Is car travel a stressor for you?

[parkie13]

fredphillips.wordpress.com/...

Anymore, it is for me. I still do drive but not in heavy freeway traffic. That drives me nuts.

[Jeansm]

I have same issue. I drive less and less & rely on my husband to chauffeur me around but my irrational nervousness as a passenger annoys him and causes tension which I’m sure then affects his driving. Catch 22. I am also reluctant to take the train & haven’t been on a plane in 4 years. It is part of general anxiety that is also affecting other parts of my life (eg will not travel in elevator, avoid crowded places). My neurologist has prescribed Fluoxetine. I was uncomfortable with this suggestion and ironically the suggestion seems to have increased my anxiety. I have procrastinated for 2 weeks but taken my first 10 mg of Prozac today.

[Jeansm in reply to Jeansm]

Sorry, dose was a typo. Should read 20mg

[laglag]

Driving, especially in heavy traffic, really bothers me, but I haven't noticed it when I've been a passenger. Unfortunately, vacations stress me out. The thing I most wanted to do when I retired, which was 4 years ago, was travel, but now it seems to take everything out of me to get ready, packing, the airport activities, the effort it takes while I'm there, and then coming back to reality.

[Jeansm in reply to laglag]

Same here! But difficult to explain to others

[Bolero in reply to laglag]

Man, can I relate to that!

[MBAnderson]

If you want to torment a PWP, drive them through Atlanta, GA. during rush hour.

[Bailey_Texas]

The only issue i had was being sleepy and once i did fall asleep at the wheel but i woke up and did not hit any thing. I drove 900 miles non stop with my wife and had no problems. I just don't drive tired. I took my corvette to the drag strip and made a few passes last week.

[Juliegrace]

I just posted about this in my B1 update. I'm mostly ok in the car as driver or passenger except on the Interstate highway. Then I am filled with anxiety. One day last month we drove to the airport, which requires highway driving, and I had NO anxiety for the first time in years. I think it was due to the B1 injections, but twice since then I have had the usual anxiety so I need to adjust timing and dosage.

A psychiatrist I saw as part of a PD research study suggested cognitive-behavioral therapy might offer some relief.

[m-h1]

Of course I'm stressed. My wife does the driving.

Ha ha .

After driving since 1968 . They took my licence of me in 2013.

Good thing really for the British road users..

I am a bad passenger.

My wife and daughters won't have me in the front with them.

After years of taxiing them about its their' turn to run me around.

They don't seem to see any danger but then with the old Parkinsons my speed perspective is all to cock. At 20 mph I feel we're doing sixty.

They tell me to get out or close my eyes. To late girls. Already tight shut and all fingers and toes crossed. m-h1

Happy days.

[jrg54321]

I drive 60 miles to work and back on the highway. I wouldn't be able to do it without the lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control on my Chevy volt.

[Hidden]

Thanks for sharing. I never associated my fear of traveling in a car to my PD.

[mblongdon]

I concur. I love shopping but these days often the anxiety of driving out weighs the pleasure of shopping. Who'da thunk that would ever happen!?

[hopedope]

I have had some anxiety in the car when my husband is driving although he is a good driver. Sometimes he takes a longer route that I am more comfortable with because there aren't as many trucks on that route and it is easier to get onto the highway. I still am able to drive myself taking the routes I am comfortable with.

We just got back from a long car trip on interstates and I found that helping with directions etc. using the WAZE app on my cell phone helped. I knew the speed he was driving at and I knew what to expect on the road ahead because "wazers" who are also traveling on the same highway report if heavy traffic is ahead etc. Then you can prepare by stopping in a rest area right away for example :-).

We haven't traveled by air for almost 10 years but will fly to Newfoundland in June. We will go through Atlanta traffic to the airport then make a connection in Toronto for St. John's. I hope I won't have anxiety doing that. It will be my first air trip since diagnosis. The trip itself will probably be stressful and fun at the same time.