Finding things more difficult as I age

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PurpleDaisy
PurpleDaisy Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Cerebral Palsy Network
I have mild CP affecting my left side and causes incontinence. I have always found walking tiring and needed to sit and rest a lot. At the age of 32 I'm finding things increasingly difficult. I know CP does not worsen so why are things getting worse? In the last few years I have had to start using a rollator. I'm falling more often and finding it harder to tend to my personal hygiene. I also suffer with depression which does not help with motivation but physically I find it so hard to move my leg and have quite a bit of pain. Does anyone else have these problems. I'm worried its going to worsen futher.

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  • Richard_Scope
    Richard_Scope Posts: 3,777 Cerebral Palsy Network
    Hi @PurpleDaisy
    Thanks for your post and a very warm welcome to the Community!

    I am sorry to read that you are experiencing a tough time at the moment. I can relate to some of the things that you have mentioned in your post. Ageing affects everybody but people with CP tend to feel the effects more acutely because of the stress we put on our muscles and joints. People like us also use up to 5 time more energy performing basic tasks.

    I will include some links that you might find helpful. The first one is a conversation thread from our Community. It contains advice from people with CP with real-life experiences:
    https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/28690/things-that-you-have-found-helpful-for-managing-your-cp#latest 

    We also have an advice page about Ageing and Disability:

    https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/ageing 

    Stay in touch and if there is anything else I can help with, let me know.


  • htlcy
    htlcy Online Community Member Posts: 127 Empowering
    Hi @PurpleDaisy lovely to 'meet' you! Speaking from personal experience I have definitely noticed things because more difficult as I've aged (I'm 24 and have right sided hemi) . As I understand it, even though the brain injury doesn't worsen, the body will continue to age things can become more difficult. Since I'm pretty mobile I find that I fatigue very quickly and my affected limbs are often quite painful in a way they haven't been before. So although CP is not progressive as such, the wear and tear of everyday life can contribute to worsening symptoms. I agree with @speedincaesar : we use up to five times the energy as those without CP (no wonder I'm asleep all of the time!). Hope some of the links above help and rememer we'r only ever a post away :)
  • lozzer25
    lozzer25 Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
    Hi purple daisy im 31 I am mobile but suffer from pains in my legs everyday particularly my left I also get very fatigued it comes over me like a wave and just feel dog tires im forever napping as I don't sleep very well at night I have mild spastic diplegia and upper limb apraxia shoulders and neck are always tense 

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