This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi again sorry about all my posts but I went for a walk today (I haven't been going for walks for about a week) and felt very poorly whilst walking as well as for a while afterwards, all my usual symptoms were a lot worse and I felt very dizzy, clumsy, weak and had a lot of hot/cold sensations, burning in my eyes, prickling etc..

I'm wondering if anyone would know if walking makes it worse could that mean it is more physical rather than neurological?
and does it sound like it would be more likely to be my spine? or can neurological problems be made worse with walking?

The weird thing is that cleaning the house and picking up kids etc doesn't make things worse

Melissa – I think your question is difficult to answer because there are so many possible variables involved: weather, temperature, degree of exertion, etc.

Was it a humid day? Was it a warm day? Or were you walking during the warmest part of the day? Was the sun shining? Were you pushing your speed? Were you perspiring?

On the surface, it seems to be a simple question; but it may be more difficult than you think.

There have been times when walking seemed to bring stronger symptoms on me, but not always.

I used to find that if I were stopping and starting ( I.e. cleaning house,picking up after kids, etc) things werent too bad- maybe using different muscle groups or stopping here and there for a few seconds to fold laundry etc. gave a bit of rest? Who knows.

However walking non-stop used the same muscles and tired me quickly. I even did better if walking while shopping because stopping to look in a store, etc. seemed to give me a reprieve. If walking I could recover quickly enough when resting at first, the the rest periods needed to be longer and the fatigue came on more quickly as I kept walking.

Be careful not to get so far from your home that you are scared you won't make it back- happened to me a few times.

Maybe test the temperature/ weather theory by walking in the cooler evening? Use Nordic walking poles for support? If it onto use walking may not be the best form of exercise for you.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes the next few times you walk.

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Kathy, 49 with PPMS,full time scooter.
Married to a wonderful man, mother to a darling 9 yr old boy

Melissa,

Motion or posture dependant sx are often physical, and unfortunately we can have both physical and neurological problems at the same time.

My 1st MS sx and some serious back problems (herniated disc, cyst in spinal column) arrived around the same time. Because some of it was a little familiar from a previous disc episode, I went straight to my back doctor (a physiatrist). He's the one who sent me to a neurologist and also figured out my back problems (and explained the differences pretty well).

So, yeah: Get thee to a physiatrist!

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RRMS dx 3/3/11; Copaxone since 12/1/11

Thanks thats really helpful KateCW you described it exactly and Im pretty sure I wouldn't have made it home if I had been on my own. I said to my husband that if he took the baby and let me lie down on the street I would go straight to sleep on the side of the road without a second thought. Im also fine with walking in the supermarket though a long day out shopping seems to make my head feel clouded and I can't think very clearly at all.

Lynda Carol thanks for that to clarify it was in the evening and not very hot at all, I didn't sweat and can't walk very fast because my legs get very tired easily and quite weak. I did have my son in a moby wrap so I might try going for a walk without that and see. I have noticed walking in the past my legs felt quite weak and I felt dizzy but I only just made the connection last night that the walking makes things worse.

Thanks Mark I think I will go back to the doctor and talk to him about it possibly being my spine or back.. I was going to wait until it had been a month since I had seen him but if he agrees that I should see a back doctor then I would rather be on that road sooner rather than later.