Okay we just went to the Berkeley eye clinic (the clinic recommends prisms in some glasses to be used as a crutch until she can handle vision therapy) and at the end of the testing the 21 yr old asks the doctor about her vision totally blacking out when she was on a treadmill (physical therapy for another injury) the day before. It turns out that this has happened before when she over exerts herself. Her pulse at the time was 126.

I'm wondering if this could be some neck injury from the fall she had that caused PCS or could this be PCS? has any else ever had their vision go for a short period of time while exercising?

Thanks

It sounds like you need a doctor to coordinate all of her care. A physiatrist (Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine) may be worthwhile. The cardio work may not be good right now.

She needs to speak up about any and every symptom that manifests and the circumstances around each symptoms. Keeping a journal may be worthwhile.

The loss of vision during the treadmill sounds scary.

My best to you both.

I am just now getting a cervical spine MRI later today!

The hardest thing about PCS is that there is no one doctor coordinating the different specialists. And the learning curve is steep-who has been through this before?

Some primary care / family doctors can help coordinate, but sometimes it is hard.

I would get her neck examined. I didn't realize I had a low range of motion (look straight then look to right over shoulder and then left over shoulder) until my pt checked. Then the neurology dept. discovered I have numbness in arms and legs (pin check). On the long list of ailments, the numbness was low on the list.

Maybe a neurologist could do a complete re-check of symptoms. the UCSF clinic on Parnassus is first rate--Perhaps you could get a referral?

Good luck, poor petal!

Thanks mark and berkeley brain. Hope all goes well with your MRI

I forgot to mention we are 2.5 years out. Daughter got dropped on head in college class, went back after 10 days, then a setback, rested over the summer, went back in sept '11, had a major set back and couldn't read till 2 months ago.

We are being seen by a doctor at the SOAR clinic in SJ. We tried vision and vestibular therapy for 2 months but she couldn't manage the nausea brought on by the therapy. Since Sept. all her symptoms have been getting better.

In addition, the clinicians at UC Berkeley eye clinic had to only do half the testing in 1 day due pcs symptoms rising. We won't go back for 4 months to see if she can handle the vision therapy at that time.

I just don't know who would be able to completely rule out a neck injury--a NUCCA chiropractor of 31 years experience with great reviews or her Doc at the SOAR clinic. I feel that we are on a time limit because it has been so long since the injury.

Thanks,

I wouldn't rule out nerve damage, disc damage, tissue damage etc even after all these years. My accident was a year ago, and we are finding out more and more layers. The system is so finely tuned, that if the spine gets misaligned, it be so for years.

Her visual system seems very delicate-It must be so hard to help. What the Berkeley clinic taught me was that the eyes are connected to the brain. Being able to see correctly relies on the brain and vestibular systems being in order.

Has an ENT (Ear nose throat) specialist check out her vestibular/ inner ear system?

Big hugs to you both....

Has she been treated by a NUCCA chiro ?

A osteopath with good manipulative skills may be able to do some diagnostics. Keep in mind that a specialist does not represent the skill set of others in the same specialty. I have been to numerous physical therapists. The difference in skill set is beyond belief. Same goes for chiros, orthos, and neuros.

I have learned to keep looking for that doctor who understands my condition. It is a long and frustrating effort. The challenge is to avoid being labeled a doctor shopper looking for a specific diagnosis or as a hypochondriac. I had this problem with Kaiser in San Jose.

SOAR does not mention any specific skills with concussions. Sports medicine clinics often claim concussions as a specialty because they work with ImPACT and other Computerized Neurocognitive Testing systems. They may be fine with the 85 percent of concussions that recover spontaneously. The rest are the challenge.

I wish I had success with my concussions while living in San Jose but I was not successful either.

My best to you.