What could this be?

[Friend of a Mouse]

OP,
I understand your reluctance. Our society is set up for independence, and the main way adults get that independencce is by driving. Many places do not have great public transit. BUT, driving is a privilege, NOT a right. None of the students I work with can drive (I teach kids who are visually impaired.) There is public transportation out there, there are ways to get around if that is what the doctor says. It does not have to mean a loss of independence.

What scares me is that you simply do not see the seriousness of it. You were doing 60 in a 35 on your way to school. My experience with college towns is that there are often people walking around, crossing the street outside of crosswalks. It ould so easily have turned into you mowing down a student, and you don't seem to understad why that is serious. You were fine one time, but that does not mean yu will be fine again.

You really need to take a long hard look in the mirror. It is rare that everybody on the Community Board agrees on something, when they do, it's time to serously consider what they are saying. Get it checked out. Make sure you are safe to drive. Don't just assume that because everything turned out okay this one time that it will the next time. It takes 2-3 seconds for an accident. 2-3 seconds of reading a text, changing a CD, or just plain getting distracted. PLEASE get yourself cheked out before you get behind the wheel again.

 

[justussix]

Hey Keypooh90, given how recently you were prescribed Coumadin, I assume you are still having to go in regularly for PT tests. Perhaps you should mention this situation the next time you go in for one, especially since strokes can also be caused by bleeds, which can occur if your Coumadin dosage is wrong.

OP. Get thee to thy lab for a blood draw at minimum What's your required therapeutic range? I know it's different for clotting issues vs A-fib vs mechanical heart valves. With heart valves, therapeutic range is either 2.5 - 3.5 or 2.0 - 3.0 depending on the valve manafacturer and Dr recommendation. Not sure for clotting issues or A-fib. You do need to know your INR ASAP. Any recent changes in diet that would have an impact on your INR?

For me, cranberry juice can send my INR through the roof. But if you've been frequenting all you can eat salad bars, or just changing to more leafy greens in your diet - your INR could take a significant drop. Changes in physical activity level impact INR as well (adding an exercise program for example). If you're still on lab draws and stable - you should be going in monthly. However, nothing wrong with going out of turn if you have reason to believe something may be off. If you have a home monitor, then take a quick test and see.

Given the DVT history and the coumadin dosing - a TIA or mini-stroke is not out of the question.

 

[robinb]

That's right. But no matter how much pestering we all do, she's not going to get checked out. So all this pestering is, frankly, pointless. We're all wasting our time.

You're right. The OP is going to do what she's going to do and it doesn't matter how many people tell her to see her doctor. That being said, I don't know her well but as a member of the DIS community I worry about her. I hope she does the right thing.

 

[Allison]

Haven't you ever been driving and get somewhere and don't remember the drive there, Why get her all excited and upset over it??

So would you be comfortable having your children in a vehicle driving next to the op when this happens?

 

[powellrj]

I was hit head-on in Jan by a man who blacked out while driving. Its been almost 2 months and I still have no car, am in pain and just had to hire a lawyer on monday because even though the other insurance admitted fault, they have denied all my bills. If you hit someone during one of your spells, it could be tragic to another person. We were lucky that we weren't killed, only my new mustang was.

 

[Chelley00]

My dad had a "black out with eyes" open at my college graduation. Know one else realized anything was wrong, but he remembers the march, but didn't remember seeing me get my diploma, he remembers dinner afterwards and everything from that point on.

2 months later he had a massive stroke and almost died. He's now paralyzed on his left side.


And BTW, OP, if you have Lupus, then you most likely have a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome, which causes blood clots, even when on Lovenox, quickly, without a spike in your INR. TIAs (like the blackout you experienced) and strokes are very common with APS.

 

[LiveYourLife]

So would you be comfortable having your children in a vehicle driving next to the op when this happens?

Frankly, I'm not comfortable knowing that the OP, and Happygirl are behind the wheel of a car. But that's just me.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

frankly, i'm not comfortable knowing that the op, and happygirl are behind the wheel of a car. But that's just me.

l.....o.....l

 

[Baliezer]

I was hit head-on in Jan by a man who blacked out while driving. Its been almost 2 months and I still have no car, am in pain and just had to hire a lawyer on monday because even though the other insurance admitted fault, they have denied all my bills. If you hit someone during one of your spells, it could be tragic to another person. We were lucky that we weren't killed, only my new mustang was.

I have a question. If the OP has another blackout and injures or kills someone, do you think that the fact that she knew she had a problem and did not see a doctor would come into play? This is a public forum, so anyone would be able to pull up this thread as evidence correct?

 

[dadddio]

I have a question. If the OP has another blackout and injures or kills someone, do you think that the fact that she knew she had a problem and did not see a doctor would come into play? This is a public forum, so anyone would be able to pull up this thread as evidence correct?

They would first have to prove that she is the OP.

When we were hit, we were able to easily identify the drunk's FB page, but we did not identify any forums that he belonged to o find incriminating posts because we had no idea what forums he used (if any) and didn't know his pseudonyms.

 

[tasha99]

OP, be an adult and see a doctor before you drive again.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I didn't read everythingso forgive me if this was mentioned but maybe have your thryroid checked. Good luck.

 

[yeartolate]

It's a trip to the ER, is what it is. You could have killed yourself or someone else. I'm shocked at your blase' attitude about it. Wanna laundry list the possibilities??

Stroke
Heart Attack
Seizure
Aneurysm
Narcolepsy

Seriously...go to the ER or at least call your doctor's office right now. This could be something REALLY bad.

But don't drive there.

 

[KrazyKollector]

Haven't you ever been driving and get somewhere and don't remember the drive there, Why get her all excited and upset over it??

No, that has not ever happened to me. If it ever did, I'd be not driving until I figured out (with medical help), how it happened.

 

[yeartolate]

Haven't you ever been driving and get somewhere and don't remember the drive there, Why get her all excited and upset over it??

I think the scariest thing is that she acknowledged beng dizzy and yet she only slowed down the car.

If you felt dizzy in a car, what would you do? I would stop, phone family to pick me up and drive my car home.

I am sorry the op got the advice she did not want, but you must understand we are just as concerned with her welfare as our own.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

Have you That question raises so many flags, I am really glad I don't live near you if this has happened to you. I do not want you behind the wheel if you have driven somewhere and don't remember the drive.

I'm pretty sure you live in close proximity to a lot worse drivers.

OK, color me confused. The OP is 22, but has been a member since 2002? So she joined when she was 11?

This. I wonder why this question hasn't been brought up more. This thread and the op seems fishy to me.

 

[sam_gordon]

No, that has not ever happened to me. If it ever did, I'd be not driving until I figured out (with medical help), how it happened.

If I understand happygirl (not the OP) correctly, this has nothing to with a "medical" condition. It's the fact your mind starts to wonder and you drive on "auto pilot". I won't say it happens to me often, but it's not unusual. Maybe part of the reason is I go about 20 miles on the interstate each direction on my commute. I start thinking about whatever (work, home, vacation) and next thing I know, I'm 10 miles down the road and don't remember anything about getting there.

This has nothing to do with "blacking out" or pressing the accelerator when meaning to press the brake.

 

[keypooh90]

This. I wonder why this question hasn't been brought up more. This thread and the op seems fishy to me.

Yes, I joined in 2002. Yes, I was 11. My mom let me join when I finished elementary school. I posted on the teen board then. I've been posting for ten+ years so why do I seem fishy?

 

[yeartolate]

If I understand happygirl (not the OP) correctly, this has nothing to with a "medical" condition. It's the fact your mind starts to wonder and you drive on "auto pilot". I won't say it happens to me often, but it's not unusual. Maybe part of the reason is I go about 20 miles on the interstate each direction on my commute. I start thinking about whatever (work, home, vacation) and next thing I know, I'm 10 miles down the road and don't remember anything about getting there.

This has nothing to do with "blacking out" or pressing the accelerator when meaning to press the brake.

Sam....she said he felt dizzy. I am not sure how else to interpret that word - that goes doubly when used with the words "blacking out"

If you were dizzy woud you have slowed down or stopped the car?

 

[sam_gordon]

Sam....she said he felt dizzy. I am not sure how else to interpret that word - that goes doubly when used with the words "blacking out"

If you were dizzy woud you have slowed down or stopped the car?

But krazykollector, who I was responding to, was responding to happygirl's comment about driving and not remembering part of the drive. We weren't talking about the OP's situation.