why do I suddenly fall?

I, too, fall occasionally. I can be walking or standing or sitting, and just wake up as I hit the floor. One time I was at the hospital to pick up some meds. Anyway, I have many AI issues, so I don't
worry about it. I just get up and keep going. I am 83, and have done this for at least three quarters of a century. Once I was officiating a football game. Another time I was preaching. I get a good laugh out of it now. oldkarl

I was blacking out for 10-12 seconds, increasingly frequently, for over two years. Specialist discovered my brain had shrunk away from the inside of my skull left parietal area. EEG and MRI did it! Third med we tried did it. Dx: drug resistant epilepsy. Good luck. Find a teaching neurologist!

Glad you found an answer and a treatment. Thankfully neither myself or my brothers ever had epilepsy and no one else in my mom’s large family had it either.

It’s not in my family either. It’s just a medical term with none of the symptoms usually associated with epilepsy.

My husband , if he looks up, or is startled in some way just falls. He has had a brain mri ,seen ear, eye,noe dr, and a neurologist. We have been told they cannot find anything wrong, In the meantime, his symtons contine to worsen. Any ideas?

I had a falling problem for 20+ years, getting worse and worse. (My legs would just suddenly collapse.) Taking glutathione was the only thing that helped, but I kept having to take more and more, up to 10-12 capsules a day. The more physically active I was, the more I'd need. I started making a shake of 12 oz. V8 with a 3/4 teaspoon of powdered broccoli extract (I get it from bulk supplements.com) every day and have not had to take so much glutathione to stop the falling. Now I take 1-2 caps of glutathione a day, or a little more when I'm active. The broccoli extract is not just dehydrated broccoli, but stronger chemically, I don't know exactly how. Broccoli has a VERY small amount of glutathione in it, but I suspect the extract is more some other chemical that either helps absorb glutathione or helps it work. It doesn't taste very good, so I add garlic or onion powder. Regardless, all of these are natural and healthy, so they can't hurt you unless you have a weird allergy, so you might as well try them. Hope it helps!

I can be walking around and fall over with a very hard thud. I am conscious, but I get hurt. Tore meniscus & rotator cuff the last time. I'm afraid of breaking a bone or bones as I am elderly.

Yesterday this was diagnosed by my new neurologist as a drop attack.

Also diagnosed with ice pick headaches. I have very painful, stabbing "zaps" across my forehead from right to left.

Has anyone else experienced these?

What is interesting is that both of these came up with ChatGPT when I used it.

I also fall when I look up and get dizzy to the point I almost pass-out when I look down. I have Parkinsons' which now seems to be the "go to" answer to everything. It's sad when medical practitioners bypass solutions because of this or any other presumption.
It is scary and can cause emotional problems as well as broken bones, etc. You're in my prayers.

First, learn how to fall. There are suggestions from reputable online sources like
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-fall-without-injury#:~:text=Keep%20your%20knees%20bent%20and,are%20lower%20to%20the%20ground. I've long cycled on rough trails and run and walked in the dark on rough trails, usually with large hounds running by me. So, I've fallen a lot and have learned, I guess from experience, that I have lots of time from the moment that I know that I'm going to fall to the point of impact to rearrange my head (first) and body (second), to direct away from large rocks and trees, and sometimes even to condemn myself or a dog for causing the fall. A lack of panic certainly helps!

Second, it might help your diagnosis to differentiate between lightheadedness, which may be produced by vasodilation, and dizziness, which may involve a vestibular issue. So try to recall after a fall if you felt either a blind closing over your eyes or a spinning, if either!

Good luck.

Peace.

Thanks for the info. Drop attack falls happen so suddenly, I am on the ground with no warning. No dizziness, light headiness, warning of any kind, etc. These hard falls have been witnessed by others. I can get up & walk after the pain from the injuries subsides a little.

The ice pick headaches are just as disabling & very painful. No warning either. Trying to figure out if there is a connection between these 2 symptoms. Last time they happened about an hour or so apart.