falling asleep at the wheel
 

Recently, I have noticed that I want to sleep in the car. When I drive, I now have to have the windows down and the air flowing or I tend to want to drift off. (almost like being in a tunnel)

I have had no changes in my medications (Butran's, clonidine patch's, neurontin, abilify, nexium, estrogen) for over a year now so I am not sure what is going on.

Has any one else experienced anything like this? :Hum:

Yes, over the last few days, but I haven't had much sleep to be honest. It's different to usual tiredness though as I can start dreaming within a second of being awake. There's absolutely no hope in me staying awake through it either, although I don't stay asleep either, so part of me must be aware it's happening and waking myself back up. I was playing a game on my mobile phone and it kept happening, and so I would restart and restart the level (how nerdy is that lol, but when you're sore you'll use anything to distract yourself), and each time I would try my best to stay awake and each time I failed, lol.

Not sure what the answer is, and I appreciate falling asleep through a level of Dragon Egg is a lot different to falling asleep driving!

I had a similar problem. Never got to the point of drifting off while driving. My doctor ordered up a sleep study. The first study I had, I did not get into REM sleep at all. So they repeated it and got me to sleep first (meaning they put the equipment on me first before other patients so I got to sleep first). So during that second sleep study I had one REM episode and it showed many episodes of sleep apnea. I went onto nasal cpap at night and had been good up until recent. Now I'm back to being terribly tired through the day. My NP prescribed some stimulant but I didn't try it b/c I didn't want to interfere with my crps meds.

To simplify, see if your doctor thinks a sleep study would be needed.

I will suddenly feel tired and fall asleep within a minute. I don't know the law in the US but vover here you are required to tell the Driving and Vehicle Licencing Agency of any condition which may affect your ability to drive safely. Although as an ex-police officer I knew I would never drive again it was still hurtful when they took my licence away but better that than killing someone

This happened to me...but it was always related to meds. If you're not sleeping well then it could just be being over tired too (I've had THAT happen after working overnight shifts).

Be very careful Alt. I didn't drive for over a year because my RSD symptoms made it very dangerous for me to do so (dizziness, blurry vision, etc) and I didn't start driving again until I got those symptoms under control. I was VERY clear with my doctor how often these things were happening and it was something she put in every doctor's note for work...that it was unsafe for me to drive (even though all my other symptoms also prevented me from being able to work at the time).

Definitely get with your doctor to determine the cause of this and if it's happening often I would not get behind the wheel.

I know I don't sleep well. I have an appointment tommorrow with my pcp. hopefully I will get some answers because nothing has changed medication wise. I do well if I drive with the windows down.

Thank you all.

ok. Saw pcp, will get sleep study done, see eye dr. and get a host of labs done. Will keep you posted to what they find. Thank you all for responding to my thread.:hug:

I don't drive much because of this. I've had every test In the book, but neurological ones. An MRI confirmed rsd so no EEG, no brain MRI, no sleep study nothing. Yesterday, I was reading waiting for my sons game to start but it wasn't like sleep. It was like passing out. Weird. I see a neurologist soon I hope, but I have developed new symptoms and my rsd was controlled (relatively speaking) by meds and scs (2) I have a headache each morning that goes away later, balance and coordination probs, retyping and saying things, or thinking I've said/done things I haven't (all rsd symptoms I know which make me hope it's a flare!), and then that weird falling asleep thing. It's only 10-20 seconds, but still freaky. I also have rsd of te eye which explains visual disturbances. Anyway, I hope you figure yours out. I would love another's input!

You brought up several symptoms that I also have. Headaches in am (sometimes migraine) occassional nausea and vomiting in am. (nausea also when driving) I also get this electrical feeling in my head when moving it around as well as heat intolerance. On Tues. after an lsb, my bp dropped to 84/50. So it could also be a bp issue causing all this.:eek:

I know my vision is not as good. (esp. my right) I have an eye apt. the 23rd, sleep study the 2nd and already had my labs done.

You should also pay attention to what and when you've eaten. It's the combo of meds and carbs that are a major issue for me.

If you have sinus issues, you might want to try a Rx nasal spray. It will help you breath easier while sleeping, as well.

I only drive when I feel at my best, (not too tired, and with low pain levels) and since vibrations exacerbate my pain, I really limit my driving...

Oh goodness that has to be scary! Is heat intolerance apart of RSD I've always thought that was my MS. I sure hope that the sleep study they do for you gives you answers! Or some of the lab work at least. I wish you the best of luck becareful driving until they get that figured out please stay safe:)

Hey alt. I know you said you haven't changed any meds. Do you still use the clonidine patch? I know when I started using it a couple of years ago I experienced some of the things you mentioned once the weather got warm...because heat can increase the amount of clonidine that is being released by the patch. It can cause nausea, headaches, affect your vision, and obviously disrupt your BP (since that is what it is controlling). Just thought I would throw that out there.

I still use the clonidine patch and I have to be careful in the warm weather. I was so surprised by it last summer because when I started using it was winter so heat really wasn't an issue.

ok. Dr.'s office just called labs look good. Informed them, I fell on Thursday trying to sit in a chair. Really a little scared at this point. I feel so strange some times if I move my head a certain way I get like a surge of electricity and every thing spins for a second or two. Then clears up.

I have a lot of symptoms pointing to MS.

I am still on the clonidine and bp has been a little lower, but dr. didn't seem to concerned. I would hate to give it up, it has really helped.

eye dr.
 

I went to the eye dr. he says everything looks ok and that he feels it is my bp dropping and that my pcp should have picked up on it. I am going to have my sleep study on May 2 and I am thinking of requesting a neurology consultl.

What would you do?

I miserably failed my vision test. I'm seeing my neuro on April 29th.

Could any of your meds be causing Seratonin Syndrome???

Please research it, I suspect this could be potentially be the problem.

Great point Catra. Changes in absorption rates can be an issue with most of the "patch" type medications with changes in the weather, sweating from exercise or hot flashes, etc even changes in activity levels that increase your pulserate.

Alt ~ good luck with finding the cause of your new issue. Dealing with more losses stinks.

I reviewed Seratonin syndrome and I don't believe this is it. (yes I am on abilify which can cause this) My problem seems to be that everything starts moving and I have to take deep breaths, roll down windows. Just like I am going to pass out or fall asleep. Like I am deeply drugged. I also get electrical charges in my head if I try and shake it off.

I got serotonin syndrome from the meds I was on when things were REALLY bad for me. It might be worth checking on just in case alt.

I didn't have to get rid of the clonidine patches...but I do have to be very careful when the temps get warmer or in situations where I can get overheated. That's when I get those wacky symptoms that the clonidine patches actually help at every other time but go completely wonky if the release of the medication gets altered from the heat.

There were concerns when I went through my rough patch that I had some symptoms for MS...but it was all caused by the RSD (or meds) in the end. Still something you want to follow through and check up on...but don't get yourself too stressed about it at this point. You know stress will only make your RSD symptoms worse and if that's what is causing these problems then you need to try and de-stress as much as possible.

Sorry to hear you fell. I have those times where I just fall. My balance is still a mess. I've gotten better with it but then even if I'm feeling alright one minute I just fall the next with no warning. It's very scary.

I experienced "brain zaps" and that sound similar to your description.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSRI_...ation_syndrome

I've also had vertigo.

And I've had both seperately and together. ;)

The vertigo hits when I have an excess of lymph. No explanation why it happens.

Lit Love, I read the SSRI discontinuation signs and symptoms which sounds similiar to what I'm observing, my question is I havent discontinued anything so why would I be having these symptoms? That is why I said it may possibly be MS. All the symptoms seem similiar.

It can occur from not taking your meds at exactly the same time, or it can just develop as a side effect I believe... :(

So I had my sleep study last night. I will not know the results for 2 weeks or so. In the meantime, my pcp is sending me to a ent. However, yesterday I found out I have an abdnormal ekg. So I see a cardiologist on the 10th. please say some prayers.:smileypray:

I will hope for you :) good luck! These things are always scary, I had a brain MRI testing for MS a few years ago, frightened me rigid...it was all clear, but of course you do fret. I have an abnormal rhythm myself, think its not uncommon with the meds and CRPS combo. Hopefully yours is just a scare. Try to stay positive.

Bram. :grouphug:

Wanted to give everyone an update. Getting heart moniter on the 24th for a week, then brain mri to rule out early Meinere's or MS. Also checking for lyme dx. I feel much better being that they are being so thorough.

Sounds like a lot of the same stuff I went through. On the one hand...it's scary and physically draining to go through so many tests...but I feel really grateful knowing there's nothing else going on and just my RSD because as bad as that is I cannot imagine ALSO having something else that is a serious condition. I was also grateful that we did all of this in one year since I was using my regular insurance and I actually reached my out of pocket maximum for the year...something I hope never ever happens again but at least at the tail end of the year I had no OOP expenses other than the copays. Made that second half of the year slightly less stressful.

Good luck and take care.

So tonight is my last night on the heart monitor and tommorrow is the brain MRI. Next week I follow up with the cardiologist and the the following week ent.

I am sorry I have been so distance. Just don't know what to make of all this. Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial day.

My fingers are crossed for you that all these tests give you some sort of answer alt.