Alternate treatment for FND/FMD affecting gait and balance

[sgaetna2013]

My gait and balance are both terrible, and I have been diagnosed with FMD. The only treatments which have been suggested to me are physical therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. Both are totally ineffective for me.

Does anyone know of other treatments for FND/FMD which affects ONLY GAIT AND BALANCE (WITH NO OTHER SYMPTOMS)?

Thanks so much!

[Rob186]

Hi, you may try TMS, my gf had about 40 treatments and it was life saving.. She gets now seizures when she is overwhelmed so therapy is helping her to calm down.

[sgaetna2013 in reply to Rob186]

Rob, Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into TMS. One question: did your girlfriend's symptoms of FMD involve her gait and her balance, as mine do? Thanks.

[sgaetna2013 in reply to sgaetna2013]

Rob--Could you please clarify for me: are the seizures the result or side effect of TMS? Thanks.

[Rob186 in reply to sgaetna2013]

Hi sorry for the late reply, no she had no side effects bit of headache, the seizures happen when she is over tired and overwhelmed good and bad... she learnt to rest as it is very important and to calm down

[sgaetna2013 in reply to Rob186]

Hi Rob,

I am curious to know what country you live in. Here in the U.S. TMS as a therapy for FMD is still only in the experimental phase. Therefore, the general public has no access to TMS as a treatment for FMD . . . which leads me to believe you are not in the U.S.??

Thanks so much.

[210272]

Hi sgaetna2013,

As you are probably aware, gait and balance issues can be caused by a wide variety of conditions and can also be triggered by side effects from medications. Since the treatments you've tried for FMD haven't helped so far, it might be worth asking for a referral to a reputable Balance Centre where you can have assessments with consultants who are not looking at you through 'psychiatric goggles' and may be able to offer tailored treatments in the light of advancing knowledge in this area of medicine. I don't have FMD but the first round of vestibular physical therapy I did was unproductive and made me worse whereas, a few years later, I was able to access more appropriate therapy (neuro-therapy) which helped a bit. While the therapist thought it was 'too little, too late' I was grateful for it since any small reduction in symptom levels counts as a 'win' for me.

The Vestibular Disorders Association has a good list of doctors so I hope you can find someone in your area who can help If there's no local listing, I would ask your primary care doctor to see if they can find someone for you or ask around in local fora.

[Yani09]

Hi, may you be well.

Can I ask you about your walking difficulties..

Do you have pain and discomfort? Numbness?

Do your legs function then go stiff? Always stiff?

Is your balance worsened as you walk forwards? So you veer to a side or suddenly have trouble staying upright?

Thank you.

[sgaetna2013 in reply to Yani09]

I don't have pain, numbness or stiffness. It would be most accurate to say I have a gait impairment, that is, I cannot walk normally. Instead, I may shuffle, festinate, walk very very slowly. As for balance, I can suddenly feel unbalanced for no apparent reason and either fall or feel like I'm going to fall.'

Hope this helps!

[Yani09 in reply to sgaetna2013]

Do you feel disconnected from your legs?

Have you been checked for a vestibular disorder?

Any tinnitus?