I woke up at 10:30 today. The kids and my husband are gone for the day. Dan is at the base for drill weekend, and Joey and Bella are with my in laws for a walk-a-thon. It's nice to have peace. My head hurt when i woke up and i didn't feel as if i had slept. I took a Nuvigil for the first time today. I am nervous about how it will make me feel. I don't feel refreshed or good, but i don't feel like i could sleep all day.
My right toes have had pins and needles feelings for the last few days. I think it started on Monday and it continues today. I don't always notice it, but i feel it when i put pressure on those toes. Also today i have noticed that my left knee twitches intermittently. When i sit for long periods of time, my lower back goes numb. I felt numbness in my upper left leg today too.
I have a dull ache in my head and i feel a little jittery so far. This might be from the Nuvigil. My vision is weird, but i don't know how to describe it other than weird. It's not blurry or double vision, but it is just different.
Maybe it's vain of me to say, but i hope this Nuvigil helps me lose some weight. I have gained about 15 lbs since my head injury and cannot work out for a long enough period of time to take any of it off.
My husband and i saw an article that showed improvement in post concussion cases with light excersize for limited amounts of time. I am trying Wii Fit yoga for a few minutes a day to see if it helps.
hello there,
ReplyDeleteI also have PCS from June 09, and weird I have the same symptoms. Especially with vision I feel weird and don't know how to explain. Ofcourse I have been to 3 Neurologists and all they prescribe is Elavil. I was thinking asking about Nuvigil to feel refreshed. But looks like not much help huh!
Sam,
ReplyDeleteSorry I've been out of touch here. I have been trying Nuvigil for the past few months, and the side effects for me are worse than the effects. It keeps me up for almost 24 hours after I take it.
I'm going to try Provigil this month to see if helps. I noticed with the Nuvigil that it helped my mind stay awake, but didn't help the fatigue that my body felt.
Thanks Sam,
Kate
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteMy neurologist also prescribed Cymbalta, Lexapro and all of them gave horrible side effects (Insomnia etc.,). I found Xanax little helpful with no side effects. I know it is addictive but right now it helps in sleeping and walk around in house.
I am on disability, cannot drive,have no interest in anything and yes life sucks. Used to have a very active life style. Never thought I will be in this situtation so I understand your situation too. I pray for you to get better.
Regards,
Sam.
I'm sorry that you are going through this. I'm glad you have found some relief with the Xanax.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm addicted to my Amitriptyline. I was taking 10mg for the first 6 months every night before bed to help me sleep. I just had to up it to 20mg last week, because of the insomnia.
It seems to be helping me stay asleep, but I still have so much trouble falling asleep.
I know it seems impossible, not being able to drive and not having the energy to do anything. Fortunately, I have learned to enjoy TV and video games.
I hope you can find comfort in knowing that you are not alone.
Hi Sam and Kate! Not sure if either of you will see this message because of how long ago this blog post was written, but I was finally diagnosed with PCS about a month and half after my accident. It happened on 9/8/15, shopping at the dollar store and a shelf fell on my head. I was taken off work the rest of the week (3 days), but by Friday still feeling poorly and he took me off the following week. I returned to my job as an elementary special education teacher and found myself feeling horrible by noon, and by end of day, completely exhausted, miserable, terrible headache and nausea along with blurred vision. I was basically useless as a mother to my 3 year old when I got home. By end of weekend I was really bad, so my doc took me off work for that week. I returned for another 2 1/2 weeks, pushing myself every day, though my doc tried to take me off work, and it wasn't until I had a very terrible spell that I went home half day and the next and finally had an appt with a neurologist the following Monday. CT and MRI were negative. Everything - negative, but I felt so terrible. I was prescribed Elavil, which I did not want to take, as my doc tried to put me on depression meds earlier, but I said no because it was just putting a bandaid on a symptom and not the issue. But I gave in with the neurologist, as he said Elavil is used to treat PCS patients. My mood has improved, but I still struggle with getting to sleep. I struggle with sitting around the house all day, I struggle playing with my son! We do get out on weekends, like trick or treating, or more recently, the Christmas parade, but I pay for it all later with massive headache and complete exhaustion. I was very active - a fitness coach, but hadn't worked out in 3 months until just before thanksgiving, my doc said I could start walking on the treadmill. Every time I think I am getting better I end up feeling worse. I am officially off work until the new year, but have tremendous anxiety about going back, and about how I am going to juggle all these appointments between therapists, counseling, dr, etc. And my therapy appts are 1.5 hours away from home. Fortunately I am able to drive, though sometimes I am not sure I should. I still struggle with inadvertent dizziness and blurred vision. I no longer have the nausea, which is good; but I just want to be back to normal. Will I ever be normal? I am so glad I found this blog. Nobody seems to get it. They see me and I don't have a wheel chair, or a cast, or anything so they think I am fine. I am far from fine. I think I would rather have every bone broken in my body than to struggle with this anxiety and depression and loss of life. Thank you for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteHi Sam and Kate! Not sure if either of you will see this message because of how long ago this blog post was written, but I was finally diagnosed with PCS about a month and half after my accident. It happened on 9/8/15, shopping at the dollar store and a shelf fell on my head. I was taken off work the rest of the week (3 days), but by Friday still feeling poorly and he took me off the following week. I returned to my job as an elementary special education teacher and found myself feeling horrible by noon, and by end of day, completely exhausted, miserable, terrible headache and nausea along with blurred vision. I was basically useless as a mother to my 3 year old when I got home. By end of weekend I was really bad, so my doc took me off work for that week. I returned for another 2 1/2 weeks, pushing myself every day, though my doc tried to take me off work, and it wasn't until I had a very terrible spell that I went home half day and the next and finally had an appt with a neurologist the following Monday. CT and MRI were negative. Everything - negative, but I felt so terrible. I was prescribed Elavil, which I did not want to take, as my doc tried to put me on depression meds earlier, but I said no because it was just putting a bandaid on a symptom and not the issue. But I gave in with the neurologist, as he said Elavil is used to treat PCS patients. My mood has improved, but I still struggle with getting to sleep. I struggle with sitting around the house all day, I struggle playing with my son! We do get out on weekends, like trick or treating, or more recently, the Christmas parade, but I pay for it all later with massive headache and complete exhaustion. I was very active - a fitness coach, but hadn't worked out in 3 months until just before thanksgiving, my doc said I could start walking on the treadmill. Every time I think I am getting better I end up feeling worse. I am officially off work until the new year, but have tremendous anxiety about going back, and about how I am going to juggle all these appointments between therapists, counseling, dr, etc. And my therapy appts are 1.5 hours away from home. Fortunately I am able to drive, though sometimes I am not sure I should. I still struggle with inadvertent dizziness and blurred vision. I no longer have the nausea, which is good; but I just want to be back to normal. Will I ever be normal? I am so glad I found this blog. Nobody seems to get it. They see me and I don't have a wheel chair, or a cast, or anything so they think I am fine. I am far from fine. I think I would rather have every bone broken in my body than to struggle with this anxiety and depression and loss of life. Thank you for sharing your story!
ReplyDelete