I've found naproxin, a NSAID, very helpful.May be worth chatting to your Dr/parents about. Not sure how it would mix with the other drugs your on.

That does sound similar to me except that my pain starts on sharply contact and continues throughout the night. In the early days even a light touch of the hand or hair grip was too much (why I couldnt take the noise cancelling headphones advice.) I resorted to buying new pilows all cheap and fluffy.

I'd have two laying next to one another as you normally would, then placing a third over the centre. I would lay on the central pillow and pull the outer corners of the bottom two down and around my head. This provided all round cushioning, spreading my weight evenly and supporting a slightly elevated position. It helped a bit. I also had to make myself stop turning over in the night or waiting to the last moment to get out of bed and starting the day with all systmes go. Slow wakening, and easing my head into an upright position so that the brain is joslted less and your proprioception receptors are given time to adjust in increments- lessening the vertigo.

And yeah that sounds a bit like a pillow fort, but hey.

Personally (not a dr) I think it is due to brain swelling limiting the buoyancy/cushioning effects of CSF plus a level positioning effecting blood flow/intercranial pressure. Though, in my case, I was also concerned about fractures.

Its only been a short while for you, you're still in that 3 month window when many people do notice a significant improvement. Its been 5 months for me and I've noticed a definate gradual improvement in this over that time. Of late I've even been turning over in my sleep almost like I normally would, then waking because I'm reminding myself not to do that...to realise that actual the pain, though a bit stabby, is a lot less than what it was. (Before naproxin)

Do you think this is related to some of your earlier posts where you were concerned with dancing/shaking/gently bumping your head? This pain is similar to that of a migraine, so rather than further concussions you are triggering a similar pain to that which you feel when laying down.

Yes! I am super agonized by pillows since my accident 32 months ago. I've searched for different pillows and nothing quite works. I also get the pain and pressure when I lay my head down.

I found sleeping flat with no pillows has been the best. I think it has to do with my neck being torqued by the pillows. I am getting PT on my neck due to undiagnosed whiplash which is helping with the pillow situation!

Until recently I had to sleep on my couch with no pillows, an eye mask, and ear plugs to sleep as any stimulation caused irritability and insomnia due to pain.

Try going sans pillow and see what happens! If it feels better it could be a neck thing.

=}

Welcome back polkadots.

I think you have a few errors in your signature. You have mgs when you likely should have had mcgs for B-12 and I think another supplement. I can't see your signature in the Reply mode to double check what I read. How do you tolerate so much niacin? I take 500 mgs and my skin flushes like it is on fire. And, I've been taking it for decades.

btw, Support group meets at 6:00 on January 22 at the Elks building 4th floor by the cafeteria.

I use a pillow that is flat under my head and curled up on the sides to support my head from rolling to the side. I can not tolerate any lift to my head.

I have tried several pillow situations and the only thing thats helps some is a trave u shaped pillow I got a cracker barrel a few yrs ago that was filled with buck wheat hulls. I am searching for buck wheat hull bed pillows but they are quite pricey.

if anyone know a good source for wholesale hulls at a good price I may try to make my own

Try this...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Premium-Buck...item1c3ae08459

Ebay has lots of entries with varying prices.

I have trouble with most pillows now. My issue is caused by neck problems that I got from the concussion.

I have trouble also. I had to put away the thick one I've been using for years, and now use a very thin and light sham pillow.

I've been using a buckwheat pillow for years now. I cannot recommend it enough. I notice a huge difference in neck pain in the morning when I use a normal pillow.

No, you are certainly not!! I suffered severe whiplash in my car accident and spent weeks trying to find a pillow that supported my neck without agonizing pain. I found relief in the form of a natural talalay latex pillow; a type of pillow I had never heard of before. It is my best friend! If you would like to find out more you can click this link: http://wp.me/p1SOCU-3r

Still going through pillow agony. Does anyone have a brand they recommend? I have found I am now down to a very flat pillow and a squishy pillow. I feel most comfortable laying flat on my back with no pillows at all but then get uncomfortable as the night goes on.

I wake up often to re-adjust trying to get the 'perfect' cushioning in order to fall asleep. It is quite the process!