Driving: any advice would be extremely helpful!

I pray the headache/aura part of this for me goes away again at some point. I existed for almost 8 years with the dizziness, but the losing my vision for up to 45 minutes when a migraine hits has been the worst. Definitely took my anxiety up a notch as I never know when they’re coming until I start to see spots in my eyes…and then bam…can’t see anything in front of me for 30 - 45 minutes. After talking with a lot of people on here over the last few days it sounds like we’re all just trying and doing anything we can to improve our quality of life with this annoying disorder. Certainly am glad to know I’m not alone! Good luck to you and keep us posted not the Cymbalta if you try it again! :slight_smile:

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I’m having the exact same problem. My first sudden onset of MAV happened while I was driving on a bridge and I’ve been a little traumatized ever since. Whenever I drive I feel spaced out. My vision seems altered. I can only drive a mile and I haven’t driven on any major roads or freeways for 6 months now. The only way I can drive is by eating ginger candy and by listening to music to distract me. I get very anxious when I drive. My doc started me on propranolol and it was really helping me with driving until I had another flare up of symptoms last week. My doc said I got use to the propranolol so she increased my dosage and then gave me Botox injections. I clench my teeth at night which irritates my nerves. The Botox is suppose to prevent that. I’m not sure if the Botox will work yet because it takes some time to work.
I saw a social worker who said I don’t need cognitive behavioral therapy. /)3 said my anxiety will go away once my symptoms go away. A psychiatrist recommended Prozac but I didn’t want to resort to that yet.
The only thing that has really helped me with driving so far has been the propranolol. I know how hard it is not being able to drive.

I definitely understand this! It’s a bummer when an episode triggers a panic response that our brains remember, so then we feel anxious every time we’re in that situation again until the cycle breaks. My best advice for this is to KEEP DRIVING! Once you let it keep you from doing something you normally do, it’s a very tough road to get rid of that anxiety. Good luck!

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Thanks for the encouraging words mgstegner.

Has anyone had that distorted vision while driving go away? I try to drive a little bit on the days I feel better but it has already been 6 months and things still look different when I drive.

Mine’s never gone away, but I have good and bad days. :confused:

Mine comes and goes with symptoms OR, like this week, I don’t realize until I am in the car driving. I took a side street, drove around slowly, tried to adjust eyes, not panic and then sloooowly got on to interstate. Eventually it fades. But it is terrifying.

When things are really bad I just Uber (well, now, Lyft).

I am sorry. No one understands unless they have it.

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Thank goodness for lyft and uber. It does get expensive after awhile. I agree that no one truly understands unless they are also going through it.

Actually, if you live in a metropolis, you could argue that owning a car is more expensive. If you are lucky enough to have an efficient local transit system, then public transport is likely to be much cheaper and more convenient in the long run. If you are in a rural area then driving is much more critical.

I live in London and maybe I’m just spoilt. Driving and parking in London is a complete nightmare. Traffic is terrible, so the alternatives are much more attractive. My car spends months on end in the garage.

The added bonus of using public transport is it gets you out walking and that’s always good for compensation.

I haven’t been able to drive for the past 9mths or so. I just don’t think it is safe to drive when I am so dizzy. But reading some of these comments has just made me think maybe it is more a problem with anxiety.

Can I ask have you all had to give up driving because of the constant dizziness? My car has sat in drive for 4 months now & wasn’t sure if I should just sell it :woman_shrugging:t3:. I did try & drive my mum’s yesterday but I got to the destination ok but then couldn’t drive home.

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If I feel very dizzy, I don’t drive. But if I feel 80-90% good, I drive.

A few months ago I decided to drive to a farm that is located in the country side. I did not realise it, but the road was very narrow and very windy. There were lots of trees and the sun was shining though the trees. Before Vestibular Migraine I loved these types of roads. This time I started to feel nauseous after about 10 minutes on this road. I was contemplating to turn back, but I knew that I would never drive on these type of roads again if I did. So I continued. Luckily there was very little traffic and I was on my own in the car. The windy road and the change of sun and shadow due to the trees made my nausea worse and worse and I started to feel light-headed as well. I continued and I finally reached my destination after about 60 minutes. I remember I just sat outside and waited for the nausea and the light-headedness to subside. It did after a while. I dreaded driving back home but I was able to take an alternative road that was less windy. In hindsight I am glad I decided to continue driving on this road because it gave me the confidence that I could manage my condition. But it was very unpleasant.

I quit driving in 2021. My symptoms went from occasional and manageable to chronic, and i could not get in the car without the anxiety kicking in and making my dizziness worse.

I will occasionally drive - but only if i have another driver with me (e.g., my husband or son). I am lucky that we can afford for me to not work, my husband handles appointments, as i had to quit my job.

I think starting menopause is what did me in, and i have hope that once menopause is over that i can have my life back.

I am starting therapy for the anxiety and panic attacks i developed because of this.