I have a difficult time driving, I do not feel comfortable, It really scares me. I kinda feel as if I am drunk, while taking my daughter to gymnastics one day I found myself almost in an accident. I drifted over into the other lane of traffic, I needed to change lanes but before I even looked to see if it was clear I started drifting that way and there was a car there. I was just wondering if anyone else has or does experience this, and if anyone knows why it happens or how to get back to driving.
Yes, I have and I either get someone to drive me, pick me up if I am already on the road, or do not go if I am at home. I have been in 3 car accidents, they were enough for a lifetime! Please be careful!
Sigh. Yes, I hear you. The brain fog can feel sometimes like I'm drunk or on drugs...which, btw, is seriously upsetting & maddening because I DO NOT LIKE OR DO DRUGS! but it's like the choice is taken away from me, and the brain fog just comes whenever it decides to.
i wish i could not drive, but i haven't found a way to do this.
sometimes (when i have my wits about me & the money) i will stock the car with luna bars (or some protein snack). that helps.
also, stopping to take some moments to breath & let myself "catch up" with where i'm at in my day... the disorientation from the brain fog can leave me anxious and further disoriented. so i will stop and look at the written list of what i'm doing, where i'm going, etc.
and then there are the heartbreaking times (and depressing) where i just cannot function. i have had to miss a lot of appointments & obligations (like gymnastics) because i just don't have the health to do it all. the toll of the sadness, the boredom (missing out on things) etc is also very high...but it's what i've had to choose.
I wonder if you might have sleep apnea. This sounds like a symptom of sleep apnea. I would make an appointment with your doctor and tell him/her what's happening and you are wondering if you might have sleep apnea. I had no idea that I had sleep apnea. My dear friend suggested that perhaps I should be tested. Her husband has sleep apnea. It's a long process of being tested by the Sleep Clinic, but definitely worthwhile.
Hi Monica, I went through the same thing while I was still working. I would feel drunkor sleepy as well and did have a single car accident because of this. I quit driving completely. The hubby drives me around. Just recently I have been taking baby steps in starting to drive again. Maybe only within 2 miles but it's a step in the right direction. If you don't feel well don't drive, not worth you hurting yourself or maybe even another person. Hope things get better. Hugs, Robin
I was unable to drive for a few months and I still have days when I dont drive because of the fog. Like today. I left the house but felt really confused after the first errand was complete so I came home. I notice I have this confusion a few times a week and it is really annoying. I have to just slow down and let it pass. I have a very expensive car for my daughter's wheelchair and do not want to risk any damage to it, more importantly though, my daughter is in her wheelchair and an accident while seated in her chair is far more dangerous than a standard seat.
We miss out but it is better than getting hurt or hurting someone else.
Thanks everyone I am glad to hear that this has happened to others with fibro. I thought maybe something else might be wrong. I am concerned about how am I going to go back to work full time if I can't drive. I don't want to be responsible for hurting someone else because I shouldn't be driving.....so frustrating =o(
Hi M&M - It's definitely the fibro fog! I sometimes feel really 'out of it' when it's bad enough or has been going on for a while. I do okay driving, but I have had a few close call over the years. The last 'almost accident' ocurred when I was in the middle lane of a 3 lane street going one way. Without looking behind me - I started to get into the left lane to make a left turn. I wasn't paying attention and came extremely close to hitting a pick-up truck! The guy driving the truck went into a phenomenal rage and motioned for me to pull over. I kept on going, because first of all, he was unusually angry about it all and who knows?? He could've had a weapon on him. I am sorry that I almost hit him though. If I am extremely fatigued with fibro fog - I either stay home or if it's important that I have to be somewhere, my son is always kind enough to take me. I just can't take any chances anymore. Laurie
All of the above problems are symptoms of sleep apnea. I'm not saying that they positively mean that you have sleep apnea, but it wouldn't hurt to find out. I made an appointment with my regular doctor and he gave me a little machine to use to monitor the oxygen saturation in my blood as I slept overnight. It's like a clothespin you put on your index finger which monitors your oxygen saturation as you sleep. The next morning I returned it to the doctor's office and made another appointment when he had time to read the results. The results indicated that I needed to have a sleep study to determine whether or not I had sleep apnea. The sleep study determined that Yes, I did have sleep apnea that I stopped breathing at least 47 times in a MINUTE and my oxygen saturatiion dropped as low as 80%. So, I now sleep with a CPAP machine.
These near misses are the first question you will be asked when you go for a consultation at the Sleep Clinic. The problem is caused by the drop in oxygen........oxygen deprivation to your brain.
I urge you to make the appointment with your doctor and sleep with the clothespin for one night because that will indicate whether or not you should be referred for a consultation at the Sleep Clinic. There are many people with fibromyalgia who also tested positive for Sleep Apnea so they are now wondering if there is some connection between the two.
Hi Monica, I have the same sort of problem. I don't feel drunk, but I find it very hard to concentrate. Not good. Sometimes I'll have driven quite a ways and have no recollection of it. Scary, I've had some close calls. I don't want to give it up, but I have to force myself to go out. So I've been driving less and less. I don't know what to tell you to help. I've noticed others on this site with the same problem, maybe they can come up with a suggestion.Wish you luck, Charlie :)
Hi Charlie - I had some instances where I will be driving along, and I totally draw a blank as to where I am supposed to go! It's a very weird feeling too. I am aware that I am driving, and familiar with all my surroundings, but other than that, have no idea what is was that I was supposed to be driving to. Laurie