Hi all, I have sca of unknown type, diagnosed in 2007. Up to about 2004 I was active and healthy with no problems.
I broke an ankle in 2003 and had to have a titanium plate screwed to the bone, which has now been removed.
My question is has having the plate inserted, in some way triggered the ataxia or is it just coincidence? I'm not so sure as seems to big a coincidence to me as before then I used to cycle, swim, run, play foootball etc without any problems. Just wondered if anyone had any viewpoints, I do apolgise if this has been covered before.
Hi Martin... my cerebellar ataxia was triggered by foot surgery. I had a three part operation to straighten my right foot.
In recovery the physio noticed my wide gait... I was referred to neurologist who diagnosed CA and it has slowly progressed from there. I had metal pins inserted and some have been removed back one remains permanently.
I dont think the surgery actually caused the CA but it did trigger it. I did have falls but didnt think anything of it. I have always staggered a bit but had no idea it was a medical condition.
Dear Martin, I have a metal cap over the bone of my right great toe, as I have arthritis in my feet and had to have this bone shaved down. Also, in the past I've had knee surgery and hand surgery (no metal inserts for those). I've always wondered why I have ataxia, as like you, I was very athletic and active before. No one in my family, as far back as we know, has/had ataxia, except me. Therefore, I have no idea why, or if it was triggered by surgery... ;o)
I thought it was odd also when I was diagnosed a year after my back surgery. I have 10" of titanium in my lower back...cages, 5 screws and carbon fiber disk. Weird!
I have heard a couple of comments like this before. I, too, broke a bone. It was the fibula in my leg. As I recall, it was about 2002. Once I recovered, I noticed the tendency to hang onto anything within reach as I walked.This progressed slowly and it t took about four-five years before I was concerned enough to see a neurologist and have an MRI. I still don't know what type I have, but I will push for tests to resolve this question when I see my neurologist this year.
I had reconstructive ankle surgery in January 2013. To repair the fracture (talar dome) the doctors used a cadaver bone and 3 screws to repair the fracture. I went through rehab without a problem and was doing some light running by June.
However in July I began having vision problems, difficulty navigating stairs, heavy legs, and a balance/coordination problems. In August I reported my symptoms to my family doctor. He ordered an MRI on the brain which revealed cerebellar atrophy. I was diagnosed with ataxia in September. I have had genetic testing which was inconclusive.
I have raised my concerns to my doctors about the effects of the surgery but the doctors believe that the cerebellum has been degenerating for years and that the surgery may simply triggered the ataxic symptoms.
Hi Martin ......I was diagnosed with SCA6 not by having surgery but by a fire at my business which was mostly Agriculture Chemicals. My 2 partners got a clean bill of health. The Neurologist said I had the Gene and anything could set it off. I was very active as well.20 years latter I spend 97%of my time in a wheelchair the balance ona walker
Because I checked out headaches and vomiting.I cannot pickup a biro, feed, dress etcetera .
Hi Martin, I believe from the Anesthesia it can damage our cerebellum, or kick it off to get it started if something is laying dormant. At least that's what I've been told anyway from the Mayo Clinic. See I had a hysterectomy and woke up with mine. I was walking 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours per day and loved it! Now I don't walk a block that well! :0( They said it didn't happen because of surgery but it just happened at that time. Now I really monitor getting any for anything. I don't want to add to my degeneration.
My situation is very similar to those mentioned above. I was recently diagnosed, but started having difficulty after Cataract surgery in January. Although I had problems for many years they did no really affect me much until after the surgery. Since then I have had three falls and in one of the falls I fractured 4 ribs. In the most recent fall my legs gave ou from under me when I was getting off a bus.
I had a hernia repair with a plastic mesh in 2006 that caused me excruitiating pain. Over the next few years I began to also have a wide variety of autoimmune issues that became progressively worse. I also started to lose my balance and fall and drop things more and more.
I had always been fairly clumsy as a kid, but was able to function fine and was perfectly healthy, just not the kind of kid who was picked for games ! I managed to raise a large family and hold down a full-time job without any problems.
I am now at the point that I must use a walker and can not do simple things like use a can opener or file my nails or bathe unassisted and am no longer able to take care of myself or work
In researching my pain from the hernia mesh, and looking for surgeons who would do a removal I discovered that many of the people who suffer from disabling pain following placement of mesh also develop ataxia symptoms and autoimmune diseases.
My official diagnosis is encephalitic cerebellar ataxia, and positive tests for rheumatoid arthritis markers. I strongly believe the plastic mesh triggered or caused all these problems.
Thank you all for taking the time to read and respond to my post. It certainly does appear that there is some link to surgery/anasthetic, that causes perhaps dormant problems to become more prominiment, I shall discuss this when | next see my Neurolgist.
Don’t be surprised if the Neurologist is dismissive. The experience of most people who have become disabled due to surgical mesh is that Doctors are very reluctant to even look at the issue, and there are thousands of people who have had their lives completely derailed.