Hi Anja,

I feel your pain Since a car roll over accident in August 2011 I've had 4 more concussions, all of which took about 2 or 3 weeks to heal up. But this last one has taken 5.5 months and I'm still not healed up. I don't even have to hit my head that hard to reaggravate the concussion. We just have to be realllly careful.

Generally in PCS, ones tolerance to a rise in heart rate, and hence blood pressure, depends where they are in the healing process. If you've are well enough to tolerate moderate aerobic activity, you are unlikely going to surpass these limits with routine daily activities even if you are upset or worried about something.
However, once you've bumped your head again and cause a recurrence of concussive type symptoms (for some, like you and I, the force of that "bump" seems trivial compared to others), your tolerance to elevations of blood pressure will likely drop for a while. With time (this also can be quite variable amongst PCS patients), things gradually improve.
I use to always be push the limits during the recovery process in an act of defiance I guess. However it didn't take me long to figure out I was the the one that suffered longer in the end. I'm now more respective of the healing time after a "bump" and back off activities as much as I can (especially physical training).
I work as a family doctor and working less hours is often difficult. During a recovery cycle, I schedule more "cognitive rest periods" during the day. Being self-employed allows me to do this. Many of you work for an employer and do not have such luxuries. The only thing I could suggest is to educate your boss about the cognitive struggles you have after a relapse. I often write a letter for my patients in similar circumstances informing their employer about the necessary restrictions to allow proper recovery. Perhaps your primary care physician can help.
Hope this information helps.
Cheers, Canadoc

Hi, I have had this same problem since my third concussion which was back in 2012. I have these exact same aggravations. I get a minor bump to the head or jolt to the body and it sends me right back to PCS or at least that’s what it feels like it does. The symptoms all come back and last anywhere from weeks or even 6+ months sometimes depending on the severity of the bump. Small bumps such as my small child accidentally head butting me can set it off.
Once it all finally calms down I am able to jog and do some light exercise and that is ok. Nothing too strenuous though. I recently had a nice long streak of no issues, maybe even a whole year, and I was getting back into good physical shape and health again finally, and then this past week I got a hard bump from my child and my symptoms are back with full force. I’m so depressed and upset that I can’t stand it. Bad headaches, dizziness, pulsing pressure, strange electrical/tingling feelings that shoot through my scalp and neck, it’s just awful.

Is anyone from this thread still active on this forum? I would really love to talk to someone about it. I don’t personally know anyone that has this issue, so there’s no one I can talk to about it or get advice from. My doctors basically have no answers for me after years of tests. I feel like I’m at my tipping point. No one, not even my wife I don’t think, truly believes me concerning my problem. It is so frustrating. I feel like my boss doesn’t believe me. I feel like none of my friends believe me. Worst of all, I feel like my wife doesn’t even believe me, at least she certainly doesn’t understand the severity of this and just how difficult it makes my daily life. Please, if anyone reads this could we talk a little? Either replying here or email or WhatsApp or I would even talk to a stranger on the phone at this point. Thanks for reading.