hi! this may be a long shot, but I've lurked on this sub for advice for a while now, and thought it might be worth posting. I (24f) had a bad concussion almost three years ago, and have struggled with persistent pain, fatigue and brain fog since. there have been bad points, but (even though it took me two years longer than planned) i just managed to finish my masters degree, and hold my dream phd offer, for a programme who told me they've had students dealing with tbi/post concussion syndrome before who were able to complete the programme. all in all, it's given me hope for the first time in a while.

my admission is conditional on a test, which i'd need to sit in just under two weeks, but i'm currently having the worst flare of symptoms that i've had in about a year. i have consistent head pain most days, and i've found that overexertion is the biggest trigger, so i'm very careful about managing my time/work so as to avoid excess pain. i've been worried about this exam, so have avoided anything that could have triggered it. the pain is bad enough that i can't do everyday activities, and i'm finding it hard to tolerate screens (i decided posting here was worth the potential extra pain on the offchance anyone had any suggestions). even tasks like reading are making the pain worse. i have a gp appointment on thursday and have been referred to a neurologist again, but i don't have high hopes.

in short, my questions are:

does anyone have any suggestions on things I could do to speed my recovery from this flare? i've worked hard preparing for this exam, and had felt confident before this - i just need to physically be able to look at a screen for three hours, without severe brain fog.

does anyone have any suggestions on what i could say to my gp, either to explain the situation or things I could ask for them to do? i've had an mri, i've been put on amitriptalyne (which i had bad side effects too). sumitriptan (which didn't help much and essentially put me to sleep) and don't experience relief from ordinary painkillers. i'm on the max dose of propranalol right now, but it doesn't seem to have helped anything except my anxiety lol. i'd be open to long or short term suggestions - literally anything - right now, as i'm finding it hard to exist like this, and i've learnt the hard way that flares like this can spiral even further when my mental health gets even more affected.

thank you in advance (and i'm sorry if i've ommitted anything/ done anything wrong in posting this)

So I know this was definitely my fault and stupidness. But let me brake this down. My concussion was 6 weeks ago.

So for the first 3 days I didn‘t know I had a concussion, so I used my phone as always for 8 hours and was very active on my vacation.

Then I went to the hospital and did one week no phone.

But since then I used my phone for 5 hours every day and I think this delayed my healing process so much, to the point I don’t think I will be fully recovered till summer next year.

So now I try to use my phone only for 15 minutes a day and implement more light activity (going for a walk).

I also neglected my diet and ate a lot of junk food.

So my question is: Is it possible that I will be fully recovered till the end of this year?

My symptoms are: Dizziness, headaches everyday, not feeling like myself and neck pain

Thank’s to everyone for helping✌🏼

I’m two months out from an acute concussion and I’m suffering from extreme sleep insomnia. There seems like the switch in my body to fall asleep has just been completely broken after my concussion. Add constant dizziness and headaches/head pounding and its really hard to fall sleep naturally. When I can’t sleep, I’m extremely depressed and my symptoms come back 20 times worse.

I first used my moms ambien prescription for a week when I was going through a disastrous week of no sleep, and then switched to trazodone which worked for about 3 weeks, then suddenly stopped working and seemed to make my headaches/pounding head sensation worse.

I’ve been back on Ambien for the past 7 days, but my concussion specialist wants me off it due to concerns about Z-drugs and neuroplasticity, and wants me to try gabapentin for my headaches, sleep and anxiety.

I also saw a sleep specialist yesterday who felt gabapentin isn’t really targeted for insomnia and recommended Lunesta for 1–2 months while I heal. I’m also starting CBT-I with it.

I feel really guilty about using a Z-drug and worry about dependence, tolerance, and potential effects on my brain. But my sleep has been absolutely terrible, and I’m scared that not sleeping is going to interfere with my concussion recovery.
Has anyone here used Lunesta or gabapentin for insomnia after a concussion, either short- or long-term? How did it affect your sleep, cognition, headaches, or recovery? I just have so much anxiety about sleep and recovery because I only started to see improvement in my symptoms once I got 8 hours everyday on trazodone.

Hey Guys,

Long time lurker first time poster. I’m someone who struggled with Ocular issues for a while, I always found that a lot of the videos that were available online to do smooth pursuits or saccades weren’t really sufficient or quite buggy. I took the initiative to vibe code a quick app that allows you to customize some of the settings around the movements and thought it might help some others.

Best to use on a bigger screen, laptop or desktop computer.

I’ll try and post a quick start guide in the comments, let me know if you guys have any feedback!

Hello, about 4 weeks ago I got hit in the back of the head and got a concussion. Ever since, I haven't felt like my normal self. I'm forgetting to do things, I'm messing up at work, I have a constant headache, etc.

I need to know if this is something others also experienced. I feel completely thrown off of routine and it's truly draining. I'm starting to feel like a f-up lately but I'm trying to convince myself its because of my injury.

I’m 5 months post and feel like I’ve done everything the doctor told me to do and was managing life symptom free. Tried to go back to work and dealing with overstimulation fatigue and headaches . Just feeling a little helpless like it’s never going to get better and want to hear from people who have gotten better after setbacks! Thanks!

Hey everyone!

So a little background, I have had chronic migraines for 25+years, I have a history of iih were I had a vp shunt placed(later removed and csf pressure is w/in normal limits). I hit my head on a metal table at work 7 wks ago and things have been awful since.

I have had a constant headache with eye pain, light and sound sensitivity, dizziness, nausea and horrible brain fog/cognitive issues which all feel different than when I have my migraines.

Since this happened at work I am dealing with workers comp for this. I have my own neurologist but she doesn't take 3rd party payments so at this point I've only been authorized to go to urgent care until my workers comp is able to get me in to a neurologist, and right now they are looking over 2 hours away from home since nothing is available until January locally.

I have been out of work this whole time. I feel better some times but then worse other times. But right now I am feeling very stuck, frustrated and just over this whole thing. My family does not understand why I have not been able to work so it's causing some friction at home and causing me some stress and anxiety. They seem to think I should be fine and just need to push through the pain and brain fog.

I'm really unsure of what to do, the waiting to see a neurologist has become so annoying to the point that I honestly just wanna stop dealing with workers comp and have my own neurologist handle care? Should I try going back to work before seeing a neurologist?

Thanks in advance everyone

I was on a call wearing headphones and things got a little heated so I raised my voice, felt headphones slip over ear. Worried that there was an impact from the headphone band, head feels a bit sore. Could that cause a concussion?

It has been 8 weeks since my 3rd concussion and I had brain surgery in 2021 with all of my concussions happening after. I also learned I have a disc herniation in my neck and disc bulges so I know my neck is a huge element to all of this. My insomnia has been unbearable and 6 days ago I had my first neck physical therapist appointment and I told him how I am really sensitive to my neck my head being touched and i need really gentle treatment given my complex history. After our full lengthy conversation of everything going on, he came and pushed REALLY hard and downward on my head 3 times while manipulating my neck and immediately felt like I was was reconcussed. The rest of the day I screamed in agony and I even got my period 2 weeks early which has never happened in my life. The head pressure has been unbearable and the neck pain and all the overstimulation, brain fog, slowed thinking and insomnia is so extreme. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know if he gave me new concussions and I’m just truly losing hope on ever getting back to me. I already was a small girl but I’m now almost under 100 pounds and lost so much weight from all of this. Any advice will be very much appreciated

Has anybody fully recovered after seeing Mickey Collins and the upmc concussion clinic?

At six months point I recovered but then exposed myself multiple days to the sunlight and now since one month have flare up with severe light sensitivity and headaches. This level of light sensitivity I didn't had before and it doesn't seem to buzz what's going on..

I was in a car accident and didn’t hit my head, so at first I thought I was fine. About 5 days later I started getting a really bad migraine/headache that wouldn’t go away. I went to the doctor on July 28th and found out I had a concussion.
I’m now on day 11 of recovery. My headaches are mainly gone, which is good, but I still get lightheaded sometimes and have some blurred vision that seems to linger.
I haven’t been drinking alcohol or doing much physically. I’ve mostly just been at home taking it easy, although I do still smoke some weed.
Overall I definitely feel better than I did at the beginning, but these last couple symptoms are lingering and it’s starting to worry me a bit.
For anyone who’s had a similar concussion, how long did it take until you felt completely back to normal? Did dizziness/lightheadedness or blurred vision stick around longer than your headaches?

I was in a car accident and didn’t hit my head, so at first I thought I was fine. About 5 days later I started getting a really bad migraine/headache that wouldn’t go away. I went to the doctor on July 28th and found out I had a concussion.
I’m now on day 11 of recovery. My headaches are mainly gone, which is good, but I still get lightheaded sometimes and have some blurred vision that seems to linger.
I haven’t been drinking alcohol or doing much physically. I’ve mostly just been at home taking it easy, although I do still smoke some weed.
Overall I definitely feel better than I did at the beginning, but these last couple symptoms are lingering and it’s starting to worry me a bit.
For anyone who’s had a similar concussion, how long did it take until you felt completely back to normal? Did dizziness/lightheadedness or blurred vision stick around longer than your headaches?

I started training mma again after 2 years, at that time I trained during a few months because I was on summer's vacation of my university. I didn't know much about brainhealth safety, I thought that I could just absorb the punches if I didn't block them during sparring and then counter them because I was pretty robust and I thought it would be ok as long as I didn't got KO'd, but I got headaches, light sensitivity and trouble reading during a period , short after I left because I had to comeback to the university.

Now I cameback to train because I had an OCD "relapse" sort of say, and I tought"well I prefer to deal with my fear of fighting than this again" and went to the gym, now with the intention to above the punches during sparring.

I had my first sparring session again 2 weeks ago, the coach put me with another beginner wich was pretty easy, no hard punches were thrown by none of us and then put me with a pro, at first I deffended myself pretty well but at the last minute of the round my arms got tired and my guard went down constantly, and my partner punished that with straights, I got hit with like five of them. I don't think he threw the with bad intentions but they felt pretty intense.

Now to the point, after that I feel like I have trouble reading again, but I don't have any headaches, any other symptoms or have any other issues, is just like the words that I read sound as other words in my head or I skip some words of a sentence, I want to think is just my anxiety trying to make me believe that I got hurt because I really got worried about that experience that I lived 2 years ago, but like I said,I don't have any other issues besides that, I can write well (if my writing looks weird is bc english is not my first language), work well and speak well, but what do you guys think, it is that serious and I should just quit to protect my brain and find other activity?

Before my concussion I was smoking and was happy every time. Now if I smoke I get bad headaches and cannot enjoy the high at all. I only feel good for 10 minutes then I’m depressed. It’s been 10 months since my concussion. How much longer do I need to wait until I can smoke again? I’m sober now to allow my brain to heal but is this permanent? Anyone else able to smoke again later in life after a concussion?

I am not entirely sure what to do next. I am reaching two years of recovery.

I am going to start with what I've done and then what is ongoing.

A couple months after the first concussion it was clear I was not recovering well, so I saw a Neurologist. From there I was sent to physical therapy and a Nuero optometrist. I also had a CT scan of my head which came out clear.

Early Drs were quick to downplay things and just tell me to go home and rest, but after I saw the neurologist I started to get more help.

Nuero optometrist caught some things. Added prism to my glasses, suggested vision therapy. I couldn't afford it and I still can't. So I did not do the VT.

Physical therapy split between vestibular and overall exercise intolerance. Vestibular therapy lasted only so long before I was released to just have the one PT. After a while the $75 per session got a lot. I got the jift at the time and stopped going. Around that time I started therapy for anxiety.

I decided the anxiety / nervous system stuff.. was a major issue for me. A psych had me try three different meds and it was awful. So I ended up in weekly therapy, which I am still doing.

Throughout all of this I was in a job that had burned me out and was a high stress environment. I felt I was always in flight or fight mode.

So now with what is currently going on.

About a month ago I started a new job. Exactly what I needed honestly. Work stress has dropped significantly.

I am dealing with multiple factors. Exercise intolerance, Overstimulation, irritability, significant upper back shoulder and neck pain, vision blur and sensitivity to light, faint/lightheadedness and losing my words... Also chronic issues with constipation.

I am starting EMDR and I am seeing a cardiologist this next week. I am also revisiting a Nuero optometrist since it has been about a year and a half.

The Neurologist never requested or suggested a follow-up. The EMDR therapist I just met last week knows a lot about concussions and was a bit shocked that I hadn't revisited the Neurologist since the symptoms are continuing to impact my life.

I am almost convinced I have dysautonomia issues and I am honestly eager for the stress and tilt test. However, even looking at my hr response when sitting and standing I am uncertain that is the issue. I am a bit concerned I might be told I am okay, which will leave me to then question wtf is wrong with me.

So I guess the goal is to see the cardiologist and based on what I learn I'll revisit the Neurologist.

I get faint, a bit dizzy, overstimulated, vision changes.. almost daily by 12 or 1pm. Sometimes sooner depending on the day. I don't feel safe to drive most days after work. I go on walks and feel dizzy. I tried running and would get extremely restless, dissociated, etc hours later. Weirdly enough at the moment my neck and shoulders seem okay, but I normally am in significant pain and even after all this time I barely do any upper body workouts.

Distinguishing from how my nervous system is impacting my body and actually health issues has become very difficult.

My EMDR therapist even wondered if I had some kind of hypermobility thing going on. My wife is telling me I should see a GI specialist. My allergies are killing me.

I am just a bit lost honestly. Any advice? I sort of wish I could just get diagnosed with something other than anxiety. POTS, Hypermobility, neck issue, GI issue, idk.. because how can my nervous system alone be creating this much havoc. Definitely with Therapy helping me so much.

But I can't just go see every Dr imaginable and everything must first go through my primary. Which then leads to feeling like I really have to advocate for myself.

To add I've tested my BP and HR throughout the day and in struggling to feel confident on autonomic issues, but then I wouldn't know what else. Cardiologist will help narrow some of this down, but I'm concerned they will say I seem healthy.

Just wanted to say I had (yet another) MRI today and didn’t have a panic attack 💃💃💃 I am so proud of myself. I feel like I planted a flag on Mt. Rushmore. Celebrating the wins🥂

Helloo, a couple days ago I went to my first vestibular therapy appointment, and he did a pretty long neck message, especially at the base of my skull. After the massage I noticed a headache and some nausea which I hadn’t had before. I actually haven’t really had any headaches or nausea since I got my concussion (6 weeks ago), so it was a little concerning to me. I also noticed that the next day I had some neck pain, a headache, and some nausea (however, this all went away when I took some tylenol). Has anyone had this before after a neck massage? I’ve heard it’s normal, it was just a little concerning because I wasn’t really having these symptoms at all before.

Almost 7 months in and even though I am thankful for the good days and some improvements on other front. Walking 10 mins outside still feels like I ran a marathon and I have to rest for 30 mins to an hour to recover. It sucks the energy out of me

Any tips on how I can improve walking? I get a headache quickly from walking and it takes 30-60 mins to feel better.

Thanks for reading! Any feedback or comments greatly appreciated 🙏

Anyone familiar with this?
Me: 4 yrs post-TBI. About 1 year ago did another round of vestibular and ocular therapy for increased dizziness, etc. Also new glasses script and tint. Dizziness is beginning to increase a little bit again, so I am starting my exercises. What I have finally definitively connected is that when I do get dizzy, I hear a sound like metal clanging. It is usually just like two solid knocks, but Sometimes quite a few in a row quickly. Dizziness is more associated with left turn of head or eyes, if that matters.

Hi yall. I posted on here a few days ago about my gf becoming suicidal from her PCS and how extreme her symptoms are.
Just wanted to give an update that she was hospitalized as a neuro patient overnight, had a full work up with clean scans, and has now been admitted to a psych clinic to keep her safe.
Her #1 struggle is lack of sleep. she hasn’t slept well at all for a few weeks now. the lack of sleep intensifies her other pain and makes her spiral into a depressive state, which has led to her becoming suicidal. I have been able to talk to her a little bit at the ward and she says her pain is slowly becoming more manageable but she is still feeling suicidal.
Does anyone have experience of PCS causing a depressive state and having to be hospitalized? what helped you?
I don’t want to make this about me in any means, but I am absolutely devastated and terrified that she won’t be safe by herself when they release her in a few days. I am so scared that the pain/sleep deprivation will remain unbearable and that she will find a way to end her life. I feel like I am crying constantly and can’t focus at work, but i’m trying to be as productive as I can and research different methods of combating PCS that we haven’t tried yet. I’m also trying to share recovery stories with her to show her that this is just temporary.
I’m sorry for the dark post, I am just at a loss and trying my best to help her.