Chiari and a car accident

[alisa_kay]

Ok, I am losing my mind here because I totaled my tahoe today, and I still don't understand how it happened. It is like I “was not there” for few seconds and then when I "woke up" I see I am flying into car that stopped in front of me and I was not able EVEN to step on the break. I still had a split of a second but somehow my brain and foot did not connect as if I still was not "fully awake". So, I ran into pickup on a speed I was driving with and it hit another car. Front damage to my car is beyond any repair. I did not get any injuries, because Tahoe is a strong car and I was not driving too fast. But what worries me, WHY? Where was I for those seconds? I was not texting, talking on the phone; my eyes were on the road. Do you think that's Chiari related? I do have symptoms today like dull pain and pressure in my head. Before that I was driving pretty good. I’d struggle when I am in extreme pain to stay concentrated but honestly I think when I am in pain it is somewhat easier, I am just in pain and I don’t lose attention. Today, that dull pain didn’t alarm me but I swear I was not there for few seconds as if blacked out.
For many years I tried to get away without driving. Husband would drive me to work, I would walk to stores, take a train etc. I know how I get when I am sick, so I did not see how driving would work out with that. People would be surprised when I say I don't drive but I was pretty adamant about not driving. But when kids came around everything got more complicated, school, drs, drug stores, more groceries, parks....And honestly my relatives never believed me when I would say "I can't drive safe with my condition". So under pressure of family and life I got a driving license. And here I am driving or should I say totaling cars? Other than driving I’m still functioning OK so I don’t get surgery. Of course my family would not believe it is Chiari related, so I am here to ask for your opinion, guys.

[selmaS]

  Well I knew something else happened...my DD thought I tripped over the broken sidewalk...I know I didn't....I would have remembered my ankle twisting....I would have made a sound, like we do when that happens...she said all I did was fall....

I had a time getting someone to listen to me as well that I did not just fall, it was my knee surgeon that felt I may have Lupus and referred me to another Dr for more testing, it was then the Chiari was finally found.....

[alisa_kay]

I appreciate your respond. Somehow it makes me feel much better, I don't feel like an idiot any more. You must have felt horrible especially considering you did not know you had chiari back then so you could not make connection...And nobody would believe "I was not there" story. I only said I could not step on the break bc my foot slipped. After I revived after shock I knew there is more to it because I had plenty of time to see cars ahead of me and step on the breaks 10 times. It was exactly what Selma says, you switch off for second and then when you are back you still can not react right away. Now I have that vision haunting me any time I hit the pillow. Of me being few feets away front of the car all of a sudden and not being able to stop. Something dumb like turning right on red light and not checking for traffic and getting in the accident and I "were there" all along would be less nerve wrecking, Id knew it was my fault and bad judging. I would learn from experience and move on.  I know Id not get in a accident like that though bc I always looking out for traffic.

[selmaS]

  Well as I said, when I had this one that resulted in injuries that required surgery to correct I had no idea I had Chiari....once I was dx'd and told what a drop attack was , was almost a yr later.....then I sat back and began to look back at all possible drop attacks I had b4 that ....everyone around me said ..."u passed out" But I had a couple of times where I did pass out and I knew that feeling...the snowy look in ur field of vision and that static sound...u can feel it come over u...none of that with the drop attacks...I had them as young as 11 yrs old....and they hit me randomly....I have not had one since my surgery....which I am grateful about....but, my Dr feels it is possible if I were to be driving the way I would need to turn could cause it....I have a few bulging disks in my cervical spine in an area that was also dx'd as spinal stinosis, (narrowing) so to have both in the same area can create an obstruction  of CSF causing the drop attack....that along with my depth perception issues I do not drive.....

I avoid doing what the Drs feel will cause issues for me....

The cognitive issues we all have...some can be chiari and some can be low levels of vitamins and minerals....so do have that checked too.

[alisa_kay]

Thank you for sharing. At least now I know the right term for what might be happenning to me. And no I did not see that coming all the years I avoided driving. I thought I will have poor concentration and it will hurt to turn my head but I made through that part. Drop attacks is much more dangerous thing. If you don't mind me asking how often did you have or still have those drop attacks? I am still new to them. For last couple months I started noticing weird things happening and I have tremendous short memory decline. I used to have phenomenal (next to genius) memory and good brain capacity. And I guess effect of drop attacks would differ depending on where it would get me. It could be a good part of conversation lost or accident if I am on stairs or on the road. Wow, a lot to watch out for now. One thing about chiari, I never get bored. Once I think I got used to symptoms and adjusted something new comes along. Great.

[STL5]

Your story brings back memories of a car accident I had about 8 years ago.  I was driving and could not react.  It was like I was there but not there.  There was a bunch of traffic and I wasn't going fast but I did hit the car in front of me- who hit the car in front of him.  I couldn't react until the last second to apply my brakes.  I never told anyone how I felt (like I wasn't there) before I hit that car.  I just apologized and said how I must not have been paying close enough attention.  There was no one else in the car and I did not even have the radio on- no distractions.  I was not diagnosed with chiari at that time so I have no idea if it is chiari related or not.  Your story brought back memories of what happened to me and how similar it was to your story.

[selmaS]

  The way my Dr explained Drop attacks was it is like flipping off a switch, and  everything stops but only for a few seconds...very quick, but even tho u can see  once it comes back u can not react....

I was with my DD in Brooklyn, NY going to BAM to see some Dancers from Africa....well we parked the car (I drove) and went into a small Mall right there and used the lady's room to freshen up..went outside and I remember standing there saying ....this is Flatbush Ave, there is the Dept of Health, and there is Toys R us.,...ok I know the landmarks lets go.....I waited for my DD to go first bcuz the sidewalk was uneven and I wanted to wait to step over the chuck of concrete.....the next thing I knew I was mid fall...I could not react, say nething....even after I felt myself hit the ground and heard myself hit....and heard my DD asking if I was ok...I was thinking answers and replies and had no idea she could not hear me....lol...I can laugh now, but this was the last straw as I did not have my chiari dx yet and I wound up with 2 surgeries from injuries from my fall.....

I also did not feel faint , sick or nething....I was standing one minute ..the next I was mid fall....

AS I said my Dr did not release me to drive yet and I had surgery 3 yrs ago....I have other related conditions that could cause me to have drop attacks....and I do not want to be behind the wheel if it were to happen....plus as I said b4 my depth perception is so off I am afraid I am not really a good candidate to drive at this time.

[alisa_kay]

Thank you so much for taking your time and responding to me. For once I feel I am not talking to the wall. Your explanation makes perfect sense, selma. Physically I was awake but my brain froze like a computer screen for few seconds. I hardly slept last night trying to understand what happened. I loved my car and I was doing pretty good job driving even when I was sick, nor music, nor kids, nor anything else could distract me. Situation on the road was pretty simple. It was not "stop and go and little time to react". Last thing I remember before accident I changed lanes (because I saw arrows to merge up up ahead) and passed intersection, then there would be whole block drive to another intersection and shortly thereafter a spot where all cars stopped due to construction zone. Let's say at least 250 feet of clear road drive for me before I would reach cars that stopped. 250 feet, plenty time to see stopped cars that were directly ahead of me in a plain view. Under normal circumstances I would see stopped cars at least 150 feet away and had my foot on a break like 100 feet away from them or 50 BUT NOT 5!  It was like "good morning! and here you see that you are flying in a truck that is ONLY 5 feet away stopped completely as other cars ahead of it." AND my foot still was on a gas because thought "I see cars, I got to stop never crossed my mind till 5 feet away when I “woke up". I might have had slim chance to step on break but I was in too much shock from this "awakening". I did not see cars, for at least 200 feet... I did not see anything. My family, of course, think I was distracted by kids, or day dreaming. Whatever. If I was dreaming Id remember what I was dreaming about. And I would see CARS right in front of me much earlier than 5 feet away. I could have gotten in a fender bender accident if I misjudged distance but there was no judging....blank. Nobody got hurt but my car's front is beyond repair. I go in a garage, cry and say "I am sorry, baby, I got sick". I still can't believe it happen. It is too surreal and humanly impossible to be in that accident unless you are out on some level.
I feel helpless. I am not scared to drive but I am scared to get into situation beyond my control. When will it happen again? I got sarcastic with myself thinking how I would do on mountain road. I drive and next thing I know I am flying off the cliff.
So, done driving for now.
And yes, got to get back to doctors, it has been a while. I was thinking I was doing OK...till the accident.
if somebody thinks it was something else and not something chiari related I woud like to hear your ideas too. I was not texting, no phone, and I was looking up ahead last moments I remember before the accident

.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

U may have had a drop attack, this is when u "black" out for a few seconds and come to as u fall, but since u were sitting u did not fall, but even tho u r aware of ur surroundings u can not respond or react....and I am sure that is what happened. I had those and as a result am still not allowed to drive 3 yrs post op as my Dr felt I was still prone to have them.

We also lose our depth perception, and night driving...as we also have issues with lights , and even turning ur head in a certain direction too fast could be an issue,.....

I would suggest u get checked out being in a MVA can change ur herniation....so, call ur NS and u may want to have a MRI depending on when ur last one was.....and compare them.

Have u had a CINE MRI? and were u checked for related conditions?