Hi, everyone! I'm fairly new here, I have been lurking for a while trying to find some answers on what I can do and what I should expect, but never previously felt the need to ask anything. I have, however found some great advice, and also some great comfort from reading in this forum, and I thank you for that! Please excuse my bad english, it's not my first language, but I hope you can get through my post/question anyway.

I got my concussion on november 30th last year, after fainting in class and hitting my head on a radiator. I was on full sickleave for about 6 months, since I was in too much pain and had too much cognitive difficulties to keep studying, but after that I've been trying to get back to my studies. I've still been in pain, I've had to stay home from school at least 2 days/week, and I've been constantly exhausted, but I've managed.

The last three weeks, however, have been a nightmare. I'm worse than I can remember EVER being, pain to the point of crying from simple things like socializing with my family for an evening or taking the subway to the doctor. I've had no energy at all, it's taken several hours to even get out bed in the morning, or to do menial things like cooking or washing the dishes. During this time I haven't been able to get myself to school at all.

I saw my doctor yesterday, hoping that he would put me on sickleave again, but he simply gave me a stronger painkiller. This new pill takes the pain away completely (though also making me so high I cannot be trusted to do anything outside the house), but I worry that I might make things even worse if I go back to the pace I had before the relapse. My doctor isn't a specialist (and he's previously refused to refer me to a specialist since "they wouldn't take me in anyway, since my injury is so minor"), so I trust your word more than his in this instance. Is it ok for me to just take painkillers and try to power through with my studies? I feel like I'm breaking down, but I can't afford to take time off if it's not absolutely necessary. Could I make things even worse if I just keep going? Or should I just push myself to go back to school even though it feels impossible?

I'm also unsure about this new drug. It's active substance is tramadol, and I feel like it's really risky to take this addictive drug several times a day, every day, especially if I can avoid it (dealing with the pain isn't half as bad when I'm at home - as long as I can keep relatively isolated it doesn't escalate as much). At the same time, it's absolute bliss actually getting rid of the pain instead of having to deal with it 24/7. But then again, I actually get high on it, nausea, dizzyness, giddyness and fascination over the world all included, and I can't really say how much I would learn in class if I've taken the drug. Do any of you have any experience with taking tramadol or other opiates? Is it worth it?

I'm thankful for any advice you can give me!

I'm 23 years old and female, if that makes a difference.

Best wishes
/Sigoria

Sigoria,
I have taken tramadol and had many the same effects. Mark in Idaho uses a combination of aspirin and tylenol for headaches. What is the nature of your pain? Are you suffering from any other symptoms? What did the doctor originally diagnose your injury as?

I got into the emergency room almost as soon as the accident happened. I was unconcious for a couple of minutes, and I was spasming (I usually do when I faint, so nothing unusual there), so my teachers called for an ambulance. I had total lack of short term memory for about 4 hours, I didn't remember anything for a couple of weeks back and didn't form any new memories during that time. So they were pretty sure that it was a concussion, but they said I didn't have any indications of whiplash. They took a CT scan in the emergency room, which didn't show any sign of damage or bleeding, and so they said it was a minor concussion and that I'd be better in 2 weeks time. I got diagnosed with PCS about 2 months in, never had any other diagnosis.

I have lack of concentration, dizziness, general fatigue and I'm really sensitive to sound, light and other sensory impressions. I have about a hundred different kinds of pains in my head, no pain at all in other parts of the body. The most common pains are sharp pains (in my temples, between the eyes and in the back of my head (where I hit it)), a pressuring pain that feels like I've got a two sizes too small helmet on, a dull pain on the top of my head and another dull pain right behind my forehead. All of them are managable if I can avoid a lot of sensory impressions but get out of hand in about 5 mins if I'm in a place with a lot of people, or otherwise very loud and/or bright.

I wouldn't go full tilt on the painkillers. They are just masking the symptoms. You are liable to have "rebound" pain when you come off them. I don't think you r doctor is competent based on this medication choice. It shows he is choosing not to treat the cause of your problem, just the symptoms. And it sounds like he is doing it in an irresponsible way. Your fatigue is your brain/body telling you to slow down. I experience it daily.

As for your headaches, have you tried any injections? Other therapies besides medication? You need to have your neck and evaluated to see if there is soft tissue damage. Many here will tell you that your best bet is rest. That is largely true. Rest and try to build up to certain tolerances for activity. I am young like you and it is incredibly difficult to do this every day. But the alternative will make you worse.

sigoria,

The first question should be: What have you been doing to help with recovery?

What was your pace before the relapse?

Those who do best learn by looking back to the activities and stressors before a relapse. Some keep a journal. Riding a train/subway can easily be too much stimulation. Same for spending time socializing where there are too many voices.

Getting a diagnosis of any neck injuries is also very important. Sometimes, the neck diagnosis is done in reverse. If icing or gentle head and neck traction causes an improvement, then continue that until the symptoms resolve. If the area behind your ears is tender, it is evidence of an upper neck injury. Ice can make a big difference.

My best to you.

wakey: I got a TENS-machine from my physiotherapist that I've been using, and that helps to reduce the pain, though not nearly enough to get me back to school. I haven't tried any medication except for over-the-counter paracetamol and ibuprofen, usually taking full dosage of both at the same time to even get out of bed. I'm also enrolled in a rehabilitation program with a specialized team focused on dealing with long term pain. But that isn't at all about lessening the pain, it's just about learning to live and function even though you're in pain. I tried rest, as I said I was on full sick-leave the first 6 months, and that did work, but my doctor has kept telling me that too much rest can be just as bad as too little, and so I've tried to push myself to do as much as possible to keep this from happening. Have you heard anything about too much rest being bad for pcs?

Mark: I was on full sickleave until june 1st, after that I have tried to keep my food- and sleep-patterns as stable and healthy as possible, but it's been hard since all my energy has gone to trying to stay in school. Instead I've tried to pull back on my spare-time activities, and I haven't really been out to see friends, or even visiting my family, almost at all.
I've got some different ways of dealing with the pain, as mentioned above to wakey. But I can't say that I've been that focused on recovery, since my doctor basically have told me, time and time again, that any physical damage is already healed and that too much rest would be counterproductive. I guess I have been telling myself that it's "all in my head" and that I should just push through. I'm starting to realize that this might not be the best strategy if I ever want to be able to go back to my "normal" self again, and so I come here asking for advice.

My pace before the relapse was high, I've been trying to study full time, but as I mentioned in my first post that hasn't really worked. So I've constantly been stressed about falling behind and losing my student-loans, and at the same time I've been forced to move so there's been that stress as well. The relapse came as soon as I started to relax a bit - we had a week-long autumn break about 2,5 weeks ago, and after that I just haven't been able to get up and going again. But I had been deteriorating ever since I started working/studying again after my sickleave, so it was really just a matter of time anyway.

I'm not tender at all in the area around my neck, or behind my ears, but I'll make sure to get a referral to get that checked out anyway. Thank you!