - you're going to make better guesses than we do about that - but pay attention to what your body and brain are telling you and if you see signs of fatigue then stop doing that activity for a while.