[fkd5322]

I'm still having headaches from the post concussion syndrome. I had a concussion with bleeding a year and 3 months ago. Do you think I should get a doctors okay to exercise and join a gym or am I suppose to take it easy or not do it at all. I don't have health insurance so going to see a doctor to talk to him about this would cost be an unnecessary amount of money. What do you guys think?

[Mokey]

I would suggest starting with very light exercise (not weights)....such as a walk, stationary bike, etc. And see how you feel. You have to stop if you have symptoms.
It is so difficult to go from being active to doing nothing.
The key is to take it slow. Weights can put pressure on your system...and affect the brain. I was told to avoid weights. Have started with little wee ones....can't believe how much muscle I lost...but i only do it to start getting conditioned....no huge goals at this point.
Sorry about the doctor situation. In Canada we don't pay for doctors but we can often have big wait times for specialists. Must be an enormous stress. Hang in there.

[Jomar]

I wouldn't spend money for a gym yet, do some basic home activities/exercises and see how you respond, that is the real test if it is OK or not for you.

Take it easy with baby steps more or less, don't over do it, that can set you back, slowly increase as you are feeling OK with each level.

[Tpont21]

Originally Posted by fkd5322

I'm still having headaches from the post concussion syndrome. I had a concussion with bleeding a year and 3 months ago. Do you think I should get a doctors okay to exercise and join a gym or am I suppose to take it easy or not do it at all. I don't have health insurance so going to see a doctor to talk to him about this would cost be an unnecessary amount of money. What do you guys think?

Coming from someone who weightlifted five days a week prior to my injury I would suggest that you NOT lift any sort of weights. Lifting weights has caused me to have relapses. It took me two months of back and forth feeling better, exercising, then relapsing before I realized that it is not worth it. Yes, I have lost some muscle mass too, but who's to say you can't gain it back when you're all better? It is very difficult for me not to exercise, but I realize healing my brain is more important.

It is probably OK to walk and do some light yoga/stretching, as these activities are not very demanding but will still give you the satisfaction of doing something and it is good for your body. This is what I have been doing for about 2 weeks now and I will continue to do it until I see a specialist.

Unfortunately a concussion is a test of patience. I no longer have headaches yet I still haven't went back to weightlifting because I still have other symptoms such as anxiety, foggy thinking, fatigue, and dizziness. Ideally you should be symptom free for 2+ weeks before even considering to lift light weights and ramp up your physical activity. It sucks, I know. But in the end when you recover faster you will be thankful you made the sacrifice. If I could go back to the day after my injury I would have quit all demanding physical activity from the get go.

I can only offer advice based on my experiences. Good luck on your recovery.

[mouse1]

I agree, you should wait for your symptoms to go before considering the gym. I used to get really ill just doing light exercise, and I can now walk 3 miles with minimal impact at the 5 month point.

However I went to the gym last Thursday and did 45 minutes in the gym, and I think jogging on the treadmill for 15 minutes was the big mistake - too much too soon. Since this I have been fatigued right through to Sunday afternoon. I also had a low level headache which didn't go away until Sunday either. My conclusion is that I will wait until I have two good weeks without symptoms before trying this again, and will just stick to walking or swimming for now.

Its very frustrating because I used to go 3 or 4 times a week, but at the moment it just isn't worth it.

[dancingcavalier]

My neuro has been extremely strict with me about what I can and can't do-- based on that, I would defs recommend consulting a professional. There are resources online where you can ask doctors questions, but I have a feeling they'll direct you to be examined.

Totally with you on the gaaah, so expensive! front :/