feeling faint while driving

[tam31]

I have had some scary symptoms while driving that have begun within the past 3 years.  I often get dizzy feeling, like I'm going to faint, my vision seems to narrow in, I get pressure in my head, my hands get cold and clamy, it's almost like I'm losing consciousness and have to constantly refocus.  When the car stops, the symptoms seems to alleviate.  Sometimes when I stop the car, it looks as though I'm still moving.  Sometimes this happens when I'm tired, but sometimes not.  Also, it seems to get worse the faster I drive.  It's so bad that I can't drive on long road trips for fear of passing out.  Interestingly, it doesn't happen when I'm a passenger, which my doctor says rules out motion sickness.  I've only been on an airplane one time, but it happened then as well, just in a milder way.  My doctor says I am having anxiety attacks, but I don't feel anxious at all until it begins.  I have BPV and Meneires (diagnosed about 10 years ago) and my question is, could it be the Meneires triggering these sensations, thus causing anxiety, or could it be anxiety triggering the Meneires, which triggers these symptoms?  Or is it the BPV, all of the above, none of the above?  Help!!??
Thanks

[lognum]

Greetings, There is also another known disorder called, "vertical heterophoria syndrome". Type that into a google search. The site in Birmingham MI is the one that helped me. Check out the testimonials and symptoms. The ones about driving are what interested me. There is no surgery and no meds. After going to all sorts of specialists, including MRI, CT scan, ENT, ENG and countless blood tests, all negative, it was the only thing that worked. Unfortunately. There are only three specialists in the USA. One in California, Texas and Michigan. The one in Michigan was the only doctor that helped. It was the driving episodes that bothered me most. Especially stopping and everything else kept moving. A lot of you mention your eyes get tired and you have trouble focusing. That is because it "is" your eyes that are the problem. Not any optometrist can diagnose the "syndrome", as mine said I was fine. He was wrong. Good Luck. I have nothing to do with th Birmingham site, just trying to help as I was helped and oh yeah, the anxiety stopped immediately afterwards, so did the headaches.

lognum

[jess990]

Hello. I found particular interest in these posts as they are exactly what I am experiencing. Can you tell me, where can I find your epic discourse on vertigo, "Information on Vertigo"? Thank you!

[Quixotic1]

BPV is TOTALLY treatable.  Why don't we talk a little and see if we can sort it out?  Also I wrote an epic discourse on vertigo on 5/21 called "Information on Vertigo."  If you want, read it and post there and we can talk about your problems with driving.

Quix

[Quixotic1]

Can'tr do it tonight.  I did a couple answers on my way to you and have had it.  Can't focus and I hurt!  I have some very definite things to say.  Please stay tuned!!  Quix

[tam31]

Wow, thanks so much for the comment.  What you say makes total sense, it's just being able to "get over it" (the anxiety) when I'm driving.  I know I need to be well rested, which helps the balance issues, before I drive long trips.  But, it doesn't take long for me to get tired.  My eyes get tired easily and want to shut by themselves, like I'm losing consciousness.  I'm sorry to hear that you had to leave your job because of this.  At one point I thought, "How can I work like this?--I'm a teacher".  But, the BPV comes and goes and I take Meclizine (which has it's own side effects) when it flares.  I think it's the Meneires that brings me the most trouble.  It's so constant.  I try to accommodate my diet-decrease salt, caffeine, etc...  but none-the-less, it's there.  I have to say, through prayer I have conquered quite a bit of all of this.  Without my faith in Jesus, I'm not sure I'd make it through.  Well, thanks again for the info and maybe we'll talk again soon.
Take care!

[Quixotic1]

You pose some interesting questions with some remarkable insight.  What you describe sounds like you are having classic anxiety, if not panic, attacks.  All of your symptoms point in that direction.  My opinion is that your vestibular disorders cause the attacks and not primary anxiety.  

I think that the trigger might be be speed or possibly acceleration.  This points to the vestibular system where you have 2 documented disorders.  Of the two I think BPV  (Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo) is the most likely culprit.  I don't think it would be BPV itself (which felt to be loose otoliths in the semi-circular canals), but possibly related to the adjacent organs which sense acceleration and deceleration.  Often in BBPV there is more than one site with the inner ear affected.  Was your BPV adequately treated?  If so, has it ever returned?  Is it still a problem?

Meniere's on the other hand, being overload of fluid within the inner ear, typically responds more to pressure.  Actually that is an oversimplification.  Established Menier's can flair up with just about any kind of provocation:  Changes in altitude (flying, driving over a pass) changes in barometric pressure (significant weather shifts) but also stress, fatigue, infections, head congestion and diet.

In any case you have suffered some significant insults to the inner ear which will likely plague you to one extent or another for life.  The episodes that you experience in the car may stem from the stimulation of the damaged vestibular system.  

As I understand them, anxiety attacks, after the initial one(s) don't come from you getting anxious or feeling fearful or stressed.  In the beginning a person suffers a stressful event.  Often it may be a medical illness with frightening symptoms.  There are few symptoms as terrifying as the sudden paroxysm of BPV - feeling like the world is whirling aobut you or, in my case that you are falling at 100 mph - and frequently causing you to fall and lose control.  They may not last long, but the effects of suffering them do.  Also terrifying is a severe Meniere's attack with the long (sometimes hours) of world whirling, nausea, vomiting, and fear that the first attack will kill you.  The anxiety or panic suffered initally is totally appropriate and understandable.  That anxiety is produced by the body's defense "fight or flight" response.  This response is produced by neurotransmitters and their friends.

Many experts in anxiety believe that the cascade of neuro-chemicals which cause panic/anxiety attacks later gets repeated at the very "suggestion" that the event might occur again.  By this I mean that when the body perceives the possible beginning again of that awful event (even well below the conscious level) the neurochemicals are released, which then cause the symptoms of anxiety.

So as you are driving along, the acceleration of driving, with it's inevitable decelerations - slows and stops as you maneuver traffic, intersections, passing cars, differing speed limits - may stimulate your damaged vestibular system even if mildly.  Your body "fearing" an impending attack of BPV or a Menier's attack responds as if it was already happening.  You feel anxious, light-headed, maybe terrified, your heart starts pounding and you remember that this happened the last time you tried to take a trip.  That would explain why you don't start out anxious.  Somewhere in a longer drive the vestibular system gets stimulated enough and you suffer the consequences.

It would seem that if you could stop the cascade of events (take a preventative) for the anxiety, you would probably be able to take your long drives which you have curtailed.  From personal experience I know that the vestibular symptoms aren't easily suppressed.  BPPV, coupled with a traumatic hole in my inner ear, and chronic labyrinthitis caused me to lose my career as a pediatrician and I remain disabled by chronic vertigo now, 6 years later.  For me even a short drive to the grocery store stimulates my dizziness to the point of often needing sedation.  I rarely leave the house anymore.  

As a aside, my best friend has horribly severe Menier's. She finds that driving long distances (not so much in town) calms her symptoms and relaxes her, though she does has a strong fear of suffering a bad attack away from home.

I suspect, having already gotten the two diagnoses you have a good physician to treat them.  If not, you can find a neuro-otologist (vestibular specialist) by going to the Vestibular Association of America website (VEDA).  They publish a list of specialists and clinics.

I could be wrong here, but I know vertigo well.  I also know that a great number of people with anxiety attacks know that they ARE NOT in danger, but something triggers the reaction anyway.  It's one of the great misunderstandings that people have about these attacks.  They are not set off by a persons 's fears, but by a semi-automatic response of the body.

As is often the case, I have gone on and on.  My thinking is getting foggy trying to focus on the screen  (I have a lot of eye-jerking from the vertigo), so blessedly I'll be quiet now.  I hope this epic discourse holds some help for you.  If you want to ask any questions about what I was trying to explain, please ask.  At night I'm not always very clear.

Good luck, Quix