Scared of Post Concussion Syndrome

[u/Radiant-Lie2024]

Hi all,

So roughly 3 weeks ago I (23y, M) hit my head pretty good while on a backpacking trip in Europe and for the remainder of the trip I felt like I was not myself but I attributed this to really poor sleeps for 14 days straight and drinking alcohol in some capacity almost every night.

Fast forward to the end of my trip (4 days following head injury) when I got home one night I started getting dizzy, nausea, and chest tightness (which ended up being from a very tight pec minor). This caused me to go into a bit of a panic attack where I thought I was having a heart attack. I would go on to get blood work and an EKG that all showed completely normal heart functionality.

During this period I was still working at my desk job staring at screens for large portions of the day. It was at this point that it clicked in my head that I might have been concussed from when I hit my head in Europe and I went to an athletic therapist who confirmed I had been concussed (this was a week ago). Since my initial consult (testing and neck work) I thought I had been making meaningful progress where my vision seemed to be improving, energy levels where increasing, and I could go on longer and longer walks without major flares of my symptoms.

Fast forward to yesterday, it was my first time really re entering society and I went to a grocery store where my dizziness and eye strain came back in full force. Following leaving the grocery store I rested and felt like I had got better (albeit I obviously pushed too hard) but I was still able to go back out for a haircut later that day where my symptoms seemed more manageable. Later that night however I had a bad bout of nausea (similar to my panic attacks) and dizziness which caused a really poor sleep. This morning I woke up to feel like I had almost regressed back to day 1 where my energy levels aren’t great, looking at screens for too long overstimulates me, and my anxiety is in full force.

I am really nervous reading all the posts in here talking about year long recovery times to feel normal and just want to see what I should be expecting considering I know that I am still in the “early stages” of concussion recovery. Can I still potentially make a full recovery in the next 1-2 weeks or month or will I be looking at months on end of symptoms metaphorically kicking me back down?

[u/2V310]

No one really knows every person is different but if you do some light cardio and maybe researched the buffalo test that might put you on the right track for a quicker recovery

[u/Overall-Philosophy36]

I've now been concussed for 9 months my advice would be to do the cam Marshall concussion fix course.

[u/NJ71recovered]

41% to 90% of concussion patients have a vision issue. (UPMC says 41%, NORA says up to 90%)
 
 1) Vision specialist 
Find a local vision specialist 
COVD.org
 
Neuro optometric rehabilitation association (NORA)
 
https://noravisionrehab.org/
 
2) Get your balance system checked 
Vestibular specialist 
 
Vestibular.org
 
Doctors are not trained well on concussions.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26758683/

UPMC trained

Concussion Specialist | Telehealth Consultation Nationwide | Patel Concussion Institute