Driving Question.... What Helps?

[misstraci]

I've recently (over the past six months or so) gotten to the point where I can't drive and if I do it's horrible and terrifying. My two questions are

1. what symptoms keep you from driving and/or make it difficult?

2. what are some tips or tricks to be able to drive or at least make it be more comfortable?

My Symptoms while driving are: extreme lightheadedness, fading out feeling, dark vision, head spin, "seizurey" feelings, adrenaline surges.

thanks

Traci

[Katybug]

I stopped driving full time when I started feeling drunk and then would have a full pre-syncopal episodes with hot flashes, severe sweating, dizzy, nausea, occassional vomiting. I won't drive if I feel any of these symptoms or if I feel weak or fatigued as I usually decline when I am feeling this way. If I am having a "good day" I will drive but I am very careful and I won't drive very far from home (no more than 10 miles or so). I haven't found anything that makes it better. Sorry.

[ramakentesh]

I find that things that give you a boost in blood pressure help with driving.

[icesktr189]

I havent drove in two years and honestly believe it would be safer for a drunk driver to drive than me.

The symptoms that stop me from driving are severe brain fog, severe lightheadeness, just being upright makes me exhausted, shaking when I did try to drive and all the other pre sycope symptoms. I think driving is so hard for me is because I cant do a mental task with a physical one anymore... it has to be one or the other. WIth driving you have to steer and use the gas and brake and also be mentally alert...I just cant do both. All those things that go into driving (paying attention to other cars..ect) you need to be alert for. I would never attempt it at this point.

If I could get my bp stablized and more blood in my brain ( i have severe pooling from my stomach down) I can drive. Luckily I am very black and white with POTS... either really good or really bad.

[peregrine]

Same as dani here - I don't drive and it sounds pretty unsafe based on how I feel.

What keeps me from driving are severe brain fog as well, eyes blurring randomly, but mostly spaciness; I can pick up quickly on auditory signals but given that I have trouble navigating crowds and have to count cars to make sure I pay attention to them... yeah, not going to happen if I'm traveling 20x faster and in a giant death machine. *sigh* Good thing my city has good buses and I can walk.

[Potsie007]

I gave up driving for one year until I got well enough and stopped getting dizzy. I now make sure I don't keep my seat straight up, but I recline it back a little further than normal and that seems to help me. That goes along with sitting anywhere. I can't sit in a straight back chair with my hips and knees bent. I'll get dizzy within a few minutes like that...it's as if the blood can't get back up through the 2 bent angles of my knees and hips. When I sit with my legs and hips more stretched out, I do much better. I would seriously look for other options though if you're still getting really dizzy. Too dangerous for yourself, as well as others. Good luck!

[ramakentesh]

Until recently ive always driven with POTS. I usually load up with gatorade and coca cola (yeah healthy I know) and just go for it. Recently I hvae been so dizzy and presyncopey that its probably too dangerous. Id think some drunk drivers would be more perceptive than me at the moment in my current state.

[icesktr189]

Its true that if you are having those symptoms, especially when driving, you really need to not drive. I know its so hard letting that freedom go, but if you were to kill someone with your medical records showing POTS, you could have some serious charges against you I talked to my doctor and he said that even if you dont have symptoms and still have the POTS diagnosis with sycope episodes, the DMV could pull your license and that is without having symptoms! crazy!

[misstraci]

thanks guys!

dani, i didn't know that

[Troy]

1. what symptoms keep you from driving and/or make it difficult?

2. what are some tips or tricks to be able to drive or at least make it be more comfortable?

1- The warmth of the sun coming in through the windows an causing me to overheat. Felling those adrenalin surges which in my case also give me headaches, neck stifness, pain, muscle spasms, nausea, tachycardia, feeling jittery and feeling as If I may pass out .

2- I now wear a cooling vest and carry a pump spray bottle filled with water used to spray and cool myself to overcome the warmth of the sun or heat. I alway have my mobile phone on my lap or on the next seat which boosts my confidence knowing that getting help is one call away. So many times I have stopped the car by pulling over to the side of the road and ringing my mum and talking to her whilst waiting for my symptoms to subside. This has helped me a lot and given me the confidence I need to venture out driving by myself. Just the thought that you can let someone know where you are also helps with knowing you will be safe in worst case scenarios like if you faint. Otherwise there is not much else you can do to help with driving when you are having a bad POTS episode.

[potsgirl]

I don't drive on my 'bad' days (which unfortunately are most of my days), especially when I'm feeling 'spacey' and light-headed. I hate that because I like my independence and don't like being house-bound. Right now I can only make appointments and do errands when my fiance is around to drive me. On good days, I'll travel short distances, and I really concentrate on what I'm doing and my surroundings!