I fall frequently. Sometimes due to freezing or festination or sometimes for no apparent reason. My question is, do falls cause fatigue. .
I seem pretty much ok in the morning but then I come over exhausted afternoons and sometimes in the evening. I feel like I have no strength .
I have been diagnosed for 12 years now.
I’d think the fatigue is more likely to be a factor in your falls rather than the falls leading to fatigue. Everything is more difficult when you’re fatigued.
Are you sure it’s not your medications wearing off causing you to fall? Might be worth talking ot your doctor about it.
Hi Carolineb211
My main symptom was freezing and falling over and I found that it was worse after doing anything physical, like hoovering or mowing the lawn. I have been told that I was using up what dopamine I had stored in my body which makes you feel washed out. I was always rushing about but now I do what I can then take a rest then start again later. Also it maybe that the drugs that you are on are not as effective anymore and need looking at again with your Doctor.
Hi carolineb211,
I do agree with Podd, I would think that the fatigue is the cause of your falling rather than the other way around.
You must remember one of the effects of PD is that your muscles become weaker so they now have to work harder to get the same result.
I am sure that you are doing what you have done before and not realizing that fact, and thus fatigue sets in much quicker than what you are used to.
I experienced exactly the same thing and did not understand why until my neuro explained.
Please take things easier and simply take more time, and I’m sure that will help.
Morning
I was diagnosed in 2013 and luckily its been well controlled upto 6 months ago when i stared to fall more often sometimes i would freeze other times i would stagger backwards for no reason and loose my will to standup, some of my freinds thought i was drunk because it mimicks the exact falling over and staggering i wish!!
I was quite fit and still walk twice a day although the last few weeks have been difficult as once you start falling you loose you confidence and ivisit town less frequently for fear of falling and the total embarressment in shops.
The fatuige is a big part of this disease i notice with my condition and everyone is personal to them Parkinsons never conforms its always personal I would wake at 5am get dressed have breakfast ready for the challenge but suddenly i felt rigid couldnt get out of bed and trying to dress was like a circus hanging on to armchairs trying to reach down for trousers which always meant i ended up nose down into dogs bed which he was not impressed with then feeling so fatuiged fle like staying in dogs bed to sleep!! Then the tiredness and fatigue crept in at 1030 am i would be in the garden just ambling no digging and my meds would go off then back on then extreme tiredness i would have to sit down imeadiatly.
I contacted my Parkinsons nurse who was briliant she basically said we expect our bodies to be like we were prior to our diagnosis thinking energy was full to brim but its not as the lack of dopamine effect us in many ways.
My meds were going off because i was trying to rush around and also constapation is a major factor as the meds dont get absorbed
I was prescibed siniment cr for night time and getting out of bed it worked but i also had vivid nightmares which sinimet is renowned for but the fact i could get out of bed in morning was a big factor
I was also prescibed Madopar soluble for the earlystart to enable me to dress i keep that my the side of my bed taken at 5 am with water then rest first tablet by 6am so the soluble madopar already wokring makes life so much easier I also take my next tablet 15 mins earler as this allows for the run over so firstv meds 6aam then every three hrs 8.45 11.45.2.45. 5.45 then finaly sinimet 930 pm
I rest in the afternnoon usually it hits me around tea time
Hope this helps Dave
My falling is getting worse. I fell three times on Thursday, twice yesterday and once today ( so far)
I have tried to contact my Neurologist but no luck so far. Could my pills need adjusting perhaps ?
Hi Caroline,
I know it is hard, but if you are having trouble contacting the Neurologist, call the Neurology department and ask to speak to his Secretary. I always go through my Parkinson’s Nurse as he will always get back to me that day and after telling him my symptoms and he thinks I need more meds he will then contact the Neurologist. If you haven’t got a Parkinson’s Nurse ring the Parkinson’s help line and they will help you out. I suffered badly with falls and by upping my medication it helped. Don’t take no for an answer from anyone, it seems that your medication is not working so well and you need to get help quickly.
Sadly my Parkinson’s. Nurse is about as much use as a chocolate teapot. She never returns my calls or responds to messages.
Hi Caroline,
If your Parkinson’s Nurse won’t respond then the next step is calling the Hospital and talking to the Consultant’s Secretary or the Consultant if you are lucky enough. I am just like you, with falling and I had my October Appointment cancelled and the new one is for September next year, which is un-acceptable as I need to see someone now as my meds need looking at. I have been told to go private but if I did I would be seeing the same Consultant from the NHS which is ludicrous. I have complained to the Hospital’s Pals team, who called me up the next day and would look at trying to get something done about it. Frustrating but I am also now at the end of my tether but I won’t give the NHS the satisfaction of just letting things lie.
Hi carolineb211,
Firstly, I really don’t like the way you are dissing chocolate teapots.
I think various chocolates in the shape of teapots, bottles, cups etc is a great idea.
There was actually a company here that made chocolate bottles that had differing liquors, whisky, port, sherry, etc in them and they were great.
The fatigue and falling situation is as a result of the PD affecting your muscles, so that they have to work a lot harder for the same result, and that is why you may fall occasionally.
It happens to all of us.
