JNC,

I doubt you will see much improvement from day to day or even week to week if you maintain a full load of studies and extracurricular activities. It does not mean that after you graduate you can't take the time for quiet rest and good nutrition etc. so your brain can try to heal.

If the ibuprofen is not taking care of your head aches, try full doses of aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol) together. They are safe to take together at 1000 mgs each up to 3 times per day. Try and see what happens if you avoid the caffeine. If the combination works, give your liver a break from the Tylenol at least one day a week. Same goes for ibuprofen.

Your weekend drinking and unwillingness to take the time to be disciplined with diet and such makes it difficult to offer real help. Recovering from Prolonged Concussion Symptoms is not a part time effort.

When you are ready to get serious about recovery, we are here to help.

My best to you.

A word of advice from a fellow over-achiever who is much farther along than you in both PCS and life. Several weeks of rest is not enough. You will not get better by pushing yourself. Your recovery is only partially in your hands, but the part that you control is important. Rest, properly scheduled activities, and diet are the best places to start. I'm not a fan of multivitamins, but many here are. You should try them if you like. Eating healthy--plenty of fruits and veggies--and scheduling your day appropriately are key.

My advice would be to see how you do for those few weeks but then please consider taking a semester off, and please consider talking with your doctor or other healthcare providers about planning a recovery. Right now, it seems like everything is important. But you are so young that taking time off now will not diminish your career or life at all. You may miss some good times in college--but, after all, how good can they be when you are dealing with this everyday.

You do not want to be taking tylenol and aspirin everyday of your life for the next 50 years.

Best to you.

wakey,

Have you ever tried an extended time (3 months or more) of vitamin and other nutritional supplements while avoiding the toxins common in many diets? It is very difficult to get the extra amounts of B-12, folic acid, magnesium, and such from normal mass produced fruits and vegetables. The injured brain needs much more focused nutrition than a healthy brain.

I have taken multivitamins and vitamin B supplements for several months without noticing any results. I am open to new suggestions though.