Hello again

I went to the doctor today and he signed me off work for another week (my concussion happened over a week ago now) and prescribed me two painkillers and something for the dizziness/sickness:

co-dydramol
ibuprofen 400mg
stemetil (Prochlorperazine)

has anyone had any experience with these?

I am a little disheartened that I just got prescribed lots of painkillers and sent on my way but to be honest what more can they do!!

Part of me wants to ask for a CAT/MRI scan as my symptoms have not been improving but I think they may not take me seriously if I did ask for some reason

I think I have overdone it today as well, my vision keeps blurring and I keep coming over very dizzy all I've done is go to the doctors, post office and picked up my prescription!

Thanks in advance

i don't have a lot of experience with those meds other than the ibuprofen

But as far as the scans go, if you really feel like you want them, I would ask. I had a CT scan done (normal) and an MRI done about a month later because I was still feeling so horrible. That came up normal, too, which I have learned is the case more often than not...BUT, it will help with your peace of mind.

Take it easy today, you did a lot already this morning!

Thanks

need to get back to work soon, sick pay is stressing me out! arghhh

One should be very cautious about requesting a CT scan. They are very intense radiation exposures. 60 times the radiation of a single x-ray.

If you feel bad, it is likely that you need more quiet rest. The brain can often take quite some time to recover. Being anxious about recovery is counter-productive. The anxiety chemicals reduce the brain's ability to recover, even causing greater damage.

Recovery from a concussion can often take up to 45 days. For some, it takes even longer.

The key to recovery is quiet rest.

The drugs recommended are pretty strong. The first is codeine and acetaminophen/paracetamol. The stemetil is very strong. Its use should be limited to 2 days at a time. Both can cause drowsiness. Drugging the brain into rest is counter to helping it heal.

Thanks Mark

I did think they were quite strong drugs!

when i do eventually return to work should i return on reduced hours? i work in a clothes shop but i usually lead teams and it gets quite busy and involves a lot of running around so can be quite stressful.

When you return to work, it might be good to not be the team leader until you get a chance to see how you do in the busy environment. Once you can last a shift, adding the team leader may be OK. Be prepared to need to take a break during your shift.