I started on the vitamin regimen in 1982. I took it for a number of years then fell off the wagon. I have been back on the regimen for 15 years. You have to decide what your life is worth. Do you want to muddle through life with little tolerance for stress and struggling with OCD or do you want to live the best life possible ? Meds for OCD only help when you are taking them. They can have horrible side effects. Taking a good vitamin and supplement regimen can mean you do not need the OCD meds. I make up plastic bags full of my pills a month or more at a time. I just open a plastic bag and take them all. About 22 pieces.

This early form of this regimen pulled me out of a deep depression in 8 weeks.

I was on an OCD SSRI med for 14 years. I have finally found the right supplement cocktail to be off SSRI's. I wish I had found the supplement cocktail 14 years ago.

You say "It's disheartening to know that I've permanently damaged my brain and I'll never be the same person..." Sure, it is disheartening but thousands of people has moved forward.

Your brain will have a lower threshold for physical trauma and emotional stress. Those are the facts of your life. If you blew out your knee, you would have a weak knee for the rest of your life. That's life. Get used to it or it will consume you with anxiety, bitterness, and angst.

Your symptoms will most likely fade. Nobody can tell you how much, no matter how knowledgeable they claim to be. Most prognoses are out of ignorance, not knowledge.

You have far more control over your future than you appear to understand. How you take care of your mind and body will make all of the difference in your recovery. Anxiety is the worst enemy of concussion recovery.

"It's just unbelievably sad how your life can change from such a small thing. I'm really depressed right now and I hope for better. And I'm sure I haven't got Second Impact Syndrome, but I still have heard that 2 concussions greatly increase the risk for permanent brain damage from 1 concussion."

You already have permanent brain damage. That is the fact based on your traumas of the past. You can not change the past. Learn the Serenity Prayer. It applies well to concussions and life after a concussion.

You are still early in your recovery. You may have a spontaneous drastic improvement in a few weeks or it could take longer. Nobody knows.

I know what anxiety and OCD are all about. The genetic component is just an explanation of the possible cause or propensity. It is not a death sentence. Many people rise above OCD and anxiety and Post Concussion Syndrome. Some counseling, especially with someone experienced with Post Concussion Syndrome, may help.

High doses of Omega 3 oil will need the B vitamins and anti-oxidants for best effect. There is no One Pill solution.

"That lower threshold sounds like a defensive mechanism of the brain (like in PTSD where the flashbacks are a defense mechanism). Is it true in here too?" Flashbacks are not a defensive mechanism with PTSD. They are more of an OCD like response. Flash backs may cause fight or flight, which is a defensive mechanism. The lower threshold is because the brain is physically weaker than it was. Nerve fibers are weaker. The brain does not have a cell replacement process like the other bodily tissues have. Damaged brain/nerve tissue either dies or slowly heals. Some neuro-regeneration may happen but it is not a replacement of the damaged cells. Any new cells need to learn their functions over time.

I have lived with Post Concussion Syndrome since 1965. I graduated from high school with honors. I started my own businesses. I raised a family as the sole income source. I was in my mid 50's before I had to go on disability. If driving was not a problem, I would still be gainfully self-employed. And, my injury was much worse than yours.

My best to you.

Thank you for the reply, but I have a few questions.

1. You said that video games are bad for a concussed brain, and suggested I won't play them. Since video games involve a lot of stress, does that mean I can never play video games again? Or I can in a few months or so?

2. About the 2nd concussion - does it lower the chance that I'll recover from the first concussion? I mean, did the second concussion I got reduce the chance that my symptoms will fade away in a few months? If it's important, the second concussion was much milder than the first one.

Don't worry about your future with video games. Nobody can predict your future tolerances. And, don't worry about the implications of getting a second concussion. Again, Nobody can say what effect it had.

If you reply by using the Post Reply button on the bottom left, it will not copy the prior post. It is easier to follow a thread that way.

Hey everyone,

This is my first time posting on the site. I've come here because I've found what's written on these threads to be helpful, and I wanted to share my story with people who understand what I'm going through.

It all started last May. During my college's spring weekend celebration it's a practically a tradition to get blackout drunk. As a frequent and unfortunately heavy drinker, I of course partook. My first concussion occurred later that day, when I was running down a steep hill to catch up with my friends. My eyes were focused on them instead of my feet, so my foot caught a curb at the base of the hill causing me to fall violently on the ground head first. My eyelid was pouring blood and I was sent to the hospital, got 7 stitches, and an info sheet about head trauma, but didn't get any followup for a concussion, even though I didn't know the day or year. Instead of resting, I toughed it out and took my finals.

Fast-forward 4 months to September. I just got back on campus after summer and was driving about 45 mph down a long straight road with great visibility, when someone decided to blow a stop sign in front of me, forcing me to collide with them. My car was totaled and I suffered another concussion in this accident. I went to my school's health services clinic to have it documented, but they did a cursory evaluation, didn't give me any advice other than to "rest", and told me to come back only if things got worse. I took it easy for a week, and then resumed my normal physical activity and school work. Keep in mind, I'm a college student so I have been drinking throughout this entire ordeal because I had never been told not to.

One month later, I was playing ultimate frisbee. I'm the captain of my school's team, so I never considered stopping my play because I didn't think my head injuries were that serious. At a tournament, I had a violent collision with another player in which my head went into a player's shoulder at full speed sending both of us to the ground. After a minute, I got up, felt dizzy, and knew that I had gotten another concussion. For those of you keeping score at home, that's 3 concussions in 5 months.

But, as I had with all my previous concussions, I tried to tough it out. As a Psych/Pre-med, I didn't want to take a semester off to recover because it would delay my matriculation into medical school by a full year. I also, still didn't know the severity of the injury until I was finally referred to a neurologist upon request a few weeks later. I was diagnosed with PCS and told my symptoms could last for 6-12 months.

Now for my symptoms. The visual abnormalities are significant. I feel like I'm in a fog, or as one of my psych texts would call it, depersonalization. Prior to my injuries, I had ADHD and some emotional problems, which became far worse. I just don't feel like myself. I used to be funny, now I feel boring. I feel like I can't hold a conversation. My confidence is completely shot. I'm now taking antidepressants, and a non-stimulant ADHD medication which hasn't kicked in yet. I also see a therapist weekly, although I initially began seeing a therapist due to the anxiety I felt because of my failing relationship with my girlfriend (whom I broke up with recently). On top of all this, I'm taking a difficult courseload (thanks pre-med) and still trying to run my team's practices even though I stopped playing. Oh, and I didn't stop drinking because I was depressed and suicidal and it was one of the few things that made me feel normal again. That, and marijuana which I had smoked almost every night until recently.

Now, I've stopped smoking and drinking because I feel like I'm only getting worse. I have finals next week, and am responsible for writing two papers and taking four exams. The headaches are becoming more and more frequent, and the vision and focus problems aren't getting any better. I'm worried that I'm doing long-term damage to my brain, or at the very least delaying my recovery. I spoke with my class dean today, and may get excused from two exams, but I still have quite a bit of studying I'll have to do.

Unfortunately, when I come home for break, the work won't stop. I have to work on job applications and my medical school applications. Plus, my family is taking a trip to Puerto Rico and I'm worried that I won't be able to stop myself from drinking there.

Anyhow, sorry for the essay, but thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this. I just wanted to share my experience because I've been feeling incredibly alone in all this, and this site has made me realize that there are others who are going through what I am, so I wanted to give someone else that same comfort.

Thanks for reading!

johnnycollege,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Many of us have heard your story before. For some reason, college students do this same thing quite regularly. You have a tough road ahead. I wish I had some advice for you but I don't. At the stage of school you are in, you have already had enough A & P and chemistry to understand what is going on. It is not worth my efforts to try to help you if you do not have enough discipline to take a trip and not drink. Recovering from a series of concussions like you have suffered takes discipline. It also takes sacrifice.

Hey Mark,

Thanks for your reply. I guess I truly didn't understand the severity of my condition until recently--perhaps partly due to those I confide in lacking that same knowledge. I have decided to take my recovery far more seriously from here on out.

I notice you comment on here quite a bit, do you have a specialty in concussion management? Or are your insights from personal experience?

I've lived with PCS for almost 50 years. I have researched concussions for decades. I am not a professional but I probably have a broader understanding than most professionals. I had to start actively managing my concussion/brain health as a sophomore in high school.

Mark in Idaho, thank you so much for your help. It sadly seems like doctors don't take PCS too seriously nowadays (if you go to a doctor, complain about a head injury and pass a neurological exam, which anyone with PCS and without a severe brain injury will, they'll tell you it's just anxiety)...

Also, about what I said 2 days ago about the popcorn kernels:

I've read what you said that I can't get a concussion from it (biting down hard on popcorn kernels and breaking them between my teeth), but I woke up the last 2 days and felt worse than most days and I now think it might be related to this thing...

I mean, it wasn't an external force hitting my head, but when I broke the hard popcorn kernels (the round ones that didn't pop) between my teeth, it just felt like my head was shaking very quickly and aggressively because of that (I really felt my head shaking quickly for a second because of biting down strongly and breaking the popcorn kernels). Are you sure that this fast, aggressive shaking of the head couldn't cause a concussion? I still think that this might have caused my brain to bounce against the skull because of that rapid shaking...

Also, like I said, in the last 2 days my symptoms worsened, and I think it might attributed to that (I also felt dizziness right after doing this with the kernels). Just felt my head shake, like in a concussion, but without the external force (only breaking the kernels in my mouth).

So what do you think? Could have that caused me a minor concussion?

Highly doubtful. In all essence it was probably a tweaking of neck and jaw muscles that are just exasperating your current issues.

Like Mark said, do not harp on things. Its something I wish I wouldve listened to earlier on in my journey.

But in all honesty, cut the anxiety as much as you can as it will not help at all.

Hi Johnny,

I too had three concussions in a relatively short period of time, a few weeks to approximate, so I know what you're going through. Yes, I too had a fog like brain for a while, and it took about a year for that to clear. I'm not sure if it's just time, or the brains ability to fire on different cylinders, but eventually my thought process returned.

Now, the depression and anxiety is another matter. Before my concussions I didn't have these problems, but have since. Whether that is due to the impacts cannot be definitively determined. I also took up drinking in order to feel, something. I drank heavily for years until I found something that worked better, and was healthier. I exercise like a fiend these days. Studies have linked exercise with an ability to improve mood. Several academic journals have published studies showing a causality between the two. This has also helped with my focus, as expending excess energy helps me concentrate.

All in all, you aren't the only one. The good news with the recent NFL concussion discussions, is that this specific injury is in the light now, and hopefully will cause greater understanding of mechanics in the brain.

Time spent healing your head should be paramount.