Worrisome symptom, possibly causing falls
 

I have recently developed a worrisome symptom that seems linked with my balance/postural stability. It is a feeling of strong pressure (not pain) on both sides of my head, sometimes seeming directly inside the ears, and sometimes a little higher up toward the temple. It has occurred a number of times when I stop right after I have been walking for 20 to 30 min. at a fairly slow pace, but with exertion uphill and downhill. In the most dramatic incident, I arrived at a café for lunch and was standing on line to order, facing the menu on the wall and leaning forward against the counter, when I suddenly keeled over to the side. I do not believe that I fainted, as I yelled out in time for my husband to turn around and catch me before I hit the ground; luckily, I was not badly hurt although my head broke a glass display case. I am now taking precautions, such as always either holding onto someone or using a walker or sitting down immediately when I stop walking, but I would like to figure out what is causing this. It feels less safe to stop to rest in the middle of a walk rather than to keep going, even if I am tired, because I start to get this feeling. Being unable to rest doesn't feel very safe, and really restricts the amount of exercise and walking I can do.

I have also noticed this symptom at other times, mainly after my afternoon nap and before the next dose of levodopa has taken effect, even if I'm sitting at the computer or just using my walker go from one end of the house to the other. It eventually goes away after 15 or 20 min., But I feel that I absolutely have to sit still and not try to walk until it goes away or I may fall over.

I know that postural hypotension is very common in Parkinson's or as a side effect of the levodopa, and my blood pressure does drop about 20 points (from its usual 120/75) in going from a lying down to a sitting or standing position. However my doctors don't seem to think this feeling in my head is related to postural hypotension, although another explanation has not been offered. I have had many laboratory tests and EKGs (including an echocardiogram) and chest x-rays recently as a result of rib breaks and other symptoms –such as getting extremely dehydrated when trying to take more than a minimal quantity of long-acting (SR) levodopa and all test results have been within normal ranges. I have never had a problem with high blood pressure; my blood pressure has been checked many times recently, both in doctors offices and at home.

Has anyone experienced something similar or have any idea what is causing this feeling or what I can do to improve the situation?

Welcome to the forums, Wooduck.

Please have your blood pressure checked. This could be a case of orthostatic hypostension where your pressure drops dramatically and quite fast upon standing, when doing a lot of walking then stopping, and sometimes while standing for long periods of time.

The reason why I say this is I have a similar issue. Sadly my doctor tried to raise my blood pressure using Midodrine, which caused a TIA and now I have permanent numbness on the my right side of my face.