[Galaxy1012]

I am 8 months into PCS. I thought to try riding my motorbike yesterday as I thought I was improving on my sensitive to jolting symptom but what a mistake it was. I could literally feel my brain shake as soon as the bike hit a speed bump. I almost took a dozon of those bumps in anger to convience myself that nothing is wrong with me and its just my mind playing with me.

I reached home feeling miserable, lost, guilty and scared of a possible setback. I immediately went to sleep and found my whole body shuddering in semi sleep state in the middle of night. Today I feel the deepest dispair. I feel this is never going to end and frustrated that nobody understands it. I hate going to doctors anymore as they just give me sleeping or depression pills. I don't need them as I am damn sure its not my anxiety and there is something else going on.
I never thought I would end up being like this in life. I have severe hyperacusis in one ear and doctors just shrug it off when I bring it up

I am scared that I gave myself sub concussive impacts. This idea of sub concussive impacts has literally frightened me so much i am so sorry i understand i am acting insane right now. I can't resist fighting this symptom and have become very obsessed with it. As if I am dying slowly and nobody can do anything about it. I probably have got a nervous breakdown after riding my motorbike and feeling those bumps in my head. I am so heartbroken that this still hasn't healed in 8 months ! Why am I so obsessed with this symptom ?? Thanks for bearing me I needed to vent so badly. I am just 28

[_Ash_]

I'm 28 and 3months in. Rubbish, aint it?

I think your 'obsessed' with this symtom becase your body/mind is shouting at you to slow down. My understanding is that you are not getting new concussions with these jolts but are feeling the pain of your old inury. Like...

If you had a nasty bruise on your leg. It will genereally ache but if you poke it, it will hurt. You wouldnt be giving yourself a new bruise but inflaming the old....and delaying healing time.

The nervousness, fear, pain are your bodys signals that something is wrong. We, of course know this, but I think we all get a bit impatient or just expect to be able to return to our old selves/behaviour.

I get that shuddering/zoning out thing you mention if I push myself too much. Last time it was putting some belated bulbs into my mums garden. Big mistake. Do you also get really cold during this, then suddenly start sweating?

Are you in uk? Those doctors sound like they are: anti-deprssents and sleeping pills are the answer for *every* malady due to our contracts with big pharma. Keep us meek and muffled. Try going to an opticians for an eye test, or, um, the people who check your hearing. You dont have to arrange this with a Dr, but if they do find anything of concern they will refer you. Tell them about your injury.

You've got to remember that GP's are only general practionioners, who specialise in little things, all different, like dermatology, to get extra pay. When you speak to them try your best to stay calm, write down the questions and concerns you have. Ask who specialises in this, then push for a referl.

You are not mad. You are hurt. Your body needs to heal and it is trying to communicate this to you. So listen; specialy with what food urges you have, or need for rest.

Good luck!

[Galaxy1012]

Ash, thanks a lot for the reply. I am usually very stressed and kind of freaking out when explaining my symptoms to a neurologist. What I have noticed that they mistake it for anxiety and misdiagnose my condition everytime . I have learned to stay calm and not show them my anxiety and ruin my chance of a good treatment by a good doctor.

Regarding my sensitive to jolting symptom, I suspect its the increased or decreased blood flow in my brain that makes me feel my brain bouncing when there is a jolt? Some sort of abnormality in the blood vessels in brain that's causing increased or decreased blood flow ? Or it could be vestibular dizziness or my sinus problem I have read on internet. Maybe it's the inflammation? Its all so messed up I don't know if I need to take matters in my hand and do something about it or just wait it out. I am from India.

One neuro gave me proprenolol for this symptom. I am not sure if that's for my anxiety or for regulating the blood flow in my brain(assuming it calms you down and affects the heartbeats ?) However, I was reluctant to take it as the dosage was 60mg and seemed a little high. I will try to get a low dosage first and see how it works . any other idea is welcome

[Mark in Idaho]

Galaxy,

You need to suffer hundreds of sub-concussive impacts to cause any real damage. Otherwise, they just cause a relapse of symptoms.

Have you tried cutting the propranolol pills in half ? I cut pills in half all the time. You can buy pill splitters at the drug store. Or, you can just put the pills on the counter and set a knife on them and tap the back of the knife blade. Be careful. Pill splitters work great.

[Lara]

Galaxy, my daughter was prescribed Propranolol for social anxiety. She was prescribed the 10mg tablets. 10mg doesn't do anything for her but the doctor told her that she can take several at a time.

She sometimes takes 4 or 5 depending on the situation e.g. sometimes she needs to address a class for Uni and becomes paralized with fear. She finds that it's a bit of an adjustment thing and has learned how much she needs over time so that they don't make her too tired.

She doesn't use them all the time. She mainly takes supplements these days if needed but always has the Propranolol on hand for emergency.

I would do what Mark has suggested with the pill cutter and I would start off at the lowest dose so that you can adjust the dose upwards yourself if needed.

Propranolol actually doesn't work on the reasons for anxiety, it works on the physical symptoms created by those reasons. Meaning it works on the physical flight or fight response. Working on the reasons for the anxiety is very important too. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is very helpful when used in conjunction with anti-anxiety medications.

Propranolol is a Beta Blocker. It's one of those drugs that is used for a number of varied conditions including migraines, high blood pressure, essential tremor, anxiety and others.

The initial starting dose would vary depending on which condition it is being used to treat.
Doses for Anxiety for instance are usually a very low dosage.

If I was in your situation, I'd be asking my doctor exactly what he's prescribed this medication for and I'd ask him about the dose he's prescribed and your concern about starting at that dose.

I have been under an enormous amount of stress for various reasons for the past few months. One night my brain and body were running so fast I felt ill and I took one 10mg Propranolol (I have anxiety also) and it made the world of difference to the way I was feeling. Obviously it must have slowed my heart rate some?. If someone else had taken the same amount they may not have even felt it.

[russiarulez]

I've struggled with my sensitivity to jolting/vibration as well.
The only thing that seems to help it is avoiding anything that sets it off as much as possible and with time it seems to be less of an issue (but it takes a very long time, months...).
I found out the hard way just how much I'm sensitive to it by going snowmobiling for a day and really messing myself up, can't even call it a setback as it was worse than after the original injury and I haven't recovered so far.
You have to realize that your health is way more important than riding a motorcycle. Park that thing and give yourself time to heal.
I've sold all of my "fun" gear - snowmobile/skis/boat, and even lowered pressure in my truck's tires to make the ride a little softer.
I avoid riding in cars with stiff suspensions, basically only try to drive/ride in my truck.
I slow down at intersections where you get jolting, I know every pothole/bump on the major roads I drive and I even modified my route to/from work to minimize jolting.
It was definitely hard for me to go from a very active lifestyle to being a "vegetable", my friends and family still can't adjust to new me either, constantly pushing me to do more

[LISAR624]

Originally Posted by Galaxy1012

I am 8 months into PCS. I thought to try riding my motorbike yesterday as I thought I was improving on my sensitive to jolting symptom but what a mistake it was. I could literally feel my brain shake as soon as the bike hit a speed bump. I almost took a dozon of those bumps in anger to convience myself that nothing is wrong with me and its just my mind playing with me.

I reached home feeling miserable, lost, guilty and scared of a possible setback. I immediately went to sleep and found my whole body shuddering in semi sleep state in the middle of night. Today I feel the deepest dispair. I feel this is never going to end and frustrated that nobody understands it. I hate going to doctors anymore as they just give me sleeping or depression pills. I don't need them as I am damn sure its not my anxiety and there is something else going on.
I never thought I would end up being like this in life. I have severe hyperacusis in one ear and doctors just shrug it off when I bring it up

I am scared that I gave myself sub concussive impacts. This idea of sub concussive impacts has literally frightened me so much i am so sorry i understand i am acting insane right now. I can't resist fighting this symptom and have become very obsessed with it. As if I am dying slowly and nobody can do anything about it. I probably have got a nervous breakdown after riding my motorbike and feeling those bumps in my head. I am so heartbroken that this still hasn't healed in 8 months ! Why am I so obsessed with this symptom ?? Thanks for bearing me I needed to vent so badly. I am just 28

I was in my 30's. RSD brings on depression. I am on 2 different ones because this disease brings on suicidal thoughts. I would have never taken even Tylenol before RSD. Please keep searching for a DR. that listens. It took me over 6or 7 different Dr.s before I found my neurologist and I had to go out of my Ins. group to find the right pain mgr Dr. I am struggling because my body is going through BAD flare-up. Keep on this support group because everyone on hear understands the pain you are going through!!!! LISAR624