Icing your upper neck and being disciplined to minimize poor posture and head movement can help. I need to use tri-focal lenses in my glasses. Tilting my head back to use the bottom lens causes problems. Falling asleep with my head tilted forward or to the left causes me problems too. I sleep on my back with my pillow curled around my head so my head does not tip to the side.

This injury does not usually have any pain. It may occasionally have a clicking feel. It can cause inflammation that restricts blood flow to part of the brain and it can cause muscle spasms, especially those muscles that attach behind the ears. Any soreness to touch behind the ears is a good indication of this injury.

What parts of the vitamins and supplements can you not take ? Is there a drug interaction issue ?

Maybe there are other ways to get your brain this good nutritional support.

taking of the vitamins are not an issue, but like most people dealing with this...money is tight and while these things might help me, they are also a luxury I cannot afford right now. I do use a lot of canola oil in my cooking, that is high in Omega 3 and 6, buy a lot of fruit and vegtables (especially leaf spinach), and try to get meat when I can. As far as vitamins go, I would rather speak to a doctor about this before I really start taking anything extra.

The part I do have difficulty with is caffeine. I drink soda, and probably will for a long time. I'm sure it is bad for me with my current condition, but it is bad for you if you are perfectly healthy. Caffine doesn't really boost my energy, I just enjoy how it tastes. Right now I am attempting to reduce my intake and trying to drink more water again. Alcohol and tobacco, while they are a once in awhile thing, I do enjoy them and when used in moderation, can be helpful. It's next to impossible to avoid MSG, and I try because I am allergic to it, but most cheap food uses it.

Your suggestion is a nice thought and sounds like it does wonders for you, but I need to be in a better place finacially before I can really consider any aspect of your regiment.

At a minimum, the injured brain needs additional B-12, Vit D3, and a B-50 complex to balance the other B's. You will find that it makes a big difference. I would put it far ahead of sodas (expensive empty calories or such) wine, beer or liquor.

The three I listed will cost about $30 total. If you have access to a Costco, the B-12 they have is good.

You will never get the additional quantities your brain needs while it heals from eating fruits and vegetables.

This will pay dividends by allowing you to become financially productive.

Any help you want to quote to me about my medical problems...I am more than happy to listen to. But just because I don't follow your advice doesn't mean I don't listen.

There's a fine line about telling me how to budget my money. I will ask that you don't cross that line. What I choose to buy with my money is my business and I don't mean to be rude here, but I want to state how I feel in this situation.

I would love to have an extra $30 to buy vitamins, and maybe down the road I can, but for right now, that is a luxury I cannot afford. Maybe it will improve my mind...but I cannot afford it. Please leave it at that. I don't like talking about my money problems, which add to my stress and I came here to try to get rid of stress.

I know all about tight budgets. We have needed credit to pay some bills.

Hopefully, the time will come when you will have less financial stress.

My best to you.

Welcome here mad cat.

I read thru your story. I totally believe you have PCS and relate to your story about medical care and WC etc. I'm livin that dream too. Sorry to hear of your struggles.

I hope you find the advice you seek here.

Hi, I know I'm late coming into this thread, and I apologize.

Mark is good with his input. Its very informative and trustworthy.

You have not told us where you are from: US, Elsewhere?

You have noted that you have stayed within the employer's system; what about having them setup care for you - a provder taking care of your interests, not theirs - it is their responsibility you know..... OR, since you have insurance, finding your own Neurologist / Physiatrist AND attorney, to direct your care.

Sorry to bring in the Attorney angle here, however, you employer and those practitioners only have one interest at heart - theirs, the employer, not yours - thats a fact...(no matter how 'kind' they seem)....ask anyone here or elsewhere who has been involved in a worker's comp situation....there are statutes of limitations.

You have noted many things that are indicative of PCS, so yes you have been experiencing it... you need rest; you have need of therapy and interventions and unbiased testing to help evaluated what actually needs to be addressed to help you receive therapies to direct recovery.

As to the Caffeine, like many , you like it, we all do, but it is a bad thing for our injured brains, and since you can't totally let go, could you work toward decreasing it - for every can of soda, have a similar amount of water as the next drink , instead of another can of soda?

Smoking, could you put yourself on a timer, to decrease your intake, reducing it, to cut back 1/2 the amount per week or per 2 weeks, until better able to reduce to zero in a given period of time?

Those 2 items would eventually save you quite a bit of money down the road - I know as I was a 2 pack a day smoker, and a 2 case a week diet drink drinker at the time of my injury - now, 3 years later , pretty much only an occasional cigarette and diet soda. And, I used to work in the Medical Field, and should have known better.

OK, the next Issue: Your brain is hurt, injured, and no one here will disagree about that. It comes out with your responses , about the reports, about the retorts to the input you have received, etc.

We are not attacking you. Its just observation. We have done it, we have seen it. We are here to help.

And we agree, like you say, but you probably do have some sort of depression, but its not Depression as that NPA is saying that is your problem ( because that just gives them something to say was "pre-existing" to get them off the hook from the injury causing you your problem..........back to my point above which is => where is your own protection and care giver input (NOT THEIRS).

The Vitamins: Your brain is hurt. They are useful. There are many resources to obtain them. When you are ready to explore purchases, besides Costco (if a member), you could look at Puritan's Pride (online) they offer very good deals, and I'm sure other members here have connections elsewhere.

- To avoid the MSG worries and other additive worries many have, its best to avoid boxed foods, and just keep spices on the table such as salt (if you must), pepper, cayenne, tumeric, and/or others that you like to flavor your foods with.... I personnaly premix tumeric, cayenne and black pepper on all my foods to taste and my wife and I cook together to keep me involved around the house, besides the 'honey-do' list that she oversees me doing - so I don't stagnate.

While you are still having problems with those you note, please continue getting as much rest without outside stimuli as you can. Please take the time to find caregivers for your needs as I noted.

I hope others will chime in with more advice, and we can all give you more support, and you can more forward with Best Wishes ,



Sorry for the last minute Eidt:

When I was in practice, I would never use Propanolol for one reason - the depression it caused in most folks was so overwhelming that the Migraine sufferers would ask to change their meds because they already had enough depression from the migraines and didn't like the extra depression the drug gave them...... Most of these patients were long term Migraine patients who had been changed from older medications to Propanolol by their new physicians when Propanolol received its clearance for Migraine use by the FDA and all the new Internists began using the new guidelines.

Hi Mark
This is my first post. I suffered a concussion at the end of November 2012. The past five months have been a living hell. I have suffered from depression and anxiety for the first time in my life and I am 49 years old. The Dr put me on Lexapro 10mg which seems to help a little but I still have my moments of feeling sorry for myself. I seem to dwell on my condition all the time even though I know that this is making things worse. I have slowly started to get better but not soon enough for me. I was extremely active working out with weights and aerobic exercises nearly daily. The exercise always made me feel good. Since I had the concussion I lost about twenty pounds. I am just starting to put weight back on. But I still cant work out. I am so afraid of doing something to trigger the anxiety and depression that I have just shut myself out of exercising. I try to walk about a mile a day but I worry about hurting myself. I know it is irrational but I still cant help myself. My wife of thirty years tries to be supportive but it has taken its toll on her as well. I saw the neurologist again on Tuesday and he said that I am fine, I sure don't feel fine though. I just waiting for the day that I wake up and this nightmare is behind me, it doesn't seem that it ever will. Thanks for listening I am just having a bad day today.

I don't know how to address your other issues as you stated them, honestly.

Sorry.

Try this site for some legal help - I did, and got immediate email answers to my questions pertaining to Work comp, and SSDI; including one lawyer spending free time finding names of local lawyers for me to check on and talk to .

Avvo.com

Was very helpful .

I recommended the Work Comp avenue, due to them having the contigency avenue, and no expense to you initially, and your out of pocket expenses are after the fact - if you have not passed any time limitations.

Good Luck, Best Wishes ...........

Thank you.

A starting point can be the best help of all.