Driving

[BlitzenandMikey]

Hi all,
I posted about a year ago about this, but at present doesn’t seem to have gotten any better. Driving at any speed. My heart races, hands are sweaty, can’t focus on any conversation and the fear that I’m going to crash the car. I’ve been on hrt for a year. Blood tests show I’m not absorbing the gel I’m on. So, switching to the patch from next week. This anxiety only appeared when the menopause kicked in. Currently looking at various apps etc to try and tackle the issue as it’s really hindering my life. I’ve spoken to the Gp and she suggested propranolol which I’m taking. Overall I just feel this sense of anxiety in my body and my brain never stops. Does anyone experience this with driving?

Maybe you could arrange some driving lessons as a 'refresher' so you go out with someone ? (If that works with Covid?) Or a friend? And if you are anxious and can't talk in the car, it's probably best to drive alone till you get your confidence back. I am a fairly confident driver and do a 300 mile trip alone, but I don't like chatting to a passenger.

Personally, I think you have to try to overcome this like a phobia, using CBT techniques- so maybe try driving on a motorway from one junction to the next for just a short distance. Then increase the distance and speeds. You don't have to do 70mph all the time- 50 or 60 is fine as long as you aren't causing a tailback.

am so relieved to have found someone else in the same position. I have gone from someone who could drive to most places, including motorways , to struggling to drive more than a 3 mile radius. I can not react fast enough to situations & it takes me a long time to get spatially aware. It has definitely got worse since menopause. As a result my self confidence has plummeted through the floor. I have tried refresher lessons but I only ever feel relief when I get out of the car.
I have contemplated getting in touch with my GP, but am worried that she will laugh at me & tell me that being a driving failure is not a menopause symptom ☹️☹️

Its actually very common. I experienced this despite being a very confident driver, commuting day on motorway and never ever experienced anxiety driving.

Suddenly I started to feel like so wasn't in control of my driving and this triggered anxiety. I didn't realise that it was anxiety in the first place that made me feel as I did because I wasn't anxious in my head, but anxious in my body.

It then expended to any trip away. What helped is stopping the commuting for sometime, and accepting that ai wasn't suffering from anything awful. I still had that feeling coming but told myself that it wasn't real and that I was ok.

It just got better with time. I still occasionally get it but I don't get mentally anxious about it, accept it and it just goes away.

You aren’t alone, motorway driving makes me really anxious as well as I’m someone who never had an issue with driving.

I hate being in the fast lane, it actually frightens me now. I actually feel out of control

I stopped driving over 3 years ago after being ok for. 33 years.I never liked the motorways but got myself to the shops and work.Initially I put.it down to my df being v I'll then dying.Now I believe it was the perimenopause as I was 0ver 50.I just felt like I couldn't cope with it having previously loved my short journeys.
I am intending on having refresher lessons once and for all now my HRT has helped me so much and lockdown has pressed my reset levels of stress.You are not alone.

Another one here. Perimenopausal. Been a very confident driver always up and down the country on motorways. A few years ago I had a funny spell on the motorway, kind of a brief blackout which left me weak, panicked, like I was going to crash!

This triggered a horrible anxiety each time I ventured onto the motorway but I was fine on other roads. Saw doc eventually and I ended up taking a small dose of the anti-depressant Fluoxetine. She also gave Propranolol but haven't taken it as the Fluoxetine has been bloody amazing for me. Done several big trips and been fine.. the relief is incredible.

I had a spell like this in the perimenopausal years. I tried wild orange oil on my temples when feeling nervous in the car which worked amazingly well.

I could feel myself getting a bit that way. I booked a beginners track day, loved it, booked another. It gave me so much more confidence to know I could actually drive really bloody fast without panicking. I now have a small sports car and regularly go to open pit days/track days (when I can afford it). Its made a huge difference.

I remember my mum became very nervous after menopause. Not just driving, but spreading to all areas of her life, despite being one of the most ballsy women ever. I'm determined that is not going to happen to me.