Nick,

If you can do 10 to 15 minutes of light cardio without causing symptoms, it is probably OK. But, if you are doing it while you are symptomatic, you might want to back off to a sweat free level. The Buffalo Protocol has information about exercise levels.

FYI,
It is helpful if the Post Reply button at the bottom left is used rather than the Reply button in bottom right of the last post. The Post Reply button does not quote the entire post. When the entire post is quoted, it is easy to miss a post and question that someone wanted addressed. I missed the exercise question because it was buried with the long page of quoted posts. I can't imagine what it is like to try to scroll through long pages on a tablet or smart phone.

Many just have not noticed the Post Reply button.

Ya I didn't notice the post reply button in the bottom left. Thanks for the heads up.

Where can I find information about this Buffalo Protocol?

Nick

Google Buffalo Protocol

Regarding exercise, I am someone who exercises six days a week. I found not being able to exercise the most difficult part of recovery. Around the beginning of month 3 post injury, I decided to get back to my Leslie Sansone DVDs. I started slowly but progressed pretty rapidly as I noticed it helped tremendously with how I was feeling and my attitude. For me, the activity does not give me issues. At one point I was so desperate to move that I marched in place slowly while watching a mindless TV show. hahaha. I can exercise at a moderate to somewhat intense level for an hour. I don't do that much every day but I do try and exercise for at least thirty minutes 6 days a week. Hope that helps. That being said, I wouldn't go out and play tennis or run a marathon or anything. Leslie Sansone is basically walking really briskly with some jogging, arm movements and light weight training.

Mark In Idaho

I did not know about that post reply either on the lower left. I left you two messages tonight on the thread of PCS 2.5 years. I too am going to Google the Buffalo ...

Thank you and all the best.

Anita

Nick,

I feel that our injuries are very similar. I sustained my concussion early in the morning this past June when I got up to go to the bathroom, tripped over something and smacked my head on a wooden cabinet. I was also probably still drunk from the night before . I always wondered if having alcohol in your system when you get a concussion makes it worse or prolongs recovery? But anyway, almost 9 months and still experiencing symptoms. I can't imagine living in NYC with PCS, with all the noise and constant stimulation. How do you handle working and living there with your current symptoms? Anyway, hope you are doing better!

-Ashley

Ashley,

I hope that was a GOT reference . Thanks for the note. This week is actually going to be my one year anniversary of my injury... Congrats to me I guess...

I too have always wondered the role alcohol played in my initial injury and then again three months post injury when I was feeling back to normal and drank for a few weeks before symptoms returned. Working and living here isn't always easy I'll say that much.

But at a certain point the negative emotions and stress of feeling limited and held back and stuck just felt like it was doing more harm than good so I decided to get on with my life and not let myself be stuck in this mode of self pity where I was just not doing anything all day. I wanted to live my life. I also had this job that I had lined up for me after graduation in may that I didn't want to throw away the opportunity. (I got concussed after I took the job and before I started working there.)

On the surface I'm the same as anyone else. I wake up in the morning put on a suit, commute to work, work at least 8-9 hours a day, and then come home at the end of the day pretty tired and crash/relax on the weekends. I also had to pass a 6 hour Industry exam called the series 7 which i studied for several months all while having PCS. I ended up passing with an amazing score which was a triumph for me considering my PCS. The one thing that I've sacrificed with this PCS is any social life as I still can't drink alcohol so on weekends I just stay in. I can't go out with my friends on saturday nights, can't get drinks with coworkers after work, avoid parties because of the noise, and that's whats getting old for me. Thankfully I have an amazing girlfriend who has stuck by me throughout this whole ordeal and has supported/hung out with me during all the down times.

I think if I don't feel any improvement by this summer I will have been at my job for about one year and may consider quitting to take some extended time off to just try and get better once and for all but we'll see when we get there.

Nick,

I am not trying to be a smart a&@ here but if your friends need alcohol for a good time maybe you should find new ones, lot more to life than a party.

Sounds like you have a great girlfriend...tell her for me please as another PCS person that she has been invaluable to your recovery, I sure couldn't have done this without my wife.

Again, I hope I did not offend you.

Bud

Bud

Haha of course I'm not offended. To be fair I am 23 and straight out of college and that's just what my friends like to do. That's what I liked to do pre injury and hope to return to once this is all over. I'm never going to be drinking the way I did in college but I enjoy casual drinking and hope to be able to return to that eventually.

Nick

Nick,

Yes, my username is absolutely a GOT reference (can't wait for the new season).
I know exactly what you mean about the social isolation this condition can cause. I am 24 and like you, have friends that spend most of their non-working hours at the bar. Since I haven't been able to tolerate that environment, I spend most of my time at home as well. I feel like at our age, it is hard to find social activities that don't revolve around alcohol or over-stimulating environments!
Also, not exercising is a tough thing for me, since I was so active before my accident. I am currently doing 30 minutes on a stationary bike almost every day but all I want to do is to go running or hiking again. Like you said though you can't sit around feeling sorry for yourself so I've adapted and picked up some low-key hobbies to keep me occupied (apparently I can draw pretty well, who knew!).
I'm glad you have a girlfriend who supports you, that is so imperative in this type of situation. My boyfriend for over a year gave up on me after the 7 month mark , so you are definitely lucky!
I think maybe taking time off work for the summer may be good, full-time work could be hindering your recovery. I'm in the opposite situation, I've been taking it easy for almost a year (very little work and no school), but think I need to start doing more and getting back to a normal routine, because who knows when this will end and life must go on! But like you said, we will see.
Anyways, sorry for venting, but I am discovering that this forum is a great community for us survivors and since nobody I know personally can relate, I figured I would just throw my thoughts out into cyberspace haha.
-Ashley