Brain fog and driving

[DragonSlayer45]

Just thought I would pop in and ask about others experiences with Brain fog from Treating and driving. I have not been on in a while so those who do not know me. I am geno 1a in week 43 of 48. I have been UND since week 4. I have suffered as many do the fatigue, mental brain fog , and all the other wonderful things that go with treatment.

I always had concerns before I started treatment about the length of my commute (60 miles each way) and how or if my treatment would impact it. I have taken days off during my treatment due to being fatigued and lack of mental clarity. I have also gone many more days when I should have stayed home.

Last Friday I had a fender bender going to work. It was raining, bumper to bumper traffic on interstate and to make a long story short I rear ended the guy in front of me. He stopped short I was not paying attention and boom. No one hurt low speed impact but my car is in shop. It was the type of thing that can and does happen to anyone.

It was also a day when the fog was thick (in my head). I have been a little worse as I close in on finish line. My blood counts are low but not low enough to warrant dose reductions or procrit etc. but enough that it explains why I feel worse lately.

I have had times earlier in treatment when I would be driving and momentarily not recognize where I am (when I have been there before). I know most of us have experienced the can't finish a sentence or complete a thought. Forget what you were doing, and general cognitive impairment. It comes with the territory from interferon treatment.

I spoke with my doctor and he has me staying out for last 5 weeks since my job provides that benefit. I know in my heart it is the right thing to do. Heaven forbid I was to hurt someone and even myself because of this.

I was curious of others driving experiences and have they ever felt like they maybe they should not drive due to brain fog.

[jmjm530]

Yuk: Jim you are too serious
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For some reason the driving on riba/peg threads always seem to get a big laugh except we have had some real accidents reported here and it could only be a matter of time until one of these threads will be anything but funny. Some people simply should not drive if the drugs impair them to an unsafe degree. Maybe you can explain the humor of a car accident.

[santana13666]

About a month and a half after starting treatment I started getting extreme vertigo - was pretty wild I would turn my head and it would take about 5 minutes for everything to catch up to my vision - this caused me to put myself on medical leave with my job - city bus driver - felt it was not safe for me to drive.  Now the vertigo has gone away but there are times when the brain fog hits - I'll be turning a corner and can't figure out why the car isn't moving - then I realize my foot is on the brake - forget where I'm going quite a bit - start looking around at houses, people walking down the sidewalk, anything but the road like i am the passenger instead of the driver.  Brain fog isn't half as bad as the road rage though - the other day someone cut me off and I got so mad I started shaking uncontrollably - could feel the blood pressure rising - takes everything I have not to smash into these people - think I could plea temporary insanity?

[IMstacie]

Jim you are too serious and Marcia you are too funny!

But, seriously, it's not easy but I work hard to keep alert and my head clear while I am driving because of the -brain fog while driving. I drive over 60 miles a day.  I probably stay more cautious because I'm so unsure of myself.   It's probably good exercise for my cognitive abilities to do this, anyway.

Plus, I live in an area where NO ONE can drive!  

[jmjm530]

If you don't feel you can be a safe driver on these meds then you should make other arrangements. It's common sense.

[winner727]

i fell off my bike yesterday. no joke cuz it hurt

[GreatBird]

I sold my car a couple of years ago after people wouldn't stop driving into me. My DH has a car, but I haven't driven it since I've been on tx. Not sorry to be not driving. Actually, rather relieved. I don't need the added tension.