This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

[ioannamelina]

[/img][/i]I feel very very sad Yesterday night me and my boyfriend wanted to go out and have fun,as every Saturday happens here in Greece.So,i wore nice clothes to be prety and also wore 'high 'shoes(i do not know the english word...).That was mistake,bad choice because i could not walk on them!i felt AWFUL!... I am a young girl..i do not want to wear always flat shoes... Has any other girl this problem??? (i have to say that my boyfriend has no problem and tried to make me feel better by saying that either wearing high or flat shoes,he is always in love with me. But i hate myself sometimes when i can not act normal...)

[jimmylegs]

hiya they are "high heels"
i don't know exactly why you are having trouble walking in them but i'm going to assume you have lost feeling in your feet and maybe also the legs.
you could try getting used to the shoes at home for short times, and then build up slowly to short trips away from home, and then finally a whole night out.
it takes a while to get back to everyday activities when your body doesn't work the same any more.
practise will force your body and brain to do whatever it can manage, to try to compensate...
do as much as you can, as long as you still feel safe
good luck
JL

[Terry]

I spent a summer wearing flat shoes that either tied or buckled around my ankles because I couldn't keep anything else on. Mrs George had to buy shoes she didn't like because they fit around her brace. We've been there.
Get some pretty flats and wear them now. Safety first. Maybe by next year you'll be back in your heels. (I don't have to tie my shoes to my ankles anymore!)
Terry

[gibbledygook]

Safety first is very important! I completely sympathise with you as I haven't been able to wear high heels since my diagnosis and struggle with heels of any sort. My first symptom was loss of walking ability. I was 33. My walking has remained very poor ever since (nearly 5 years) and I have had to pack all my beautiful high heels away. However I'd rather not twist my ankle wearing heels of any sort as this is very likely with motor function loss. I would recommend trainers or sports shoes. Nike has an online site that enables one to design one's own trainers. I now have a few smart all black Nike trainers which are good for going out in as they look quite chic with dark trousers.

[Wonderfulworld]

Hi Joanna
I can remember when I walked out of my house in high heels and had to come back home and take them off again. I didn't know why I couldn't walk in them! Three years later I was diagnosed with MS. That diagnosis was 10 years ago now and I can walk in high heels again now - only ones with straps. Sometimes I can't wear high heels, and sometimes I can.

I think the idea that jimmylegs said to you, to try walking in them at home, for short periods of time is a good idea. I used to practise walking in high heels again when I was in my home, and it did help.

It is upsetting when you can't do something normal, we understand that. Your boyfriend still loves you in flat shoes, and maybe soon you can walk in high heels again.

[DIM]

Don't feel sad IoannaMelina, my wife has had uninterrupted relapses the first few months after diagnosis and before we find our way she couldn't walk unaided from me and used to wear flat shoes.
Exercise did help her to increase her walking ability back to normal and now can use high heels, boots etc as every individual!
If you haven't tried vibro machine and other stability exercises give them a try, you'll be surprised from the results.

[Miss_Feisty]

Did someone say High heels?

I have a few hundred pairs scattered around in any storage area possible.
I put mine away for awhile and it was a horrible struggle.

This sounds silly but for women who love them and wear them everyday it is difficult when they become one of our limitations.

I look at my 4 inch spikes and try to imagine how falling down would feel as opposed to walking gracefully. It helps.

Any wobbly shoes are put away, but I have found wearing a wedge heel offers more stability and has the same effect as a normal heel. I find even a 2 or 3 inch wedge is easier to walk in because the bottom is flat.

I fell in love with shoes again when I found a company who offered stylish shoes that are very comfortable and light as a feather. They are more expensive but worth it.

IoannaMelina: I understand how you feel. If you can't wear the shoes you have, shop around for other shoes that are safe and make you feel good.
In the world of shoes, there are many options.

Best of luck.

[ioannamelina]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! i feel all of you so close to me i am happy to be a kind of friend of you You have right.maybe it is silly.there are so many other problems more important in life..maybe i lose my faith sometimes..i saw in tv a boy 22years old who take a grade cos he was the winner in olympic games and he has no legs!!! i would like to draw this boy and put the portrait on the wall of my room so to remember every every moment that all of us we are so special cos the soul is that makes someone special If you were here in my country,i would invite all of you to come and eat in my house!

[MrsGeorge]

Like the others, betweens the numbness in my leg and my poor balance, high heels are definitely a no for me most of the time. I was very sad when I had to buy new shoes that went over my leg brace because they were all so ugly. Eventually though I found some very pretty shoes that fit. And now on a good day I can wear girly shoes with a little heel (but I still need to use a crutch to walk).

You will get there. Try not to let it upset you too much. Just because you find it difficult now doesn't mean that will always be the case.