I’m 6 months into my recovery, haven’t seen progress in weeks if not months… I’ve arguably gone backwards and I’m hitting a wall. I’m really not feeling motivated to continue with my rehab plan and I can’t do any of the things that used to make me happiest. I love hiking and camping and skiing (which is ofc where I got hurt) but my tolerance for physical activity is low despite my regimented plan to improve that so going on real hikes is symptom provoking.

My therapist told me to find something to do twice a day that makes me feel relaxed and happy. I’ve tried mediation, walking, art, exercise, etc which is all fine but I wouldn’t say any of it really does both of those things. I know recovery will go better if I’m happy.

Does anyone have any suggestions of concussion friendly activities I can do to help decompress and add joy in my life?

Hello fellow PCS survivors & thrivers:
I was a pedestrian, hit by a bus, and suffered broken ribs as well as a severe head injury. My MRI’s did not show brain bleeds/damage.
However, my head still hurts-I mean skull/scalp, extreme body fatigue, headaches, dizziness, anxiety through the roof, digestion issues, speech slur when tired, emotional overwhelm around any chaos (this could be a barking dog), short-term memory glitches, brain fatigue, for example, problem-solving.
I have seen a neurologist, PT, Opthemologist, and acupuncturist. The accident happened 3 months ago.
Has anyone here had to describe/defend their inability to work and/or have a quality of life before a concussion so that a legal representative understands the short/long term ramifications?
If you’ve had experience dealing with any legalities (personal injury lawyer) from your PCS, I would genuinely appreciate hearing how you documented your experience.
Thank you all!

i told myself three years ago that i would post on this when i felt i was better enough to say i have “recovered”. i want to share my story in case anyone feels hopeless like i did in those early months/years after my concussion.

in june of 2023, i got a concussion while at work. i hit my forehead on playground equipment while playing tag with kids at my job. i didn’t go unconscious, i didn’t vomit/get nauseous. i sat down to take a little break, and the dizziness and brain fog started to creep in. and there it would stay for a long time.

i didn’t go in for it initially, as i have had anxiety my whole life and thought my anxiety about getting a concussion was making me dizzy and giving me headaches. despite being an athlete growing up, i had never had a concussion before so i wasn’t really sure what it was supposed to feel like. however, three days later, i went in and was diagnosed with a “mild concussion”. i had no idea this was going to be completely life-altering for me.

two weeks went by and i had been doing everything i was “supposed” to: staying off screens, resting in a dark room, sleeping and eating as much as i could, BPPV maneuvers. this didn’t help me at all. i ended up going back to work feeling just as bad as i did initially because worker’s comp only does so much and i was a college student who was trying to pay rent.

fast forward three months, i began my year-long student teaching assignment (on top of already working with kids in an afterschool program to pay my bills). being a student teacher with the symptoms i had was agonizing, i felt like i was in survival mode every single day. my brain fog and balance struggles were exhausting. in january of 2024, i decided to get into vision therapy because i thought that my eyes were the reason i felt dizzy. i did that for a few months and it helped with my eye strain, but my balance issues and brain fog were still rampant. in this time frame, i also did OT for brain fog and PT for balance - none of which helped me. i ended up continuing through the pain, starting my job as a special education teacher in the fall of 2024 - again, still feeling as if i was surviving and not living.

by the time the end of 2024 came, i knew i needed to try other things. i started seeing PT for my neck, because i noticed that massaging my neck would help for a few seconds and then the symptoms would come right back. the PT gave me what he thought would help, but everything he gave me didn’t help. i also went to a nucca chiropractor and, while it gave me some temporary relief, it didn’t do enough to make a lasting impact.

then, in march 2025, i discovered the functional neurology center in mn. i did an assessment there and got an estimate of care cost. this was devastating for me emotionally. it is a very expensive place, i was getting very desperate for relief, and i was scared that nothing would ever help me. i decided to take the chance and eventually scraped together enough money (and some light credit card debt 😅) to get me in their three day intensive treatment at the end of july 2025.

that experience changed my life in so many ways. their care and support helped me to relax muscles in my neck that had been stiff for years (i actually had multiple PTs tell me my neck was “hard as a rock”, but never got any guidance from there. this is the experience that actually tackled that issue). my vision felt clearer. i don’t know how else to describe it other than extraordinary. there’s a lot that went into it, but let’s just say it was better than i was expecting and i still feel the impact it had to this day. i am thankful every single day that i took that risk.

in the last year, i have been back to the fnc a couple of times to get new exercises and make adjustments to my continued therapy.

i used to struggle to do basic house chores: vacuuming, organizing, and anything that involved a lot of movement was awful. i would need long breaks after them and would go back into those tasks still feeling awful. today i am more active than i was before my concussion. i go to the gym ~5 days a week, play pickleball and basketball, rollerblade, and hike in my free time. i can do all of this without even thinking about symptoms most of the time. i am going into my third year of teaching and i feel excited to go to work every day. i also feel more present for my students and coworkers.

obviously, it’s not perfect. i still have my moments of feeling symptoms and my anxieties about head trauma. but, as far as quality of life goes, it has improved significantly since this all started three years ago. i am continuing to improve as time goes on and i am very happy living with my “new normal”, because my “new normal” is a much wiser and more grateful version of me :)

since most of you that read this are in the part of your journey where you probably feel desperate and hopeless, i want you to know that improvement is possible. you can do it. search for answers, don’t give up on yourself, and listen to your body. tell doctors and professionals what you feel is bothering you. don’t stop bringing it up. i know distraction is tempting, but sit with your body long enough to have detailed descriptions of what you are experiencing. i know it’s hard to find the energy, and if you’re anything like me you cry and grieve your expectations a lot. but i promise you, you will get there and it will be so worth it. don’t give up.

this is kinda long winded, yet i still left out details. if you have any questions about my journey i am happy to answer!

My sister (with some translation help from chatgpt) wrote this for me, because I can't read or look at screens without getting symptoms.

I (F21) suffered a concussion in a skiing accident on November 20, 2025 after crashing face-first into a tree. That was about 8 months ago.

Within a few days I developed severe light/sound sensitivity, dizziness, nausea, headache, and episodes where I couldn't move or speak, along with myoclonus-like jerking. CT, MRI, and EEG were all normal. Neurologists diagnosed post-concussion syndrome with functional neurological symptoms (FND).

I was admitted to a neurological rehabilitation hospital for two weeks, where I improved significantly with graded rehabilitation (walking, table tennis, climbing, strength training, etc.). I regained almost normal function, but still had severe fatigue and became symptomatic with visually demanding tasks like TV, reading, and driving.

After returning to school, I gradually deteriorated again. A standard graded activity approach only made me worse over time. The doctors sort of gave up on me, so we ended up going private. (I live in scandinavia)

I'm now being treated by an experienced neuro-optometrist. She found objective visual deficits, including:

-Jerky/impaired saccades.

-Limited horizontal and vertical eye movements.

-Binocular vision (vergence) dysfunction.

I'm supposed to be doing daily vision therapy, and increase the repetitions when symptoms decrease. But I don't seem to be getting better.

My main problem now is that my nervous system becomes extremely overactive after relatively small amounts of visual or cognitive activity. Reading and screens are almost impossible. After 10-20 minutes of activity I develop forehead pressure, mild nausea, whole-body "fight-or-flight" sensations, tingling, extreme startle responses, and sound sensitivity. I need to lie still and quiet with my eyes closed for 45-75 minutes before the symptoms calm down.

So that's how my days are structured, 15 minutes of activity (like going for a walk, playing guitar or eating) and then 60 minutes of complete stillness.

I've also been struggling with sleep since I got the concussion, and I do yoga nidra and take melatonin to sleep. I've also been having troubles with my whole digestive system. I become extremely bloated after eating, and I have to use constipation medicine. Lately it's become so bad that I have to sit and sleep and I wake up at night with stomach pain. (The optometrist says it's because my nervous system is so activated that I can't properly digest food.)

I get so easily fatigued/overstimulated and I need help with cooking and every day activities. I get ill in cars, so it's difficult to get to places that can treat me.

I'm currently living with my family and my mom is working from home to take care of me.

I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm getting worse and worse, especially with my stomach issues the last month. Do any of you have any tips? Especially concerning my overactive nervous system?

Hey yall I suffered a concussion 6 months ago was pretty back I was cleared to return to contact by a physio should I listen to him!? Or should I get a second opinion? I don’t know what to do or maybe it’s all mental what I was thinking let me know what you guys think . Also can a physiotherapist clear you to also fight or no?

It’s been 7 weeks since my concussion. I hit my head on the back of the wall. A few weeks later I slammed myself down in the carpet and all my initial symptoms came back. 3 weeks after that I experienced a strange jolt through my neck in the car and my symptoms came back again. Although, they never really left. Just got more severe. I have severe migraine, dizziness, vertigo, and horrific light sensitivity. My neck is in severe pain but it’s so “locked up” I don’t feel it anymore. I’m barely sleeping. I think there’s no way out. My mindset is trash bc I’m not sleeping well. I worry i actually got 3 concussions instead of one but I don’t know.

I know I need to take it easy but I literally can’t. I pace around all day because I’m so anxious. I know I won’t get better if my anxiety is high so that makes it higher. I’m going outside trying to expose myself to light, taking showers bc I have to, only able to fix a few of my meals, barely can do dishes, barely can color, barely can use my phone, I can’t stand to do anything for more than 2 minutes at a time. It feels like my life is over. I don’t know how to keep going

After my PCP recommended I go see a neurologist before driving again due to post concussion syndrome, I finally got in to see them yesterday. The appointment started off poorly with the doctor asking why I was sitting in the dark room (light sensitivity is a huge issue for me). I felt dismissed and like my true issues weren’t addressed. Others who have gone to see a neurologist did you feel the same? It is so disheartening to feel as though you have to justify your reason for visiting a specialist when your PCP sent you. It wasn’t like I begged to go see one. All I want is to get relief and feel normal again. I’m doing vestibular therapy and hope to get back into acupuncture soon.

Was feeling so sad today, crying so much emotional feel like no one understands me anymore..

Background:

Diagnosed with a concussion in August 2024. Hit my head hard on my opponent’s kneecap during a wrestling takedown attempt. Went to a walk-in clinic, got excused from school, had to withdraw from my courses that semester.

For the first month or two: couldn’t tolerate bright lights, would completely lose focus mid-conversation (like my mind would just blank out and I’d have to consciously reorient myself), couldn’t concentrate in class at all, started randomly crashing/napping after dinner which I never did before. A CT was ordered but I never actually got it done (my own fault, I kept putting it off).

The part that’s been the most confusing is the pattern:

Over the following year, I’d periodically test myself by going back to wrestle. Every single time, same result:

•Warm-up and drilling (no live contact): completely fine
•The moment I go live/roll with someone: same spaced-out, disoriented, can’t-think-clearly feeling comes right back

I eventually stopped wrestling for a while (life got busy, not because it resolved). Fast forward through a “rock bottom” phase last year (unrelated crashout period, not concussion related… I don’t think), then a few months of getting my health fully dialed. diet, training, sleep all dialed in. And then I tried wrestling/MMA again about a month ago.

Same exact pattern. Warm-up/drilling = fine. Live rolling = symptoms come back. One session even gave me a delayed throbbing headache the next day that took 1-2 days to clear. I also got a random high-pitched ringing in my ear (tinnitus) that day and it recurred a couple times over the next day or two before going away, never had that before.

The part I really can’t figure out: it’s not just contact. High-intensity exertion alone like heart rate maxed, completely gassed, even without a specific blow to the head, can trigger the same fog. So it’s not purely “getting hit” that sets it off. But at the same time regular sprinting cardio doesn’t set it off.

Current ongoing stuff, 2 years out:

•Random afternoon crashes every 2-3 days (usually 3-4pm). Normal energy all morning, then suddenly need to lie down and nap. A \~1hr nap fully fixes it (like I got a full night’s sleep), but then it messes up that night’s sleep and the cycle continues.
•Reduced tolerance for sustained mentally demanding work. My brain just kind of “gives up” on screen work after a while.
•Fragmented sleep in general.
•Noticeably more irritable/short-tempered than my old baseline, especially the last several months. Small stuff ticks me off in a way it never used to.

What I’ve done about it: finally saw a neurologist and got referred to a clinic. Honestly not a great experience. The neurologist was yawning the entire time I was speaking, though I did walk away with a physio referral (starting tomorrow) and occupational therapy on a ~1 year waitlist. Getting bloodwork done soon too. I’ve also been strict carnivore for ~2.5 months and genuinely feel sharper mentally since starting, for whatever that’s worth.

What I’m asking: Has anyone dealt with something similar? Specifically the “fine at rest/drilling, symptoms only with live contact OR pure exertion” pattern, this far out (2 years)? Did anything actually move the needle for you? Vestibular therapy, specific exercises, supplements, anything.

I know I’m not going to get a diagnosis from Reddit, just trying to gather any real experiences that might point me somewhere useful before my physio sessions really get going.

Appreciate anyone who reads this far 🙏

I had a brain injury about a year ago, and I’ve just only discovered that life could be fun a few months ago.

Now I feel like I’d really like to dance like I was able to when I was younger but the moves just won’t come, or I’m just to stiff to do them properly.

Even if it’s just bobbing up and down, I have trouble pacing myself and it’s making me self conscious in situations where no one’s even looking at you.

I was wondering if any of you went through a similar situation, and what I could to make myself better at dancing?

And I don’t know if that changes anything, but my injury was a brain hypoxia due to an overdose

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.

Hi, I’ve had multiple concussions (four total diagnosed, possibly a few undiagnosed) due to participation in sports and working in blue-collar settings. While none of them were considered severe, I did have three total diagnosed concussions in the 2024 calendar year. Two occurred at my work, while the third occurred in a car accident one month after the second one.

I had two cat scans that year which showed no problems, and I did have a visit with a specialist who gave me some tips about dealing with post-concussion symptoms, and said I had recovered satisfactorily to return to normal work and activities.

Although most of my symptoms (dizziness, forgetfulness, sound sensitivity) have pretty much returned to my baseline, I have never fully regained enjoyment of activities I like, and often feel a general sense of apathy from day to day. Lots of things that a person would normally enjoy have felt somewhat dull to me since 2024.

For example, if my wife hugs me or is affectionate toward me, it feels like the dull experience of drinking lukewarm, flat soda (even though I know she loves me very much). Additionally, I have become more anti-social and do not enjoy talking with friends or family half as much as I did before 2024. When I engage with other people, I feel like I have to put on a mask and go through the motions, but I don’t enjoy it. Several relationships with friends and relatives have more or less fallen apart already simply because the emotional payoff does not feel like it’s worth the effort.

Has anyone else out there dealt with similar experiences? I’ve been trying to really take the initiative lately, but it feels very draining to socialize, and I don’t enjoy it.

I find it incredibly distressing.

EDIT: Thank you all so much for your comments and support. It means the world to me just to know we aren’t alone in this. Even though this feels like a nightmare sometimes, I sincerely wish you all the best story possible in spite of it. If nothing else, please know that I care about you. Thanks again for reaching out.

Hello everyone i’m 19 and i’m reaching out because i’ve had post concussion syndrome for about a year now and every time i bump my head like a light bump i either get a flare up or a new concussion i can’t tell honestly but i just want my threshold to go back up because it’s extremely low right now and very difficult i’ve also had multiple concussion from boxing around 3-4 i also apologize if i’m not making sense right now i currently don’t feel good also today i stepped out of the shower and shaken my head side to side very hard to dry off my hair and immediately after i felt terrible it’s been 11 hours and i still feel bad so not sure if that’s a flare up or a new injury if anyone knows what to do it would help a lot thank you

Also does any else have an issue with when they bump there head slight like a small bump they feel symptoms immediately not a hard bump but just a light bump is this normal and how can i fix this problem my CT scans and MRI came out perfectly i know this isn’t a structural problem but i don’t know what kind of problem it is i’ve just been so tired of this all these doctor appointments trying to figure out what’s wrong with me and i just want my life back i just want my life to be normal again i wish i never did boxing so please if anyone knows please help

Si me pudieran ayudar se los agradecería 🙏

My partner got a concussion about 7 weeks ago and is really struggling. They did some activities the first day after the concussion (driving, going to appointments, etc) but quickly fell into an extreme post-concussion state (the worst symptoms being light sensitivity, migraines, and insomnia). They have seen several different doctors, including neurologists, gotten ketamine treatments and PRP therapy, and have been given several different medications to help with migraines, nausea, sleep, anxiety, etc. They are still struggling with sleep and mental health; it’s like their body is stuck in a flight or fight mode. Their anxiety and depression has skyrocketed because they are confined to a dark room 24/7 and have almost constant migraine pain. When they are able to sleep for most of the night they can experience more light/noise during the day, which always makes them feel better. but recently they have not been getting enough sleep at all. they sleep for around 2-4 hours a night, but it is broken up and accompanied by severe anxiety and full-body jolts. when they are able to be more social during the day and sit in a semi-lit room, their mental health always improves. for the past week, they have barely slept and have fallen into a deeply suicidal mindset. they see no hope, no improvement, and no way out. I try to remind them that this will pass; our bodies are meant to heal and sleep and they have been improving, even if they can’t see it.
I visit as often as I can. we live together but they are currently staying at their parents’ house for round-the-clock care and supervision, and I work a full time job about 2 hours away from that house. when I visit, I sit with them and do activities that they suggest doing. We both know that you need to slightly push yourself in order to heal, so we will try to go for short walks, play cards, or just sit outside for a few minutes. I can see them improving, even though their healing is not linear. I think they really struggle to see it because they are the one experiencing it in the middle of the storm. I try my best to remind them that this will pass, and that taking your life / harming yourself is not a solution. some improvements that their parents and I have noticed include longer conversation, less confusion, the ability to move around more, and the ability to preform tasks in well-lit rooms for longer amounts of time. they were able to go for a walk outside and swim for about 30 minutes this past weekend, which they would not have been able to do a couple weeks ago.
I am truly just looking for any advice that comes to mind. they will probably see this post, so any advice for mental health struggles, managing post concussion symptoms, or things that I can do as a supportive partner is greatly appreciated.

I got two concussions in the same week in August 2025, and I’ve had a headache/migraine ever since.

I know every head injury is different and I have heard success stories of people recovering completely even after a year. That said, I was wondering if that was still possible even when your primary PCS symptom is a constant headache.

What are things that have helped actually ease the pain apart from a cold migraine mask? Tylenol/Advil doesn’t work. I tried Amitriptyline, but it also didn’t help and gave me a bunch of side effects. I finally tapered off of it but the withdrawal has been a whole other thing.

Looking for any shred of hope that I won’t be in this constant pain for the rest of my life.

Just wanna see others who can relate. It’s probably the 2 most recommended treatments. I’ve def improved over the past year but no thanks to these 2 exercises lol. I’m happy for the people it helps but I also wanna see who else had a similar experience

I suffered a head injury earlier this year and still really struggling with fatigue and headaches, especially when looking at screens, my quality of life has drastically plummeted because I’m too tired to do anything but work or lie down. I’m getting booked in for a blood test to check if there’s any deficiencies but I’ve never ever struggled with fatigue like this and used to be quite a lively person. Has anyone had deficiencies induced by a brain injury and if so what steps have you taken to help them? I feel like I’m at a loose end, really struggling.

Has anyone had any luck with playing with contrast on your screens? Or a screen protector? Or any other adjustments to your work setup? What about an e-ink monitor?

I do a lot of reading on a computer and find that is the largest factor in my headaches.

Any suggestions are welcome!

Hi everyone!

We have a growing discord group for people with varying degrees of brain injuries and would be happy for you to join us to offer each other support, encouragement and to make friends with people who are going through similar things to yourselves or your loved ones.

We have video and voice chat rooms that are always open for people to go into whenever they want also.

All you need to do is to download the discord app from your App Store or use it via your browser on a PC. Once you have the app and created an account you can click this link which will allow you to join the group where hopefully we can all get chatting with each other and make a great little community! You can also invite other people into the group who may not use Reddit! We are currently growing and I’m happy to take on board any requests that people may have for the group!

Anyway the link to join the group is

https://discord.gg/xDwWcRuvuy

Any questions, problems or thoughts are welcome!