Unidentified unsteadiness problem

[Mavota]

Hi All,

I’m a reasonably fit 31yo with an unsteadiness problem which usually affects me when I play sports (mainly tennis).

It is a combination of symptoms which are very difficult to describe, but basically it feels like my legs aren’t quite doing what they should be doing – like they’re developing a mind of their own. I also tend to get slightly dizzy. Often I wonder if it is “all in my head” but when it gets really bad there is definitely something going wrong – e.g. when I toss up the ball for a serve in tennis I sometimes get a split-second blackout and my legs almost collapse underneath me. I’ve never actually fully fallen over, but I’ve come pretty close.

It doesn’t seem to be linked to tiredness because it can happen 5 minutes into a gentle warm-up, or 2 hours into a tough match.

Medical History

When I think back to when I was 17/18 I remember I used to sometimes touch my toes before serving in an effort to get more blood into my head. I didn’t really think much of it at the time, but I guess it shows I’ve always had a bit of dizziness at times.

When I was 20, I had a bad dose of what was probably food poisoning (possibly Campylobacter). A few days later I collapsed with full paralysis down the left hand side of my body. It took about 2 weeks for me to fully regain all movement. Although I went to hospital, it was never fully diagnosed at the time, but it may have been Guillain-Barre syndrome.

A few months later I had my first instant of really bad unsteadiness when playing tennis. This may be coincidence, I don’t know. I would say that the feeling I get when it feels like my legs aren’t behaving themselves properly is very similar to the feeling I got when I had the paralysis.

Last year I fell down a few stairs and banged my head off the door at the bottom. It is a bit of a mystery why I fell and why I apparently didn’t put out my arms to protect myself. All I remember prior to bouncing off the door is putting something down, so my theory is that I stood up too quickly and blacked out.

I also suffer from occasional migraines. Usually I get about 1 a year, but I’ve had 3 this year. Two weeks ago I had my first “Hemiplegic Migraine” since when my unsteadiness problem has been particularly bad. However, that could also be because I’ve got a mild cold at the moment.

What the doctors say

They aren’t sure but they do suggest I may be a little sensitive to low blood pressure and/or low blood sugar. I get the impression they think I’m also a bit over-tuned to the moods of my body. This may well be true, because ever since my paralysis thing I’ve been paranoid it might happen again.

My blood pressure seems quite normal. It varies from about 110/72 to 130/92, probably going up to the high 140s when I’m stressed. I’ve never managed to measure my blood pressure during an episode of bad unsteadiness.

I drink plenty of water, partly because I think it helps avoid migraines, and also because the doctor said it may help keep my blood pressure up. However, last time I went he warned me not to drink too much, so I’ve been trying to moderate it.

The doctors say I’ve not got diabetes (urine test), but low blood sugar is definitely an issue. I could never skip a meal. I usually carry a box of nuts and dried fruit with me in case my sugar levels get low. If I’m even an hour late for lunch I start feeling wobbly, panicky, and find it difficult to speak. However, I can’t find any pattern between how much or when I eat before sport which ties in with my unsteadiness issue.

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,

Mavo

[Hidden]

It might be worthwhile seeing an endocrinologist to look at your insulin situation. Please see the section “A low blood sugar level without diabetes” in this: nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood...

It might also be worth any neurological or heart conditions being considered. Take care.

[jimfromcalif]

Sounds like vertigo.