does anyone stagger

[kath33]

does anyone stagger is this cos of parkinsons

[alllowercase]

Yes Kath, I do. I cannot be certain that it is due to Parky, but I never used to do it before I was diagnosed (at least, not when I was sober - those were the days).

Do you find that uneven pavements (for our friends over the sea, pavement = sidewalk; and we call the bit you drive on the road, where you call it pavement) ... uneven pavements as little as 5 mm can bring me down.

Adrian

[JennyR in reply to alllowercase]

Yes, this is how I was diagnosed. I fell over n the garden so many times, I expected to see flowers growing on my face. When we first moved into our home in the foothills of Cascade Mountains in Washington state, we built a natural river rock patio. The unevenness of this now is a killer! So ended up with a concrete patio crossing the entire garden (150 ft. x 20 ft.) with a ramp on one end and stairs on the other. No more falling over. But when we visit family in the UK, the uneven pavement requires much assistance. When walking, a normal list to the left, requires real concentration to avoid walls and doorways.

[alllowercase in reply to JennyR]

hey, you just brought back some memories from the 3 yrs I lived in Battleground, WA.

will put a messege in your mailbox later tonight. don't want to waste time interrupting the health chat.

Adrian

[JennyR in reply to alllowercase]

Would love to hear from you later. Direct email: [e-mail]

[kath33 in reply to JennyR]

thanks i will email i tried to send one did u get it regards kath

[jillannf6]

hi

i hav ePSP and stagger on to my toes and then i fall over

so i have to try and rememn=ber to walk heel/ toe /eel toe all the time

it si difficult to have ot htink of walking which we hav edone since childhood with no probs at all and i know a split second b4 i fall

but it si communicating teh probs ot others tha t is difficu;dt

TAI CHI is great for balance postujr eand slowing me down - a class today!

lol JIll

[olpilot]

That is my big problem, I now carry a medical alert card that says I have PD, and am not drunk. I trip and stumble over most any surface including the floor in my house. I too long for the day when it was a bit too much Merlot, not this damn PD.

[PatV in reply to olpilot]

Me too. haha I have the same card.

[shasha]

I WOLUD FALL OVER WITHIUT A DIUBT IF IT WAS NOT FOR MY DARLING HUSBANDS CARE, HE WALKS ME EVERWHERE, AND WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT I WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP A LONG TIME AGO

[camper in reply to shasha]

Hi Shasha

I'm just the same-if it wasn't for my husband I don't know what I would do!

[honeycombe3]

Hi Sharon,

Good to hear from you. I'm assuming all is OK.

Kath,

Falling & stumbling were 2 of my earliest symptoms. Physio worked well in increasing confidence but in the end a combination of meds, traditional therapies & some alternative treatments is probably as good as it gets (for me). As you will read again & again we're all different so what works for 1 may not for another.

Keep safe,

Angela

[kath33 in reply to honeycombe3]

thanks i am meant to be going to physio or they coming to me.what traditional therapies have u tried and have u read any books ive got michael j fox ones very good and a few more think one is living with parkinsons i am a member of parkinsons so are my parents i have a tribunal son nrvous its an appeal for my esa take care hope to hear from u soon

[driller]

Good Morning; Yes this is a big problem for me. I use a cane and it helps.

Regards

ERIC

[PatV]

I have to use a walker outdoors. What's helped me most is exercise classes for pwp's : NIA, Alexander Technique, taichi, yoga, etc. In almost every class we work on balancing and fall prevention exercise. You can train yourself to walk more smoothly and catch yourself when you start to fall.

[harding55]

Yes I stumble quite alot. I thought it was the coors light but then it also happens when I'm not drinking. lol

[151bill]

Hi!

I stagger and stumble but I have not fallen. Yet! That's just a matter of time. My balance is way off. I'll be walking through my house then all of a sudden crash into a wall or doorway. I try to laugh it off but it is unnerving. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

[Susie01]

I am worst when changing position or direction. There are a couple of cruel people out there who swore I was an alcoholic prior to diagnosis, whey else would you stagger and fall??? Those two have chosen to stick with their ignorance!

When I get out of bed or stand up, I always have to brace myself and get my balance before trying to walk. I have a very sturdy nightstand by my bed that works well for this. I trip on uneven surfaces all the time, especially since my left foot drags and have a tendency to fall UP stairs also due to the left foot drag. I always have some sort of broken skin on me due to this.

[Hokuto]

Yes, shuffling, staggering, and foot dragging are all potential effects of PD. For me, it's a bit of all three, at different times and under different conditions. Like Susie01, I'm afraid that people think of me as being drunk due to the staggering. I can walk nearly normally if I put all my concentration into each step, but that requires more concentration than I can gather for more than a few seconds at a time.

[Kathlene]

i stagger quite a bit. i also freeze up when going down most stairs. a few years ago a neuropsychologist recommended a few tricks for managing movement interruption. humming works for me quite well. (it irritates a few people but i cant let myself worry over that) when i hum i have a better chance of moving smoothly. i also take stairs backward sometimes, though not often. it does help on occasion.

* i also carry cards that tell onlookers i'm not drunk. in the last year or so i've been hearing about more folks with PD being cited by (apparently unobservant) police officers for public intoxication. (East coast, US)

[supermom]

I STAGGER ,I FREEZE ,I OCCASIONALY FALL ,I TRY 2 REGARD THIS WITH HUMOR,I MADE MYSELF A T SHIRT-I HAVE PARKINSONS WHATS YOUR EXCUSE?,ANSWER DID U FALL? NO THE FLOOR NEEDED A HUG,MY NEXT TEE SHIRT WILL READ-WHAT U STARING AT?DIDNT YOUR MAMA TEACH U ANY MANNERS?OR WHEN I GET ON THE MOVE ,-DONT STOP ME NOW,IM HAVIN SUCH A GOOD TIME,I TEND 2 STOP SHORT WHEN SOMEONE STOPS ME 2 SAY HI,OR WEN I REACH AN ENTRANCE,,OR JUST BECAUSE.

[Jash]

I picked up balance issues after DBS. I'm told this can happen. Biggest issue is changing direction -- I call it my gyroscope not being synched. It feels like a bit of spinning, until I lock on to something solid. Lots of scrapes, but no breaks-- thank goodness.

[Pete-1]

Yes I stagger or shuffle or teeter or freeze all due to PD. I'm am more or less normal after I have takem a tablet (Madopar) contains Levodopa which the brain turns into Dopamine. When PD symptoms first appear you have already lost something like 80 -90% of the brain cells responsible for Dopamine production. So normally in anyone not afflicted by PD there is more than enough.

Levodopa was first given to PD people in the 1960's and remains the best PD drug available.

[jillannf6]

hi alate response to your quesiton

i have PSP and my balanc eis dreadful

i tend to stagger and freeze tooand cannot deal with any crowds or peopel comign towards me

i stop then the turning itselef if a real problem tooo

i have to think about mhy walkgin 24/7 otherwise (and i still fall 4 itmems a day) i just lso tmy balanac andfall over!