statesof Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 Hey everyone, I'm wanting to see if anyone else has had similar experiences. Over the last year I've gone on four different road trips; three of which were two day drives to get to the destination, the other was a one day 12 hour drive. What I noticed was that except for one of the trips, my brain felt pretty horrible after the first day long of driving. I would explain it as an 'uncomfortable' feeling in my head, some pressure, sometimes it felt like my brain was physically overtaxed (not mentally overstimulated), and just very physically sensitive and 'off' feeling. When I did take an aspirin it made my brain feel better but made my chest feel an uncomfortable tightness/ pressure in it. The negative feelings in my head from this would kind of come up in waves a bit and then go down for a few hours, and its been a couple days since I stopped driving and I can still feel my brain 'recovering' from it but not 100% better. I don't know if it is the elevation changes through the drive, or barometric pressure or something like that. In that particular drive going from Chicago to Texas, I notice I feel terrible once I get around Oklahoma; not sure why though as its not much of an elevation difference. I have realized that my POTS brain and body is not built for travel, it almost feels like it could be dangerous for me or at least that's the feeling I get from what my body is telling me, still wish I could nail it down to what factor may be the cause of this all. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 Dear @statesof - are you actually driving yourself or are you a passenger? I do not drive b/c of POTS and seizures, so I am always just a passenger. I cannot tolerate long drives very well even as passenger and always crash for a day or so afterwards. I reckon that if you drive yourself the weird feeling in your brain could stem from having to concentrate on driving for so long. I can no longer focus on anything for very long without getting wore out. I am not sure if this is what you experience but it feels as if my BRAIN is actually tired and achy. Maybe - just guessing - the fact that you get it in Oklahoma could be a matter of TIME you spent on the road rather than the geographical location? Maybe it is your body telling you that this is as far as you should go - kind of like it does when we know we stood too long and have to lie down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statesof Posted June 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2020 Hey @Pistol I was driving myself which is typically not a problem for me as far is over-stimulation, its more the feeling like something physical is happening to my brain either with some external change over that period in time of the landscape (like elevation, or barometric pressure, or something else), or something physical occurs at a certain point in driving, like after +8 hours or something. The odd thing is its a very 'physical' feeling, not at all like brain fog or over-stimulation which I've had in the past. It also doesn't make sense to me that it would just be about being behind the wheel as I've worked for longer periods of time than that with more meticulous of tasks and never felt anything similar. I cannot say for certain its linked to elevation changes but it feels to me it must be some environmental occurrence like that, that would be causing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted June 15, 2020 Report Share Posted June 15, 2020 8 hours ago, statesof said: I cannot say for certain its linked to elevation changes but it feels to me it must be some environmental occurrence like that, that would be causing this. Could be - I recently traveled from my home in the Appalachian mountains ( 2700 feet elevation at my house ) to the ocean and as soon as I got out of the car I crashed. I assume this was due to the elevation change, so maybe that is what happened to you as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statesof Posted June 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2020 Hey @Pistol when you say you 'crashed' can you go into more detail about that? -- like what specific symptoms you were experiencing and how long it took for you to feel more okay again? Also, do you have any idea why the decrease in altitude affected you in that way? I know for me when I drove to DC and first experienced this stuff I went from around 2,200 ft elevation to about sea level and that's the first thing that made me think elevation affected me negatively particularly if it was a fast descent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted June 17, 2020 Report Share Posted June 17, 2020 Hi @statesof my "crash"-symptoms were palpitations, extreme fatigue, general weakness, cold hands and feet ( despite the heat ) and brain fog. My husband said I looked gray. In the past this would have increased my BP but it does not appear to rise my BP as severe as it used to, thanks to my meds and IV fluids. I had to stay in bed until I got an infusion the next morning, it completely took care of all the symptoms. ( I have a port and can infuse a liter 3 times a week if I need to ). You asked why elevation changes affect me like this: I believe it has to do with a change in barometric pressure. The pressure outside of our bodies must be affecting the pressure inside of our blood vessels and therefore change the autonomic tone. Strangely the elevation change on the way home did npt affect me - maybe because my body is used to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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