Balance/driving

[Timjk]

I have a question. I am reading so many comments on balance problems after surgery. I am a paraplegic in a wheelchair for the past six years. I drive a handicap accessible van. Balance while walking problems obviously do not pretain to me. But my question is after surgery how long was it before any of you were able to comfortably drive again ?? I live alone (divorced) and I am self-suffcient. I am totally independent,so being able to get myself around is very important to me.
Thanks again for any responses..

               Tim

[Obita]

Good morning Tim:

I drove on the 12th day.  I didn't go far, no interstate.  The first few times were a little rough on the head when I hit a bump in the road.  I don't remember how long it took before I was comfortable driving.  I do remember that I stayed away from the interstate for quite a while because of the head turning involved.  My neck was very stiff for at least a month.

Good luck on the 8th and please let us know what they say.  Kathy

[Timjk]

Thank you Kathy.. That is very encouraging.. I will definately keep you posted.

        Tim

[nancyann]

Hi Tim:

I started driving 2 weeks after getting out of the hospital, 18 days post-op.   

The hardest thing was turning my head to look at the side view mirrors - it really made me dizzy, but I was able to handle it.
Drove on the interstate the 1st day driving.  I just went a little slower (the speed limit !).  Still get a little dizzy when I turn my head, but it's doable.

Best wishes, Nancy

[Rc Moser]

Tim, the thing that bothered me the most is moving my head from side to side looking for traffic, Too quickly and I would get alittle dizzy, you can expect to have problems telling which way sound is coming from also and the buzz probably won't go away. If most cases it gets worse as noise level gets higher. IMO just try not to move you head too quickly at first.

[krbonner]

I waited a month to drive, but I had lots of help and I was nervous to drive at first with my young kids in the car.  As others have noted, the biggest problem initially is that the world can spin if you turn your head too quickly until your body learns to compensate.  By a month post-op, that had subsided for me.  There are vestibular exercises you can do to help that healing process - make sure you get them from the physical therapist before leaving the hospital.

Katie

[ppearl214]

Tim,

Hi and welcome!

I can't answer from a mico-surgery viewpoint, but I do find that driving at night does bother me, especially when I get "wonky head". If I'm on familiar roads (like my immediate neighborhood), then I seem to be ok.  When on highways at night, I am in the right lane, going VERY slowly and trying to focus on the white lane lines.  Not sure why this is occuring, but it does.

Hang in there and happy new year to you.
Phyl

[Boppie]

Surgery December, 05.  Driving in the daylight since 2 weeks post op.  Driving in the dark since 3 months out.  I did a lot of head rotational exercises before and after surgery to get my vestibular system focused.  I still do them once in a while to do a check up on myself.

My doctor instructed me to start my eye and head movement exercises as soon as I woke up in the hospital.  Also, I do these head movements looking ahead, side to side, and up/down while walking out of doors too.

However, driving on the highways and freeways in Texas are nothing like driving through tunnels on the Jersey Turnpike (that's what we called it in the 60's)   

Even though I enjoy driving I wouldn't hire myself out as a delivery driver who had to search for house numbers and signs all day, unless they paid me by the hour. 

[Jim Scott]

Timjk:

For whatever it's worth: my neurosurgeon gave me the O.K. to drive two weeks post-op, based on in-office neurological tests - and my request for his permission to drive.  I've driven thousands of miles since then and have no real problems.  Driving at night takes a little more effort - but not much. 

Time Heals

Jim[/color]

[roub1]

I was realyy worried about this too. I drive for a living so to speak. The first time was about two weeks post-op and it realy was a tiring experience. I soon found that driving was more helpful than the exercises, so I drove around instead. Worked for me and helped me when I got back to work.


Charlie