Thanks again, Mark, for your most knowledgable info. I feel I am slowly getting better, but friends are wary. I have only taken 6 Tylenol in 48 hrs & have not had any considerable pain, only the dizziness & a feeling of fullness in my head w/ random tingles of dull, short-lived pain. I am most interested in what symptoms to look for when. A friend told me that detached retinas often follow a head injury, but I don't know if there's anything that will prevent it.

I wasn't aware that the mindful meditations are Buddhist doctrine. I am a practicing Christian also & have listened to almost all of them & I don't hear anything in them that suggests anything other than mindful focus on one's breathing, body & relaxation. I certainly don't mean to be proselytizing. Many people have found them helpful for anxiety.

Again, so many thanks for your help. Champ

As I was told most concussed or first concussed persons should watch for symptoms coupled together. This is what you would here from nearly any clinic. Symptoms as follows headache, ringing in ears, blurred, double or most any substantial change in vision, balance issues thinking falling, vertigo issues think spinning room, tightness in your head feels like your head is truly going to explode. Nausea is another common symptom.

Usually it is a headache commonly severe coupled with vision and balance issues that are clear physical indications of a concussion. If your symptoms do not clear up or show marked improvement in 3 weeks then you are a candidate for PCS or post concussion syndrome.

The thing of greatest concern for anyone concussed is what you can not see. Brain bleeds and bruising are VERY serious issues and need early intervention. CTs and MRIs are the usual scan for seeing that. Also have any close to you watch for behavioral changes. If the brain has suffered a bleed or bruise then the following die off of cells after the concussion is much higher. That is why early intervention is stressed.

I hope you will feel better.

The primary risk of a brain bleed is the increase in pressure inside the skull. This pressure can severely damage other areas and start to push the brain into the area occupied by the brain stem.

Evidence of a risk of a brain bleed are intense head aches, any changes in functions that are different from side to side as in; right eye/left eye, dragging a foot or struggle to use a hand or other motor dysfunctions, unrelenting nausea or a delayed onset of severe nausea, prolonged slurred speech or a sudden presentation of slurred speech, etc.

Personality and behavioral changes are common to PCS but if there is a sudden drastic change in personality or behavior, urgent assessment is called for.

The slow die off of brain cells can cause new symptoms to slowly manifest weeks later. These slow delayed changes are common and disturbing but not usually an emergency.

It is amazing how much I learn even after 7 months of PCS. Thank you all for the information!

Welcome, champ, and I am hopeful your condition improves and congratulations on being a breast cancer survivor!!!!