Driving

[Goblin]

Do any of you still drive? I have to drive in order to get to classes, work, and my internship. I feel very anxious while I am driving though, and it is getting worse. I am so worried that I am going to pass out while driving- I never have passsed out from this illness yet. For a while, it only bothered me to drive on the highway- I just felt like my eyes could not keep up with the road, so I avoided that. Now, I feel dizzy and my heart speeds up as soon as I start driving even on regular roads. Sometimes I think a big part of this is in my head. It is really stressing me out though. Does anybody have any experience or advice, I would really appreciate some. My family and my boyfriend just do not seem to understand... they say well, you need to do it, so just do it. For me, it is not that easy. -Stacey

[nicole]

I start getting nervous just knowing that I have to drive somewhere. It has totally limited my life, I used to drive an hour to work and I had to quit, now when I look for a job I try to look within a 15 minute radius. I can feel what you are feeling. As I posted earlier I started Celexa to try to get me thru it. Dont let it over take your life. Mine started with driving and has moved into other aspects of my life. When I drive now (which is all the time, I have an 11 year old) I listen to books on tape from the library, they make me forget my fears. Good luck to you and you are not alone.

[Goblin]

Thank you for the reply. Do you get the dizzy feeling when you are driving? I almost feel like there is something wrong with my perception. I try not to let it limit me, but I totally understand what you are saying about staying within a short radius while driving. It feels good to know that someone can sympathize with this. Take care, -Stacey

[futurehope]

I do not consider myself as a fearful person, yet I have now limited my driving to areas close to home (within 5 miles). I sometimes (twice a year) have to go 15 - 20 miles to see my allergist and I just don't think it's safe. I believe that anxiety and rapid heartrate in my case are due to the fact that I'm sitting. Sitting in a vertical position causes my problems (as well as standing still). I do not think you should dismiss what your body tells you. Anxiety can be caused by the body pumping more adrenaline (or epinephrine or catecholamines or whatever it is) to compensate for the "vertical position" of being in the carseat. I think it's easy to mix up the fearfulness with a genuine body response to the stress. Whatever the multiple factors involved, I choose not to go far from home. As a matter of fact, it was VERY difficult for me to stand in the lines I needed to be in to renew my driver's license. Luckily for me, the day I went and the hour I went, the lines were not too long, and I could sit on a bench waiting for my turn (I would respond when my number came up on a screen). Don't know what it will be like 5 years from now though, when I renew my driver's license then. I may not be able to do it then.

[JacobyD]

Hi Stacey.

Driving was my passion before I became ill. I used to race in organized events (mine was the green car in my avatar). About 6 months after I became ill I realized I wouldn't be racing any time soon and had to sell the car. I couldn't even sit up to look out the window to watch it being trailered away.

I replaced it with a much less expensive, yet almost as fun car. A supercharged MINI Cooper. I have had this car for two years now, and it has a grand total of 1,500 miles on it. After three years of this stuff, I can honestly say that once I am able to drive on a semi-regular basis I will really feel like I have acheived something! For now, just taking short hops around the neighborhood every couple of weeks will have to do.

I don't faint, but driving seems to make me symptomatic. Must be the need for total concentration and all the arm and leg movement...who knows. If you do feel like you might faint I would HIGHLY recommend that you not drive! I hope you start feeling better soon.

-Dan

[MightyMouse]

I don't have problems driving except in the heat of summer if my car has gotten really hot inside. I make sure it's cooled off before getting in. Other than that, I've never had a problem driving.

Nina

[nicole]

Hi Stacey, I do get dizzy driving. I always have salt and gatoraide with me. I know some of my symptoms are because of pots but I also know that I have made them worse with my fears. I am afraid of passing out even though I never have. When I start feeling really bad I will pull off somewhere and put my feet up. My doctors told me to try to live as normal as I can and with the proamatine and celexa I am on my way. Stay positive and have a great holiday.

[geneva]

Stacey I can understand your concern. I have had problems and it took a long time to find a way to explain. My doctor said he feels that for me the problem driving is overstimulation. My brain is trying to take in EVERYTHING from each cloud in the sky to every car, person, tree etc and then there is an overload. Noise from the highway adds to the problem. When I hit the overstimulation point I get lightheaded and know that if I take my BP it will be UP about 50 to 60 points from when I got in the car. When I am a passenger this will happen but I can look down. I also have to keep the radio off for the same reason.

If I drive on our country FM roads with minimal visual stimulation I do not have the same problem. When we moved I had to retrain my brain for the 10 minute drive into the grocery store. After 2 months I was fine. But 6 months ago when they were building a new overpass on my grocery store route the lanes would be switched up and each time my brain would do a number UNTIL I had done the same route a few times.

I hope you are feeling better soon and do be careful.

[Ling]

Driving is a challenge for me in my life. I refuse to give up driving as I will be throwing away my independence. And besides that I am not quitting even with all 3 Disease making my life ****. I pass out allot and cant always fight it. I have a lot of attacks and often get them behind the wheel. I will let you in on my story of success. I drive a minimum of 55 km a day to work and back. Once I place myself behind the wheel in the morning I pray. I ask the Lord to send one of his fantastic angel drives to drive me to work safely. I drive knowing that I am not alone. When I feel a attack coming on I just pray hard and give it over to the Lord. Praying is the most powerful thing in the world. I must however add that it takes allot out of me and I have to concentrate so hard just to get to work. The worst part is the morning hangovers and wanting to sleep behind the wheel. I have gone for spiritual healing and have not been cured yet. And I have barely made it to work before and ended up passing out and having a full-blown attack. But this is what the Lord has given me and I don’t know why. All I can do is live with it and pray all the way to work and back.