Falling forward

Hi, @mccolaw - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Are you experiencing some falling forward as well as an unsteady, staggering gait? If so, have you noted any other symptoms you've been having?

Yes moments of misplaced thoughts, for lack of a better example, acting like my mind had wandered off for a moment or two

Hi charlottescot @charlottescot, I previously sent you a private message but not sure whether it went through. I have staggering feet and uncontrolled falling forward periodically. I am hoping you might give me your surgeon's name in New Haven and also the name of anyone in NYC or Westchester County who understood your condition. Also I am not sure what you meant by "Following the spinal tap, I was 'normal.'" Did the spinal tap itself relieve some symptoms? Thank you SO MUCH for posting and for any response you may be able to give to these questions. Nancy

@nancydrain Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, a place to give and get support

@charlottescot hasn't posted since August 2019.

You have staggering feet and uncontrolled falling forward periodically. In order for me to connect you will active members, may I ask what you have been diagnosed and what kinds of diagnostics you have had?

Hello, @nancydrain, I would like to join Erika, @erikas, in welcoming you to Mayo Clinic Connect.

I hope that you are able to find some support here for your problem with falls. Like Erika, I'm wondering what type of tests you have had and what type of specialists you have seen. Could you share that information? There are many different types of disorders that can cause this staggering/falling problem. For me, the diagnosis was Parkinson's. But there are other reasons as well.

Here is another Mayo Connect discussion group that discusses, Falling Forward. If you click on this link you can read what others have said about this problem.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/falling-forward/

If you are comfortable sharing more, can you share what other health problems you might have? In this way, we can connect you with other members who might be experiencing the same thing.

In the meantime, please read the discussion that I posted above and see what you may have in common with these members.

I have joined this group to gain some information for my husband. When he goes to stand up he falls forward. He said he is not dizzy but is off balance. He has not seen a doctor for this but we would like a suggestion on what type of doctor to see. Thanks for any help.

I fall forward backwards sideways you name it but I have Epilepsy and have had thousands of seizures and taken about 400,000 pills. Some of which affect my balance.
I'd go to a primary care physician and perhaps an ear nose & throat man to start.
I'd also ask doctor about seeing a physical therapist.
does your husband take any medications? Have you researched to see you any of them could cause balance issues. I'd ask the doctor about any medications he may be on.
Heart problems can cause falling. Does he fall other times when he's not getting up.
Does he have Diabetes? Does he have high blood pressure? Make sure he is getting enough fluids. Another problem my Dad had was Orthostatic hypotension. Although he didn’t fall down since he was paralyzed he did fall forward from the way or fall over to the side of his wheelchair.
when I develop peripheral neuropathy I noticed my balance was even worse than before. There are many reasons for following that only a doctor is qualified to evaluate.
I fall quite frequently and have had three surgeries and more stitches, staples, & glue than I care to think about.
GET TO THE DOCTOR, ANY DOCTOR BEFORE HE GETS HURT!!!
Take care,
Jake

Jake, thank you for your quick response. My husband does not take any medication, but he has drop-foot because of back stenosis. We will make an appointment with his family doctor and his back doctor. You are right, I am fearful he is going to fall. He is 77 and he doesn’t need a broken hip!

@kybabs Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

I am glad that you are seeking medical attention. Your husband falls forward every time? Do you have a nurse line to call at your local hospital?

I'm concerned that this issue may need more immediate attention.

Hello@kybabs, I would like to add my welcome to you as you have just recently joined Mayo Clinic Connect.

I can certainly understand your concern over your husband's falls. I am glad to read that he will be seeing a doctor regarding this. Falls are a difficult problem as we get older and lead to surgeries for broken bones as well as time in rehab. It is important to try to get to the root cause of these falling spells.

You might try keeping a journal of his falls and record when they occur. For example, falls before mealtime might suggest a problem with blood sugar. Often problems upon rising can be attributed to blood pressure fluctuations. There are so many reasons for falls that it takes a good neurological exam to rule out the many possibilities.

If he has a neurologist, I would highly recommend that he make an appointment there as well. Neurologists can be very helpful in understanding balance and falling problems.

Will you post again with an update as to how your husband is doing?