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[Zowie]

Hi everyone

Fairly new here and desperate for some help and understanding please.  A couple of months ago I drove home on the motorway from a weekend away.  I was really tired as I had only slept a few hours thanks to raging cortisol and I had a panic attack on the motorway.  I carried on driving and got myself home safely but after that, every time I drive on a dual carriageway or motorway or go over 50mph I feel terrified and feel dizzy but I know I'm not dizzy because I've had vestibular migraines for years and do vestibular rehab so my balance and inner ear stability is pretty good.  I know it's probably anxiety as I often feel like I've drunk too much coffee when I haven't touched a drop of caffeine.

I have to do a drive which is about an hour and a half once a month to see family so this just isn't allowed to happen.  When I was driving at the weekend I tried to think about something else while I was driving and the anxiety went.  When I stopped thinking I got scared again.

Has anyone else experienced this?  I can't take HRT due to cyst issues and have just started using a magnesium spray to hopefully help with the sleep.  I'm wondering if I'm just really sleep deprived but feeling alone and scared.  I've been checked over by the doctor and have had lots of tests for other things in the past and everything points to hormones as I'm 50 but if anyone else has had something similar happen to them it would just make me feel less alone.

Thank you for listening :-)

[Perinowpost]

I think driving anxiety is very common at menopause age, and it’s definitely impacted by falling hormones. I haven’t experienced what you have but definitely became an anxious passenger around this time, especially when my husband was driving!  I would sometimes shriek if I thought he was going too fast, or wasn’t going to stop in time which definitely didn’t help the situation 🤣

[CLKD]

Yep.  4 me it was low blood sugar as well as knowing that on the 13 mile journey, there aren't any lay-bys! I could have dropped into a supermarket car park but that was 3 miles from home.  I learnt to have a banana 40 mins. B4 travelling to stop the surges.

[Zowie]

Thanks for your replies 

Perinowpost that made me laugh - I've only been the driver so far but I'm sure a shriek isnt far away 

CLKD that's so interesting you've said that.    I think a few times it's been because of low BS.  I get IBS (just to add to the mix as I'm an anxious Annie) and sometimes don't eat enough before a journey because I'm worried about getting stressed and needing the loo.  I just despair of myself sometimes and wonder how I've made it to 50    

[Marchlove]

Hiya 

Yes unfortunately anxiety and panic attacks are very common in menopause, driving being a known trigger.

I take it you might be on thyroid treatment, so was wondering if it’s possible that you might be over treated?

If that’s not the case, depending on what type of cysts you have, you could possible try some otc progesterone cream which many women find calming and progesterone is known to shrink certain kinds of cysts.
You’d have to do some research about this to see if it’s suitable for you.

xx

[Zowie]

Hi Marchlove

Yes I'm a Hashimotos sufferer as well as all the wonderful other ailments.  I'm fairly stable on thyroxine at the moment but it might be worth a blood test to check.  It's breast cysts that I have although they are starting to go now the oestrogen is leaving the building but I was recommended by the breast surgeon not to take HRT as they (and the accompanying additional anxiety) would return :-)   I've not heard about the progesterone cream so thank you so much, I'll look into it :-) x

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on.

Browse round.  Make notes.

[Keep On Swimming]

Hello Thryoid Warrior,

I'm also a Thyroid Warrior! There are a few of us here and you'll find a thread in "Other Health Discussion" called "Thryoid issues & support".

I'm right with you on the driving anxiety... I haven't found a "cure" but chewing gum, singing out loud, opening window, keeping the mind busy helps. If you could get a hypnotherapy session beforehand it could really help.

Also, Petit Grain essential oil is great for anxiety. I just recommended it to someone else on a different thread. Will go and copy/paste...

You take 2 drops 3 x day on a neutral support (small piece of bread or spoonful of honey) and you can also rub 2 drops 3 x day on your solar plexus, wrists (and inhaaaaaaaale) and instep. It smells quite strong, that's the downside but it's like nature's Xanax. I always have it in my bag (bit of a nervous person since Hashimoto's kicked in).

All the best.

[Marchlove]

I expect you know that breast cysts are primarily caused by estrogen dominance, so progesterone cream should help.

You’ll need to research the best brands or start a new thread.

If your peri you should only use it from days 14-28 and then break. You’ll only need about 20mg a day and expect for it to take about 3 months for it to help.

Best rotate, using it on inner wrists, upper arms and you can use it on breasts.

X

[Mary G]

I had a spell of driving anxiety which started in my mid 30s.  It seemed to be connected with balance and I suddenly become terrified of very straight motorways and had a fear of losing control of the car and not having anywhere to pull off.  I suppose it was a type of panic attack.

It completely disappeared about 10 years ago and I'm now back to how I was before it all started and I can drive any kind of vehicle anywhere now.   

So don't despair, there is hope and it can just disappear as quickly as it started.

If I had to guess, I would say it's most likely linked to reduced progesterone levels because it's the calming hormone that starts to drop off prior to perimenopause.

[Zowie]

Thanks so much Mary, Marchlove and Keep on Swimming, some brilliant suggestions of things to try and things to be hopeful for. I braved a nighttime drive tonight and was fine - how weird is that! Not sure if it was because it was quiet or that I didn’t see trees rushing -past me but maybe the magnesium and vagus nerve breathing is helping :-)