Hi, This is one of my first posts. I'm 5 years post concussion but have been skimming through neurotalk for a while now, I've just never posted before. So first things first, I want to thank everyone on this forum, especially the regulars, for the wealth of knowledge they've shared. I've never talked to any of you but you have had a huge positive impact on my experience so far so thank you for that!

The main concerns that I have are light and sound sensitivity, and auditory and visual processing. These triggers cause me to become overstimulated. To deal with these issues I am currently seeing a developmental optometrist and an audiologist.

For the time being I am volunteering in the community several times a week in quiet and calm environments, trying to read more, and doing mild exercise daily. Not in school or working. My hope is to get back to either or both of these things.

What I am currently having trouble doing is increasing my exercise tolerance. From what I've read and heard from physios it's usually best to exercise at a sub-symptoms threshold and then slowly increase. But I assume that most of that advice is gears towards the earlier stages of injury.

My question is: has anyone had greater success with pushing through the exercise symptoms a bit more than that?

I've been taking a conservative approach. I've just been walking for about 45 minutes daily and then doing some strengthening exercises. I will usually hold an exercise for 30 seconds then rest/wait for my heart rate to go down and then repeat the exercise until my muscles are exhausted. I find that it lets me get in a better workout without bringing my heart rate above my current threshold of about 120 bpm. I'm wondering if there is a better way to approach this.

Hi again,

I'm also dealing with similar issues, and overstimulation is my worst problem.

I have to be careful with exercise too. I find overdoing it with exercise makes things worse. Currently, I'm taking one class, but my dad has suggested taking a semester off and volunteering somewhere. If you don't mind me asking, what type of place do you volunteer?

Ha my goal is the same: back to school and working one day.

What supplements are you taking? And what therapies have you tried?

I tried sending you a private message, but I think you need more than 10 posts for that to happen.

-Jake

There is a fine line between pushing it that bit further and overcooking the goose so to speak. When I have overdone it I've gone into convulsions then had to spend days in fatigue mode. Found biking to be of much benefit and now have an Exercycle which I use from time to time but prefer the outdoors.

Light sensitivity has improved with glasses prescribed by behavioural optometrist. Have 2 pairs one with changing lens and others are wrap around dark lenses for when in full sun. I find that taking time out and covering eyes with weighted eye pad helps immensely. Wearing noise cancelling headphones at this time is my 'bliss' period, friend tells me it is my back in the womb time!

Gradually exposing myself to noise has seen improved tolerance but not at pace I want. Two years two months post accident I can now tolerate noise from frying meat! A lawnmower is acceptable, a leaf blower not! Radio and music tolerated for short periods where once they were my companions for most of the day.

Persevere ducking in and out of activity but don't ever give up.

I replied to your message like 2 days ago but I think it glitched and didn't work so I'll try again.

My Private Messages are working now, I think I just had to start a thread. Also, neurotalk sent me an email from you so i replied to that as well.

Right now, I'm just taking Omega 3 and a really potent multivitimin. I had been on more before and they didn't help but I think I was too overstimulated to notice if it worked or not so I'm going to try again with suggestions from the vitamin sticky.

As far as treatments go, I did a whole bunch of headache medications, typical PCS return to play rehab and whole bunch of neck therapies. (Both nucca and traditional Chiro, RMT, soft tissue work by physio, ims, cupping, strengthening exercises)

Nothing really helped too much. Ims made me way worse. Cupping was relaxing and made my muscles feel healthier but that's about it.

Mostly, I just find that managing my symptoms and slowly increasing activity is the way to go. It's just slow unfortunately.

Concussed,

I had to think about how to write this to you, sorry it took me so long.

I am pretty active and exercise has been a part of my daily life for 42 years now, since I was 15 and went running to impress a girl at high school and found out I enjoyed the run.

I could not exercise for 2 years after my injury but I tried.

I went running a mere 2 months after my head getting broken during the heat of the day for several days. It resulted in terrible symptoms and I ceased trying. I am now able to run on a treadmill inclined without hurting my head..on the road still jars things and I pay for it for several days.

I tried walking after a year and resulted in terrible symptoms, had to quit.

I started to swim with some success.

I started weights at 20 months post accident with a weird caveat to it. I remembered lifts and form no problem but the sensations and stiff muscles where totally foreign to me. I had to relearn what exercise felt like.

I went about things slowly and added as I could. I had to learn what was actual physical symptoms and what was anxiety. As I learned to recognize what was strictly anxiety I was able to increase activity as well.

I missed 2 years of skiing but made up for it this summer and if snow appears I will this winter as well.

Hope something in this makes sense to you.

Thanks Bud and Chasann!

Just hearing about your experiences is helpful for me.

I'm just going to keep trying and make sure I listen to my body. I think when I wrote this post I was frustrated and looking for an excuse to ignore my exercise related symptoms and push through. I know I can't/shouldn't do that. But your stories help give me hope that I can beat this, slowly but surely.

Concussed buthopeful, if you want inspiration I can give it to you in spades!
My son was not expected to live, TBI, but survive he did and were told he would never ride a bike again!

Running was just too difficult, still is really as it knocks his body about too much but in saying that before his second accident he did run a half marathon.

He got back on his beloved cycle, at first riding on a stationary trainer then progressing to, back on the road. We were vilified by some for allowing this but really his mind was set and ride he did. It was his goal and slowly but surely he achieved.

A fall in an organised race (prior to car accident he was an accomplished athlete) taught him risk management so these days he's a social rider as opposed to pack rides - we're talking twenty years now. Perseverance, pig headedness and practice saw him achieve his goals with support from some friends and family.

I have just been watching a series on tv The Performance Attitude | enables business success about Brain Injury and watching the progress of a forty year old ultra determined lady, Eltje, working incredibly hard so as to be able to ride her bike again - it has been very moving. It also brought back many memories, my son not able to achieve what she had until much further down the track.

Slowly but surely, one step forward, sometimes two steps backwards, but keep on keeping on. Now I feel guilty for haven't done any exercise myself for awhile! Better go remedy that . . .

I guess what I'm saying is never give up, there is always HOPE Helping Other Possibilites Emerge. Set your goals and go forth and conquer.

I wrote a book about my journey as a mother, supporting a son with TBI. I felt if a life was worth saving it had to be made worth living. Feedback was overwhelming, we had given others hope and I give it to you again and again.

Sunny side up Concussed but Hopeful, you can be better than you are now, go to it, go well and take small steps as opposed to boom and bust.

Oops, programme I am referring to is on TVNZ, maybe this link will work
Watch Attitude - Sunday 13 Nov - TVNZ OnDemand
They have been running a series on Brain Injury showing some gutsy people.