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Feel dizzy and unbalanced while driving on the highways

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?!!!
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Avatar universal
just found this link. Hope this helps.  from the original date of this thread, hopefully you have found relief.


if not, Keep looking for the right doctor…probably eye doctor.

For me it started a year ago during a college move-in drive from East Coast to Michigan. It happened suddenly on the way back. After several visits to ENT and 2 Eye doctors, finally I’m getting some traction on this.

1. Check out Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) and feel free to go to multiple practices. First doc didn't find anything.

2. Make sure your vision isn’t over-corrected (mine was). luckily I went to another Eye doc for a second opinion.  BVD is relatively new and  not many docs do the tests.

3. Although the new eye Rx has really helped, I still feel the uneasiness on highyway- particularly with 3+ lanes.  I have found that cruising in right lane works… did 6+ hours this year out to Michigan.

4. Will be getting the prism glasses to see if that helps with the larger highways.
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Thank you for this link. I'm going to definitely check this out. This all started when my vision changed. I had corrective surgery 20 years ago so I didn't have to wear a glasses. Unfortunately I now have to wear glasses again. One eye is for distance the other eye is for close up. I went to a eye doctor a few years ago and she explained that although the surgery itself was done well they mixed it up .. meaning they should have done my eyes reverse. I can't drive on the highway I can only drive on small roads. This is coming from a girl that used to drive on the West Side Highway in New York city. The thought of driving to Montreal is something that would be impossible for me now. Hills look like roller coasters to me. This has been very debilitating as I used to drive everywhere. Thank you for this information ... I too have been to a multitude of doctors with no results. I'm told it's anxiety and I should be on medication. Which I refuse to do. I'm going to call an eye doctor this week. Thank you will keep you posted.
I have seeked out a Neurovisual specialist and am going to be tested for BVD or Vertical Heterophoria. There is only one doctor in the State of Florida that is trained in this field. I am super hopeful prism glasses will correct my insane constant dizziness. I will report back. Here is a link to find a specialist near you.https://www.vision-specialists.com/doctors/neurovisual-specialist-near-you/
Avatar universal
I have same disorientation when driving on multi-lane highways at 65+ mph especially if the highway is lined with guardrails or tall trees.  No problem on city streets  There is syndrome called Motorists Disorientation Syndrome (MDS). Dr. Michael Gresty from London appears to have researched this since around 1985 based on my research.  It is somewhat similar to pilots' disorientation.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/cami/library/online_libraries/aerospace_medicine/sd/media/MP-086-13.pdf

Has anyone been diagnosed with MDS?  And if so, what therapy or medicines were prescribed?
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3 Comments
I have the same problem
I have the same issue
DOES ANY OF THESE THINGS OCCUR WHEN YOUR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OR ONLY WHEN YOU ARE THE DRIVER?
Avatar universal
I will definitely try the SCM massage.  Thank you for the advice.  I have seen every possible doctor and have experienced the same symptoms as all of your for nearly 10 years now.  I have also made a few posts over the years.......and some of what I have posted turned out to be a dead end......so I will advise on what I know as of this posting.

I think that this is Motorists Vestibular Disorientation Syndrome.  I noticed that another person suggested this as well.  This is not psychological, but is caused by an impairment of the vestibular system, which controls balance, motion and the relationship between the eyes and the ears.  Bryce Salvador (recently retired New Jersey Devils hockey player) suffered an impairment of his vestibular system that nearly ended his career.  Not sure if this is the same disorder, but he did seek treatment and fought diligently for seven month to successfully rehabilitate his vestibular system.  Also, google Motorists Vestibular Disorientation Syndrome look for a posting by academia.edu.  I don't understand it all, but this is the best write-up that I have found.

I was successfully treated with EMDR therapy six years ago and driving returned to normal (I mean perfectly normal).  However, my symptoms returned three years later and I continue to see seek answers.  The neurologist that I am currently seeing has also advised that this is some form of Disorientation Syndrome, but cannot pinpoint what is causing the issues.  He thinks that this could be caused by vestibular migraines, which I guess can occur in people who have suffered from migraines in the past.....that's me.  In order to validate what my neurologist is saying, I have visited another therapist for EMDR therapy.......this time unsuccessfully.  I think that my situation was repairable years ago, but my vestibular system is weaker now.  I don't have the mental and physical stamina that I used to have.  Don't get me wrong, I still function just fine, but it's simply harder to do the same things I did ten years ago.

I have not driven a highway in more than a year, but still drive all other roads.  I struggle on two lane roads where there is not a median, but when there is a median I am usually 90%+.  At times, I even drive 65-70mph on side roads, but cannot do the same on the highway.  It's so strange.  I will definitely pursue SCM massages and will continue to research this condition.  I am very interested in hearing what this community thinks.  I certainly don't claim to have any of the answers, but collectively I think that we can figure this out.
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Are you in the UK? I’ve had EFT which stopped my issues for 3 years. Then they returned. I’ve had some temporary success with EMDR also, but the problems returned within a day. How are you now?
I've been having a similar issue for several years, and can no longer drive on the highway because I feel disconnected. Initially I was able to only drive in the right lane only on the highway, but it eventually got worse to the point where I find myself hugging the edge of the right lane to the point where I am going over the white line. I also struggle on the local roads if I attempt to drive in the outer lane. I can only drive comfortably in the right lane when driving locally. I've had my eyes tested and was given glasses with a prism, as well as eye therapy which focused on convergence and divergence. However my problem still exists. I am trying another form of eye therapy now.
19243687 tn?1474500435
I had the same thing you are describing occur. I also went to an ENT who said nothing was wrong, however inner ear issues do affect equilibrium. My primary care provider prescribed Meclezine, and anti-dizzy medication. I used it as needed, when it started to occur, and over time, I found myself using it less and less, and now I no longer use it at all (but I still have a bottle in my care just incase.)
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Avatar universal
I have this too.  I used to drive like a bat out of he** all over the place than suddenly(5 years ago) started feeling intense dizziness,not dizzy exactly more like I was going to flip over-it is worse at speeds over 50mph and on long curves or downhill.  I am healthy 52 years old,a runner who eats well and is trim.  I take small does of high blood pressure meds but this came on nearly a year after starting current medication so hard to attribute to that.   I have not tried to replace medication which I am suspecting exacerbates this because of the trial and error side effects which mess with my active lifestyle.  I have basic high stress job, pay check to pay check and recently made some major life changes in the last 5 years but it should be a fun adventure so not being able to drive like I want is a pain. The SCM sounds promising because I have noticed that if I can relax my core and breath when the feeling starts I can sort of overcome it.  Unfortunately the fear of this happening while driving on the freeway has grounded me so not sure how to reprogram that.  Appreciate that it is a problem for both sexes as I have been told that menopause is the problem and I am not even there yet.  Thanks for this forum.
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Avatar universal
I discovered that when I get dizzy while driving, if I put on music very loud, it seems to suppress the dizziness.
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I have found the same works for me loud music and even singing along!
Avatar universal
Please do SCM trigger point massage in your neck. You can search online. I got better after the massage. I couldn't drive for over a year before. The answer could be simple. It was a miracle cure.
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3 Comments
What is scm trigger massage? Is it acupuncture? Who do I see for it and what does scm stand for
You can google it. SCM stands for Sternocleidomastoid Mussle.
You can do the massage yourself after watching YouTube video. It is not a acupunture. I did massage it myself. I could drive normal after several days massage. Before I found out about it, I couldn't drive more than a year and a half with the dizziness.
Avatar universal
Just discovered this thread after having a terrifying experience yesterday and wanted to say your comment summed up the feeling perfectly.
I started to get very sudden and immediate feelings of disorientation whilst driving around 10 years ago but they were immediate and passed. The closest thing I can describe them as is that sudden feeling when you go over a bump or a crest of a hill and your stomach ‘drops’. I rationalised it as tiredness and the feeling coming from suddenly snapping back into concentration.
Then a few months ago I had a horrible journey – I had no choice but to do this long drive at night as I had to be somewhere and as soon as I hit the larger dual carriageway road I was absolutely struck with terror. I’m 38 and I have been driving for 20 years now. I think of myself as a good driver, I drive a lot and I enjoy driving at speed and ordinarily I wouldn’t be fazed by speed or other traffic. But this one drive had me bolt upright in my seat clutching the wheel so hard my hands hurt. I was alone in the car and managed to talk myself through it and take it a little easier and I was able to continue the journey. Again, I rationalised it as being tired and stressed (both true). My car is also not great and has broken down a few times and I felt like that worry was a contributing factor also.
However, yesterday I experienced this sensation again to such a sudden and alarming degree it was almost like an out of body experience or something equally crazy sounding. I look back on it now and it’s still vivid and scary but it feels like I didn’t experience it myself if that makes sense?
I had taken a wrong turn and joined the motorway in the wrong direction which was fine, I had 3 friends with me and their sat navs were recalculating so I wasn’t stressing about the directions. I joined the slow lane of a 3 lane motorway and all of a sudden it was like I had no control over the car at all. I felt like I had no idea whether I was travelling at 5mph or 500mph. My eyes felt like they were darting between the flickering white lines of the road, the car in front and specks of dirt on the windscreen. It felt like looking through the lens of a camera as it auto focuses on different objects at different focal lengths but with extreme speed. I shot bolt upright in my seat, clenched my fists around the wheel and, for the first time since I started getting these sensations, I felt I couldn’t overcome it. It was f*cking *terrifying*. My friends were great and I was a mile away from the service station so they just talked me off the motorway and into the car park but I was shaking, couldn’t breathe and on the verge of tears. I really had no idea how we would get out of the service station. After a while I was able to contemplate carrying on and it really helped that my friends were there to talk to me and chat about anything apart from the driving itself. But I still had to come off the motorway and drive back on A roads (where I immediately felt perfectly fine).
I wanted to share some observations I have had about the times it’s happened to me. I don’t know whether these are connected or a cause or not but they might ring true with some of you.
1. I had a hangover. I had slept less than normal in an unfamiliar bed. I was stiff and tired and dehydrated. Whilst I wasn’t hungover in the other times it’s occurred, I was certainly tired and had slept somewhere other than home the night before.
2. Drinking something sugary seemed to help. I couldn’t have negotiated drinking anything while driving but pulling off the road and drinking a sugary drink helped me relax.
3. Opening the window of the car seemed to help once I got back on the road.
4. Driving one handed with the other hand on my knee or the gear lever seemed to make me relax in my seat more and lessen the symptoms
I’m going to go and see my doctor about this and one thing I noticed in this thread that had never occurred to me might be linked is mention of similar feelings in supermarkets. I had an episode of bizarre dizziness in a supermarket a few years back that took me to my doctor who felt it was a lack of Vitamin D. I’ve never had another incident like it but now I’ve read this thread and thought about it the feeling was the same as I experience whilst driving.
My gut instinct tells me it’s about a tired brain struggling with depth perception when faced with repetition and conflicting stimuli – so you’re tired, you’re groggy and you’re faced with grid-like imagery (same goes for the supermarket which is a pretty unnatural environment too) and your brain struggles to make immediate sense of what your eyes are recording. This throws you into a little momentary spasm of panic (the ‘stomach drop’ moment) and, being tired, that panic escalates as you’re driving a car at speed (or in a public place in the case of supermarkets) and it rolls into a full size panic attack.
I’ll see what my doctor says though…
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Avatar universal
I am sooo thrilled I am not alone!!!! Im going to take this thread to my neurologist and beg him to do something to help us. Someone has to study this, create a scenario via computer generated driving scenes to watch and evaluate what is happening to our bodies AND HELP US. We are all too young, with children and jobs, to lose our love and freedom that driving brings us.
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I had these fellings since Dec 22, 2015. My neurologist has me on antiviral meds and ocular migraine meds. I think it may help little, but still have a issue driving, especially on the frwy. I feel pretty down from this and need it to stop.
Avatar universal
Hi there,  I'm so grateful for all of you since 2008 to 2016 writing about this.  I've had the same symptoms as most people on here.  The thing that was weird for me was only when I was driving alone.  If someone else in car or me in passenger seat; it was fine.  I took the advice of another post on here; as I have had back problems and read Dr. Sarno's Healing Back Pain - The Mind-Body Connection.  I live in Australia, and until I came across this thread, had no one that could relate to me.  After reading the book; my symptoms have improved dramatically.  I wouldn't say it was solely the connecting my pain with my brain and repressed emotions; but I was open enough to accept there may have been some connection.  Thank you to the people on here that recommended it.  It's been wonderful for me to get back some control on highways. I hope this posts helps someone else.
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Avatar universal
hi 'couth15', I too have similar issues; feel dizzy only when driving on highways or dual carriageway but fine in city, B roads. What I have been diagnosed with is occipital neuralgia. This happen when the nerve holding your neck and shoulder become inflammed. This is caused by your driving posture and you paying too much attention (i.e. not relax, nervous, can be the glare too) and put move pressure on this nerve which makes you feel light headed and which in turn can affect your eye as well. I have a vertigo problem and it get worst when i am on a bridge. So my advise is go and see a neurologist.
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Avatar universal
I too have been experiencing a similar problem and its so good to know that I'm not suffering alone. I am an otherwise healthy 37 year old but have been suffering dizziness/disorientation and the feeling that I'm going to pass out whilst driving long straight fast roads for the past 5 years . It doesn't happen when driving cross country. When these episodes occur it causes me to panic (I don't believe panic is the cause of it as one doctor suggested), my heart races and I feel like I'm going to lose control of the car. If I stop the symptoms resolve but will soon recur if I join the fast road again. I like many others avoid driving on motorways or dual carriageways. I also get the same sort of feeling to a lesser extent when walking down a supermarket aisle and sometimes get to feeling that I'm going to pass out. This is becoming debilitating and is starting to get me down. I've been for an MRI, ENT referral, balance tests and ocular exam. None of them have come across this before and they don't seem to understand what I'm trying to tell them, it's very difficult to explain! I hope we all find some relief/answers soon
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Avatar universal
Hello BIGdude & all, I am 66 and mine was the same as all above except that it did not happen to me during night driving. I became DIZZY and BREATHLESS whenever I was in a supermarket for more than 20 mins. There were times I had to run out of the supermarket to get fresh air even when I had reached the cashier.  On highway driving, I became breathless and had stiffness in my legs when I was descending and when I was on a straight road. I had no problem ascending or climbing and driving within the city. I was driving a very good car but could not travel at even 20kph (12mph) when I and had to park. Other drivers would be surprised why I was driving so slow in a good car. So I used to park and rest - at times even drink alcohol. After rest, I will drive for about 15 minutes and the problem would come again. No problem  when ascending or climbing a hill on a highway.  I thought it was something to do with my heart but a cardiologist checked and found nothing wrong.
It was until I had a swollen neck and doctor said I had a trapped nerve in my neck (spine). I had a minor surgery to 'free' the trapped nerve in 2009 and felt alright after operation.  I have had another major (spinal fusion) surgery again in 2013 and now I can shop in supermarkets or shopping centres for hours without experiencing any breathlessness or dizziness.
I recommend that sufferers of this ailment should have X-ray of the neck or MRI of the whole spine to check abnormalities.
I am 66, never smoked and now do not drink and can now drive average of 100kph/62mph on highways without having those attacks. Do not take medications you don't trust.
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Avatar universal
Wow how interesting, I have had the same dizzy...anxiety while driving on the highway for the past  few weeks...really scary and weird. I do have allergies but sometimes do not realize my sinus system in my head are inflamed. Clear but can feel a little pressure in the forehead area. Well I always have taken claratin D generic for years almost everyday... ran out for the past two weeks, no claratin D... dizzy driving. I was worried like all of you but today I finally took some Claratin D not really knowing if I needed it (thought it may help)???? Wow absolutely like a new person and no dizzy floating while driving... It may be that you are inflamed in your nasal or head and not really realize it. Take some Claritin D and try weather you think you need it or not. It was amazing I feel great now and driving is perfect. I just really did not think I was having a sinus problem but now I know I was..... (It really was that)
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9197017 tn?1429016816
I've had symptoms similar to what's been described here.
Diagnosis & treatment: I had an issue with "tracking" (how my eyes & brain work together).  I saw an opthamologist who diagnosed me with convergence insufficency, and gave me exercises to help my eye muscles respond to my brain's commands.

Also, I was helped by a chiropractor who specializes in adjusting the upper cervical spine, C1 and C2. It's a gentle adjustment, which I hardly feel.
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Avatar universal
Hello. I stumbled on this thread last year, suffering from the same symptoms as many of you. My problems while driving had been getting worse for years.

Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with something called MOTORIST'S VESTIBULAR DISORIENTATION SYNDROME.

You can read more about it at: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/cami/library/online_libraries/aerospace_medicine/sd/media/MP-086-13.pdf

My doctor informed me the only way out of it was rehab. Anything that got my vision back in line w the rest of my senses. Ping pong, tennis, and juggling were all mentioned as good activities.

At the moment, I'm unable to drive because of my condition. However, I'm confident I will get my ability back. I hope my note helps you, especially if you've had the same symptoms but could not figure out what you suffered from.
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Avatar universal
I stated in a recent post that I would be visiting doctors and now have an answer.  I'll share my diagnosis with the hope that you find an answer as well.  I have suffered from a variety of symptoms for many years and have continually been diagnosed with panic attacks.  However, I went to a great doctor who was genuinely interested in hearing what I had to say.  She referred me to a cardiologist who did not find anything wrong on the surface, but based on the symptoms that I was experiencing, he recommended that I take a tilt table test…….and finally a test that revealed something.  I am somewhat relieved to have been diagnosed with dysautonomia.  There is no known cure for this, but there are many daily habits that one can instill to improve life.  Doctors may also choose to medicate.  Interestingly enough, most people with dysautonomia are first diagnosed with a panic disorder.

Many on this and other boards have complained of similar symptoms to me.  Dysautonomia presents differently in each person, so if you don't have an answer yet, I suggest that you do some research and see your doctor.  Good luck!
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Avatar universal
I am a 42 year old male and have suffered from this same situation for 8 years now.  I recently stopped driving highways altogether:  the movement of oncoming traffic in both directions, bridges, concrete barriers and guard rails have become too much.  I feel completely drained as a driver and a passenger and driving on all roads has become more difficult.  I know that fatigue, stress, caffeine, and driving on an empty stomach make my situation worse.  About five years ago, I had success with a therapist who used EMDR therapy.....driving returned to normal for a short time, but relief was only temporary, suggesting that this therapy did not resolve the true core issue here.  Recently, I started riding a bike for the first time in many years.  I have the same feelings of imbalance and floating.....cannot ride faster than 10 mph.  For many years, I have believed that this issue was purely psychological in nature.....it was isolated to driving alone.  The recent development makes me feel that this may be a vestibular disorder.  I have found that I have become very fearful of heights over the past eight years (which is new) and that motion is tough to take (such as rollercoasters).  Dramamine and other motion sickness remedies have not helped....this issue is not that simple.  I am resuming doctor visits and hope for some answer here.  Will post again with any information that can help us all......there are a lot of us.
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Vertical Heterophoria
Avatar universal
Ok, I think I have you all beat.  But, oddly I don't feel like the winner.  I am a 55 year old woman.  I have been suffering with this dizzy/floating/out of control feeling for approximately 34 years.  I live in California.  It started when I was living in the San Jose area back in the early 80s, out of the blue.  I was on a freeway that I had driven numerous times previously with no problem.  It started to happen with more frequency, only when I was the driver and when my speed was over 55 miles per hour.  Over the years it morphed into just driving on a freeway at any speed, any lane and for any distance.  Being next to big rigs, windy conditions, bridges and the concrete freeway construction dividers make it much worse.  I used to be able to drive without any problem for about an hour.  Half hour away, and then the other half hour home.  I am now stuck in my central valley California town.  If I need to go out of town for any reason, I have to depend on someone driving me.
Over the decades I have been to acupuncture, hypnosis, ENT dr., a general practitioner once told me I had agoraphobia, a fear of crowds!  Idiot doctor, he just didn't want to bother with a "crazy, irrational" woman.  I have no allergies, no high blood pressure, no stress, I am generally in good health.  I do have chronic migraines, but they have come on in the past 10 years or so.  Long after I don't drive on freeways any longer.  My parents and both my siblings have never had any issue with driving.  They can all drive cross country, if they wished, with no problem.
The only thing that has ever worked for me was the hypnosis.  It worked for about a month.  At $250 a visit, I couldn't afford it.  That was in about 2001.  I am sure the price has gone up since then.  
Obviously, we are all suffering from some syndrome or phenomena that is wide spread.  
Hello medical community.  This is real and we need help.  I know I am a danger to myself and others when driving on the freeway.  Therefore, I do not drive on the freeways anymore.  Ever.  This "thing" that we all seem to be experiencing is very frightening when it is happening.  It is very difficult to describe or explain to "normal" people.  They just don't understand it.  It really can make you feel like you are crazy.  Why such a common activity as driving on a freeway would be the trigger for this in so many diverse individuals is a mystery.  There has to be a common thread.  
HELLO MEDICAL COMMUNITY!
HELLO MEDICAL COMMUNITY........
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Hi I couldnt help but to make few points just for this entry cause u 'beat us all' : ) I live in UK and since UK switched to a digital broadcasting in 2012 being male 73kg  weight, gained 20kg and now I am 92kg.. being just 171cm high this is way too much I am 44 years old and when I checked my self in the Gym on this ultra modern technology new funcy machine it gave a reading that my metabolism was of 59 yers old.. where am I heading with this is that this new tipes of broadcasting digital with few hundreds chanels on or these online television where u are watching things through the lives tream or listening music not through the FM radio or CD but thrugh the internet again live streamed.. this new tipe digital broadcastings are slowly killing us.. and now at the moment nobody has any clue I am afraid, may be one day when its will be too late for our generation they will admit that this was hurmfull but now nobody is even raising questions there was one Spanish poor team of doctors who tryied to challenge ELD screens affect on human eyes but this fact was thrown and hidden away by this tech giants and everybody forgot about this now in UK there is statistics that the number os strokes on 35-50 years old has doubled and again these doctors are coming out with these stupid theories that we are eating too much solt having unhealthy diet and bluh bluh.. nobody is talking about the effects of smart phone screens on our health that u are checking ur phone more than 50 times a day nobody is talking about digital TVs or life stream TVs.. I know exactly what happend with me was direct consecuence of UK switching from telestrial TV to digital one and that my metabolism got like 59 yers old ones and I gain 20kg from that.. but at the moment I feel my self alone and I cant shout loud enough to wake somebody up that our goverments just for extra couple of billion dolars a year are slowly killing us without knowing that yeat.. may be one day.. I do not know if my comment will make u think about this problem but at least I tryied..
Avatar universal
This all started with me about three weeks ago.  I was driving to an event and hit a 4 lane highway and just couldn't focus. Like I was seeing the windshield not what's on the other side, almost like in a trance.  Feels like to you, see what there but don’t focus back to what’s important.    I had to pull over and bailed on the event and went home.   This happened to me before going over a bridge and I had that problem for years and thought I got through it with hypnosis.  On the bridge we were doing 55-65, 4 or 5 lanes and it was like a ribbon of cars all going the same so the illusion of really being still was there.  Full blown anxiety attack, sweating, fast heart rate etc.  

Seems to happen mostly on highways, multi lane and actually standing still at a red light a few minutes ago.  Almost feels like I am spinning a little and getting a closed in feeling.   Can't focus on just the road what in front of me.    I have to drive and its really messing with my brain.  It’s very hard to describe.  I sit at a PC terminal all day.  I thought it was my reading glasses and I use them all the time and even tired eyes.   Or even an over lite room and need to give my eyes abreak.  Went to the eye doctor last week and he prescribed some driving glasses and wetting eye drops. My actual eyes are ok.   I also started taking Prozac and Xanax to stop the anxiety.  It’s also feels like I am not registering as I speed up in the car.  Like the car is going faster then what I am seeing and it’s very disorientating.  I have to sit up very straight in the seat and it makes my skin and body crawl.   When I try to focus I start to get a little" out of body" feeling.  It’s very hard to describe.  
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your post. thomastonct

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 came to this site again out of desperation and found thomastonct's 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
thomastonctand 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!!!
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Avatar universal
I am 38years old living in NZ and have the same problem as many of us here.  I have a rolling sensation/effect when driving a truck, particularly when going around a curve either side and  driving downhill at speeds over 50km/h.  For me it only happens when driving a truck.  I feel like the truck is going to roll to my right/ driver's side.  I have gone for hearing exam, EN&T, MRI scan, Psychologists all in vain.  I still have the feeling when driving a car but it is well manageable and I can easily drive at 100km/h in motorways.  My biggest problem is I drive for a job and also own the trucks.  I have invested over $500 000 in the trucks and my inability to drive means loosing the business and many of you would imagine what that means in terms of loosing your livelihood.  On some days it's worst such that a 20 minute journey will turn to an hour as I drive around avoiding motorways and only use it to cross the harhour bridge as there is no alternate route.
The specialist who dealt with me categorised my symptoms at "summation somatic disorder" or something like that.   However, since November 2018 till now am still living in the same hell.  I was referred to a psychologist who taught me some relaxation technics, breathing technics, stress management, etc.  I was tried on some vertigo medication which didn't work


I'll take this thread to all the specialists I have seen, maybe someone will be motivated to have further study about it and hopefully one day we'll have some treatment.  As for now I'll keep using all the technics I have in my tool box and keep going.  I now have some small relief that I haven't gone nut as other people have/are experiencing somewhat similar symptoms.
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Avatar universal
The symptoms described here may have different root causes but here is my story about conquering my debilitating condition.

I had the familiar symptoms while driving a car: at high speeds on highways I could not go through a curve without feeling I was losing control (tipping over), and felt uncertain on wide open roads. What was worse for me was that it affected my road cycling. It started with no longer being able to go through a curve without braking. Then I could no longer ride (fast) on wide open roads. In the end I had to get off the bike for fear of falling over. I almost got myself hit by cars because I started to swerve to avoid falling over.
I was always OK at slow speeds and on narrow bike paths or roads with trees or tall grass or corn fields alongside. So I reasoned that as long as my eyes were getting cues about orientation I was OK. Being on a bike and in the Netherlands with 1000s of miles of dedicated bike paths with no cars around me allowed me to experiment. I started to consciously look for queues. Though that helped in the very moment, after a few weeks it made my symptoms much worse. So much worse that I was afraid I had to give up cycling forever. I was a danger to myself and others.

I read more about "motorist vestibular disorientation syndrome" and decided to try the opposite: on long, straight and deserted bike paths I would ride while staring at the road under my bike. This way my eyes were not getting any orientation cues (riding blindfolded was not really an option :-) ) This was unnerving at first and I could only do it for a few seconds. But I kept at it day after day (regularly looking up of course to make sure there wasn't any oncoming bike traffic!). And it got better. And I noticed my symptoms would occur less frequently. It wasn't like it was slowly improving, but the symptoms would turn on and turn off, sometimes within a single ride. Either I was OK and could take a curve at 20mph or I was not. That was unnerving because going in to a curve I never knew if it would hit me halfway in.
Also I was able to ride wide open roads again, with only the occasional scare.
The first time my symptoms improved I stopped my "experiment". I biked happily for a month or so, but then the symptoms came back. So whenever in a safe environment I would continue to ride "blind". And after several months I was totally cured! I've stopped my "experiment" and the symptoms have not recurred for the past half year.

I don't know the root cause of this condition, but I think I know what happens when you have these symptoms. When standing still or going slow, your brain uses the inputs from your inner ear (vestibular organ) to orient itself. This has never been a problem for me. I'm not dizzy or unstable while walking and I can stand still with my eyes closed.
When you move faster, your brain integrates the signals from your vestibular organ with the signals from your eyes.
This is some non-linear process that weighs both inputs. At slow speeds it gives more weight to the vestibular signal but as speed increases it relies more on the visual cues. This is OK until you go at a high speed without any visual cues: highways, wide open roads. Somehow this mechanism has gone awry. At high speed your brain ONLY uses the visual inputs and completely ignores the vestibular. By "riding blind" I forced my brain to re-calibrate the algorithm. And it worked! I am enjoying going in to highway curves at speed again - and riding my bike!

From the initial recognition of my symptoms it took me about 2-1/2 years to begin my experiment and about 4-6 months to become symptom free.  Though not everyone has the luxury of dutch bike paths I hope sharing my experience will help others conquer this issue.
Helpful - 1
4 Comments
Thanks MVDS for sharing your experiences with us. I think this issue is too complicated, especially for those who driving cars. It is also too dangerous. Since one mistake may results in a catastrophic accident. We need to be so careful.

Wishing you all safe driving and happy life.

Adnan
Fascinating! Your symptoms exactly match mine. I’ll try this myself, on my bike and see what happens...thanks for posting!
lucienne139, thanks for making the effort to leave a note. Since you found this post you must be as frustrated as I was searching for a solution. I am still symptom free and enjoying bike riding (and car driving) again. I hope this will help you too and would really appreciate an update in a few months - it is going to take time.
And stay safe!!!!!
Wow you hit it on the nose although its while I'm driving. I've actually experimented the way you did not knowing I was experimenting. Just doing whatever worked in the meantime so I wouldnt have to drive on service road all my life.  I can now drive in the fast lane on familiar highways. Unfamiliar highways I dont even bother....
Avatar universal
so just an update from oct 2017. I got back the same problems again after i stopped going to the gym. Im not sure if its gym related or not. I have alot of stress at my work and at my home.
I feel loosing balance when driving over 100km/h . I canmot drive on highways as much, i take inner roads and it is killing me.  
My ears now have pressure every now and then. no ear infection either. I dont drink. The only medication im on is lipitor. Is anyone else on lipitor here ?
Does anyone else experencing this have high stress workload? Do you have ear infection?
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Hi
I am returning after many years to reply back. I figured out what my problem was. It was a infection in my stomach which was causing issues. I did some round of antibiotics such as rifaxamin and metronidazole . I was also low on b12 , b1, vitamin D . I had to pay out of pocket to naturopath to do private blood work , breath and stool test. I am feeling much better. Make sure you use a biofilm buster when doing the antibiotics.
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