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Is driving a challenge for you?

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Posted 3/16/2012 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I was just wondering if anyone has concerns about your driving abilities? Do you scare yourself when you drive by being distracted, have inability to turn your head enough to check behind you or inability to judge distance?

Thanks,

masschaos

Posted 3/16/2012 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
I have to really try and concentrate. My problem is that I can only sit for about an hour without having to get out and walk a bit. Long trips scare me to death. Just riding the 6 hours to see my mom causes me to go into a bad flare and walking around like I am the one that is 80 instead of my mom.
Posted 3/17/2012 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
masschaos- You were wonddering how other people driving ability is ? I finally had to stop driving due to concentration. I started having trouble finding my car in a parking lot, I forget how to get to a place was the biggest thing. After having some seizures it took a toll on my brain. I know am blessed to have a disability service that takes me any where I want to go in town. I just love it. It wasn't real hard to give up my driving. I have good and bad days with fibro fog.
Posted 3/17/2012 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
I've stopped driving since just before my diagnosis because I was always in so much pain sitting in that one position for any length of time, and the repetitive motion of moving my foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal caused me to have shooting pains into my hip. Also I found driving extremely tiring and stressful - not fun to have to depend on transportation all the time, but better than having that extra stress, fatigue and pain to deal with.
Posted 3/17/2012 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
There are days that I won't drive because my fog is so bad. In the past I've ended up at the mall when I was supposed to be at the doctors...lost my car numerous times...sat at a stop sign waiting for a green light...gone grocery shopping to return home and forget to unload the groceries, had to throw out all the perishables....yeah the fog can get crazy.

I also will not drive after I've taken a muscle relaxer...I'm just too drowsy.

Hugs, Robin
Posted 3/17/2012 11:53 AM (GMT 0)
I don't have a problem with fog and driving but I do have a problem with the pain. My hips and upper legs tighten up then it eventually goes to my lower back. If I drive or am a passenger in a car for more than a hour iat a time t's too much for me.
Posted 3/17/2012 11:57 AM (GMT 0)
I have no problems driving.  Actually, I'm very comfortable in my car.  I have a Camry and the seats fit me perfectly!  Also, because I'm hearing impaired, I don't have the radio on.  That was always distracting to me.  I just get in the car and drive.  Period.

 

Sherrine

Posted 3/17/2012 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your replies. I end up scaring myself every time I drive anymore. I seem to be distracted and I guess that can be attributed to brain fog. I just don't seem as aware.

Riding for a long period of time ends up being very painful. I do have a hard time turning my head due to neck pain and worry that I am not getting enough of a view of what I am getting myself in to.

I think it also doesn't help that I have a new car and seeing out is not as easy as my older car. I had a very good 360 degree view in it.


Thanks again for your replies...
masschaos
Posted 3/18/2012 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mind driving and that is good, since I do enough of it. I drive part of the I95 corridor at least 4 times a month. The area between Richmond and Philadelphia. That kind of driving I can deal with. I am very careful with distances between cars.

I do notice that daily driving I can autopilot much more than I should. Since I have made it my policy to not tailgate, I don't worry too much. The only time I worry is early morning going to work, especially if I have had a bad night.
Posted 3/18/2012 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
Driving has never been one of my favorite things. I waited many yrs before I even started to drive. I maintain my license so I can drive IF I have to drive. My DH is retired now and he does most of the driving - He actually likes to drive.

I have had a few problems with driving. I live 2 houses from the corner, sometimes by the time I reach the corner, I have forgotten where I was going. I keep a safe distance between the person in front of me, just in case they aren't paying attention. I will turn down the radio as I approach an intersection or confusing area. I am always scanning the road, just in case. I can't turn my neck as I would like, due to arthritis. I can't stand to back out on to the road or parking lot, so I like to park on the top spot (drive thru 1st to get to the front position). I keep my passenger mirror pointed down so I can back into my own driveway and I can see everything I need to see.

I can be driving down the road and forget where I'm going. I get into such a panic, but usually in a minute or so, the location or road will circle around in my brain and I continue my drive. I have been known to slow down for a green light. I will be sitting for a red light at an intersection and the traffic passing me can make me so dizzy and nauseous. I have to look up and focus on the lights. As they change, I check all the traffic and then proceed.

I try very hard to remember where I parked the car, or where the driver parked. I look for any permanent landmarks and a trick my DH taught me, turn around and look at the area as if you're on the return walk to the car.

I prefer back roads, can't stand all the busy highways. Sometimes, I just don't have a choice, it's where I have to go. I tense up terribly and my stomach is a mess.

I won't even take an Advil and drive. I usually take an Advil PM at night. If I have an appt in the morning and I have to drive, I will not take an Advil at night, it just seems to take forever to get out of my system.

I have to sit w/ a pillow under AND behind me. I can drive a short trip to do groceries or to the dr, or the ER. I have a hard time sitting for a long ride, we have to stop several times just for a 'ride'. Everything locks up and goes numb. We used to enjoy taking long rides, now we have a hard time w/ short rides. But we are together and we do what we can do.

God bless.  Alice.

 

Posted 3/18/2012 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
I live in a rural area so I have to drive, altho now my hubby insists on him driving for out of town doc appts and picking up granddaughter.

I WAS a very good driver, never an accident in 43 years of driving,until a year ago. I was driving to see my psychiatrist and I had to cross railroad tracks with no gate thingy. The lights were flashing red and the bells were clanging and I drove right over it!! Thank God I did not have kids in the car and the train was still 200 yards away....scared the living crap out of me. My daughter will start driving next year so I will let her drive me around-payback for years of chauffeuring-lol.

I cannot turn my head all the way back either and sitting for more than a half hour and I freeze up. It is very hard to give up that independence, isn't it?

Y'all be careful out there
Maggie
Posted 3/18/2012 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
I have visual disturbances if I drive too far, that can be very scary sometimes. Like telling how far away objects are, and getting hypnotized by the lines on the highway. (This is pretty much just highway driving.) And it's way worse at night.

The weird thing is, my eyes always test great...so I know it's not a straight eye thing. Who knows....

Debbie
Posted 3/20/2012 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
I still drive, We live also in a rural area ,

My husband does drive me places  like for far away doctor appts,

I also drive for my job I deliver meds to those that cant get to the pharmacy

 But Im very careful and have learned to use my mirrors,

I have perifial vison loss in my right eye caused by a scar on my brain stem

I dont judge things well so I take the easy way I hate to back out anywhere LOL

so does anyone that knows me They just close there eyes,

 But by the grace of God Im watchful enough to not cause a accident

I also have a hard time turing my head since my hernated disks

But am grateful Im still driving

always Renee

Posted 3/20/2012 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
I work two shifts a day, the first starting at 7am... The only time I've every really scared myself was when I was allready at work by the time I'd woken up properly.

I regularly loose the car, or my keys.... Once I thought I'd lost my carkeys while I was driving. Oddly enough though once I'm driving my brain clicks in. I did emergancy temp work for a year or so, so I was driving to a different place every day. It really set my brain up to find my way home from anywhere.


When I first learnt to drive (10 years ago) I found the motion of the pedal hurt my leg, but that seemed to go away as I built up that particular muscle.

One thing I have noticed though is not always being able to twist to look out the back window when I'm reverse parking has made me bloody good at reverse parking with my mirrors, lol.
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