these balance problems are getting bad

I don't know which med it is, but something is causing me balance issues and falling. Now, granted, I am 40 years old, so I'm no spring chicken, but neither of my parents had this problem in their 40s. My maternal grandmother (my only living grandparent) only started having falling issues around 82, 83 years old (granted, she was always vigorous & active).

Around 2 weeks ago, I fell picking up the newspaper, and our driveway is pretty flat. I fell taking a walk, which I did on the road because the sidewalks tend to be uneven and people park their cars & huge trucks blocking them (there is a city ordinance against this, but the police & HOA never enforce it). I really skinned up my knees & elbows since I was wearing shorts and a tank top. A couple days ago, I fell getting a box off the top shelf of my closet. Today, I fell getting out of the bathtub. Luckily, I fell back into the tub, landing in a sitting position on my bottom, legs over the edge of the tub.

But I feel like this falling is getting out of control. I don't know if any one med is causing it or if it's the combo of meds. Most of these meds seem to have loss of coordination as a possible side effect. I haven't had issues with falling before this. The only time last year a bad fall happened to me was taking out the trash, when the neighbor's dog started suddenly barking right when I stepped into a hidden dip in our yard (that broke my small toe), but I don't think it would have happened if that dog started barking & nearly jumping over the fence. He can jump over the fence, but after he does, he is friendly. The neighbors don't always keep him outside; most of the time, he is inside, so the barking doesn't happen all the time.

I've been lucky with falling so far and getting only superficial injuries, but it worries me that it might happen, and I could break a bone or something. I guess I need to bring this up with my pdoc? I have a feeling this has to do with my meds, which have been changed or upped over the past month.

I've never had anything like that happen to me and I'm sorry it's happening to you. I'd get in touch with your pdoc soon and if you can't get a hold of him ask your pharmacist if it's any one med in particular or a combination.

I'm with spikes where it comes to falling. I haven't had that issue, but can imagine how frustrating (& scary) it must be to suffer that as a symptom. I hope you can get things straight with your meds...if that is the issue.

Yes, i would call your doctor immediately! Those are very frequent and very dangerous. I have fallen, but they have always been "soft" falls and i never got hurt, and they werent that frequent. Please let us know what happens. If you cant get a hold of your dr, maybe try the pharmacist or sometimes your insurance company has a nurse on call.

Call your doctor. You take so many meds its hard to tell. My bet would be on benzo Klonopin though.

My money is on the benzo too. But it might not be related to your meds at all it could be something else so call your doctor....your GP to get thoughly checked out.

400 mg Lamictal is probably the culprit. When my dose was raised to 400 in the hospital, they warned me that balance problems would probably happen. I have fallen 7 times in the past two years, two of them serious, and there have been untold numbers of near-falls. I'm also on a lot of other meds and I'm sure the combo doesn't help. But I have to have it or I go off the rails.

I'm wondering if it's the Lamictal too. It was recently raised to 400 mg from 300 mg. I have been on this dosage of Klonopin since January.

Definitely speak to your pdoc.
I would also speak to a pharmacist about drug side effects and drug interactions.
Oh, and talk to a neurologist. So many things can cause falling over.

Lamictal makes me fall all over the place.

^^^^ ditto ^^^^

ditto ditto

I may have found the culprit of these falls, at least I hope so. Not listed under my meds is Protonix, which I was given after suffering a perforated ulcer on Valentine's Day. At my last appt. with the gastroenterologist (after he had done an upper endoscopy), he told me I could continue the Protonix or stop it. Reading the side effects, it seems like you may develop more issues after taking it for around 3 months or longer. I figured I would finish out the bottle and then stop taking it. I am going to try stopping it now and see if that helps. All of these falls I've mentioned have occurred in the morning, and Protonix is to be taken on an empty stomach, before breakfast. I haven't always taken my morning psych meds before these falls because of waiting to eat after taking the Protonix.

I hope this helps. I really don't need a broken bone.