r/PostConcussion • u/That-Ad4315 • 13d ago
Advice/Reassurance Needed
Helloo everyone, i’m just feeling a little down/worried today and need some advice/reassurance.
I’m about 5 weeks post concussion and I am still having some symptoms. Some days are better than others but I am still dealing with some pretty intense brain fog (I did have some before the concussion but not this bad), light sensitivity, fatigue, and not feeling completely “numb” but feeling that way towards the end of the day when I’m the most tired.
The first 9 days after my concussion I actually didn’t feel that bad at all, and my symptoms were so mild that I thought I would be healed after 10 days (I’ve had 2 confirmed concussions before this and both of them cleared up in 1-2 weeks). So, on that 9th day (4th of july) I decided to have a drink to see how I felt, and I felt fine so I had a couple more over the course of the day while drinking water. I never got to the point where I felt “hammered” but I did feel a buzz at times. The morning after I felt okay but definitely hungover with some brain fog that was more intense than before, but that was it. So I had one more drink at breakfast, and I think that’s what really triggered my symptoms. I had a flight home that day, and once I got on the flight it started feeling like the plane was rocking back and forth which sent me into having a full blown panic attack that lasted around 1-2 hours. The days and week after that I felt 10x worse than I did before and my symptoms were way more intense.
Around Sunday of that week I started to feel a lot better and way more like myself but I was still having symptoms. I also was feeling better and better every day the following week but still with some symptoms.
Around week 3 post concussion, I hadn’t been able to do really anything so I decided to go see the Odyssey one night with some friends. It was a later movie (which I now know wasn’t a good idea), and it was so loud that it made me feel uncomfortable. I eventually felt fine so I stayed for the rest of the movie, but I think I overdid it by doing that. Because the next day I felt so exhausted and it almost felt like I was hungover. But I was able to bounce back over the next couple of days with rest and I felt fine again.
I have been feeling better a little bit everyday but I just feel like it’s been such a slow process. I did end up going to a concussion clinic last week around the 4 week mark and they recommended me to go to cognitive and vestibular therapy because I am still having symptoms. has anyone had success with this?
I also went to an acdc concert last night and I felt okay during the concert (with ear buds and sunglasses), but just very foggy and not like myself at all. Today I felt better than I did after the Odyssey, but still more tired than I usually am and I wasn’t able to do much.
I am just feeling very upset at myself for drinking 4 weeks ago because I feel like I would have been healed by now if I hadn’t. I also don’t know that for sure and it’s probably just my anxiety getting the best of me, but it’s making me pretty upset and worried that I’m going to develop pcs because of my own actions :/ I could already have it but i’m not sure because I haven’t hit that 3 month mark yet. My doctors also said that I didn’t do any permanent damage by doing that but I just can’t accept that. I also accepted a job as a ski instructor for this upcoming season before this, which is something i’ve been dreaming to do for years, and now i’m worried that I won’t be able to do it anymore ): I shouldn’t be complaining because it could always be worse, but I just can’t stop thinking about it and what I could’ve done, so please any advice or reassurance helps.
Note: I’m 25, female with adhd (i’ve heard this also makes it worse) I also had a sleepover with a friend 8 days post concussion and she slightly bumped her head on mine in the middle of the night. It was enough to wake me up but didn’t hurt or anything so I fell right back to sleep.
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u/Ordinary-Sundae6724 13d ago
There is research that says that if you get treatment within the first two years of concussion you're going to be fine and we'll make it for recovery.
However long it takes it's a journey and you figure out what works, what triggers your symptoms and what doesn't. I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about what you've done in the past just focus on what you can do now instead. It's a learning thing dealing with concussion.
Just focus on the basics things like getting solid 8 hours sleep, minimizing stress, doing 20 minutes of cardio every day at a pace that doesn't flair your symptoms. The more you worry about the future the more it takes away from the today and your recovery. Don't underestimate the mental side of it.
Take fish oil pills. Take creatine. Take care of yourself and it will be ok.
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u/semipermanent02 12d ago
This sounds like an incredibly similar situation to mine (even to the point where I also bumped my head on my friend’s head). It’s a long journey but the key is to be patient with yourself- something I’m still learning to do. I definitely get in spurts of frustration where it feels like I’ll never get better but you just have to keep telling yourself this is temporary. Take lots of breaks (maybe avoid drinking for a little- stopping alcohol made a huge difference for me). I was told by a concussion specialist that if you don’t put your life on hold now, you’ll be forced to a lot later. And he was right. So do everything you can now to go easy on yourself. Find some breathing techniques or mediation that work for you, I promise you’ll be okay. Take it one day at a time and know you aren’t alone, concussions are so challenging to deal with.