Hi worried12378, are you feeling better now? I did tell my doctor, but still don't like telling a lot of people as really don't want anyone to think i'm mad or pass off all my symptoms as being anxiety [which family have all done and continue to do :-( ]

But I did manage to feel better slowly by knowing and being told by my doctor that this is all normal for PCS and that it will pass. Everytime I get really bad, I just say to myself 'it will pass'. Whether it's in 2 hours, 1 day, 1week, it will pass. And I force myself to ring someone or demand someone comes over to my house (learn to put yourself first when you need it and give back when you can!) as talking forces you back into the real world.

People without PCS who have anxiety have out of body experiences and feel they can't control their actions, so it is not that unusual, it's just people don't speak about it. Since my fall I have found that about 1/5th of my friends are on anti-anxiety meds and I didn't know before! I just feel like some of the anxiety really isn't in my control, my brain is doing it without me controlling it. Does anyone else feel like that? I do accept I can control some of it however and do try to remain positive and going to work helps me to be 'normal' even though it is too much for my PCS - I don't know if I could do another 6 weeks off work, it was nearly the end of me, and would have been if I didn't have amazing friends who visited almost daily.

Good luck - it will pass :-)

Mark in Idaho, thankyou so much for your response and the work you do on this forum, it is literally life saving.

However, I'm sure you thought I needed a stern talking to (and I probably therefore do) but your response has scared me a bit!

You said "It appears you took time off to rest but did not use it well to get good rest." What should I have done better? What programme can I do that doesn't involve me going mad? I seem to need interaction and really struggle to switch off, I am used to working 12 hour days, driving for 2 then doing something social every evening and travelling lots - I find it really tough even to listen to an audio book for 1.5 hours an afternoon. I just need suggestions on what to do I guess, if anyone has any? I love the fishing idea but it's just not something I can do and I don't want to be alone for long periods away from my comfort zone of house or work.

My memory gets bad on bad days, mainly short term memory (I cna never remember what I did at the weekend when people ask) it was good during my original post but today I can't do mental arithmetic or focus on my work so I am on this forum instead.

You said "You really need to arrange an extended period of time off. If you do not get ahead of this, it will eat your life and spit it out." How long a period of extended time off? I need to somehow get my doctor and boss to sign off on this. You are the only person who has told me this, why isn't my neurologist saying it?!
What do you mean it will eat my life and spit it out if I don't get ahead of it? i.e. am I doing damage by not resting or just prolonging the recovery? That's the question no-one seems to be able to answer me and really scares me. If someone told me I'm doing permanent damage by continuing to work until better I'd have been off for 6 months but as it is I haven't been told that so am continuing to try to work for my sanity and of course need the money, but could manage on a little less.

Thanks re. the B vitamins - I will get some. I have not had alcohol or caffience since the fall and have been eating much healthier too and continue to drink lots of water. I think my diet is ok and I've been walking about 3-5 hours a week so I think my fitness is not too awful, even though I used to swim 60 engths most evenings and have put on quite a bit of weight, I can handle those things.

thankyou.

I'm not sure who I'm supposed to be seeing but he is supposed to be an expert in head injury. I think it's important you see a neuro with PCS experience.

I called Headway a few days ago and didn't find them very helpful, either. I really recommend Samaritans. They're not a head injury helpline but they're very supportive, no matter what you want to takl about. You can also go in and see them to speak to them face to face...even have a sleep if you find yourself too tired to get home, as I did once!

I have been off for 9 months now and have only now began to rest and switch off more. In the early stages although I wasn't going to work I was still reading technical articles and looking out for new opportunities.

After a few weeks my symptoms were still there I spent a long time trying to understand my injury and find the "silver bullet" to make me better.

Add on top claiming state benefits for the first time, dealing with bills and solicitors claims you end up working almost as hard when you're in work.

All this adds up to a lot of stress and brain activity that you well do with out.

I now spend a lot less time on the PC only watch certain types of program on the TV and spend more time in the garden

Accountant,

When I say concussion will eat your life and spit it out, I am talking about how you struggles will continue to accumulate in your work, personal and social life. As your job performance starts to be noticed as less than stellar, your personal life becomes a struggle and your social life falls apart as you eventually have an outburst or other event that is not a part of your normal experience prior to your injury, your life can come crashing down. Depression is a common result of this crash.

You are not likely making anything worse by not resting but you are putting yourself at greater risk of another head injury and the cumulative effects of that.

Concussion recovery and a busy work, social and personal life are not compatible. You may need to consider some counseling in relaxation skills. There are activities that have a more relaxing pace. I don't know what is available to you. Maybe a class in ballroom dancing or some other activity that involves physical movement. Swimming laps for distance can eat up a lot of time and provide some great physical benefit.

One thing I have experience with is the TOO Busy life. Both my own and observing others. Even the uninjured brain will suffer from constant activity. It can result in psychiatric problems, depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety disorders, etc. Most people I know who have lived a too busy life have some sort of life crash in their 40's or early 50's. And they did not have head injuries. Head injuries just magnify this risk.

Quiet rest means your brain slows down and your body does not work to extremes. Simple manual labor can be good. You have seen how you current life of busy has not helped with your recovery. Only you can find the road to less stress and fatigue.

I wish you the best. It is a difficult struggle.

Hi Accountant,

it´s been 6 weeks since my concussion and I don´t really know if I am feeling any better or not. I mean I have a couple of good days when I feel almost back to my old self and a couple of bad days when I feel awful (today is one of those bad days). It´s been a rollercoaster. The symptoms (nausea, fatique, feeling on the edge, general feeling of unwellness, vertigo, brain fog, muscle aches, slight headache, chills, face numbness, weakness, feeling dreamy, spaced out, ...) tend to come and go. They come very quickly and then disappear spontaneously in the same manner. It´s very frustrating. I have to work and have been working full time for the past 4 weeks but it´s very difficult to handle that. When I don´t work i try to relax, that makes me feel a little better. I am seeing my neurologist at Wednesday so let´s se if she suggests any other tests like eeg, vng, mri or something. I wanted a mri before but she thought it was useless as my 2 ct scans 30 and 100 hours after the concussion were clear. It´s very exhausting. My only hope is that last year I got so sick with some nasty infection I was pretty off for almost 4 monts (I was so sick I had barely left my house during this time period). Then recovered completely. So some things take a long time to settle down and dissapear. I really hope this will pass, too.

head/mind/body
 

I am a 51 yr old male. On May 7,2012 I was in a car accident. A car hit me head on going 65 mph. My truck did multiple flips landing on the roof. I lost consciousness and was helicoptered out to shock trauma. I spent 3 weeks in hospital. broken heal, ribs, nose, a few teeth, tore my groin muscle in half, body was one big hematoma. Well it is now October 14 almost 6 mths later and my days consist of dr. appts 3 - 4 days a week. physical therapy ( still not walking) and counseling. I finally went to a psychotherapist a few wks ago per my nueroligists suggestion. Brain foggy all the time ( like the morning after you take niquil), concentration & memory problems, I cannot sleep (it is 3:34 am right now), moody, cry for no reason at all (emotions are a wreck), and have only driven 1 time since accident and that was a mess. My teeth actually ache. I feel like nobody in my family understands (truely understands my feelings and what i am going through). I have done everything expected of me in physical therapy and still cannot walk. She says it is the screws in my foot that may need to come out. Just need people to talk too that have been or are currently going through some of this. Some days I feel so over whelmed ( bills just keep coming in, dr. appts, lawyer, therapists and oh my insurance company).
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR READING THIS... any responses would be greatly appreciated

rolltide
 

Welcome and sorry for the suffering and your struggles. Sounds like a truley hard trial you are going thru. Some here have had some physical struggles. Your are maybe the most severe I have read in this forum. Many of the symptoms fogginess, memory, confusion many here are familar with.

PCS can be like a many headed hydra. It can as you well know keep raising it's many heads and the symptoms can be long lasting. You are among good company. We understand as we are or have lived it. Vent if you need to, ask any questions you amy be curious about. There are some very savy people you may be able to help.