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How Many Pots Patients Can't Drive?


DSM3KIDZ

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I've been having these dizzy spells while driving. I don't know if it's POTS or anxiety. There's no reason for me to have anxiety while driving so I don't think that's it. Anyways I was wondering how many of you can no longer drive and how do you get things accomplished? I have to take the kids to their event, friend etc. and can't imagine not having the freedom to drive.

I am still driving -only if needed but I'm hoping this will pass as another weird sx that came and went.

Dayna

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Hi,

I haven't driven for almost 2 years. Alot of it is due to anxiety, which leads to tachycardia, which leads to near syncope. My heartrate hit 206 the last time I drove and that was with a beta blocker in me.

My goal is to start again this summer by just driving short distances and talking to someone on the cell phone as I start.

I will not accept this any longer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dawn :ph34r:

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I go through phases where I can't drive. Lately I've been able to drive short distances, but never on the highway. A few months ago I was too POTSy to drive, then I relied on my BF to get me to where I needed to go...but I was so sick all I ever really did was go to dr's appointments.

Have you tried limiting your driving time and taking breaks when you need to? Even now I sometimes get too dizzy and have to pull over and lay down, I usually feel better within a few minutes and start driving again.

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I right now will only drive with my husband. I ask the doctor for some motion sickness meds to try to see if it helps because I feel more sx when I'm moving in the car. I'm continuing to drive to make sure if it is an anxiety thing that it don't get too out of hand.

Thanks

dayna

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Hey,

I am in the Army, and when I was first diagnosed in 2004, the first thing my cardiologist said was that I was no longer able to drive. She put it in the systems on Fort Hood (where im stationed) that Im not allowed to be driving, so if im caught, theres severe consequences. I used to love to drive, so taking that away from me at the age of 20, was absolutely horrible. I just have a wonderful husband who is the designated driver.

V/R

Jaime

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Dayna, It must be so hard for you to worry about driving your kids around when you are having symptoms. My condition is really unstable and I can have (syncope) episodes come over me very quickly, therefore I'm not driving right now. I haven't driven for a year now, and I miss it big time. I used to commute an hour each way everyday to work/school. It's just too dangerous to be on the road for that long because i get POTS episodes while sitting. I think there are suggested guidelines on the vanderbilt website about driving...

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=adc&doc=4789

Patients with mild neurally mediated syncope have no restrictions on driving private vehicles and should have a 1 month event-free period before driving commercial vehicles. Mild neurally mediated syncope is characterized by mild symptoms (usually without syncope), occurs with warning, usually occurs only with standing, and occurs infrequently.

Severe neurally mediated syncope is characterized by severe symptoms (usually syncope), occurs without warning, occurs in any position, has no clear precipitating causes or occurs frequently. These patients are allowed to drive private vehicles after 3 months of documented control of the condition and commercial vehicles after they have been symptom free for 6 months.

Untreated patients with severe neurally mediated syncope are completely prohibited from driving.

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Hi there,

I DO NOT drive when I am severely symptomatic. Also, for the longest time and even sometimes now just worrying about getting "sick" while driving makes me anxious and I have an increase in symptoms...I have noticed that I am a little better if someone is with me while I am driving.

Jacquie

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This has been the one symptom, even on relatively symptom free days, that still plagues me.

I can drive about 30-45 minutes max before I start havibg the same type spells, and they come and go the whole time I am driving. I just have other people drive when we are going far away but I am luckily able to run around town as needed.

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I have never been aboe to drive.. I get around by city bus..9though not so mcuh anymore.. i pass out of the bus rides.. as some of the bus rides are about 40-1 hour long into the city..UGH)

I now use the Lift.. which is a transportation thingy for persons with disabilities.. or my b/f drives me where i neeed togo on rare occasions when i leave the house...

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After my time in the hospital last May, my cardiologist said i'm not allowed to drive anymore because of the risk of me passing out while i'm driving. I tried to explain to him that ive never passed out or had issues while i was driving, but that didn't work. What i don't get is that when i was dx with POTS no one ever mention anything about the driivng issue, and they still let me drive.

It was orginally suppose to be for the first 6 months, but during those 6 months if i had any episodes or even symptoms then it would start over again. So i don't know when i'll be driving again. It does still make me mad cause i really loved driving and miss it alot. And now i have to depend on other people to get me places which just gets frustrating after awhile.

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I've seen several times recently where some of you have referred to the vanderbilt guidelines about driving.

I just want to point out that we need to keep in mind that these are only guidelines. The laws vary by state so you would really need to check with your local DMV office to find out when you could attempt to drive again if you've had episodes of syncope.

Where I live, you have to go one year syncope free before they will even CONSIDER allowing you to drive. Commercial liscense is ever stricter (ie--I will NEVER be allowed a CDL in my state---not that I would want or need one but they are tough).

Also, keep in mind that even if your Dr or state does not restrict your lic. if you are diagnosed with any medical condition and there is any documentation in your medical file that you have trouble with syncope, then if you are in an accident involving another party they will most likely be able to sue the you know what off of you.

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I was doing a little driving here and there, whenever i didn't feel potsy. My ep went and had my liscense suspended due to medical conditions until they can get my syncope under control. Even though its hard having that taking away at 19, I understand that its for my own saftey and the saftey of other drivers. If I get caught driving, I will lose my liscense indefinately. (they might be just trying to scare me, but i listen) I do go in June to be re evaluated and possibly get it back.

Nicole~

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I'm actually glad this topic came up. I drive when I don't feel potsy. When I get sick, though, I don't feel like I should drive. I've had to ask friends to drive my car before. Before these posts, I felt dumb doing that...like I was overreacting. Now I realize I did the right thing. Especially since that thing about getting sued was brought up...I never thought of that!! :D

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No driving for me anymore..Just isn't worth the risk to others out there on the streets..and I am sure with as many fainting spells as I have the dmv would jerk my license away so fast I couldn't blink..lol...so its safer in the long run.. A pain for family/friends, but they agree, its not worth the risk to others..

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Thanks for all your responses. I think if I use good judgement I should be okay. I have never fainted so this might just be some motion sickness I'm experiencing. I just got a script for it to see if it helps.

I pray for it's just temporary.

Hang in there everyone

Dayna

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I don't think it's right for POTSies to drive. It's not allowed in the UK- I was annoyed at first, but I can see why now. A lot of us don't have to stand for symptoms to appear; sometimes just sitting upright can do it- and if one were on the highway/motorway and started to have a tachy edpisode or disturbed vision, or at worst, black out, one could be responsible for killing several innocent people. I have quite a strong view on this- I actually think it would be irresponsible for me to get behind the wheel of a car when I suffer from a really quite unpredictable condition.

I wouldn't trust my symptoms- would you? Why put yourself at risk?

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Luckily I don't need a car where I live. I wouldn't have driven for the first year of my POTS because I was so dizzy all the time. I think it's smart to use your judgement and not drive when you aren't feeling well. At this point, there are still off days or weeks when I wouldn't dare to get behind the wheel. But on a day to day basis, I think I'd be fine. I have driven several times without any problem.

We are all so different in our symptoms and the severity of our POTS, so I don't think there can be a blanket rule. I think this needs to be an indiviudal decision for each of us, based on our symptoms. Also most people with POTS don't have syncope -- although some do, this is more of an NCS symptom. I have no scientific basis for saying this, but from reading this forum for almost two years, I'd guess that most people here DO drive.

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I guess my feeling is, I didn't have syncope either...until I had it. It's a personal decision for all of us. There are people who just refuse to give up that independence, period. Look at all the 90 year old people with the reflexes of a turtle out there. Mowing people at bus stops over. My mother in law drives and she can't move her right arm!

But you have to be ready to live with the consequences if you are one of those people that never had a symptom before and then it happens. I also happen to faint sitting down. I didn't do that before I started doing it either. What ever you decide, just remember, there are consequences for every decision we make.

I'm sure many of you are fine driving, I hope the ones that aren't are making the right choice. morgan

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Hi,

i'm not allowed to drive at all, i was in the middle of sitting my tests when i first got ill, back in 2002 and the first doctor i saw told me no more driving!!

so now i'm doing a bit better but i have to have six months without a collapse before i'm allowed to drive again. oh well, one down five to go!!

hope everyone is ok

becks x x x

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