[MaryinIA]

I am so confused. Could PCS cause migraines? That is what my doctor is leaning towards since I still have head pain radiating from the point of impact of my head injury, which gets worse when I have stress. It doesn't hurt to the touch, but is definitely there. I still have sensitivity to light (still no TV or videos for me) but as long as it isn't moving (like working on the computer) I can tolerate it when needed. The buzzing in my head has returned, which drives me batty, but one the good side it drowns out the "clutter noise".
My physical stamina is very lacking.
Still confused.

-Concussion 6/29/12. Hit back of my head on the concrete bottom of a swimming pool coming off a water slide. MRI was normal in July.

[Mark in Idaho]

Migraines or any kind of head aches are common to PCS. The fact that stress brings them on or magnifies them is also indicative of PCS head aches.

I live with frequent head aches but not the disabling migraine kind so I understand your frustration.

My best to you.

[MaryinIA]

Well, now I have an appt. with a neurologist on the 15th. My fatigue was deemed due to iron and vitamin D deficiency, which is being addressed. Everything else is the same, so we shall see. I tried watching TV just to see if it was I was just afraid to try and it is still a no go.
Thank you for just listening. This is still scary for me. I don't really know what "normal" is anymore. Maybe this is it, who knows.

[Mark in Idaho]

If you have an iron and Vit D deficiency, the question could be a broader look into your nutrition.

What is your diet like? Do you consume caffeine and/or alcohol? Have you had any hormone testing done?

There are lots of questions to be asked. These are a start.

[MaryinIA]

The iron thing was new. Up until this summer, I was a regular blood donor with no iron deficiency issues. I think that snuck up on me because my diet has been erratic this summer because for awhile I really didn't care (I know I should have) because everything was so far "off" and most of July/August it was ungodly hot weather, so that limited outdoor time because the heat did not help me at all.
I drink lots of water, maybe a can of soda a day, try to avoid HFCS in products.
No alcohol since my concussion and maybe one or two drinks a year before that. non-smoker.
Not a perfect diet, but not bad. Not a lot of meat and if I have a downfall it's not enough fruit. Fresh apples in season will help that. My son and I love tomatoes.

[Mark in Idaho]

I suggest you try some nutritional supplementation. Start with:
B-12 1000 mcgs daily
a B-50 complex
E
a high potency multi-vitamin like GNC Mega Woman (Centrum and One a Day are too weak)
Omega 3, 6, and 9 fish oil
Magnesium
Calcium
Good meat protein for amino acids

It is not uncommon for people to be B-12 deficient. It is needed for nerve recovery.

This helps the brain flush the toxins left by the injury. It takes a month or two to start to see improvement.

Quiet rest is the gold standard for allowing the brain to heal. Nutrition just helps the brain with this process.

Reduce and/or eliminate stress in the form of work stress/deadlines, emotional stress, visual and auditory stimulation, physical exertion, etc.

This is a start. If you have specific symptoms, we can address them, too.

My best to you.

[MaryinIA]

3 days before my appt I hit my head again on the corner of a filing cabinet. Got a good sized goose egg and created a ruckus at work. Of course, same spot
Neurologist appt went good I guess. It was an hour, but it wore me out. I think the thing that got me was shining the light in each of my eyes. It took 15 minutes for my vision to clear. Am taking amitripyline (sp) now.
Friends keep telling me to go see an eye doctor due to contrast sensitivity, but the thought of doing tests with lights shining in my eyes makes me shudder.

[Mark in Idaho]

Mary,

Good job spelling amitriptyline. You only missed the second T. It took me quite a while to memorize the correct spelling. How much is your dose? The usually is only 10 mgs. Sometimes upped to 25.

Struggling with bright lights is one of the most common symptoms. If you did see an eye doctor, you could get checked for any eye issues. Do you have any visual disturbances or struggles? They can be helped with vision therapy for some people.

My best to you.

[MaryinIA]

No real vision issues other than the light thing. 25mg is my initial dose. I work at a computer most of the day and only every so often do I have vision issues that seem to vorrect themselves after resting my eyes, which I do frequently. Maybe a bit of depth perception issues when my eyes are tired, but that is common anyway.

[Mark in Idaho]

Depth perception problems is a common symptom of concussions. It requires a lot of brain power to process the images from each eye and stitch them together in a way the brain can understand. That stitching and processing is where depth perception is computed.

Wow, 25 mgs to start. Is the amitriptyline for insomnia and head aches or something else. 25 mgs is a common starting dose for depression.

The fatigue from a hour neuro appointment sounds familiar. I can see how your brain is still struggling. When I have an intense appointment like that, I plan on needing a recovery day.

I bet your head aches are from the all day 'screen time.' That is a lot of visual stimulation for a concussed brain. Do you have your screen set high or as low as possible? I struggle to look back and forth from my desk to my screen due to the repetitive flexing of my neck. To make it worse, I were trifocals and need the middle lens (still low in my glasses) to see the screen. I do much better with my laptop because the screen is so much lower.

Is your impact spot just skull bone or is it near a joint or other soft tissue like the top of the neck?

Have you ever had your upper neck MRI'd? Disjointed occiput/C-1 joint is common to head impacts. Mine has been a problem for 12 years. I have not had the funds to get any treatment there.

My best to you.