PCS or depression?

[Lizum]

I've been suffering from post concussion syndrome for just over a year.

I'm feeling really run down at the moment with fatigue, neck pain and headaches. I'm also feeling rather low after a difficult couple of weeks at work due to a deadline and having capability meetings being told that I can't do the role in the 2.5 hours/4 days/week that I can manage.

I haven't managed to get in to work this week because I feel too ill. I don't know whether to ignore it and push through because it's depression making me feel ill or just keep on resting because it's the PCS. Any thoughts?

[moo196]

Hi

Can't comment really on which , if any is the relevant factor in feeling so unwell. Sometimes I find actually I am better if I DO things - get up, showered, dressed, exercise and get some sunshine if possible. I know I need to try to get this mix right ( oh and eat the best diet I can muster).

WRT work - can you speak to Remploy for advice ? Gov agency who were great with support/ideas when I returned to wrk after cvst.

What does your GP think ? Hope they are supportive and giving you the right documentation for your case.

Good luck

[Kirk5w7]

Could be both of course. I haven't had PCS I have an ABI but I was prescribed antidepressants whilst still in hospital and took them regularly for the first 3 years of my recovery, I still take them intermittently now, my GP is very amenable to me flagging up to him when I feel I need them, I take them then for 3-6 months to even me out. I do suffer from SAD though and have for many years before the ABI. I kind of have a love-hate relationship with antidepressants, butt I recognise them for what they are doing, correcting a chemical imbalance in my brain.

So go have chat with your GP, it may help. X

Janet

[Candyfield]

Hi lizum. Sorry to ear u down.like u said u r definitely over worked .can make u fill war out.but if u fill u need anitdpresents then talk to yr dotor .if I ad my chance again I wood not take um .I'm now hooked I come of mine after 7yrs .I ended up in hospital coz I went in a dark place .toke me 3moths pull me self 2gever .but I'm on 10mg .and I fill so much better.bit bord coz I'm at home .try fight it .or get sum think quick so u don't get eny deeper in to a depression. Good luck 😊

[Lizum]

Thanks for the advice. I'm already on anti-depressants for the pre-existing depression. I think it's just a bad couple of weeks.

[JRio]

Sorry you are feeling down and out of energy. I was diagnosed with PCS over a year and a half ago and though life had been very stressful before the accident, I know there are things which have affected my mood and cognitive ability which were to do with the effects of the accident and not the previous stresses. As others have said it would be good to see GP. I think there is still a lot to discovered about PCS and it isn't well understood, but always go back to my GP if I have a relapse. What they said once to me in hospital was that it was like the brain needing to reset, so I use the analogy of a computer. If I feel my brain becoming fuzzy I need to shut off for a bit and restart like a PC. Maybe an hour of work and a break and then another hour and a half, and build up. Obviously your employer may not agree. I had to build up very slowly like give myself a simple task of going into town with a shopping list but trying to remember stuff before looking at list. Someone recommended a book on PCS on here, I am going to try and find it in the posts. Hope things pick up.