Hi All,

Just had to report on some new progress I've made. On Wednesday, my girlfriend and I decided to take a 2 day holiday (she's on mid-semester break) out of Sydney. I took a chance and rented a car. Five months ago, driving was impossible as I'd get terrible motion problems afterwards or panick attacks when the car stopped moving at traffic lights. I'd then feel really ill for days after driving. A nasty experiene. Lately though, I had driven a car on a few occasions only a short distant and all *seemed* to be OK. So since Wednesday, I drove a total of 350 km up and down the Blue Mountains west of Sydney complete with tons of winding roads. And........NOTHING happened!! On both days I felt totally fine at the wheel and after driving. This gave me such a boost of confidence to feel "normal" driving a car again. :D I really am starting to believe that there is an end to this condition. Oddly enough the only time I had a blip was after I cleaned my ears out this morning with a Q-tip. I got the off balance feeling and swimming head for about 2 hours after and then it stopped.

There was one downside to the driving though - a really stiff neck and shoulders again. Guess that will be one of the last things to shake once the dizzies completely die.

Cheers......Scott

Such happy news! Yee-haw!

I know what you mean about feeling anxiety while stopping at lights in the car. For the longest time I had the feeling of still moving when I was driving, so if I was turning the corner, after I stopped turning, I still felt like I was, or if I was stopping for a red light, after I stopped, I still felt like I was moving forward. I still dislike having to sit still in the car, for anything, like traffic lights - but it's better for me now!

I feel, unless a person is "spinny dizzy", that it's important to "practice" getting out and doing a more usual routine, and that includes driving. I always feared getting worse and getting into an accident, however over time, I found that it's better to keep moving forward on things, even with a woozy head. Baby steps will get you there, so keep driving in small doses. try to get out on the days you are feeling like you can tolerate your symptoms, even if it makes you nervous.

Sometimes getting over the anxiety or anticipated anxiety is as limiting as the wooziness itself. Fear can be a great paralyzer if you let it.

Again, EXCELLENT news! Hope to hear more from you on this soon! Big Hug!

:bouncing:

Great stuff!!

I've not driven for over 4 years, but this gives me hope that i might be able to give it a go again one day. Really chuffed for you!

Ann

Great news Scott, :bouncing: keep at it. You really are getting there. Do you get any spins or headpulls when you lie down or sit up or was that never a problem for you, because yours is labs, isn't it, not BPPV? I still get some v. light spin onthe sit/lie thing, but only for a few seconds, so I am just going to have to grin (or not) and bear it. Still doing the VRT but I do get fed up with it at times.

Keep improving

Madeleine :)

Hey Scott,
Right on, with the driving thing...sounds like you're making good progress. dont know what's been goin on with you for the past several months but hey sounds like you're still on the right road thank goodness. I like to consider myself a FIGHTER and I think you're one as well. keep it up.

Thanks for the replies!

Yes...it really goes to show that sooner or later the mess created by this illness DOES get mopped up by the brain. Why it takes one person 6 weeks, another 12 months and others even longer is a mystery to me. You'd think all of our brains could re-adjust at a roughly similar time span. I can only think it depends on the cells or number of inner ear cells involved and the amount of VRT the brain is exposed to whether it be VRT exercises or just getting out there and trying to get on with it as best you can.

Wow - I think that's right. You just have to try things when you feel you might be able to handle it even though sometimes it turns out you can't. I was such a mess driving in Feb that I had to pull over and sit at the side of the road and get out of the car for 30 minutes. Horrible panicky feelings..I can remember a distant siren sending this horrible feeling down my spine driving then. I thought never again at the time.

Ann - is there any way you can try driving again in small doses? Just build up on it again and again. If you start feeling "freaky" (but hopefully not dizzy) just keep telling yourself you're OK, that you can pull over if you have to and that you did this before so you can do it again.

Madeleine - never really got headpulls but occasionally got spins in the early days of lab. I felt more like I had just got off a merry-go-round all the time. Sometimes the movement felt centered in my head while other times it seemed to be external, like the world was moving and not me. Yup, mine was lab....had a shocking viral illlness of some sort that also came with this. Keep moving with that VRT Madeleine or if that drives you nuts I reckon going for a good long walk every day or two will help hugely too. You can track things with your eyes as you walk.

CaptainUtah - cheers for the comments. Yup, don't give up. It's hard to believe this thing will ever go away. I really thought it was here to stay but improvement does keep edging forward albeit at a snail's pace.

Best all.....Scott

Hey Scott, you know I was so pleased when you said about panic attacks in the car! I haven't driven yet, been a year, but I've made a resoluton to try little journeys. We were out the other day, and got held up in a queue for an accident and I just like freaked, major panic attack, If I keep moving I'm ok as soon as I have to stop outwith my control its awful! Never had this before, and I want it to go away. How did you manage to combat it?

hi scott

hope u just keep on improving till rid of it

lorr

Hey!

Scott: I have been thinking about you since reading this post - you mentioned that you had some tightness/soreness in head and neck area while driving. I am betting that this is STRESS because you are driving "tight" and tensing up, even if you don't realize it. I used to do that too - death grip on the steering wheel, everything tight and taunt in my body, sitting ramrod straight, gritting my teeth and bearing it....

You may need to remind yourself, oh gee, 40 times a minute, to relax your muscles even if you can't relax your scared thoughts while you're driving. It really helps out to do little "checks" on yourself to make sure that at least you're allowing your muscles to ease up. For a while it was automatic of me to "go tense" every time I got behind the wheel of the car. I "drive loose" most times now.

xo

Hi Littleone, Brina and Wow,

Littleone - I think I just had this strong resolution in my mind that I will drive this car NO MATTER WHAT! That nothing can hurt me, that I CAN pull over if I have to and the best one of all was this: I used to drive before with confidence and with ease, therefore there's no reason why I cannnot do it again now. I am still the same person, I am just having problems with my perception of motion/movement which can and has (but doesn't have to) make me feel scared. Try a short trip first...even just around the block without traffic. Once you do get into traffic later on stay in the slow lane where you can pull over if necessary. Once you start building your confidence this way, I think you'll be OK. I should add that if your feeling really dizzy at the wheel, it's obviously not a good time to be driving but if you think you're up for it then give it a go. Oh, more thing to do is have someone in the car with you on the first few trials. You can talk to the person to distract your thoughts.

Lorr - thanks for that....I wish the same for you and everyone else on the board. Hope you're feeling well.

Wow - thanks for thinking of me. I was actually feeling quite relaxed while driving! The problem for me is that I just don't seem to be able to keep my body in a fixed position for very long without stiffness and pain developing. My lower back is all messed up now too which is rare. I'm pretty sure it's all junk created from the long-term imbalance, muscles working overtime to compensate for the "where is my head" feeling. It even feels like it might be some post-viral thing left behind....not sure. But good idea to keep reminding ourselves to stay relaxed.

Cheers.....Scott