Driving with hypothyroidism

[Jennifer1987]

Anyone find it hard to drive with hypothyroidism?? I couldn't believe it, but I actually drifted off while driving the last night.... Closed my eyes for what I thought was a split second(It was longer thought), opened them and was on the other side of the road with a car coming towards me, flashing its lights! I had to pull over and let my boyfriend drive, scared the life out of me!

[sarvani]

Hi all,
new to this forum. Feel little better after reading all this, which makes me feel i am not alone. My driving...huh..don't ask me..i am scared to drive because my brains don't work as i feel the brain fog, zoned out or slow processing..so so whatever whatever..end result is a flop show... Initially i did not know that it is all due to my hypothyroidism. I am new in this country, got the licence after struggling with couple of attempts. Initially my husband was helping me in practicing but he thought i am a pathetic driver. After we got to know about thyroidism, now we both are bored to give it as an excuse every time. He keeps controlling his temper just not to hurt me (but by then i would have already started feeling nervous and bad)..we keep picking fights because of this..i am trying my level best..anyway my levels and dosage are not stabilized yet..so hoping for the best..hope i come out this phase of walking dead..good luck to all of u..

[bijirita]

The same thing happen to me , specialy after work when i have to drive 45 miles back home it's exausting.Sometimes i feel dizzy, and no energy at all , the gym it's on my way back home, and I havent been for a month now,i now i'll fell better after i work out but @ 7pm Im very tired.I start taking one spoon in the mornings of extra virgin coconut oil, I fell a lot better.More energy.

[Jennifer1987]

I know what you mean by zoneing out!! Sometimes I cant remember half my journey or passing through a certain place! Scary thinking about it....

[glori5]

I never sleep while driving, but I zone out, kindof go on autopilot. It has been enough that I nearly always refuse to drive a load of people. Afraid that any distraction will be disastrous. By myself I have learned to be ok with missing a street, or not changing lanes if the traffic is heavy rather than cause a disruption in the flow of things around me, if its one of my bad days.

[Jennifer1987]

I often forget where I parked my car in college! I have to stop and stand and actually think real hard about where it is!

[stella5349]

I think in the past I can explain it as "blanking out".  I wasn't asleep - but definately not able to comprehend that I was behind a wheel of a car. Never nodded off - but just not "in the moment" as I should have been.

As I said  my short term memory is pretty much gone. So losing my car in a big parking lot  happens alot- or making split second decisions behind the wheel is a bit slower for me now.

I don't think that will change. I hope so - but doubt it.

[barrettsark]

Yes I have fallen asleep behind the wheel two time in the past two weeks.  It is very scary and both times I had another adult with me.  My Endo told me it's my life style with all the kids.  

[redheadaussie]

I find I can't drive because I seem to zone out...do stupid things like drive at 40 kph instead of 80 kph, or drive on past the place I am supposed to stop at. It isn't exhaustion or tiredness, though I am pretty tired most of the time..more a brain shut down ...bit like day dreaming....very hard to pull out of.Been like that for about 5 years or more.. I think when my Hashi's got bad that's when my brain said..Time out!

[laura1967]

Yikes you two!!!  Yes I think we have all been there with the exhaustion, but I also get a lot of dizziness and off balance feeling with my thyroid. Makes it hard to drive sometimes!
The only way I make it through some of my bad days, if I have to go anywhere, is to drink lots of caffeine....I know...not good for you. The bad thing is when you are that fatigued, sometimes all the caffeine in the world doesn't help! lol

[Cynnieb4]

Some days. but you know its getting better the concentration part. Although as I was driving to pay my rent the other day, I was pretty much falling asleep at the wheel, and catching myself lol.