everyone here knows that rollercoaster quite well. PCS symptoms seem to arise a day or 2 later so it's difficult to understand what is causing them.

I would start a journal if I were you. I stared a journal to track my diet, activities, and how I felt throughout the day. In another part of my journal I also kept note of what I'm thankful for each day. It is an anxiety coping method that I use. Basically by writing these things down you force yourself to think about them longer so you're indirectly re-routing signals in your brain and strengthening these areas to make you feel better.

Anxiety was the hardest thing for me. Anxiety produced from not know if I'll get better. Anxiety from being less than I was. And Anxiety from PCS as a symptom itself.

You'll get better. Sorry but I can't promise an easy recovery. Just hang in there!


EDIT: oh and in case you haven't done so already... Stop drinking alcohol

Great idea (the journal). I haven't even thought of that.

i have the rollercoaster too. im 27 and hit the back left part of my head in February. i though i was getting better months ago but i reaggrivated myself and have been feeling like **** for months.

get ready to feel like **** with no end in sight. im not trying to be a downer but ive realized with these bad concussions that your basically screwed. im a shell of my former self. i used to be a active party animal now im only semi active and dont party

im still in good shape because i maintain but i can lift like i used to. i need to get 100% agian but the way i feel now i doubt ill ever be 100 agian. i think once you hit your head your a changed person for life

Are you serious? Man that's a downer. Did you lose consciousness? Do you also feel "different" now? I can't really describe how I feel different but it's a mix of tiredness/"unfocusness"/light headed feeling. It's like I'm in some kind of another dimension where focusing on something 100% for more than a few seconds is impossible, at least for now.

You are very early in your recovery. Most people recover fully. If I were you I would hope for a 3 month recover. If that doesn't happen hope for 1 year. From what I've heard it's 3 months for a relatively bad concussion. 1 year for a really bad one. If it takes you over 3 months I would start questioning your return to hockey thereafter.

i have no idea if i lost consciousness. my concussion happened during the Superbowl and i was really hammered. i woke up the next day with my head killing me and a golf ball sized bump on it

since then ive had a lot of different symptoms. the good news is most of my symptoms have went away like anxiety and really bad fatigue but the symptoms like double flashy vison, brain fog and and overall odd feeling still are with me

i totally here you on the other dimension thing i felt like that earlier. i was out at the store and nothing seemed real and its like i was in my own world. i was driving home and thought to myself did i really just go to the store because it seemed like it didnt happen

you will get better like i have but im not 100%. some days im 90% other days im 60%. its weird because im young and healthy and should be better by now but im not. its been 9 months and im wondering if this **** is gonna take years. its looking that way

hi,

yes, it is a rollercoaster.

itīs been a rollercoaster for me for almost 10 weeks now.

i am not a doctor but from my personal experience i would recommend you to avoid any strenuous activities/sport activities. it worsen symptoms and can cause serious relapses. NO alcohol. do not party. try to relax, rest and sleep as much as possible. no stress. drink a lot of water. eat brain friendly foods. make sure you are seenig a good neurologist (other specialists) about your symptoms. as far as "the other dimension" thing - you are probably talking about derealization (feeling spaced out?) and as far as i know itīs caused by anxiety. I have been dealing with that a lot.

anyway all the best

i hope u will be ok soon

Had a 3rd physio session, told him about the symptoms (headaches, always tired, tv and computer give me headache, rollercoaster symptoms) and he said that with the hit I took and the symptoms, it'll probably take 2-3 months to recover fully.

I've had lots of trouble falling asleep lately, takes me about 1-2 hours to fall asleep, I get huge headaches at night now. Saturday night my brain felt like it was going to explode.

I'm so sad/disappointed, that's virtually the whole hockey season right there. Plus I have to start studying for a very important test (GMAT) and take it very soon, dunno how I'm gonna manage it.

claritan wrote: " i think once you hit your head your a changed person for life "
__________________________________________________ _________
This is very true for many of us.
Fortunately pertiman, chris, claritan, each of you have younger-age onset of injury on your side. Which is in all of this for you a plus, a good thing going for you.

pertiman, you are wise to be mindful of your computer use re: " I have to use a computer virtually everyday for uni (papers to write, info to look up, etc...) but I'll definitely try to stay on these types of devices as little as possible.

It's an 'easy' one to 'not think about', easy to overdo it w/o knowing that we are, and to not know it until after the fact of having already overdone our capacity in one sitting. I still sometimes have to do my work in 5-10 minute sessions, walk away from it, go outside, pull weeds or rake leaves, do something entirely different that doesn't require such focus & concentration --- (although it often 'feels' like it doesn't, I know.) It's easy to feel like "It's easy for me", i.e. is not 'costing' us, when in fact it often is & we don't know it; until later, e.g. we find ourselves 'spent' or other symptoms exacerbated & can't imagine why.

It's the same with driving --- it's a skill that we take for granted.
It in fact is a very complex activity requiring great concentration, focus of attention, and brain-energy capacity.

Quote from hockey a few years ago: "I hear your frustration about working out with PCS. What helps me, and might help you, is to carefully monitor your heart rate during exercise. Over time you may be able to establish a "safe range" where you can exercise without making your headache, etc... worse. Cheers."

Good luck to you. Take it easy, Guys. Sounds like you're doing well with taking care.