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  #1  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 03:35 PM
Anonymous46341
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Yesterday I was kneeling, using my Kitchen Saver vacuum sealer. Hubby was standing nearby. As I was doing that it reminded me of a time when I could barely. kneel without falling over, and couldn't stand on my toes for more than a couple seconds. That time was years ago. I have long since regained my ability to kneel without falling, stand on my toes, and plié (a ballet movement).

I tried to think of what was going on back in that time of poor balance, and maybe what medications I was taking. I've been taking my current mix for 8 to 9 years. About 6+ years ago, I was also taking a therapeutic dose of Lithium ER, Navane (thiothixene), which is a 1st generation antipsychotic, and Geodon. It was a huge cocktail, I know. I think during that period I was fairly trim. Prior to that I was quite overweight on Depakote and Invega, but I don't think my balance issues dated back that far.

Has anyone else ever experienced issues with balance, while on meds? Specifically difficulties kneeling without falling and/or standing on your toes. If so, what do you think may have caused that? I'm guessing that maybe Lithium was the cause. In general, I felt physically weak at times then.
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  #2  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 04:44 PM
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~Christina ~Christina is offline
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My balance is terrible, had a MRI and they found a adnoma on my pituitary gland but Endo guy said that shouldn’t be the problem but didn’t have any idea what else it could be.

My fibromyalgia and PsA pain now makes me walk like I’m drunk somedays Ability to stand on your toes or kneel w/o falling over due to the pain.

Could be psych meds of course

I’m glad your better Ability to stand on your toes or kneel w/o falling over
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  #3  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 05:02 PM
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Between neuropathy and psoriatic arthritis, I could not stand on my toes if my life depended on it.

I cannot kneel, either.

I am glad you have had those abilities restored.


WC
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  #4  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 05:07 PM
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downandlonely downandlonely is offline
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I haven't found my meds affecting my balance, although I think they do make my hands really shaky. It's hard for me to get a clear picture when I try to take a photo.
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  #5  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 05:21 PM
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I had balance problems with Tegretol. I fell over unexpectedly and my head would roll back. Then I found out I actually had a toxic level of it in my blood.
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  #6  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 05:25 PM
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Well, I fell a lot on a higher dose of propranolol. Pdoc lowered it, and I am doing better.
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  #7  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 09:32 PM
Anonymous46341
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ~Christina View Post
My balance is terrible, had a MRI and they found a adnoma on my pituitary gland but Endo guy said that shouldn’t be the problem but didn’t have any idea what else it could be.

My fibromyalgia and PsA pain now makes me walk like I’m drunk somedays Ability to stand on your toes or kneel w/o falling over due to the pain.

Could be psych meds of course

I’m glad your better Ability to stand on your toes or kneel w/o falling over
Hi Christina. About 9.5 to 10 years ago an MRI showed that I had a pituitary microadenoma. I obviously saw an endocrinologist like you are. At the time, he said it was still small, but that if it grew much larger that I would need a surgery to remove it. He said it was a surgery where they'd approach it through my nose past the sinus cavity, reaching to where the pituitary gland is in the brain. I have to tell you that was pretty scary of a prospect.

At that time mentioned above, I had recently had ECT and soon after became depressed again on Depakote and Invega, the combo I was on for much of a year of depression prior to the ECT. Between my depression and Depakote and Invega, I had gained a lot of weight and became pre-diabetic, had high triglycerides, and high cholesterol. Finally a psychiatrist took me off Depakote and Invega around the time of my MRI, for those reasons and hyperprolactinemia. I was switched to Lithium, Lamictal, Tegretol XR, and Geodon. About six months later, I had lost almost 40 lbs on a low"ish" carb diet, and then had a follow-up MRI. It was like a miracle! The pituitary microadenoma was completely gone. In the meantime, I had googled "pituitary microadenoma" and found many results that indicated that Risperdal (risperidone) seems to increase the likelihood of developing such pituitary tumors. Since Invega is like a close cousin to Risperdal, I assumed that was perhaps a factor in me developing the tumor. Hyperprolactinemia is also frequently observed in people (mostly women) on both Risperdal and Invega, a side effect that I, personally, have never had on any other antipsychotics.

I told the endocrinologist that I believed that the disappearance of my pituitary microadenoma was a result of stopping Invega about six months plus prior. Stopping Invega also normalized my prolactin level. Clearly related. He was very skeptical. I stopped going to him and have since had another MRI with zero tumor showing.
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  #8  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 10:02 PM
Anonymous46341
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Faltering View Post
I had balance problems with Tegretol. I fell over unexpectedly and my head would roll back. Then I found out I actually had a toxic level of it in my blood.
Tegretol XR does make me a bit clumsy, but not weak or really off balance.
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  #9  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 10:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BirdDancer View Post
Hi Christina. About 9.5 to 10 years ago an MRI showed that I had a pituitary microadenoma. I obviously saw an endocrinologist like you are. At the time, he said it was still small, but that if it grew much larger that I would need a surgery to remove it. He said it was a surgery where they'd approach it through my nose past the sinus cavity, reaching to where the pituitary gland is in the brain. I have to tell you that was pretty scary of a prospect.


At that time mentioned above, I had recently had ECT and soon after became depressed again on Depakote and Invega, the combo I was on for much of a year of depression prior to the ECT. Between my depression and Depakote and Invega, I had gained a lot of weight and became pre-diabetic, had high triglycerides, and high cholesterol. Finally a psychiatrist took me off Depakote and Invega around the time of my MRI, for those reasons and hyperprolactinemia. I was switched to Lithium, Lamictal, Tegretol XR, and Geodon. About six months later, I had lost almost 40 lbs on a low"ish" carb diet, and then had a follow-up MRI. It was like a miracle! The pituitary microadenoma was completely gone. In the meantime, I had googled "pituitary microadenoma" and found many results that indicated that Risperdal (risperidone) seems to increase the likelihood of developing such pituitary tumors. Since Invega is like a close cousin to Risperdal, I assumed that was perhaps a factor in me developing the tumor. Hyperprolactinemia is also frequently observed in people (mostly women) on both Risperdal and Invega, a side effect that I, personally, have never had on any other antipsychotics.


I told the endocrinologist that I believed that the disappearance of my pituitary microadenoma was a result of stopping Invega about six months plus prior. Stopping Invega also normalized my prolactin level. Clearly related. He was very skeptical. I stopped going to him and have since had another MRI with zero tumor showing.


Oh wow !

I use to take Invega ! Maybe mine is gone now to? Very interesting info. Yeah I looked into the surgery bit and really scared myself, a lot.

Isn’t it sick what kind of other illness can be caused by psych meds, I hear ya on the weight gain , Seroquil ?while it helped when first diagnosed I gained a ton of weight and my anorexic mind went literally nuts.

I don’t know why some doctors just won’t “ listen” we know our bodies best and know when something is off ...
I have a good Pdoc and GP that actually listen and don’t shoot down my ideas. I’m lucky.

Congrats on the weight loss !!!!
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  #10  
Old Sep 29, 2018, 11:56 PM
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luvyrself luvyrself is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Faltering View Post
I had balance problems with Tegretol. I fell over unexpectedly and my head would roll back. Then I found out I actually had a toxic level of it in my blood.
—I have had balance problems w tegretol. I would catch myself by crashing against the wall. I broke the toilet once crashing into it, LOL! I’m doing much better since doing water aerobics for a couple yrs.
Had word loss and other cognitive probs after increasing teg dose, so cut back. Higher dose was great for sleep. A trade off. Now I’m back to staring at the ceiling.
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  #11  
Old Sep 30, 2018, 05:14 AM
Anonymous32451
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I can't lean down, at all. my legs just give way and I fall

standing on my toes I can do... but only for a very short period of time
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  #12  
Old Sep 30, 2018, 03:35 PM
Unrigged64072835 Unrigged64072835 is offline
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I wish I can say it was from a med. I just have weak ankles and they wobble around when I do stuff like that. I can't even walk with one foot right in front of the other. Heaven forbid I have a field sobriety test!
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  #13  
Old Oct 01, 2018, 05:52 PM
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BipolaRNurse BipolaRNurse is offline
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I can't kneel or stand on my toes because of severe arthritis. But even if I didn't have that, I probably wouldn't be able to anyway because I have major balance problems. I've never been particularly graceful but since I've been on meds, my balance is precarious at best. I've had seven falls in the last two years, a couple of them fairly serious. I haven't broken anything (yet) and my bone density is good, but it's so easy to lose my balance that I live in fear of falling. I can't count the number of times I've almost fallen. Unfortunately I have to take the meds, and of course I have to watch my blood pressure because it's known to drop too low when I stand up suddenly (which is something I still have to practice---I forget).
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  #14  
Old Oct 01, 2018, 05:56 PM
*Laurie* *Laurie* is offline
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I was a ballet dancer until I was 40. I had some sense of being off-balance, but danced anyway and it went well. In my late 40's, when I was prescribed AP's and gained weight from the things - that was what has truly affected my balance.
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  #15  
Old Oct 02, 2018, 11:36 AM
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I stopped drinking whiskey. I found that if I drank a whole bottle I'd lose my balance & fall repeatedly.
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  #16  
Old Oct 02, 2018, 11:49 AM
Anonymous46341
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Originally Posted by emgreen View Post
I stopped drinking whiskey. I found that if I drank a whole bottle I'd lose my balance & fall repeatedly.
I agree that surely was a factor.
Thanks for this!
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