I want to get out again!

[emily06]

Two years ago I could go out to the mall (it's right across the street from me) and walk into one store and shop and then come home. Now I don't have enough strength in my legs and I'm too dizzy to even walk toward the mall from my car - and if I got into the store with help the whole store starts spinning. I can't get drive over to my mailbox in the parking lot (that became impossible a couple of months ago). HOW CAN IT FIX THIS? I want to get out! I have no life. Any suggestions

[JerryD]

I don't want to be the guy that always has a 'you should do this' answer, but I truly want to see you experience some improvement. I would start on changing my diet.
I think going largely 'plant based' can offer you some health improvements. Even if you need to walk with a walker, it's better than staying 'locked' in your house.
The next thing I would work on is 'sleep'. Do you have a problem with getting a 'solid' 8 or more hours a night ? Also, I think there is always some problem with getting and absorbing the proper amount of vitamins and minerals. If I were you , I would heed the advice of the nutritionist on this site, Tara. A lot of posters, here, use a combination of supplements to help their fatigue and other disabilities from MS. I'll bet these things could help you. Good luck

[BigA]

Have you tried using a motorized wheelchair or other mobility device?

[emily06]

I want to get my own legs working again. I have hopes they will. I'm just not sure how to best go about it.

[Westgrl]

Physical therapy would probably be your best bet at getting the strength back in your legs.

[gomer]

A few years ago my fam doc ordered a P/T evaluation, re power chair. So needless to say I have a power chair and told me I was trying to do too much/over doing and making my legs worse. I learned that part-time use of the P/C helped and can walk better when not using it, by using it. (sounds weird I know).

As for going to big box stores and malls, I got a scooter! The expensive power chair was covered by my insurance as a medical necessity. The scooter, much less expensive I paid out of pocket. A few years ago I could not go to one mall store w/o leg issues and could not make it back to my car in H/C parking w/o getting sick.

I got a GoGo scooter, easy to take apart and re-assemble (no tools), fits in my car trunk and get me around just great both indoors and outdoors. It's made my LIFE so much better.

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

[Thinkimjob]

Physical therapy, diet and a scooter. Does your mall have any scooters you could use while you're there? Do you have someone to help you?

The longer you stay stuck in your house, the more miserable you'll be. Good luck.

[Shashi]

I want to get my own legs working again. I have hopes they will. I'm just not sure how to best go about it.

I've had a problem with my legs, especially my left leg, being weak for years. This year, I've started exercising in my pool, doing water aerobics and water jogging. My legs and the rest of my body are getting much stronger now, and I've been working on my balance too, which is off. You might try something like that to help with your strength and balance. If you don't have a pool, many gyms do and offer water aerobics classes. It's worth it, even if you have to give up something else to budget it in.

As JerryD said, there are also great supplements which can help with fatigue, like the two in my signature below, acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid. Do a search here and on Google for them for more information.

Sometimes you just have to get out there and live, in spite of everything. I determined long ago that if I'm going to feel miserable anyway, I might as well do it enjoying my life instead of just sitting home feeling miserable.

Hugs,

Lisa

[rdmc]

You have a problem with the weakness, BUT to me the major concern should be your dizziness once in a store.

Sounds like a proprioception problem (some call it the Walmart syndrome) and when our senses are bombarded by lots of stimuli (sight, sounds, movements around us) we become disoriented and dizzy.

Main thing is you don't want to fall. Have you tried going to a smaller store, not a mall. Say a stand alone drugstore, or smaller market. do you have the same symptoms there? Have you tried a rollater to see if it helps with the weakness and dizziness?

A PT evaluation would be a good start to help you figure out if it's just a weakness issue or if more is involved, like balance and proprioception.

Hope you find something that works

[emily06]

What's a rollater?
And I don't have that problem as bad when I go to stand alone stores that have shopping carts for me to hold on (and as long as they don't have tall ceilings.)

Comment to the previous lady's post - I used to have a pool when I lived in FL but moving in water makes my legs feel heavier when I come out. Is that something I have to build up to. But no driving for me beyond a block.
thanks - I check out those two anti-fatigue medicines. I think I tried the first thing you mentioned but I don't remember why I stopped.

[Seasha]

Hi Emily~ I use a cane for short distances but when I need to go farther I use a rollator walker. (like when I have to go shopping and there's not a shopping cart around) Sometimes when my legs are specially unstable I use it more often - even at home. It offers a lot of stability and when I tire, I sit on the seat. I have the one with a cloth "basket" underneath to store my purse. They have hand brakes too! Here are some samples:

http://www.activelivingnow.com/Rolli...FQXhQgodjw8A2Q mine is like the 2nd one down.

If you find them to be expensive, you could always look in for ads in the paper or go online - maybe Craig's list.

Hope your days will be more smooth sailing~~

[rdmc]

What's a rollater?
And I don't have that problem as bad when I go to stand alone stores that have shopping carts for me to hold on (and as long as they don't have tall ceilings.)

Comment to the previous lady's post - I used to have a pool when I lived in FL but moving in water makes my legs feel heavier when I come out. Is that something I have to build up to. But no driving for me beyond a block.
thanks - I check out those two anti-fatigue medicines. I think I tried the first thing you mentioned but I don't remember why I stopped.

Well, you sound like me. The smaller stores are easier to navigate, and don't cause as much dizziness/disorientation because there's less sensory overload (unlike the big box stores like Walmart where there's lots for our senses to process at one go.)

If a shopping cart helps you, then a rollator would be the thing to try. They make you feel more stable, and help eliminate some of the dizziness feeling...in the same way a shopping cart does. Plus they transfer some of the strength needed to walk from your legs to your arms (if that makes any sense .)

As someone mentioned, you can pick them up second hand off craigslist, but I just looked on amazon, and some of them retail for as little as $59 http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-...words=rollator

I don't always use one, but I do keep one near my bed at night because if I have to get up to go to the bathroom, walking in the dark can make me more off balance, so using one can help prevent a fall.

[wheeliegirl]

Emily~ I can offer much in advice being a similar situation. I lost my drivers license in 2007 and now full time using a power chair.
Can't go anywhere with the power chair because we lot our truck in an accident 4 months ago so can't travel with it. I can use the manual wheelchair but then there the problem of gas for the car.
Same sad story over and over. Kind of feels like that movie Ground Hogs Day everyday over here but without the gopher.

However I have High hopes that things will change soon. Keep push to get better . Things will get better .

[emily06]

I have a friend that was in a wheelchair and after a couple of years on Copaxone she got so she would just use a walker and sometimes just a cane. THAN she went on Gilenya for a year and she's walking without any assistance!!! And she says she has lots of energy and is really happy! So I hope something great like that for you. I'm not a candidate to take Gilenya but I hope something comes my way (I'm still waiting for Acthar Gel to pass my insurance though I think I want something even better) I want to get out there WITH JUST MY OWN TWO LEGS!!! It's gotta happen.

[emily06]

regarding dizziness (toric contact lens)

I couldn't remember how to start a new thread so I'll just add it here.
Besides having the dizziness from the oral steroids I'm taking now; I'm convinced my new contact lens is making me dizzy. I've never had toric lens until the dr. prescribed it to me last month. And I felt dizzy with it from the start. but my doctor said toric lens don't cause dizziness. And she rechecked it in my eye and said it was fine. But she doesn't have to look through them so how would she know. So I don't wear it that often because I still believe it's a problem. Any toric lens wearers out there or eye dr. people with any thoughts on that.