Dizziness while Driving

Question

For several years now, I have been experiencing dizziness spells while driving at high speeds on land and/or bridges.  Sometimes I feel that I am going to pass out while driving.  I do have high blood pressure and take meds to control.

Everyday, while driving I feel some anexity and I can feel the chemicals in my body stimulate these conditions.  I am healthy with everything else, taken a stress test, glucose tolerant test, etc.

Has anyone else experienced these conditions and/or symtoms ??  Is this just stresses ??

I really would like to take this to the next level of testing, what recommendations for doctors/specialist do you suggest.??

I this possible an inter ear thing, because I really have the same issues on airplanes too??  My ears buildup lots of pressure and it takes days before they equilize.

Thanks, 

Maross

mkmale · Answer

Mate your issues are a mixture of inner ear balance disorder that controls your balance and in motion along with severe anxiety

Caracalla · Answer

It sounds like the pre symptoms of a panic attack , from underlying fear of having an accident from high speed

Vin05 · Answer

I have been experiencing similar symptoms of dizziness while driving.
It started with dizziness kind of feeling while driving and soon had to stop driving on highways.
It usually got worse in night , on over bridges and on high speeds.
My gp sent me to eye ,ENT and neurologist ;And every test came back normal-MRI, Xray, ENT exams.
I was finally told that sometimes this happens and I will have to live with it whole life and should not drive when feeling dizzy.
I did not loose hope and kept on visiting doctors for alternate consultations.
Finally I was referred to balance disorder specialist in New England.She told me that I have CSD and it happens with people that naturally have less ability to create serotonins in brain.
She prescribed me Effexor 37.5 initially for a month and then moved me to 75.5.
I have been able to drive on highways now though I am still on Effexor.
I am happy that my life is back to normal now and hoping to get rid of these issues.I will to have take meds for another year and then should try to get rid of them.

I hope that I will of the meds soon but at least I have got my life back.

Amryehia · Answer

IAM still suffering of this symptoms

sjbaer82 · Answer

I too have experienced this.  I have been told by an ent doc that I probably have meniere's disease.  Its an inner ear disorder.  I believe driving fast on interstates really will bring on symptoms for me.  So I take the sudafed with ephedrine when I drive on the interstate, helps clear the inner congestion.  Its so scary when it happens I hate it.  I will feel like I am being pulled to the right side of the road even tho I haven't moved in that direction.

anniegirl1234 · Answer

I will try this thank you, I've been dealing with this for 5 years now. I'll let you know if it worked for me, again thanks Leslie

JennyJ776 · Answer

Please read my comment. You have a hope. I almost gave up. But I think I found the cure! It is a true story. 

I am 40 years old now.I used to love driving. My weird dizziness started on November 2013 when I was in a passenger seat while my friend was driving. It was very sudden but very obviously the dizziness were there.   
I used to drive fearlessly for 23 years but all of a sudden I became disabled. Even when I drive 30-40 miles per hour, it was struggling for me and made me so dizzy and I had abnormal visual feeling like a tunnel vision. Driving became a nightmare since then. I stopped driving highway for over one year and six month. 

I went to ENT(Ear, Nose and Throat), eye doctor, brain MRI, blood work, acupuncture, Korean traditional medicine, chiropractor and neurologist.
Everything was normal. No doctors couldn't figure out.
On Thursday(June 4th, 2015), I went to a different ENT doctor in a big hospital in the downtown hoping for an answer my ear is the problem but got out with disappointment. Nothing was wrong the doctor said. I am a single mother. It was so devastating to experience this crazy symptom not knowing the cause or clue. On the same day, I researched internet out of desperation and found interesting comment above. That was new. I went to a book store and bought the book "Trigger point therapy workbook" by Clair Davies. I watched several youtube video of STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID (SCM) trigger point massage. 

I had nothing to lose and was going to try anything to be better. I tried the SCM massage(Please search google where to find SCM in you neck) right away several times a day very diligently for four days. Since the next day, I felt more than 50% better and today I accidentally went into high way and drove for 4 miles without stopping. I couldn't even imagine to drive on highway before because even for local road with 40 miles per hour was struggling for me for long time. Today I can excitedly say my dizziness for one year and six months were gone more than 90%. I felt normal for the first time. 

I was so excited and so was my son. I really hope many of you can be cured like me. It was so simple and so easy to fix it. Current medical system was far beyond to find a cure or cause easily which is sad. However, thanks to some brilliant doctors like Travell & Simons and therapist like Davies, the author and her father, and someone like a normal person who took time to write a comment for other people, I think a lot of people will be relieved from this confusing dizziness. 
I am so happy. I feel like I am reborn again. Try this massage today and if you got cured, please write a comment and spread the words for others!!!

pm555 · Answer

I have the same symptoms while driving.  Not exactly dizziness, but not a better way to explain it.   I went to a neurologist and had an MRI and EEG done - both were fine.   He sent me to the National Dizziness & Balance Center and they ran 3 hours worth of extensive visual, hearing and balance tests.   Results:  an inner ear problem!    The images from driving go into your eyes then to your inner ear.  If the vestibular system is off (inner ear), the brain doesn't get the signal properly and dizziness/weird aura occur as the images come in but you don't have control due to inner ear problem.   I'm a dancer and move a lot and have no obvious balance trouble, so this was a huge surprise.   There are eye exercises you can do at home to fix.   Tape a piece of paper with a 2 inch letter A (or whatever) to the wall.   Sit 8-10 feet a way and focus on the A.  While staring at the A, turn your head as quickly as possible from left to right repeatedly for 1 minute.   Do that 3 times a day.  There are other eye exercises for peripheral vertigo, specifically Benign Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).   Google and find other exercises.

feliciayean · Answer

Hi there,

Are you fine now?? I was a good driver & love to drive but 1 day out of sudden i feel dizzy & feel like im goin out of the way and later on my heart beat start to beat so so so fast which i never had it before. 
And i heard you were pregnant that time and now im am I;ve not drive for almost 9 mths i feel abit dizzy once i drive & also have fear...I always convince myself is due to hormones changed and everything willback to normal after deliver....

So may I know how are you now?? Hope you are fine and can drive without any problem anymore. Or if u have any way to solve pls do share with me.

Hope to receive your reply asap.

Many thanks

rajgopal · Answer

Hi, 
The fluid inside the ears has much to do with our capacity to balance ourselves to be able to move about and proceed as normal human beings. The sloshing around of the fluid inside the human ears is what creates the dizziness in many cases while driving or being in motion . . Stress and anxiety are aggravating factors . Please consult a physician and ENT surgeon for the management of the symptoms . Hope this helps you . Take care and regards !

sara621 · Answer

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I CANT EVEN DRIVING TO THE CORNER WITHOUTHAVING A PANIC ATTACK AND THEY LAST A LONG TIME. IVE TRIED SEVERAL MEDICATIONS EFFEXOR,ZOLOFT,PAXIL. I THINK PROZAC IS WHAT CAUSED THEM THATS  WHEN IT STARTED FOR NO REASON,MAYBE I WAS ALLERGIC I HAVE NO CLUE. I HATE GOING THRU THIS. IBE BEEN ON ZOLOFT NOW FOR OVER A YEAR IT DID NO GOOD SO IAM NO WEANING OFF THAT WHICH IS HAS BEEN HORRIBLE. I WISH I COULD BE HYPNOTIZED AND MAKE THIS FEAR OD DRIVNG GO AWAY!!

shy123 · Answer

Have you found any answers?  I have the identical problem and so do so many others!  If you type in dizziness and driving in search box...see what comes up!

I am 39 and the first time this happened was during my second pregnancy.  I wonder if hormones have anything to do with it?  I can't drive more than 55mph and if I am on the highway, I get dizzy, feel like I am in a fog, break out in a sweat with massive heart palpitations.  I have had every test imaginable to check my brain, ears, heart, blood pressure and vision.  Everything is normal.  But living this way is not, and I have never come across a doctor who has said they have heard what I am talking about.  

I do take synthroid and wonder if that is contributing to the problem.  Please let me know if you get any answers.

I can't imagine we all have panic attacks on highways out of nowhere.

sarah448 · Answer

You have described what I am experiencing to a tee! I have exactly the same thing and would be interested to know why. I am under stress right now but have normal blood pressure.  I thought I needed an eye test but what I am experiencing is more like a panic attack. 
I'm looking foward to feedback,
Sarah.

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