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Posted 5/30/2008 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys,

Wondering if anyone wakes up some days walking like a crab!  What I mean is my center of balance is so off I find myself veering of to the side.  I am wondering if it could me somehow my meds or something else.  I got out of be quickly and thought that was why I am feeling this way but it is not going away.  I am so dizzy today and am trying to figure out what the deal is here.  Some symptoms are better and then these new ones pop up and I am just really fed up. When will I get on an even keel? (excuse the pun!)  It is scary dizziness is something I have had issues with not to this degree though. There is a reason I do not drink very often and that is because I hate the feeling of diziness.  I am wondering if travel sickness pills might help?

Any thoughts?  Any suggestions? 

Posted 5/30/2008 12:43 PM (GMT 0)

Balance is one of the first things that "disappeared" for me.  I spent a lot of time "walking like a drunk", weaving to one side, slamming in to door frames, and flat falling over my own feet, before finally seeing a doctor.

"Getting on an even keel" will be a challenge, if you do have MS.  You'll need to learn to re-define "even keel", or "normal". I think I said this somewhere in another thread, either to you or someone else...if you have MS, a chronic disease, many of the symptoms you experience will not go away, will be with you always, sometimes with lesser intensity, sometimes greater, but always there.  Over time, you'll learn (hopefully!) to deal with them.

Posted 5/30/2008 1:39 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Caroyn,

This was my presenting symptom.  I started getting vertigo and it just got worse over a course of about 3 weeks until I ended up in the hospital because I just couldn't walk due to being so dizzy.  I would ease off the bed, go real slow but still there was not a way to manage being up-right.  I could barely sit up with the room spinning so much.  I had one friend who visited me in the hospital ask if my neck hurt.  She noticed I was not moving my head.  That is the only way I could manage things for several weeks.  I still deal with chronic vertigo everday.  Every step I take takes a concentrated effort.  There is absolutely no looking one way and walking another.  I use a cane often for this reason.  I LOVE grocery carts!!!   I can actually walk and look. 

After all this, I have found nothing that helps with the spins.  When I was in the hospital, the treated me with meclizine and valium injections.  The room didn't spin quite so much but I was pretty much zonked out!  I only treat my spins if I am nauseous.  Otherwise I just pretty much ignore it.  If I am nauseous, I start with a bit of crystallized ginger, then I move to the meclizine, if I am still bad then I add the valium but I know at that point I am going to bed.

Like Cat said, this is permanent for me.  It has not gone away in two years, I don't expect it to go away ever.  It is my new normal.  I swear those door frames jump out just to get me!

love and prayers,

Posted 5/30/2008 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
When I read "crab" I wasn't sure... but I call this "drunk walking" or "listing" (like a sail boat does) ... it's very odd feeling but I've developed a good sense of humor about it. It too was one of my first symptoms but I didnt take it seriously becos I had been very "klutzy" for quite a while and pretty much everyone figured I was just a klutz and too much moving too fast, had to sloooowwww dowwwn ... etc etc.. so I tried to look semi-graceful when it happened or just laugh when it did and be sure to assure folks I wasn't drunk. In fact, I seem to walk better with a few in me than without! It's gotten funny though... it really has... there's a lot of times I put one foot out to move in one direction and literally sway into an entirely different direction... hubby's finally recognizing it.

But my neuro had to smile when I told him I sure am "listing" alot more regularly lately... and then I flunked my walk test for him... my GP used to regularly prescribe me major antibiotics cos she'd see a little bit of redness in the ears and figure I had an ear infection coming on... now we know better.

Now the vertigo is a phantom for me ... it comes and goes swiftly without warning, sometimes it happens while I'm sitting still doing nothing but working on the computer at my desks... the room just starts minor shifts when I move in my seat... or my head feels really light suddenly... but it always stops and I can go on... if it happens when walking somewhere I just stop til I'm stable again.  I agree with the grocery carts... I don't care if it's one item I've got a cart... there's no mistaken that security!

Greatly appreciate the tips and suggestions too, Gretchen! 

Posted 5/31/2008 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
I often say "I'm just listing a bit to the left today" when my boss looks at me funny as I wobble down the hall. It's not constant for me, although with my first exacerbation it was constant for a few months and I did have to quit driving then. Now it comes and goes like most of my symptoms. I never had actual vertigo or spins. I did get double vision. Another good reason not to drive. The neurologist said "Try closing one eye". He was quite serious ;) I think he sees people struggling with more than me and he's pretty matter of fact.
I too like to use the carts in stores. Our Safeway stores just got these smaller push carts which are very light and easy to maneuver and provide support. I grab a cart if I'm getting just two things. I just try to go more slowly when it starts up and am generally able to keep a good sense of humor about looking drunk. At least it isn't painful like some symptoms. Maybe that's because I have only fallen down once and that was on carpet...
Posted 6/5/2008 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
willowmom are you from the UK? you mentioned safeway and I am wondering if that is where you are from.... Next time you go to the neurologist tell him to hop on one leg or something equally as crazy! what a hoot!
Every day is so different hour by hour. That is what I think keeps me going. Hate feeling off balance especially with my new baby :(
Posted 6/5/2008 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Carolynvb, Safeway is a US -- United STates -- grocery chain. You can read about them here:

http://shop.safeway.com/superstore/default.asp?brandid=1&page=corphome

activated your link

Post Edited By Moderator (Gretchen1) : 6/4/2008 6:19:32 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/5/2008 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
OHHHH :( wondered if I had found a fellow Britt. They have safeway in the UK-United Kingdom none that I have seen in VB- Virginia Beach though.
Thx,

Post Edited (carolynvb) : 6/4/2008 6:16:09 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/6/2008 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi again-  not from the UK, sorry :-)     I read my post again and I think it sounded like I had to quit driving for good.  Not so actually, just for a few months then the double vision improved.  The balance issues again are just some listing and not enough to cause too many problems yet, but I can understand a concern with the baby.  Don't be shy about asking for help where ever you can get it.  Took me a while and I still don't do it as often as I could, but with little ones you definitely need to ask for lots of help and never feel bad about it.   Willow
Posted 6/6/2008 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
It is OK :) I just wondered .....I think I am more american now than British I think. To the Americans I sound British and to the British American. Do miss home now and again and the thought of going into a British supermarket and buying some old fav's sounds good:)
Posted 6/10/2008 7:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Carolyn,

I'm a fellow Brit. I'm in Canada I've been here for 19 yrs now. I know what you mean about buying stuff from home although we do get quite a bit of British stuff in the supermarkets here plus I know of a few British shops. I have the same thing here, Canadians think I sound British but the Brits think I sound very Canadian.
Anyway, nice to meet you :)

PS I remember my Mum used to shop at Safeway but we do also have them here.
Posted 6/10/2008 9:38 AM (GMT 0)
I live in Scotland and all of the Safeways here have been taken over by Morrisons.
Posted 6/10/2008 10:08 AM (GMT 0)
Nice to meet you guys! Not much british here in the supermarkets...there is marmite in the baking area with the yeast!!!!!!!! so funny no one knows what it is for I guess. Yeast extract goes with the bread yeast does make sense in a way! There is a British shop local but good gosh crazy prices!
Posted 6/11/2008 7:20 AM (GMT 0)
Oh yes, the prices can be quite steep sometimes but our local fish and chip shop ( owned by a guy from Wigan, Lancs) has a nice assortment of reasonable stuff sometimes and recently got in some great sweets like cola cubes, rhubarb and custard , pear drops and bonbons. I think I might just become his best customer LOL

Edited to add: my hubby LOVES Marmite and relatives always arrive from the UK with huge tubs of it. I can't stand it myself.

Posted 6/11/2008 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
Oh I am soooooo jelous! I oftne thought of opening a fish and chip shop here :) Had it all planned and even talked to distributors for the products etc...... LOVE cola cubes!
Posted 6/11/2008 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Okay you two - let me in on this!!  What the heck are cola cubes??? They sound hilarious.  I have a dear friend that is totally addicted to coke, is this something that she must try?  I am going to google it.

Posted 6/11/2008 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
lol! candie that is cola flavoured and is soooo good!
Posted 6/12/2008 8:49 AM (GMT 0)
Oh yes Cola cubes are amazingly good. I bet your friend would love tham Gretchen :)
Posted 6/12/2008 1:19 PM (GMT 0)
You two are a bad influence.  I am now googling "cola cubes" to find a online store that will let me order them.  Shame on you both!!

Posted 6/23/2008 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Carolynvb! I haven't been online much lately, but just happened to be on tonight and looking through some of the posts. I am in Chesapeake right now, but have lived in VB most of my life. I saw your post and thought it was so crazy that there is someone else in the vicinity. Just wanted to say hi. Oh...and I know we had Safeways here at one time. And Phoenix, Arizona had Safeways when I lived there. Take care...Kathy
Posted 6/23/2008 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Neat!!! R us suffering from all the smoke? gosh it has been awful here! who is your neuo? Mine is in Chesapeake Dr. Goldberg...
How are you doing? R u doing ok on the meds?
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