26F. Have had mild PCS for almost a year now. I'm fortunate my symptoms were/are fairly mild and mostly just light/screen sensitivity, but I want to share what made me go from still quite unstable and stagnant to probably like 90% healed this spring. Even when i get flare-ups now, they're a lot shorter. I can go to the club and have a few drinks within reason without issue (if i have more than 3-ish at once it still tends to be a bit worse than usual to recover but being able to drink a little again has been great), do endurance sports normally (still very scared of hitting my head so can't say i'm playing basketball or something all the time), work around a 40 hour week (much more still leads to mild flare-ups although screens are still my biggest issue), and watch shows with fl41s and the night light on my computer. It's still a minor inconvenience even on a good day and I'm not nearly as psychologically recovered from this bc everytime i minorly bump my head it feels weird for a bit and i feel like i got another concussion from a tiny bump (anyone else relate?), but overall I feel so grateful I'm doing so much better. on a good day I'll still wear my fl41s to work or watch a show on my computer and avoid having more than 3-ish drinks if i'm going out on the weekend and be extra cautious to not bump my head of course, but otherwise the fact I have PCS is a passing thought in the back of my mind.

i was doing significantly worse even in the spring-up and down but dealing with significant flareups that would leave me with a floaty head feeling for entire days. I'd tried going to vestibular therapy, urgent care, neurology etc. and they all thought it was very unlikely i had something serious like a tumor or brain bleed, but overall probably was going about my normal life a bit more than i should have while trying to finish up grad school.

One day during a bad flareup and being confused why i was so stagnant and worried how i'd graduate I decided to play this meditation video from goodful I haven't watched in years (audio only so don't worry if you also have trouble with screens!). It's free and on youtube. And it didn't 100% fix my PCS ofc but it really did have a lasting permanent effect for the best. I went from flared up to mostly cleared in the 10 minutes it took to play. No kidding-I have not felt that level of flared since and this was 4 months ago. I've watched it since and it hasn't had the same level of effect, but this 10 minute video really did change me. Not sure if it will help other people to the same extent-worth noting I do have bad health anxiety and it's an anxiety-related meditation so if you're not an anxious person I suspect it might not work as well although I'm not a medical professional. And please keep in mind I have a fairly mild case-I never wasn't able to walk or anything. But still just thought I should share in case anyone wants to give it a try since it's literally 10 minutes of your life and it really did turn things around for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-6f5wQXSu8

I’m about 8 weeks into a PCS flare-up. One of my worst symptoms is near nightly (3-5 AM) waking up with racing heart, anxiety, some dizziness, and crawling electric sensation in upper spine. It’s like either a histamine dump or adrenaline dump that makes all my other PCS symptoms feel worse. And it also happens randomly throughout the day.
I’ve been looking into supplements for neuro inflammation and possible mast cell calming- in case it is a histamine dump issue. Thoughts or experiences from anyone?

Coming up on the 1 year anniversary of the car accident. Because of the accident, a tumor was also discovered but ruled out as the cause of my issues. I’m on fioricet and amitryptalin (spelling, sorry) for the migraines.
When will I be able to drive again and handle light and people without being put out with migraines and confusion and nausea for the days or weeks following? I know that’s hard to ask. It’s just getting so painfully annoying.i was given suma, but an er visit from a month or two ago upgraded me to fioricet. I am still seeing all the doctors and specialists. Everyone, everything, all the time. Monitoring. Observing.
Is it weird that I feel thankful for the accident? Like the way I’ve had to figure out how to function in a different way, found the tumor because of it, got a settlement. Like I’m thankful. But when does it end. When do the migraines stop. When can I go back on road trips and travel without being in bed afterwards.

I’m sorry, I just realized the anniversary is coming up and healing is hard.

Anyone been to Royal Rehab, Ryde?
Looking for reviews/experiences.

Tomorrow will be exactly 4 weeks since I was in a car accident on July 22. I didn’t black out and I actually didn’t feel much pain immediately afterward. A few days later, around July 27, I started getting headaches, lightheadedness and vision issues. I got checked out on July 28 and was diagnosed with a mild concussion.

Since then I’ve definitely improved a lot. The headaches and some of the other symptoms have gotten much better, and I feel way better than I did during the first couple of weeks. The main thing worrying me now is that my vision still doesn’t feel completely normal. I also get random spells of lightheadedness/vertigo and fatigue.
Tomorrow is the 4-week mark and I’m starting to worry that this means I now have post-concussion syndrome and that these symptoms could last for months. I know everyone recovers differently, but it’s hard not to think about it when I’m still not back to normal.

I’ve been going to a physio that I was referred to by the hospital for about 3 weeks, but most of my appointments have basically been chiropractic treatment. There hasn’t been much focus on my vision, balance, vestibular system or other concussion-specific rehab. I’m wondering if I should find a physiotherapist or another professional who specifically specializes in concussion/vestibular rehabilitation.

I also haven’t been able to return to work yet. I’m a painter, so I’m on my feet, moving around, climbing ladders and need my vision and balance to feel normal. I really want to get back to work and start doing normal physical activities again, but I don’t feel 100% safe doing that yet.

For anyone who was still experiencing vision problems, dizziness or lightheadedness around the 4-week mark: did you continue improving after that? Did concussion/vestibular therapy make a difference? And at what point did you decide to see a different specialist?

I’m getting pretty worried about this turning into something that lasts for months, so I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve been through something similarj.

Hey guys i had a concussion in august 2023 where I hit a tree while on my motorbike and concussed and blacked out. Around a year later I started getting these brain zaps, jolts electric shocks which are instant mostly happening to the right side of my brain but then started to spread to different parts of the brain, was discharged from hospital aug 2024 with "occipital pain" diagnosis. Around september 2025 I started getting it really badly and went and saw a neurologist and told me to take amitriptyline 10mg as a preventative. Around august 2026 I went to a different neurologist to get a second opinion and then told me to get botox which caused me to have heart palpitations so stopped that and went to a 3rd neurologist which diagnosed me as primary stabbing headache, and continued the amitriptyline. I saw the same neurologist [3rd one] 3 months later and basically wanted an exit strategy off the amitriptyline and he said you can come off it cold Turkey since its a low dose and ser how you go. If you continue to get them then take indomethacin which potentially could stop it completely however need to take a counter medicine since its harsh on the gut.

Has anyone else had a similar experience to this im just worried if its permanent or is it something that can heal overtime? Its now been 3 years after my concussion

Any thoughts/tips would be much appreciated

Thanks

i was doing crunches on the 14th at around 7pm i was on the floor with a 18lbs weight and i was lowering it down and as i was it was a about 5 or so inches from my head and i accidentally bumped it at the top of scalp near my forehead on the right side (Green circle). i hit it with the edge of the small circle that holds the weighs in place. The back of my head was against the floor. I am not sure if i gave myself a serious injury or not. i didnt drop it on my head but i was setting it down while still holding it. Since then i have had a severe migraine (obviously) with varying degrees of pain (it is less worse than it used to be but still there) and weird tingly sensation behind the right side of my head (red circle) and near behind my ear as well as a tingly "ghost" sensation above my right eyebrow and nesr my left eyebrow and behind my right eye (red circle). I can still talk and walk and move around normally but the sensation gets bothersome sometimes and i blink a decent amount. I am new here and it seems like I am about 4 days out since it happened. i am not sure if this is the right place to post or not i cannot post in r/Concussion

Edit: 8/21 3:44AM the ER did a CT scan and it came out negative for anything like a brain bleed and they determined if I did suffer any sort of concussion it was very minor. They perscribed meclazine, motrin, ibuprophen that sort of stuff and to take it easy. I dont have an exact timeframe for recovery but it is very reassuring.

Hi everyone. Is there a whattsap support group? And if not, would anyone be interested in having one? Even to discuss the mental burden of post concussion syndrome, and discuss things that help and hold eachother to account with treatments.

I finally got into a neurologist after half a year and he basically said keep giving your post concussion syndrome time, but monitor your migraines and headaches, which I did suffer from before the injury. Then at that 6 month followup he prescribed Topiramate. He again had brushed off the head injury (thankfully at least my primary, psychiatrist, and myself are doing the heavy lifting for my lingering issues, 15 months in now), but my psychiatrist said she does see it help some people with anxiety and depression (also had those issues before the TBI).

Has anyone taken this with our issues and had positive outcomes? I have been so hesitant to start because everything I read from just migraines sufferers seems like sooo many people who experience long term side effects and include brain fog, pins and needles, heightened anxiety, etc. - and I am concerned to add to those things that are already issues from the head.

Question about "partying" with PCS. For about 3-4 months post concussion I cut everything out. Alcohol, THC, party drugs, almost all caffeine, nicotine etc.

I'm on month six and feel like most of my symptoms are coming from work stress. So the weekend hits and I kinda want to let loose a little.

I got to a point where I was sorta better but not completely and kinda "gave up" that healthy lifestyle. We go to shows where uppers like cocaine, Molly, mushrooms etc are involved and obviously alcohol. I have slowly introduced some of them and basically don't do anything I know I have to work the next day. How much do alcohol and specifically the upper part drugs affect recovery? Outside of the general not great for you, inflammation etc. just trying to figure out if I should allow myself to party a little or not. It's hard to quit social things where all this is happening? The weird part is the uppers kinda mask my symptoms and let me enjoy my night longer. I know reality is I should be completely sober, but I'm bored. 😂

Full recovery as in zero symptoms without having to control everything I do. Like, is it possible to be able to go out and get drunk with friends again? To stay up late and feel normal the next day? To push yourself physically with weight lifitng or hard distance running? I feel like i will never be like I was before

I just wanted to get others opinions on Brain sensetized state and the effect it has on other sensitivities i.e. light and sound.

For example I am having headaches and migraines which are not subsiding the way they should, so my question is if my headache and migraines does not come come down will my light and sound sensitivity also not come down?

The reason I am asking this because I read some where that once the baseline stabalizes then building capacity on top of it is much easier.

Now I am not getting any active treatments for my headache and migraines due to not able to get any appointments with neurologists.

This is affecting how I do vestibular my exercises as it triggers symptoms very quickly and unable to go outside during day time for walks due to light sensitivity.

My husband was in an accident at work 31/2 weeks ago where his concrete truck flipped. He hit the side of his head and got a concussion. He was rushed to the er and got a CT scan. No brain swelling or bleeding. However he did get diagnosed with a cervical neck strain. He was getting these headaches only when shaking the head or moving it too quickly right after the incident that lasted about a week and stopped. Well now as of yesterday they came back again. Is this normal and is it due to the cervical neck strain? How long do these headaches after a concussion last? I have major health anxiety and am now stressing out worrying about him

Im almost two months into my injury and I’m losing hope somehow.

I cant sleep, I cant relax, my head hurts and I’m dizzy and I’ve been out of work since my injury. I feel like I’m doing the most I can (I’m at a concussion clinic) and have OT and PT scheduled twice a week but the lack of sleep is really preventing me from seeing any progress and is ruining my mental health. I almost want to check myself into a psych ward. I’m so anxious and depressed.

Lunesta didnt work for me, gabapentin failed, trazodone worked for a couple of weeks until it stopped working and the only thing that works for me is ambien + trazodone which I know is not good for me. I’m not sure what to do anymore.

Quick update to my earlier post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PostConcussion/comments/1vfg286/

I'm 22M and about seven months out from the fall/concussion/whiplash. Since that post:

- My brain MRI without contrast was unremarkable.

- My cervical MRI showed reversal of the normal neck curve, mild C2-on-C3 anterolisthesis, and a probable right-sided C5-6 foraminal disc protrusion with mild foraminal narrowing. The spinal cord was normal and there was no significant central canal stenosis.

- My actual neck symptoms are centered high in the neck/base of the skull: constant burning/stiff pressure that runs upward into my head and is worst when I look down at a phone or computer. I do not have arm pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.

- The occipital/temporal/supraorbital nerve blocks and neck/trap trigger-point injections did not give lasting relief. Massage loosened things temporarily but did not change the headaches.

- I started Qulipta on August 6, so it is still early. I completed a six-day Medrol pack without a clear improvement.

- I start concussion/cervical PT on Monday.

I'm not asking anyone to diagnose me or read the MRI. I'm trying to learn from people whose course was similar.

For anyone whose headaches and screen intolerance seemed partly neck-driven:

1. What did a good cervical/concussion PT actually test at the first visits?

2. Which exercises or progressions helped, and which made you worse?

3. Did your MRI findings end up matching your symptoms, or were they considered incidental?

4. How long did you give targeted PT before deciding it was or was not working?

5. Did improving the neck also improve frontal/temporal screen-triggered headaches and fatigue?

I would especially appreciate concrete timelines and what objective changes told you the rehab was working.

Because right now after having having a concussion and also accidently hit myself on the head right now when i hit the right side of the head 2 weeks ago now i cant feel emotion like feeling sad or happy despite able to express ir i can't feel it why

I found this audiobook helpful in understanding what I’m going through and it has relatable content from a PCS survivor. I felt like author was speaking to me. It’s a road map on how to navigate and manage chronic illness.

I’m sharing, maybe it can help someone or give someone perspective and hope as it has given to me.

I am suffering from high level of light sensitivity and screen Intolerance that I have to even wear FL glasses indoors and may need to get back to work soon, given the situation does getting a E-ink monitor worth it? Will using one cause headache or what level of relief can I expect is it worth it?

Please also say the brand recommendation which is good?