[Faith Autumn]

Almost a year ago (November 12th 2010), I was in a nasty car accident. I was a restrained driver in a rear end collision. A coal truck (really big truck for those that don't know what they are) rear ended my van while I was stopped to make a turn. He was going 65 miles an hour (MPH are 55 on that road). I was injured pretty badly. I sustained a closed head injury, concussion and whip lash. Basically, what happened was my brain bounced around in my skull for a few seconds and severed some connections....in an essence....shaken baby syndrome. I suffered from cognitive disabilities, memory loss, severe head aches, vertigo and a balance disorder called Vestibular Disorder. It took me months to start healing. I am still healing. I still suffer from severe headaches that stop me in my tracks. Most weeks I get 4-5 severe headaches a week, with a smaller, constant headache in the back ground. It's been just about 10 months since I last experienced a pain free, headache free day. It's called Post Concussive Syndrome. No one knows when it will go away, or if it ever will. I may have to spend the rest of my life dealing with life altering headaches. I've come to terms with it. There isn't anything I can do to change it, so I've decided to over come it and rise above it. It's either adapt or die. I like living. I get irritable, short tempered, depressed, moody. I tend to hide myself away when the headaches are at their worst, but continue to function as a mother and wife for my family. I still have problems with my cognitive abilities and my memory is still shot. I have to write reminders for myself all the time, or I won't remember a lot of what I'm suppose to do. At times I feel like a child! And in a way, that's the way my brain is right now. It's trying to regain a lot of lost abilities. It's going to take time. But in the meantime, I've decided to take on the struggle of weight loss. I figure that this weight isn't helping my recoup time. So I am taking on the task of trying to find exercises I can do that won't aggravate my head, won't cause me to lose my balance (no need for another fall) and will still push me to improve and lose the weight. Anyone have any ideas? I'm open for any suggestions!

[bargoo]

I don't have any suggestions but want to welcome you and wish you luck Sorry you had such a bad experience but you have a grest attitude.

[Esofia]

Welcome, and oof, that sounds nasty to deal with. I'm severely disabled myself, so I know what it's like when something like this completely changes your life, although in my case it was a lot more gradual and I'm not dealing with that level of pain. I do have fairly profound cognitive symptoms. Even if they don't improve, you get more used to dealing with them. Look into various types of reminders, software and smartphones and the like. One of the reasons why I have to track what I eat is because otherwise my partner comes home from work in the evening, asks if I've eaten that day, and I don't have the faintest idea.

I'd go to a medical professional for the exercising. A physio, perhaps, but I'd start by asking the centre who treated you for the trauma and its aftereffects. That said, I'd maybe consider a mini exercise bike, also sold as a pedal exerciser (I've got this one http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Folding-Exercise-Electronic/dp/B002VWJYSE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315510690&sr=8-2 after my partner accidentally killed my previous, heavier model while hoovering). You use your own seat, so you can sit back in an armchair as if you were on a recumbent exercise bike and be fully supported from three sides. If you're not moving your upper body, I'd guess that it's less likely to aggravate things. Alternatively, perhaps sit on an ordinary chair, put the exerciser under a table, and hold onto the table to keep your upper body supported. But really, please check this with a medical professional, I'm just guessing here. I have a nice tame physio who was originally assigned to me when I had acute calcific tendinitis four years ago, and as she's great with the ME/CFIDS too, I get hold of her every now and again to ask more questions.

One thing that may cheer you up is to know that it's possible to lose weight without exercising if need be (I am), and that it's also possible to get a beautiful toned body without a vast range of exercises. Joyful Loser looks fabulous from running alone, for example.

[Lakota Beauty]

Let me make a suggestion...with my accident I suffered a Binary skull fracture like you I suffer from severe headaches...was 2 1/2 years ago with mine (the skull fracture was the smaller of the injuries) I saw a nuerologist that has put me on Topiramate (Topamax) 2pills 2x a day and Relpax as an emergency when the migraines hit (it has them gone in literally 15min) but it has toned down the headaches I went from having them almost daily to once a week at the most usually.... I have been there still am...its an anti seizure drug (the Topiramate) Might be worth looking into for helping you if that severe...