SCA6 My first fall yesterday

Try to dissect what caused the fall. What I mean, we know it is ataxia, but was it a loss of concentration? or just being clumsy? Basically, as soon as you are sure try to AVOID it in the future…Falling affects your confidence…I have sca2 and trying to avoid the falls as much as possible. My paternal grandmother had it and she was falling, despite being completely sober. Later on started drinking out of despair (which hasn’t helped), but perhaps cushioned the landing :slight_smile: I don’t want to jinx it, but stayed free of falls for the last 3 years…Although lost the balance, still have some feeing how far I can go (when hovering wall leaning_)

It may not progress very quickly. I used to fall occasionally for no discernible reason more than 40 years prior to diagnosis. I thought nothing of it until my progression became evident but now realize that this together with some other symptoms which I didn’t think remarkable were caused by my underlying ataxia.

It’s good to let people you work with know that you have a balance problem, if you haven’t already. Sometimes it’s best to leave it there, to avoid the awkward “will it get better” conversation.

Otherwise they might think you’re hitting the sauce.

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I also have SCA6, diagnose 9 years ago. I fell over in 2014 and broke my wrist badly and fell over again a year later and bruised my arm badly. After falling I became very unsteady and afraid of losing my balance especially crossing roads and open spaces. I started using a cane, which was difficult but has given me back confidence, as well as saving me from from other falls.
On a more positive no4, it is important to do exercise that helps maintain balance, muscle tone and elasticity. I do qi gong, which is a form of tai chi. Also pilates. I go to an osteopath who is really helping with muscle and tendon stiffness in my legs and feet. It really helps to be doing something to fight the disease, not just letting it happen, especially for a young person like you. And remember it develops very slowly.

Last year I fell and twisted my ankle, it’s led to me being super conscious when I’m on my feet. The accident could so easily have been prevented if I’d just paid more attention to my surroundings…

Keep trucking, a buddy. 7 times down, 8 times up.
I’ve been dealing with my SCA6 for about 6 years.

Just like you I got the shock of my life when I had my first fall only a few week’s ago shook me right. I got out of bed to close a window because I wasn’t thinking got straight up off the bed made it to the window then turned and went spiraling across the room and landed on the end of the bed and hung on for dear life. Funny thing was my husband slept through the lot!!! I shimmied my way around and got back into bed very shaken. Then I had to give myself a very good talking too… Finally setting down you would believe I need to go to the toilet so another talking to got me to the bathroom and back! So fun and game’s it’s not but I did think it funny hubby didn’t know a thing. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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:joy: It’s surprising what men can sleep through. The main thing is that although you must have been thoroughly ‘amazed’ by your acrobatics, you didn’t have any injuries. I once stood on the mattress to reach over and clean the top of a wardrobe :roll_eyes: It was before I was diagnosed, and I didn’t expect anything untoward to happen. But…obviously the mattress acted like a trampoline, and like you I went spiralling out of control :woman_facepalming: Time stood still until I landed, fortunately still on the mattress but it was touch and go… :wink: xB

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That takes me back before I was diagnosed I did a similar thing bouncing around on the bed trying to clean a ceiling fan couldn’t do it I didn’t know why! Didn’t fall but on the very positive side of thing’s I no longer have to clean the ceiling fan’s.:rofl

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:wink: There are actually some plus’s, not many but some…