Falling And Dropping Things

[heiseygirl]

Does anyone have trouble with falling and dropping things? I am doing both alot lately. When I first get up it looks like I have been drinking alcohol. I have had pots and nero cardogenic syncopy since summer of 2001 although I have only been fully diagonosed with this about 2 years ago.

[lieze]

I have had the days when I drop things. I mean like not just one thing but 5 things in a row.

Isn't that weird and I noticed that before I ever noticed POTS symptoms.

Also I have felt as if I would fall but I haven't.

But what I do that drives me nuts and worries me is I put things down and can't remember what I have done with them. Like over and over and over.

It makes me feel like I'm losing my mind and I almost start crying with worry.

Like am I safe?

I just seem really out of it moreso than I have ever been in my life.

When I sit I often go into a stare and I really have trouble focusing at times straight ahead without feeling like I am going to drift off to sleep. I lose focus and have to keep changing the direction of my vision to another spot in order to be able to clearly see ahead of me.

It's weird.

[Brye]

I drop a lot of items as well. It's worse when I'm rushing to do something or if I'm late taking my beta blocker. My hand tremors really kick in and I think that's a big part of it for me. I also have noticed my balance is off. I walk around like a drunk at the gym especially when I'm trying to do my workout. It feels like there's just not enough blood flowing to my brain.

Brye

[gertie]

I've been dropping things more this week probably because of the stress of trying to cook for Christmas. I started baking the first of the week but I have trouble focusing my eyes on a recipe. From the time I look at the recipe until I reach for the ingredient I forget what I am looking for & have to start all over. Hopefully by Sat I will have enough things prepared for a decent meal. As I get a recipe prepared I put it in the freezer. DH has been helping me with shopping & clean up or I couldn't do it. I hope to get enough of the menu prepared by tomorrow that if I can't finish it DH can. Happy Holidays to all of you.

[Chaos]

Same here. Seems to go in cycles for me though. I have days where I just "tip over" but haven't actually fallen as I usually tip into a wall or something. Also frequently have strings of days where I seem to drop everything. Usually coincides with days when I am feeling very weak, uncoordinated, and like there isn't enough blood getting to my brain so the timing between my hands and brain is not accurate.

[Sarah4444]

I have had some bad falls, and now try to be more careful (not that I was careless before) but I still stumble around quite a bit. Frustrating.

[sue1234]

I personally do not fall or drop things. I see that most of you talk about how it comes on after bouts of cooking and being in the gym. I can't be up for more than 10 minutes at a time, so I don't stand up cooking and definitely don't go to a gym. But, I do get lightheaded and faintish feeling after 7-8 minutes of being upright. So, I guess my point is it might not be a 100% correlation with being POTSy.

With you being "hungover"-like when you first get out of bed, have you tested your blood sugar? That is a very common symptom of low blood sugar.

[hilbiligrl]

I drop lots of things, but what i notice mostly is i lose EVERYTHING. I.E.: in one week i lost 4 tubes of chapstick... maybe 5... and they are in the house and only could be in one of 3 rooms... still cant find them. Im ALWAYS, ALWAYS asking hubby where he seen me put something or if he's saw something... this is everyday, many times a day. I run into things ALOT. It's as if my perception of knowing the door is there is gone and i turn right around and slam into it.... i've got bruises all over my legs where i run into doors, furniture, chairs... you name it.... even if i go to the docs office..... they probably think im on drugs or something.

I also have lots of confusion, memory loss, and can't even 'think' anymore. I'm like Leieze, i get so 'out of it' yet i know im out of it, but i can't force my brain to think logically or make sense and i get really scared that i may be losing my mind or actually have brain damage. Trying to talk to the docs or anyone anymore is so very very difficult and i get so embarssed due to word loss, the loss of the ability to form sentences, etc.... When im talking to a doc, or someone, i totally forget wat im talking about, who i am, where i am and what im there for. It lasts anywhere from mins to hours. And it seems to come in cycles too.... brain issues for several days in a row then a break from it a few days, and then again for a few days, and so on and so forth.

hope this helps some

hilbiligrl

[Detrick7]

I have the exact same issues as everyone is describing here. Is this just the cause of a fall in blood pressure? Or are there other factors at play? My blood pressure is fairly normal whenever I take it. However, I had a 24 EEG where I recorded my epsiodes. There was weird brain activity that seems to show a drop in blood pressure. However, never seems like my blood pressure stays down long enough to actually record with a blood pressure monitor. Does anyone else experience this or does everyone have chronic low blood pressure?

Thanks,

Lance

[kayjay]

just want to tell you you are not alone... not much help. But I went to my son's conference and told my husband " she is going to thing I am a drunk". Hang in there! I have broken more than I want to think about.. but you adjust and even when it is your great gramas china ( yes happened) it is just stuff. ((hugs)). PS HILBILgrl... your chapstick is in my dryer haha.

Don't forget that even "healthy people" do dumb stuff. Please give yourself a break! I fall a lot ( I passed out 2 times last month) and my knees are super ugly! POTS makes things worse I know. I could tell you some ugly stories of me breaking things or people thinking that I drink!

[Sarah4444]

Lance, my blood pressure is almost always normal when I check it, but it often falls briefly but signifcantly when I stand up or after I have been standing for a while. Whenever I catch a very low reading I take it again and it has recovered.

[turtlefairy5]

I work as a waitress, and I am notorious for this. It is frustrating when a manager or co-worker calls out something along the lines of that it will be taken out of my paycheck (a joke, they don't really do that). But still, I definitly have a reputation and I get laughed at for dropping things all the time.

I've wondered if my clumsiness were due to the POTS or not. Sometimes I feel like a blame everything on the POTS, but reading this maybe there is something to it?

oh, I also get the forgetting things too. Like, important things. Keys, purse, etc. If I am distracted or anxious at all, like carrying on a conversation with someone, I will completely leave my purse behind at Chic-Fil-A, drive to Wal-Mart and walk in to Wal-mart, grab a cart before I realize what I've done....just for a completely hypothetical example.

[Detrick7]

Sarah4 or anyone else with these type of symptoms and difficult to record low blood pressure readings. What is the actual diagnosis? I was diagnosed with NCS, but is that really what it is? I also have problems at work sitting down. Hands and arms twitch/tremor, can't focus, yawn for 10+ seconds, and have problems remembering what I am doing. I am currently on Zoloft and my neurologist put me on Trileptal to see if it helps. He thinks the EEG is showing a drop in blood pressure, but not sure why. People who have seen me have certain episodes say it looks like I am having a seizure, but have had all the work up that has ruled that out. Although I can relate to some of ths symptoms of simple partial seizures and complex partial seizures. My neurologiist is great and is determined to help me figure this out. We are just not sure exactly what I have and best way to treat.

[Sarah4444]

Detrick7, the neutorologist I saw said that with so much cerebral oxygen deprivation it isn't surprising that strange things like this happen. She wanted me to try domperidone (for dizziness apparently, although I think it's usually for GI motility) and then maybe Mestinon. I am still fiddling around with MCAD meds trying to get those symptoms settled so I haven't tried the others yet. I wanted to see the autonomic doctor first - I sort of feel like each doctor I see has a different drug they want me to try and I don't know how to proceed. I have improved though, on the meds listed below. Sorry I don't have an answer for you.

[comfortzone]

I almost fell yesterday at work - seems to happen more often lately - where I haven't fallen yet - I'm kinda unsettled about not really knowing the reason why. Is it from my joint replacements, did my orthostatic issues kick in because I'm not drinking enough fluids, is it cervical myelopathy from my spinal cord getting smushed d/t arthritis? Dropping things - yes it's like the floors gravity just tripled in strength - stuff gets dropped frequently - and I can't even bend over enough to reach the dang things I've just dropped sometimes. It's crazy and I wish it would go away for you - it's pretty gnarly to have it as you know.... Almost went down to the floor with a pan of meatloaf weighing ten pounds in my hands ... that one I know was caused from a huge muscle spasm in my back. Yes I too have that losing things -- that happens several times per day - and no one is as distressed over it than I....docs have said its because you don't feel well.... Well I'm here to say I've 'not felt well' plenty of times in life and did not lose a single pickin' thing. This began at age 51 ~ sometimes I think I shouldn't live alone. I want to put an ad in Craigs List to hire a 'finder'

Seeking: Someone to follow my footsteps all throughout the day that can read my mind. In reading my mind - when I say, 'okay I'll put this here so I don't lose it' -- you will write down on a huge dry-erase board... YOU PUT YOUR KEYS BEHIND THE COOKIE JAR BECAUSE YOU SPILLED MILK YOU AND DIDN'T WANT THE KEYS TO GET WET. That way when I put things somewhere - say an important bill or receipt or item of clothing ~ with a bit of anxiety - thinking, 'why do I care where I put it - it's 100% sure I will still lose this' You will have already written it down on that big dry erase board.

When I'm ready to retrieve an item and recognize for the 100th time today I 'lost it' - I'll go to the board and breathe easy - Oh that's right - I put my glasses in that purse, my good pen in that car, my good jeans in that pile, my medication in that box --

Payment: Well actually you won't receive any - because as you know I also 'lost' my dang career d/t this dysfunction -- and hope I don't lose my current address as well... You will be gratified at the job though because I'm a dang good cook and you are welcome to partake of the meals I prepare - because you helped me find my non-stick pan and the dang garlic powder.

Serious applicants need only apply ;-)

[Chaos]

Nowwhat- Thanks for the laughs! It's only so funny because I can SOOO relate.

[Kaponos]

All the time, just an hour ago I dropped a water bottle I had just finished filling for the third time that day (thank you dysautonomia) but had yet to put the cap on, needless to say I needed to go get a few towels.

[Peter Charlton]

When I was working, people were asking my manager if I was drunk, I dont feel dizzy as in inner ear problems, but its as if my balance doesn't work so I am often banging into walls now. As for dropping things, I have to concentrate now to hold onto things else I drop them.

[JimL]

I've had dropping problems, but it was from cervical issues that affected the brachial plexus.