Getting vertigo driving on motorways

[InTheNotswolds]

Is this a thing? I'm mid 40s, generally healthy etc, but have found myself having 'a funny turn' sometimes whilst driving on the motorway. The only way I can describe it is a type of vertigo, as though I am on a tightrope and might fall off. Is it just me?

Have you had your eyes tested recently?

Is it after you've been driving for a while? It is possible to get a kind of dizziness from staring at a road after driving for a while. Having said that, for me it is after I've finished driving and if it was long journey on a straight road. I get moments afterwards when I feel like I'm still moving. If it's happening while you're driving that must be quite worrying.

Yes, eyes are fine and no other issues. Doesn't happen all the time and only ever on motorways.

And makes no difference how long I've been driving. It also doesn't feel like dizziness, but like the road is falling away, a bit like the ground falls away when the plane takes off. (Hard to describe)

I had this.A terrible feeling of doom and a desire to get out of the car having previously driven for 34 yrs no problems.
By my 50s I struggled with roundabouts.
52 stopped driving.
Menopause caused anxiety and a vertigo type feeling.
From what I've read online falling oestrogen affects the inner ear.
No one told me anything.im a bus person now.

I had this, it felt like the road only existed as far as I could see it and after that I'd fall off. I'm someone who has driven for work, over a thousand mils a week at times and in lots of different vehicle classes. My driving confidence went out of the window, and I felt like I was literally going to fall off the road. It was ridiculous. HRT and all is well, it's perimenopause, you're not the only one, I have a couple of friends who experienced the same, panic attacks on the motorway and had to be picked up. Confident life long drivers, who are back on the road now they're on the right prescription of HRT. Mind boggling.

Yes I get this, especially with bridges. I try to look further ahead on the road and take a short break every hour, and that helps, but I think it's a form of travel sickness. I'm tired after driving more than 45 mins as it feels like I'm still moving and my brain is still trying to work fast, like it has to when driving to process all the fast moving visual cues.

Yes, this is my life now. I am 48 and my driving anxiety has been going on for about three years now. Not on hrt but maybe I should be. The doc gave me beta blockers but they don't work. Your description is exactly right. My world has definitely become smaller. I wonder if driving confidence comes back after menopause. Would be great to hear it does...

Really worth trying HRT if you are able.

I also had this around menopause time.

it is:

• worse if I move my head or eyes very rapidly to one side
• MUCH worse if I’ve forgotten a couple of doses of antidepressants
• so bad with dehydration or hangovers that I’ve basically stopped drinking.
• associated with migraine. My friend developed vestibular migraines at menopaus.

Suspect it is connected to hormones and also changes in close vision.

The other possibility to consider is BPPV. Csn be treated with certain manoeuvres.

Thanks all - REALLY interesting. Periods are normal at the moment, but that's not to say it couldn't be peri. Lots of food for thought.

Yes yes yes...at the same age. Horrible feeling. Turned out to be anxiety attacks relating to perimenopause. It affected me exactly as you describe it, on the motorways too. Disappeared after taking antidepressants to tackle the anxiety disorder.

Anyone back driving now ?

I had this with a B12 deficiency. Also when I started sertraline (they told me I had anxiety and then depression before my new GP actually did a blood test and discovered the B12 deficiency was causing my fatigue, dizzy spells and general low mood).

I have this too.
Unfortunately I have to drive, but hate it. Can’t take HRT either.

Interesting! I had this, exactly the same, and worse when driving at night. I kept feeling like I had to slow down to control the road (not the car!). At the same time, i had been having trouble with refocusing my eyes when eg glancing from a book to the tv. I got varifocals, which definitely helped with the motorway thing to a certain extent, although I'm about to go on hrt for other reasons and I'll be delighted if it completely fixes this too!

If eyes are ok do you have to use motorways , as possibly suggested , the motorways are at least for some concentrating mile after mile could make you feel feel like that . A, roads twist etc more so you are not concentrating on long straight bits more on what is happing in front of you