Falling Down. Is this something I should be following up on?

[Pistachio]

Hi everyone! My life has been crazy! We have been in wedding planning for my son's wedding. Our office is in lease negotiations after the new owners raised everyone's rental fees by 130% so we are moving to a smaller unit in the same building. I tell you all this so you can understand that my life has been quite stressful lately. And, well, we all know about stress and MS.......

On Saturday I was attending my son's wedding. It was a lovely day! Around 11pm at night while most of the guests had left, a few of us were walking around in the banquet room grabbing stuff off of tables - like centre pieces, etc. - to be put in boxes to go home. I had not had a lot to drink - maybe 3 glasses of wine over a 6 hour period. I was walking with nothing in my hands to a table and just suddenly fell down. I skinned my knee but was otherwise "fine" other than my pride. I thought it was a fluke and I tripped on something. But then, 5 minutes later I fell again! Exactly the same way, on the same knee and breaking my fall with the same hand. Now my knee is quite swollen and sore and I walk funny because I am babying it. It's not broken or anything - just soft tissue and bruising.

Question is.........should I be worried about this? This is the first time I have fallen without a cause. And to fall twice within 5 minutes?

I am wondering if it was just fatigue? I know, I sound like I am making excuses and not wanting to admit to there possibly being a problem. I am usually "normally mobile".

I do have my next MRI mid-October so there is zero chance I will get in for another one before that time (Ontario health care is slow).

Should I call my MS neuro or just go with it and see if anything else comes up? I haven't fallen again but I am also super cautious now and hobbling slowly because of my bashed up knee.

[KoKo]

Hello Pistachio!

I had not had a lot to drink - maybe 3 glasses of wine over a 6 hour period. I was walking with nothing in my hands to a table and just suddenly fell down. I skinned my knee but was otherwise "fine" other than my pride. I thought it was a fluke and I tripped on something. But then, 5 minutes later I fell again! Exactly the same way, on the same knee and breaking my fall with the same hand.

If you didn't trip, then it's possible that one of your legs, or knee, just 'gave out' due to motor fatigue (with MS, caused by performing a task for long periods of time, or repetitive use of a muscle).

You've had some long, busy, stressful days!

Should I call my MS neuro or just go with it and see if anything else comes up? I haven't fallen again but I am also super cautious now and hobbling slowly because of my bashed up knee.

When is your next neuro appointment? My neuro always asked at my appointments if I had any falls.

If I wasn't hurt, I would just report it at my next appointment. I used to fall a lot, especially while still working.

Pistachio, if you're on your feet for long periods of time, be sure to take short rest periods.

Hope your knee recovers soon.

[KoKo]

**Would like to add that if a fall is caused by dizziness, pain, vision difficulties, tripping from foot drop, numbness/loss of feeling in leg, etc, then it would be wise to call your doctor or neuro for possible treatment of the symptoms that caused the fall.

[pennstater]

I have had a few falls in the past with no trips. My Neuro gave me a PT script so they could evaluate my gait, give me some balancing and leg strengthening/stretching exercises.

If I maintain the exercises on my own 2-3x/week, I have no problems. If I slack off, I can get wobbly or like KoKo said, my knee may just give out and I start to fall. If the leg strength is there, I can catch myself. If not, I will hit the floor.

I would not stress too much about it unless it becomes a frequent occurrence. It is hard sometimes not to worry if it is a sign of MS progression, but only time will tell. In the interim, do all you can to keep yourself strong. But definitely mention at your Neuro appointment.

Hope both your knee and pride heal quickly! So glad that it happened very late in the evening and didn't affect your celebration earlier. Congrats on your son's marriage.

[Mamabug]

I would contact my doctor about falls. That sounds significant to me.

[palmtree]

Everything you did that day overwhelms me to read about. I will be attending my sons wedding in the spring and there is so much to think about. I have to fly to another city and find some decent shoes to wear.

But your sons wedding was so much responsibility. My legs start getting rubbery when I try to walk too much or I’m tired. The heat in the summer makes it worse now. I have also experienced my knees buckling without warning. I really fell then.

My personal opinion is that it might be better to not report it to your doctor. That may sound contradictory to ordinary advice. The reason I say this is because you weren’t injured so you don’t need direct medical care. The second reason is because falls have taken on a meaning that has become nearly an hysteria.

I consider falling to be part of MS. When I am about to fall, I usually have enough time to get to a wall and lower myself slowly. That is very different from a sudden crashing to the ground and breaking bones. A hospital would get sued if that happens to a patient. They are so paranoid about falls that they confine every patient to a bed alarm.

If you choose to report it be prepared for a strong reaction. Their favorite it to take away Lyrica or gabapentin. They even tell you you have to live in a nursing home after so many falls per year.