Question via email: Falls and tremors

[andrew]

This received via email:

As you know i am a Wegener's patient i am 68 years old.
I have had several falls, sometimes when i am walking people think i am drunk because the way i walk , I can't walk in straight line I do use cane, I also have coronary disease, Quadruple By-Pass, heart attack and osteoporosis.
Now i am not going to bore you with my health condition , do you of any person with Wegener's having this issues. I have constant tremors
in my hands, thus dropping things and have to hold a cup with 2 hands
in another word flimsiness.
I have searching on the net ,and found that ATAXIA is the closes match I know you are not a Doctor, I felt the need to write to you about my health issue. Does anyone in our group have similar experience...

[mishb]

I don't have coronary disease, tremors or osteoporosis, but I do have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

I think my husband would be very surprised if a few days went by, without me dropping something :unsure::lol:

I've never thought to look into it, it's just something that everyone is used to me doing.

As for walking like a drunk, I don't do that, but I do lose balance, like my feet just don't seem to know what they are doing.

I'm sure it's not a WG/GPA thing, but for me, probably a combination of many things

[Peter Marsham]

I don’t have coronary issues, but have had some ataxia in my left leg which may or may not be associated with restricted blood flow to my hip joints. And occasionally I do get marked weakness and slight staggering when I walk. Getting an MRI on Monday to verify, but my specialist said it may be due to my Panafcort and the Rituxan infusions (been about six months since last one). I find that anything unusual like that is always worth getting checked out.

[drz]

I can't walk a straight line unless I use a cane or walking stick. I lose my balance often. I seldom hit the floor as I usually fall into a chair or bed or catch myself against the wall or some item of furniture. My lack of balance is due to vistibular hypofunction as my balance mechanism and hearing on right side was wiped out by the GPA back when it was known as Wegener's Granulomatosis. My left side ear and balance was previously damaged by years of infections and several ear and mastoid operations.

Progressive nephropathy from years of diabetes, which GPA made worse, further impair my balance as my feet lack feeling. I often have to look at them or check them with my hands to see where they are pointing. Vestibular rehab helped me enough so I could safely drive again or walk without getting dizzy. One such exercise I remember was to try stand in a corner with eyes closed and not touching anything. Staying upright is very difficult when your sense of balance is impaired unless you have visual cues or are touching something to help ground you.

Other classes that helped me were Tai Chi for balance and ballroom dance classes if you have a strong and stable partner. Line dance classes would also help but they were too difficult for me cause I could not keep up or stay upright.

Even though I can't walk straight and wobble a great deal, I have never so far been questioned by the police when out walking for looking like I was intoxicated.

[andrew]

Thanks all! Appreciate the feedback :)

[sshiveley]

I have issues with balance, I wonder too what people think when I almost walk into walls etc. I wonder with all of the sinus issues, pressure builds up that may be pressing on one of our cranial nerves by our ears causing imbalance? Just a thought. Sherry :confused1:

[Peter Marsham]

Good point, sinus issues can cause inner ear disruption, like when you get dizzy with a head cold. We all know Wegs likes the respiratory tract, so maybe there's a link that way with balance issues.