FALLS AND CANNOT GET UP

[sunset709]

I have had three falls since August 2020 and hospitalised on two occasions. The

cause they think is sudden drops in BP. The problem is that I have very high BP and so they have just reduced my medications. I feel fatigued all the time and lack strength and cannot get up when I fall unaided.

I cannot get up from toilet seat sometimes unaided and cannot even shower

or dress without great effort.

I am awaiting Cardiology and Neurology appointments at the hospital because

GPS not know what problem is MS ? Heart Failure? or ?

Any advice welcome.

Steve

[10gingercats]

you may have to nudge your GP to try and get you a more urgent appoint. than being on the list until whenever your turn comes along. Or you may have to ring cardiology yourself.and neurology to hurry them along.Or get a relative to do it for you.If you make it sound urgent you may get to be seen sooner.I have done this and it does work .

[sunset709 in reply to 10gingercats]

Thanks will ring hospital tomorrow

[Ruadh]

Hi Steve - One thought...have they checked you for anaemia ? I had to be checked out, pre-op, and was found to be anaemic - I also have MS. Also my s-in-l, pre-op, very anaemic, and with much the same findings as you find : unable to get up from sitting; huge difficulty in getting dressed; getting to the door; unable to even 'spit' she said; and all the rest.A full run through of yr bloods panel, and a Vit-B panel. Get them to check on yr D3 levels whilst they are at it !

Hope your medical team can come to a firm diagnosis and a good treatment plan. Take care.

[sunset709 in reply to Ruadh]

Thanks for your reply will ask for more blood tests

[Palpman]

Does your breath smell and if so, do you also have unexplained weight loss?

[sunset709 in reply to Palpman]

No wight loss just same weight but waist 2 ins larger and hard?? But weight same

[Palpman in reply to sunset709]

Ok. So it's not what I thought.My wife had a tumour in her soft pallet that used up most of the sugars and nutrients she ate. This caused weight loss and she had no energy to even get up off her chair. She fell a few times and could not get up.

We and the docs were convinced it was a neurological problem at first.

[Qualipop]

I'm puzzled that they've reduced your medication if you have high BP.

I don't think this will help but it's food for thought. My mother in law in her late 80s had several really bad falls caused by brief blackouts. Once she fell down the stairs, the next time she fell in the middle of the road. She had been on BP tablets for as long as we could remember along with several others. On the last fall she had, she broke her thigh so had to stay in hospital where they took her off ALL her tablets and started again from scratch. It turned out that she did not have high BP, never had had it and should never have been on those or several other tablets. It seemed to be a case of her seeing different GPs who had simply added more tablets for any symptoms she'd had; some of which didn't go well with others she was on and had diagnosed high BP off just one reading. Once they had sorted out the correct medication she was great and lived to be 99. In fact she was so well that when she broke hr thigh aged 96 , they were going to leave it but we insisted they check her health . They went ahead with the op and she was absolutely fine. If any of this rings bells with you it may be wise to ask for a medication review along with the checks other people have suggested. Pester them.

[sunset709 in reply to Qualipop]

Thanks. I take readings everyday and I definitely have high BP. They reduced medications because they think falls caused by sudden falls in BP.

I think GPS are not interested or do not know what to do.

I think I will have to wait for Neurology and Cardiology appointments

[Qualipop in reply to sunset709]

It was just an idea. Well do pester them and make them understand it's urgent