I'm looking for suggestions or other people's experience with driving a car on those days when you're having lightheadedness or focusing problems.

I'm a stay at home Mom , that homeschools, and most things can be put off to another day when I'm having the "dizzies", BUT on occasion, it happens on the day I have to take my son to his piano lesson, or to a tutor's.

If I can't find somebody to take him (which thankfully, I usually can because my sister, parents, and grown niece all live within a mile) I have to just tough it out and take him.

It makes me nervous though, concerned for our safety as well as others)  The only solution I have so far is to not use the Interstate (for some reason high speeds make the focusing problem worse), and instead make the trip so it is straightforward (i.e. using intersections with traffic lights instead of side streets where I have to turn my head back and forth to check for traffic.)

Anybody else have any suggestions or strategies that work on "bad days".

I have had endless problems with my eyesight, although I think my dizziness was caused by not breathing properly. But the eyesight thing is horrible. Try breathing in a very controlled way (breath in to 7, out to 11), and wear BROWN tinted glasses if it's sunny. Drive slowly (!), don't look at the sides of the roads, just concentrate on the road ahead, keeping a special look out for traffic lights (I found those hard to see). It does pass, this funny eyesight - it's almost as if the brain can't cope with the information coming at it, so the key thing seems to be taking it slowly, and not looking at too much at once. Mine isn't totally better, but is improved about 70%. Do you wear glasses?

Yes, I wear glasses, and have found in the last couple of years I've made more frequent visits to the optometrist because my vision is changing.

I use graduated lenses, which I imagine could add to the problem.  Instead of trifocals, there are no lines but you just look through the top for distance, the middle for medium range and the bottom of the lense for reading.

I've found that slow is the right speed.  My eyes can't seem to adjust to fast speeds.  I've got some muscle weakness amd paralysis to boot on my left side of  my face, so if I focus too hard on something, my left eye closes automatically from muscle weakness.  But that doesn't seem to bother me except on very busy roads where I'm having to REALLY concentrate on the road ahead.  My 13 year old is aware of my limitations and he is a very good lookout for me when we're driving.

Dawn...Hi!!My dear friend!! I have the SAME problem!!  There are days....I'm just TOO DIZZY to drive or my EYE'S won't FOCUS properly!!! Thank God it doesn't last too long....a couple of days to a week.....or so!!

HOWEVER........PLEASE,  BE VERY....VERY.... CARFUL!!  In fact,  when I'm like you....there is NO way on GOD'S GREEN EARTH anyone...and I mean ANYONE, can GET me behind the WHEEL!!

I use to be (in my youth) a race car driver....plus a part time mechanic!!  I know the DANGERS of driving when one is NOT sharp!!  "Especially these days!!"

Personally I wouldn't take the chance!!  LIVES are too PRECIOUS to risk!!  My son has had to take a taxi or walk to work.....making him late....grumbling all the way!!  But HEY....as far as I'm concerned at LEAST he MADE it!!

NOPE!! I wouldn't!! No Way!! When this gal is dizzy....lightheaded.....eyes out of focus,etc., get behind the wheel!!!!There are TOO many CRAZY drivers out there :shocked: If I can't trust myself....I sure as heck can't trust them :(IMHO....that's my suggestion!Take care and please be careful!!

(((Hugs from a Canadian Chick)))Nancy

Thanks Nancy,I know what you mean, and like you say am aware it is a real danger to drive. I've been very fortunate to be able to have family around that can pitch in on the bad days.

But last week I did have to drive and going I seemed to be fine, but had the focusing problems on the way home and it got me thinking if others had the same issues.

About 3 years ago, just as all this menopause stuff was starting I did have an accident.  I didn't chalk it up to vision problems at that point, I just thought that I hadn't seen the guy.  He decided to swerve around a school bus that he had been behind at a light.  But now that I think back, I'm pretty sure that it was due to the eye problem, because I just didn't see him until it was too late.  Luckily, neither one of us was hurt, but my car was a mess.

I hate the fact that I have to depend on others sometimes to do the chauffering, but that's just the way it is, at least for the present.  

Dawn.....Thank God you weren't hurt!!I've come close myself to situations like you just described!!  Really gave me a scare!!I'm so use to driving....everywhere....loving it.....always did! Now...all this meno-stuff has sure put a damper on it!!The good news is...it will get better!!  I was bad last year.....now, my dizziness and eye problems have improved immensely!  Thank God!!  Like I said, "I love to drive."  :)Like you.....I hate to depend on someone else to chauffer me! *Sigh*

God luv ya and take care!

(((Hugs)))Nancy

For the very few days that that comes up please call a taxi. Such a small amount of money for such important cargo. :)That way you all will be around to enjoy the days when you don't have those problems . I don't drive since I had a heart attack. I know I can but too afraid of injuring or killing someone if I have an attack while driving. So be careful. that stuff will go away soon , hang in there :)hugs, jeanne

Dawn - I also had those graded glasses (we call them varifocals), and they seemed to make my eyes more confused than ever! I now use a cheap pair of ordinary (prescription) long distance glasses that I keep in the car. When the problem reached its peak, I did avoid driving, I must admit, but now it seems fine.Hugs to you - it will pass, I'm certain.

Hi Dawn.. I can sure relate to the liteheadedness...... as far as how to deal with it .... I Just stay home.. its very hard I know and sometimes we have to do t hings regardless.. sigh and what is really irritating is its so hard to plan anything because we sure dont know how we are going to feel the coming day. .. hugs wish I had an answer.

Hi,I'm wondering if the lightheadedness is partly an oxygen delivery problem.  I was over on the "Memory" board here and they are talking about gingko biloba, etc..  This is an anticoagulant that helps with oxygen delivery to the brain.  

I have experienced this, and dizziness, and a feeling like I'm shutting down, and for me it's been a hypercoagulation problem.  I've been tested for it and am currently on prescription anticoagulants until my blood is normal, but even so, if I become ill or experience undue stress, I'll have to go get tested again because this tends to cause the blood to thicken for me - I have a genetic defect with coagulation.  FYI, 15% of the caucasian North American population likely has a coagulation defect, but it isn't going to be catastrophic for most (as it nearly was for me).  In most cases there will be a slow accumulation of thickened deposits in the blood, appearing to be part of the aging process.   If anyone is interested in where I got this test done, email me.

My understanding is that estrogen can increase the clotting cascade, so I wonder if an imbalance here can cause a person to be afflicted this way.

Nonprescription anticoagulants that I'm aware of are:grape seed extract (a bioflavinoid)garlicbromelain(don't use if allergic to bee stings)gingko bilobaaspirin (use with care - too much can make your blood too thin - or irritate the stomach - there are smaller tablets available)

Vasodilators can help too - relaxing the vascular system so more blood can move around:grape seed extractniacin (not the no flush kind - it's hard on your liver - and start with a low dose - a niacin flush is warm and itchy and probably would be horrendous if it happened at the same time as a hot flash!  On the "Ask Dr. Weil" website he says "The niacin flush is the result of dilation of blood vessels in the skin due to the vitamin's effect on arteries and the nerves that regulate them. It is a harmless reaction and may even be of benefit in some people with problems of blood circulation. "

There is an OTC available in Europe, Piracetam, that helps the brain better use available oxygen.  I get it from a friend in Europe (legally, there is an FDA pilot program that allows this if it's an OTC medication and if it's just for your own use)  

Laurie (not a doctor, just trying to be an informed patient)