Is Long Covid limiting your ability to drive?

Posted by cyclones30 @cyclones30, Jan 10, 2022

I've had a lot of head issues since April 2020 when they think I had Covid and didn't know it. (never got tested then since it was early in the game) Vision issues that have since gone away, daily headaches and tingling scalp, numb spot on top of my head, and all get worse if I drive. Anyone else experience anything similar?

When I'm feeling a little better I can drive 15 min to an hour one way and get by. When my head is not having it...I can't go 10 min. This makes it a HUGE pain for just about anything. (groceries, work, hobbies, visiting family/friends, etc)

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I have no problems driving or doing anything. I keep a positive outlook and know this will not conquer me. I feel very strong that my optimistic outlook on life has helped me to survive my Covid experience! 😉

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@ephrum

I had to let my driver's license expire because of blurred, double vision. This disease has robbed me of my life.

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I had to stop driving for a year. Starting to drive short distances now.

Things that helped: low dose naltrexone, visual exercises, red light therapy, and now I’m trying ashewaganda

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I find driving exhausting. Not while driving, but afterwards. Even a 15 minute drive can be too long for me and can bring on a crash. So, I avoid it as much as I can. Driving involves a lot of mental concentration, fast reflexes and I’m sure increases in adrenaline or cortisol. Eye hand coordination and some physical activity. While driving we don’t realize the amount of energy we are expending. So, I let others drive.

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@lovesgreys

Brain fog & spells of overwhelming fatigue have kept me from driving. I had a couple of bad experiences where I was stuck & couldn’t drive home. Once I sat in my car for an hour, then was able to drive. The other time, my symptoms kept getting worse. Someone finally drove me home, and it took me three days to recover. I don’t drive anymore. My husband drives me everywhere I have to go. It’s awful. I’ve lost my independence, but I’ve crashed a number of times when we’re out, and wouldn’t have been able to get myself home. Fortunately I don’t work & my children are adults. I can’t bear the thought of living like this for the rest of my life, and am counting on my treatments to help.

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Can I ask what kind of treatments are you taking? Are they helping?

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@getbetternow11

Can I ask what kind of treatments are you taking? Are they helping?

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My nutritionist had blood tests run on me, and discovered how much inflammation is in my body. How much, what kind, where it is, and how my body is responding. She put me on anti-inflammatory supplements & an anti-inflammatory diet.

I’m getting energy treatments from the intergrative doctor. This woman is a real doctor. She practiced family medicine for over 20 years.

The two are working together.

I’m beginning to feel a change. My foggy head is clearing up for the first time in 10 months. I still have crashes, but am up & about a lot. I’m feeling better so much more often that it’s becoming a bit more of my norm with crashes in-between. I think the energy work is making the most difference. However, even before I started the energy work, the supplements made a huge difference in my fingers. They were hurting a lot. They aren’t completely back to normal, but are feeling much better.

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@getbetternow11

Can I ask what kind of treatments are you taking? Are they helping?

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yes I made my longest drive since 1/21 after a bad bout of covid 19. very bad reaction to both vaccination shots. Like the last one I had a myocardia reaction at 2 in the morning. I drove 16 miles each way. last week.

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@getbetternow11

I find driving exhausting. Not while driving, but afterwards. Even a 15 minute drive can be too long for me and can bring on a crash. So, I avoid it as much as I can. Driving involves a lot of mental concentration, fast reflexes and I’m sure increases in adrenaline or cortisol. Eye hand coordination and some physical activity. While driving we don’t realize the amount of energy we are expending. So, I let others drive.

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My husband will not let me drive .only across the street to the market if I only need to get a few things.
I hate always realizing on him to take me doctors
I feel helpless

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I feel I need to be more aware, not necessarily trouble with driving.
I will say I cannot park my car straight in a parking lot. I am always way off in the spots. Pretty embarrassing when I get out of my car and think I'm good. People are probably thinking "look how that jack-ass parked!

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The issue for me is that it takes too much energy to focus when you're driving. It doesn't hit me right away, but if I drive any further than 10 to 15 miles, about a half an hour later I feel like somebody hit me over the head with a mallet. It's made me afraid to drive long distances.

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@getbetternow11

I find driving exhausting. Not while driving, but afterwards. Even a 15 minute drive can be too long for me and can bring on a crash. So, I avoid it as much as I can. Driving involves a lot of mental concentration, fast reflexes and I’m sure increases in adrenaline or cortisol. Eye hand coordination and some physical activity. While driving we don’t realize the amount of energy we are expending. So, I let others drive.

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I just posted a comment similar to yours. It's really tough, this long covid business. I used to love to drive.

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