Drunk walking?
 

I swear, someone keeps slipping me mickeys and they're not wearing off because I feel drunk all the time for about the past week.

It's like vertigo, but without the spinning. I just feel like I'm stumble bunnying around.

Went to a movie last night, and they had an intermission (technically, it wasnt a movie, but a live event that was being telecast to the movie theatre) and they didnt turn up the house lights during the intermission. So, I had to be really really careful when I got up from my seat to go use the potty. (good thing I had a nice spot right near the exit and no steps to go down but one)

I'm feeling really weak too.

I've fallen down once since the drunk walking started (at home, while trying to decorate for Xmas) I dont know if an anti-dizzy med would help this. Anyone have any suggestions?

Would using a cane when walking help the drunk feeling not feel so drunk? Or at least would using a cane kind of tell people around me that I'm not drunk, I have a walking problem?

I noticed that when I write stuff, it seems like I miss words in my writing. Or I use the wrong word. That seems to be happening more than usual. I wonder if that has something to do with the weird feeling in my head, or if it's another symptom. The MS is giving me some weird dyslexia or something.

I find myself walking like this more and more. It seems to get worse when the weather gets colder or more humid. Some days I can walk fairly evenly but others I'm weaving all over the place. My cane really doesn't help matters but I use it when I go out anyway.....more to just let others know I'm not drunk. :o I've found that walking as I hold onto a shopping cart really helps but I'm just not ready to admit that I might be ready for a rollator. :(

Kitty and Erin,
 

I can identify with you both. I ended up having to get a rollator and only use it when I HAVE to...my neuro made me get it. but I'm finding that to be more and more often. I hate the progression I'm seeing in myself.

It seems in the last year and half, anything I've hoped was a relapse didn't ever get better again. I try a cane, but like you say, it really doesn't help. when I lose my balance the rollator is the only thing that can save me from going down.

I can't use it in Walmart. I have to drive the electronic cart thingy. I don't hardly ever go shopping anymore, because when I do I just don't even look around, but just straight ahead to where I'm going. I don't want to see anyone I know. I don't think they want to see me either, so I just try to avoid it.

Until this year, I have went to visit my friends at my old school, but not this year. I don't even want people there to see my decline I doubt that this is a good trend I'm getting into but don't really know what to do about it. :(

ANYWAY.... I can sure understand how you feel. :o:hug::hug:

I use the shopping cart at the grocery store too. At home, I just walk, but if I wanted to use a rollator we've got three of them here. (my mom has had two knee surgeries)

I'm tempted to toss one of the rollators into the back of my RAV4.

About two or three months ago, I had a week where I felt like I do now, but actually felt worse physically. (couldnt stay awake at all and felt sick from being so sleepy) I used the electric cart in a Lowe's for the first time ever. Havent done that in a Walmart or the grocery store we use yet.

I felt better about a week after that. Even a week ago I went to the grocery store with my dad and didnt use the shopping cart (dad needed it more) but earlier this week when I fell down trying to put up an Xmas decoration, I've been feeling crappier as the week has gone on. Not feeling as sick as I did earlier this year, but my legs do feel a little more rubbery

I'm just still not used to this part of the MS yet. Having no balance. I used to rollerskate every weekend when I was younger. I was a fast skater, and I used to like to do spins and some figure skating. I had GREAT balance. Now I feel like I'm going to fall of my chair while typing this. I havent skated since I was about 25, but I still had my good balance earlier this year. (my 6yr old cousin and I were heel-to-toe walking on a brick wall back at Eastertime when she came over to visit...ok, the wall was only 2 landscaping bricks high, but right now I cant even walk heel-to-toe on a flat surface)

I just dont like the sensation that I'm going to fall every time I get up.

My skin is burning right now too...started out at the feet, but it's at my waist now, and I have a weird feeling in my throat like I cant swallow or like something is numb inside my chest. I just dont like this. I feel like I'm being tortured.

I know what you mean. While other parts of me seem to be better (numbness) my balance seems to be getting worse. I don't know if it's the cold weather, the humidity, or just me slowly progressing. :(

I am simply unable to shop unless I have a cart to hang onto. if it were not for using a cart like a walker, I would not be able to do it. The DH keeps running off with the cart, and I snap at him that I need that!

There are days I am tempted into the scooters in the store.

its amazing that your body uses 8% more energy to stand than it does to sit. Sitting is much harder on your back then standing or laying down. and laying down makes me wanna doze off during the day which would keep me awake all night.

This is such a stupid disease. Can I return mine, its busted. :p

I agree, I too wish we could all return this unwanted, dreadful stuff!! I am sure we all 'try' not to complain, because we are always sort of worrying about that worse thing that may be just around the corner. Then we know we will look back at today and wish we were here again. Sorry if I mis-spoke for anyone. But that is how I feel. I always tell myself...I know it can be worse...and most likely will be worse. But that doesn't help the pain and discomforts of today. :o

UUGGHH!! How I remember those days - cane or walker would never work for me as my arms have absolutely no strength to even move the critters - and I didn't even have strength to use a finger to change the tv channel let alone strength to manipulate the joy stick on a rolling cart at stores.

When I did try the stores carts, twice I ended up at the far back of the store when the cart decided to run out of energy and there I would be - stuck - with all the items and no way to get to the front of the store carrying them.

So I got up each time and just shuffled drunkenly out of store without anything - ****** me off. So, try and make sure the store cart is fully recharged before getting on one - I didnt know about that - LOL

My imbalance, drunkenness, falling etc alwats happens when I am in a relapse/flare. Its due to inflammation for me and usually begins in bowels/urinary area and when it hits the brain, then there is a very powerful ROLLERCOASTER running rampant in my brain. The slightest movement and it feels as if my brain races to one side of my head or other andit has been powerrful enough to knock me down to the floor. THROWS me off of the bed/chair. During the inflammatory periods (which is where there is increased fatigue/sleepiness/weakness etc) I just put myself on recoup mode, settle down for a long week of cuddle me time and WAIT for it to pass.

Which can actually take up to three months. UGH. I'm scared of the next one coming and I'll be outside in some freaking field with the dog and unable to walk or move - I get total body paralysis at times. They can last up to an hour before passing.

My next flare is due in a few weeks and I can feel it coming. At docs the other day I had gained the usual 8 lbs (indicating inflammation) and I have already gone into bitchy mode because fatigue is creeping up on me.

My walks are slugging down and its harder to go the distance compared to last week.

Only made it around the block this AM - hoping I can force myself to a better walk later this AM.

I force myself to walk with the chant "If you walk it wont get as bad...if you walk it wont be as bad as the last time" Which almost put me in a nursing home and a wheelchair!

Walk it off...walk it off...walk it off...oh PLEEZ walk it away!:Sorry:

My legs are still drunk. (where are they getting the alcohol?)

I got my new Wii hooked up today. Played tennis, bowled and played two baseball games while sitting in a computer chair. (lost the baseball games, lost the tennis games, but did fairly well at the bowling) Then I went hunting on a Cabela's hunting video game. (I actually shot a couple of big animals. That was fun, but it'd be more realistic if I had a plastic gun instead of the nunchuks.) I went to Blockbusters and rented a few games because I wanted to try them out before buying them.

I did notice that the game makes my eyes feel weird. My favorite game was the hunting game, but it made me dizzy if I made it go too fast.

I wanted the Wii game so that I'd actually get up off my butt and move around, and right now I feel so sick that I just cant really get up and move around. I feel like crap. I tried to knit some today, but had to put that down for fear that I'd be dropping stitches every time I started to fall asleep in mid-stitch.

I dont think I've felt as bad as I felt today in a long time. Maybe back when I had mononucleosis in 1996...this definitely equals how bad I felt back then.

It almost feels like I have a migraine and vertigo, without my head hurting or being actually dizzy. I took a little Meclizine this afternoon to see if would help. I'm not sure if it worked tho, because it pretty much knocked me out and I slept thru the medication working.

If this is a flare, I hope it goes away really soon and isnt going to ruin my Xmas. I wont be surprised if it screws everything up for me. I had to have help getting my Xmas tree put up. My sister and b-in-law did that for me today. They're the ones who got the box out for me last week and I guess they were surprised to see it still sitting on the floor where they left it last week. Now all I have to do is put lights on it and decorate it. The way I'm feeling, I might not be putting my blown glass ornaments on it. Scared that I'll fall over into the tree and break them all.

Ok, I'm done whining (for now). I think I'll make the attempt at sleeping in my bed and not in my computer chair.

Erin - Im sorry you feel so bad. Those games sound like so much fun. Addicting too!

This morn I have fallen backwards twice as I am trying to move forward. I knew the beast was waking up again.

Landed on my butt outside and it is frigid here - had taken buddy out to pee and down I went. UGH a Bug. So embarrassing - even if no one was around to see.

I'd be caution with that XMAS tree too - still scares me to put one up - Murphy's law would make sure I landed all twisted up inside the tree. A nightmare I avoid like the plague. Little bitty tree on top of table is all I dare to decorate anymore.

Have a great xmas - even if it is viewed from your computer chair. Which really sounds like fun.

I used to joke around and tell my students that I had 'gin on my cornflakes this morning'....it is an old joke and eventually I explained why, though I don't unless I have to. I have started to get over it - I would rather tell the truth than have them think I have been drinking.

Drunk with no alcohol
 

The drunk walking is the worse. I wouldn't mind it so much if I were actually drunk. Boy I miss my martinis. I used to wear 3-4 inch heels all the time and looked like I was stomping down the runway at New York fashion week. Now I 'm lucky if I can make it out of my car without falling in sneakers. I go to the grocery store to buy one thing and use a cart to hold me up. I used to love shopping but now I dread it.

I always say things could be worse. Now my job has announced a downsizing and I 'm on pins and needles and I'm worried most about my blood work and MRI's. But other than that, it's the drunk walking and fatigue that gets me down.

Just keep trying to be positive and be thankful for what you can do and what you have. That's how I make it through the day. My puppy only weighs 4 pounds and walks:) me when I take her for a walk but I love her to death.:D

I got up this morning and was really disappointed to find that my legs, and now my upper body, seem to have gone out and partied even more while I was asleep. I get stuck with their hangover.

I dont know if this has anything to do with the drunk walking or the MS, but my ears feel plugged. They hurt and sometimes when I'm talking, it feels like someone is either sucking out the air or pushing air into my ears. I'm probably going to go to my doctor tomorrow to see if they can look in my ears and tell me if I have an ear infection or something... (I could ask my aunt to look. She's a nurse practitioner and I know she has an otoscope at home.)

I called my neuro's office this morning and left a message for him to call me. Hopefully he'll get back to me really soon to tell me if there's something to make my legs sober up. I'm betting there isnt any medication for that. I tried Meclizine yesterday and all it did was make me sleep.

I'm so tired and I'm starting to get really frustrated with everything.

Erin, if you have an ear infection that can mess with your balance. I've noticed that when I have sinus issues my balance is off.....or more off than it usually is. :rolleyes:

It's so hard to tell if it's the disease progressing or if it's just residual sx from an already existing condition....like a sinus issue or an ear infection.

I just talked to my neuro. He suggested IV steroids, or some oral steroids. I decided to go for the $5 bottle of oral pred, since it's cheap and he said there would probably be no difference in taking them, except for the fact that IV steroids might work faster. (and the IV steroids are harder and nastier on the body)

He said to start them tonight. I think I'm going to wait till tomorrow to start them, and I'm going to go to my regular doctor to see if there's an issue with my ears first. I dont think it's an ear infection, but I want to make sure of that before I start popping the steroids.

I just want to feel normal (or at least less MSish) for awhile. Hopefully over Xmas. I hate feeling like crap like I do now. I hate steroids, but I hate falling down too. Really hate people looking at me and thinking I'm drunk.

Erin,

Gait (walking) problems are pretty normal with MS. The drunk walk is usually an issue with balance.

I hope you get some help from the steroids but, for me, balance has always been a problem and steroids never changed that. PT can sometimes, for some people, help with balance.

Information about gait problems:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ems/index.aspx

Erin,
 

I hope the steroids help. I have been having a lot of balance issues and doing some falling. But it has come on over time. The last time I went to my neuro he described my ms as deteriorated and I am now doing some P.T. I just started it, so I hope it helps.

I hope you feel better soon.:hug:

I'm willing to do some PT. Did some earlier this summer for a few balance issues and to deal with my left shoulder getting really stiff after the flare I had in april and may. (everything was numb on the left side, and the shoulder was really painful. Might have been spasticity or the fact that I didnt move it much because I was so numb and sick feeling)

This is really bugging me because it feels like my body is stiff from my ribcage down to my legs and when I'm walking I'm listing to one side (doesnt matter which, I list in both directions. Just depends on what direction things want to go when I get up)

Trying to put on pants last night after I took a shower was a bit distressing. Left leg felt like I couldnt direct it towards where I wanted it to go. Ended up putting the pants on the floor, putting my foot on top of where the leg goes and then pulling everything up.

Everyone in my family seems to be having health problems right now. My sister has some sort of infection in her leg from falling off a hayrack wagon. My dad has a heart problem. My cousin just had her lower leg cut in half (just the bone) and had a bunch of ligaments and tendons repaired and then they pinned the bones back together.

and my aunt's pug, Stella, was poisoned last week. Which now confirms to me that I was right about my suspicion that TinyMonsters was murdered by the neighbor. I live across the street from my aunt. (the same people tried to kill her last dog too, and probably succeeded because her first pug, Pudge, had the exact same symptoms that Stella has had for two weeks.) My aunt saw Stella eat a hot dog that had been put on the end of her patio. She couldnt get to Stel to stop her before she ate it. When they tried to do the same thing to Pudge, she found the some of the hot dogs/other food items before she could get to them (at least the ones that were placed on her patio) I am SO angry about this right now. If I was capable of storming over to that neighbor's house (aunt's next door neighbor.) and yelling at them, I would. I hope they move away.

I saw Tiny eat something as we passed their yard the last time I took him on a walk in 2006. I couldnt stop him either. Finding this out now while I'm on steroids kind of sucks. Because it's making me really miss my stinky furball, and it's depressing me AND making me really really mad.

Right now I'm wishing that we'd never moved to this neighborhood because we have three insane neighbors and they're on either side of my aunt. They murdered TinyMonsters, and they're harassing my aunt and one of them is trying to kill Stella. Stel is such a good dog, and knowing that someone is trying to hurt her is causing me and my aunt a lot of stress. Me, because my dog has already been a victim of the serial dog killer, and my aunt because she probably lost one dog to them, and now they're trying to get her new babydog. If I was capable of taking care of Stella, I'd bring her over here and keep a good eye on her. I might still try to do that. I want my aunt to get video cameras in her yard to see if we can find out for sure who'd doing it and get proof.

I cant sleep, so I think I'll go research security cameras and see if I can find one that I can monitor over the internet from my computer. Get some for my yard too.

edit: and the day gets crummier. I had two bottles of Ativan. I had one in my room that had about 12 pills in it, and my dad had the other one that had about 7 in it. They're totally missing. We had construction workers and carpeting people in our house the last couple of months. I would not be surprised that my Ativan became a street drug during that time. And now I need it. Good thing my doctor Rx-ed something for me today. I dont know what it is, but my dad just went to pick it up. I hope it's Ativan.

Lousy neighbors
 

If I could I would come over and do a little more than yelling at your lousy neighbors. Hurting those poor dogs. Good luck with the camera. I hope your bottom feeder neighbors move and leave you and your aunt in peace.

missing pills?! :confused: I would be ticked off! I keep my high level meds hidden and locked when I am gone, or if workers are in the house. the stuff is just way too tempting. When my son was a teenager I caught his friend stealing out of my medicine cabinet. I rigged it with marbles so when he opened the door the marbles all fell out and made a large racket. I popped the door and caught him. After that I took my meds out of public spaces and put them in private areas that can easily be locked or barricaded. Will your MD replace them?

I caught a home health aide stealing my meds once, and she tried to pin it on my house guest that I had known for 15 years! The girl had dragged me thru massive chemo treatments and was a very trusted friend. I had the home health aide arrested and removed from my property. They found my missing engagement ring in her travel bag and tons of pills from other houses.

I taught my doggie to never take any food unless it was given to her from me or the DH. We worked in the prison for many years and we were afraid that if we were out shopping or strolling someone would slip her a doggie treat. We also worried about pills since we visited many nursing homes, and rehab centers with her. it was easier to do from a puppy, but I guess you could train an adult to "leave it!" Even when we went to the bank or a toll bridge the operator would give her the treat, and she would take it and lay it down. She would wait for me to give instructions. I hope your aunt calls the cops.

You have been thru your fair share of grief lately. I hope you feel better quick. :hug:

I had taught Tiny to "wait", and to "leave it", but he was so food oriented, that if there was something so tempting to him he would go after it. If I saw something before he did and got a command out to him before he could pounce, a lot of times I could stop him. That last walk with him, he must have smelled it from far off, because he and his 90 pounds that he weighed at that time dragged me over cement and grass to get to it. I never knew what it was that he ate that day.

He went really fast whatever it was. That last walk was on a saturday night. He was sick by morning. (coughing and acting weird) I didnt realize he was sick at the time. I went out that sunday with my boyfriend. I was on the way home when my dad called and told me that Tiny was really sick. He'd laid down on the grass in the front yard and wouldnt move.

My dad called my aunt because he thought the dog had just died. My aunt came out and used her "nurse voice" (annoying loud voice she'd use to talk to patients to wake them up if they started crashing or something) She told Tiny she had a treat for him. He was so food oriented that she apparently woke him up from death's door and he dragged my dad to her house to get the treat.

I got home and spent the night sitting on the floor with him, telling him not to die. I got him to the vet that morning (a monday). Vet told me he was in critical condition and that they'd try to save him. His kidneys had shut down and he was in congestive heart failure. I still thought he would live. I didnt understand what congestive heart failure and non-functioning kidneys meant.

Tiny died about 3 or 4am the next morning. Vet said he had been in the room with him for a few minutes. Tiny looked up at him and wagged his tail for a minute. Vet left the room and came back about 10 minutes later and Tiny was gone. The vet lost 3 dogs that night. Large dogs like Tiny. He and the techs said that Tiny's death was the hardest one for them but they loved the other two dogs to death too. They'd known all three since puppyhood.

I had my first MS exacerbation about two weeks later. (right leg and thigh went numb on a warm day at the zoo) I think the stress of Tiny dying so suddenly is what made the MS go whacko. I really loved that dog. So much that the two times I've tried to get another dog the pain of missing Tiny gets really bad and I start hating the other dogs to the point that I just cant keep them. (probably a good thing that I dont have those dogs. They'd just get murdered by the wonko neighbors)

Only dog that I havent gotten that way with is my aunt's dog Stella. Probably because I dont have to take care of her, and she's cute. Stella is such a good dog, and my aunt really missed her first pug, Pudge so much. When she got Stel, it was like they were made for each other. Aunt went to pick her up, and Stel looked at her like she was saying "where have you been, I've been waiting months for you!". She got in the car with my aunt and went to sleep on the floor. Never looked back at the breeder.

Stella loves to come over and sit with us outside. She cant do that now because it's cold, but the night that she started to get sick a few weeks ago, she dragged my aunt over here at 9 at night, and was scratching at our door. So we sat and talked to my aunt while Stella walked around to each of us and calmed down. I noticed that she seemed to be in pain, my aunt took her home that night and poor Stella was so sick, for two weeks. Same symptoms Pudge had off and on for like the last year or more of her life.

I want to figure out what made Pudge so sick that my aunt had her put to sleep and what made Stella sick. (Pudge died two years to the day that Tiny did) Hopefully find out what got Tiny. If it was a heavy metal or something that had cumulative effects, I have Tiny's brush. He'd been sick off and on with stomach problems for about 6 months before he died. I brushed him out about a week before he died. I have the hair from that brush. (still in the brush) I'm tempted to take it to someone who can test it.

Stella is a pug, and with that short hair, I dont know if it stays on her long enough for a cumulative poison to accumulate. Maybe they could test her toenails if I can find someone who would do the test.

I'm so mad about what happened to these dogs that it's at least giving me something else to think about other than the stupid MS picking on me.

sorry this post ended up so long.

The steroids really felt like they were helping yesterday. Today, not as much. All tingly right now and it's irritating. Yesterday my hands were not numb for the first time in over a year. Legs were still drunk tho. Today I'm tingly and still stumbling. I'm at least sleeping some. (yay!) Dont sleep till after 6am, but at least I'm sleeping.

Think I'll go sleep some more. I wish I could figure out what the neighbors are poisoning Stella with. (the guy is a paramedic. Probably has access to lots of drugs) I want to know if I'm right about who is doing it.