Feel dizzy and unbalanced while driving on the highways

[honestmale]

I am 44 years old and being driving for years but unfortunately, for couple of years I started to feel dizzy and unbalanced while driving on the highways for long time at a speed higher than 90 km/h (55 ml/h) specially at night.  It starts by feeling flashes at my head and then the difficulty starts. This problem does not occur while driving in the city.  I visited the EN&T doctor sometimes ago and he said I do not have an inner ear infection.  I visited eye doctor and no problem too.  Then I thought of it as driving phobia and started to take anti depressant drug but unfortunately, the problem still.  This issue is irritating me and I do not know what to do?!!!

[surfun]

I found this thread very interesting as I've had symptoms similar to those described here. Blood work showed hypothyroidism, but my doctor also wanted to do an MRI (Normal).

After treating my hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine, the symptoms of this weird imbalance at high speed driving is gone, thankfully! It was a very uncomfortable and odd feeling.

Again, maybe unrelated, perhaps my symptoms just went away after 5 months, but I do think there was a connection to low thyroid hormone. I hope this post may help some of you.

[paguyton]

Your are absolutley right that anxiety and panic attacks can cause all those systems and play a major role in driving fear. I can't say that I ever had a panic attack while driving,all my panic attacks happened at night, usualIy after I was asleep appx 1-2 hrs.
I use to drive up and down the East Coast all the time, no problem. For the past 10 yrs (I'm 52) I've dealt with problems driving, mainly on the highway and/or roads traveling at speeds greater than 50 mph. And it did not happen at the onset of my panic disorder, it was a gradual thing. I tried just about everything suggested for panic/anxiety: anti anxiety/depression meds, self help programs, "getting back out there" on the road. The meds sent me into some of the worst panic attacks I ever had in my life, and let me tell you that was BAD. And if I got past that, I felt so zoned out, I actually went through a redlight with kids in the car, and I said "that's it, can't do this". I envy people that can take the "anti" meds, nice fix it it works. Nothing has helped. I mean there have been times that I felt normal, like I used to about driving the highway, but those I could count on one hand. I am coming to the thought that my problem is related to something else going on, such as thyroid, equiliberium, sinus, or allergies. It seems as though everytime I travel speeds greater than 50 that I have sinus issues, not saying driving brings them on; maybe I just notice it more. Also, I just don't feel connected to my surroundings when driving distances at high speeds, it is hard to explain the only word that comes to me is surreal. And there is something that I have done for quite sometime, I hold my one ear shut, don't ask me why. It is like a subconscious thing I do, when I start to have difficulty it seems to help. I have always been prone to motion sickness, so wondering if that doesn't have something to do with it.
After reading numerous posts here, I do believe it could be a number of things other than anxiety/panic disorder.
My thoughts go the opposite, that maybe it is other physical issues causing the problems with driving - that cause the anxiety, which makes it worse. I just know that I am really tired of being limited in my driving.

[honestmale]

High Surfun!

Is your problem solved or still. Please tells about your stat.

Thanks

Honest male

[honestmale]

High Pairoj

Does the  Lexapro helped you in solving the problem or still it annoying you. What about Ativan? I know it is a strong medication but does it solve it temporarily or it continue for days weeks and how often you take it per week?

Thanks,

Honestmale

[anguillory]

This is exactly what I experience when driving! I'm getting so frustrated that I can't drive on the highways. I have also developed anticipatory anxiety for the roads where I have had the breakdowns! Thanks for sharing this! How are you doing now?

[anguillory]

Have you seen an Ear Nose and Throat Doctor for the Bubbles in your ears?  I did find out that I had extra fluid in my left inner ear. The gave me meds and now I need to return to check.