"driving anxiety"??

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by Houston Ringing, May 6, 2012.

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  1. Houston Ringing

    Houston Ringing New Member

    Morning all
    I've suffered from MD for over 15 years but over the last 6 month I've had a new flavor of attacks. They are very short (10-20 seconds) but extremely intense. The sensation is like I'm almost being pushed or rolled?!? A few times I was driving but learned to let go of the wheel, tap the brakes and pull over. One result now is that I get very anxious when driving, especially on the interstate. It's not bad enough to have attacks but I spend a lot of time worrying about the next one-scouting out my surroundings just in case. Can anyone else relate and if so what's helped? Not driving is not an option for me
    Thank you and happy Sunday :)
     
  2. Butterflyjen

    Butterflyjen New Member

    I can relate to anxiety about driving. I work 50 miles away from home and a few family members/friends know that there may be times that they have to come "rescue" me. There are times when I can feel an attack coming on so I'll drive home while I can still drive. Sometimes it seems like driving helps (focusing forward?). It sounds like your symptoms are different though. I don't know if what works for me can work for you, but I can relate to the anxiety about driving.
     
  3. carolyn33

    carolyn33 New Member

    When I get to that point, I get in the slow lane and follow the painted white lines and glance up at traffic in front of me. nothing else. trucks and cars going by make it worse so i just tune it out. If i need to go slower I do let them go around me, or I get off and go a different way. OR I get off and say a prayer to get me where I'm going safe.
     
  4. cherylmcgr

    cherylmcgr New Member

    I to have just a riding in the car thing. I am so exited yet dreading the 17hour ride to see my granddaughter. I have a back up driver cause sometimes I am ok sometimes not but I am on a good cycle and going to take advantage of it.
     
  5. hollymm

    hollymm Me, 'in' a tree.

    houston - I hope you're planning on talking to your doctor real soon about these new sensations you're having. It might not be MM driven. In the mean time - there is absolutely no other option than driving yourself? Do you drive for a living?
     
  6. winewench

    winewench I'm not drunk, I just walk with an accent!

    Houston, I think we have a problem...(pun intended).

    I have the same thing. It sucks. I take Valium before driving and after my last attack in the car, I've been staying off the freeways and making sure that there's plenty of room behind me in case I need to stop and pull over. It is terrifying.

    It's a vicious cycle - you are afraid of having an attack in the car and that anxiety can actually bring it on. I'm working with my therapist (who also has MM) about this right now.

    I just left a job that required me to drive (and fly) long distances from home and my safety net. My new job is 15 minutes from home, vs 50 minutes and I won't have to fly or drive long distances any more. That, in and of itself, has lessened my stress level. I also will not get on the road now if I'm feeling "offish."

    My Dr. offered a good chunk of advice - he told me that (at least here in CA) MM patients don't warrant a call to the DMV, because we don't lose conciousness, like an epileptic would. He also told me that there is a "lizard" part in our brains that takes over and allows us to pull over safely.

    I hope this helps! I'm right there with you.

    Sue

    Is there a way you can take a break from driving for a while and work through the anxiety? Counseling really helps, as does being kind to yourself.
     
  7. Nathan

    Nathan New Member

    Winewench, you shouldn't be driving while under the influence of valium.

    I hate this disease as much as you do, though the last thing I would want is to discover you've been in an accident, or you've had an accident due to the effects of valium or received a DUI for doing so.

    It's an absolute bastard of a situation, I know, though there are exercises available which you can learn & master to free yourself of anxiety without the use drugs - if you taking valium before you drive to prevent the anxiety induced by a possible episode of vertigo.
     
  8. hollymm

    hollymm Me, 'in' a tree.

    I couldn't pass an 'under the influence' test whether I was on drugs or not!

    Winewench, I'm glad that if you have to drive, you're at least taking precautions that lesson the chance of an accident whether you're on drugs or not. The other thing is I have a choice of driving or not because I'm retired and I know you don't have that choice.

    When I do drive, I always take the back roads whenever possible.

    Shit, I've got a migraine and the tinnitus is sounding off pretty loud. I'm going to go take some meds to help so I can stay for while...
     
  9. Jäger

    Jäger Me and My sweetie 15 years ago :)

    Taking valium is the only way I can drive it lessens the likelihood of having vertigo not to mention the anxiety of driving. It’s only 2 mg the smallest dose so I do not feel any dizziness or like I’m high or anything. I don’t even feel drowsy.

    However with all fairness if I did feel any of those things I wouldn’t drive. The warning label is as follows so if you do feel drowsy or dizzy do not drive:

    May Cause Drowsiness. Taking This Medicine Alone Or With Alcohol May Lessen Your Ability To Drive Or Perform Hazardous Task.
     

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