the other half of the day

[luciab]

It’s been a weird day physically. Last night I fell as I was starting the bathwater. By sheer luck I managed to not hit my head, but I still landed hard enough that it jerked my head and I started to get a migraine. I hit the Imitrex immediately (I think I’m starting to get the hang of this, now that I’m sure I have enough to last me through the month!) and took ibuprofen to help keep the shoulder and buttal region from being so sore, since that’s where I took the brunt of the weight. I don’t like the fact that I have fallen several times in the last year and a half or so. When I mentioned it to the neurologist she sort of blew it off. I said, Well, I just think it’s weird-- adults just don’t usually fall down. How many times have YOU fallen recently? and she just looked at me like I was crazy. (okay, don’t say a word…) She obviously thought it was ridiculous that I asked if she had fallen. I mean, she’s a grown up and doesn’t just fall down. She didn’t answer me, either.

I was still sore today when I got up and went for a bone density scan. That was wonderfully painless, unlike the second appointment, which was a mammogram. I had the diagnostic version instead of the usual screening one, and of course they cranked the machine a little tighter for that kind. Oh, joy. At least the tech was going to some effort to keep the pressure on for as short a time as possible, unlike the really bad one I had when I swear the tech looked like one of those women in a Wagner opera and was determined to prove she had some serious strength to crank that machine tight. Yow. (Not to mention a serious run-on sentence!) After that they did an ultrasound. That didn’t hurt either but the tech was awfully non-verbal and kept cocking her head back and forth while looking at the monitor and making little hmmm sounds. Unnerving, I have to say. She didn’t help any by saying, “They’ll call you with the results. I’m not allowed to tell you anything else.” Which of course I already knew, but she was rather abrupt about it. Great. Now I get to wait “a couple of weeks” to hear the results. Whee.

Comments

[luciab.livejournal.com]

I'll take "the part of my sensory system not knowing where my body parts on in space" for $200, Alex. Because I don't feel dizzy at all. And one of the falls was out of bed, when I just couldn't tell where I was in relation to the edge of the bed. (Spectacular bruises on that one!) And this last time my feet were planted well but I just overbalanced when I went to turn on the water. I'd say "overbalanced" is the best description, typically. So what the hell does that mean, and are there any possible solutions?

[anonamys.livejournal.com]

I'm planning to ask a professor what they think your next step should be. (Clearly no one can diagnose you from a distance, but maybe she'll have a good suggestion about what you should ask for and who might be best able to give you whatever test.)

I did ask on the BMC list if anyone had any suggestions. Keeping in mind these are not medical personnel they suggested:
1) a new neurologist (or at least a second opinion on the falls)
2) could these be small black-outs? are you aware of falling, or do you just find yourself on the ground?

Back to my thoughts--my uneducated thought is that a non-invasive balance test could help to identify the problem. Basically they'd just test you doing stuff with various restrictions (eg, with your eyes closed, with a misleading visual input, on soft foam that throws off your somatosensory system, etc). But I don't know if that's appropriate for only occassional falls. I'll let you know what my prof says.

[luciab.livejournal.com]

Thanks for asking around. I don't black out; I know I'm losing my balance but just can't correct in time to stop it. The neuro did make me walk down the hall heel-to-toe, etc. Hell, even I can keep from falling over when I'm just standing straight up.

[harleenquinzell.livejournal.com]

According to my RN mother, ANYTIME, you have a doctor who you don't feel either listens to your or seems to be concerned about things you mention, it's time to get a new doctor.

As for falling frequently, judging from the two examples you cited, were they when you were tired? I.E. getting out of bed, or taking a bath (late at night?) But no, adults don't fall all the time. I've got lousy spatial sense (I have pretty regular bruises on my hips and thighs where I bump into things because I'm not paying attention.) but I don't fall down OFTEN. Maybe once a year or less? But I'm a raging klutz.