Welcome
 

You can keep improving for years, but in order to stop having symptoms you have to modify what you do.

It is not easy to do. I am 52 and am now 14 months pcs, I have been told it maybe another year before I can work. I too was interest in the question "how long does this take?" The answer is no one really knows, every concussion is different and ever person reacts to things differently. It make planning and decision making really difficult.

You have to put tool into place to simplify your life and cut out stress and over stimulation. I can only do one thing at a time (I now know how men feel lol). I tried to conserve my energy, I have chairs to sit down to cook, a stool for doing the laundry. I try not to waist energy going up and down the stairs. I try and stay on the same floor and complete things before moving on. I use to cook, run downstairs and throw laundry on, bound upstaris to put away clothes, run back to the kitchen to stir etc. etc. Now I start and complete one task as a time. Cooking particularily is hard because I have left my stove on twice now because I forget.

Keep stress down to a miniumum. Get alot of rest. Usually if your symptoms come back or get worst, you have done too much. You have to work at 50% of your capacity until you get better and then increase slowly. This is really hard for me as I am an A type personality.

Good Luck.

NormaW,

A tool I use when cooking is the kitchen timer. If I need to leave the kitchen, I turn the timer on for a few minutes. If I forget the stove is on, the timer will beep and call me back to the kitchen. It is best to have a timer than keeps beeping until it is turned off.

Wow....thank you so much Mark! Everything you've written makes so much sense. Raising 4 kids 4 years apart with a truck driver husband multi tasking becomes a way of life. They are grown now but after I read your message I kind of laughed and thought yeah that makes sense 1 thing at a time instead of getting frustrated and throwing something.

You make it sound like I won't ever get back to 100%. Is that true? I hate that. But I would rather know. I am a healthy person other than the headaches and the concussion. Eat healthy. Exercise. I will look into the more vitamins. Any advice is appreciated

Nobody ever recovers to 100%. They may recover to their normal level but will always have a weakness for over-stimulation and fatigue. By moderating stress, the over-stimulation and fatigue can be managed.

Even without a concussion, your brain is starting to deteriorate as you go through middle age. You can help with attitude and personality issues by getting a thorough hormone analysis. Very carefully targeted bio-identical hormones can help you perform at your best. A good referral link is available at https://www.womensinternational.com/..._referral.html You will be pleasantly surprised at how hormonal imbalances that can make life difficult can be fixed with targeted HRT. The injured brain is especially prone to hormone imbalances.

Mark,

This is a good one, try to get it added into those Stickies threads somehow......very informational.

Aim for 100% but protect your brain!
 

You can live a totally rich and full life. My good friend has recovered from multiple concussions and had some scary lingering symptoms (including passing out, which caused further concussions!), and she is a mom of two, yoga instructor, office manager, athlete, and a generally vivacious person! I often think of her when I need hope and inspiration.

As for me, I'm getting closer and closer to a hundred percent. It may be true that our brains will always be different and we need to do more to protect them from further injury, so we don't trigger PCS symptoms, but I think I will eventually get back to a "normal" state of existence. The only difference is I will not be doing anything particularly dangerous and I am just more cautious in terms of where i put my body. Thankfully I am not into mountain biking or playing hockey! Unfortunately, I still have to drive, but I am definitely more careful than I used to be, and I try to avoid highway driving whenever possible. It's just too nerve-wracking for me now, so whereas I used to love driving, now I'm happy to let my husband chauffer me. I feel like I've reached my quota on car accidents--7 in the last 10 years (most just fender benders) with only 1 accident caused by me. Three of them, I was just sitting at a red light! Knock on wood!

Sorry--I digress. Read the hope and healing stickie at the top of the forum. It will allow you to see that getting better IS possible. Good luck!

I believe in getting better
 

Hi Norma

I do believe and know I am getting better. I am so hesitant now to use the R word (recovered) because I have been burned by thinking I was recovered only to find out, I was not and I did too much and dizziness, sound and light sensitivity came back.

That said, I agree with DeFayesmom, in that we can live rich, full lives after more symptoms resolve. Somethings from PCS are likely going to stay with me forever, but I am not sure what that might be.

Keep on educating yourself, and listen to your body to find what triggers the stress that brings on symptoms and like Mark said, find ways to work around those things or adapt to it.

Take care,

poetrymom

Wow, I shoulda been more clear in my post above.

I meant that Mark should persue having his Link getting stickied, sorry for any confusion.