Drove for 1st time yesterday - OUCH!

Hi sisters,

I drove for the first time yesterday and boy did I feel it! Had to take a tylenol #3 when I got home. Did anyone else have this when they first drove? I also felt nauseated but I think that might have been from the stress of it all. Let me know your experiences. I am afraid to do it again.

Ann

I had trouble feeling sore and very uncomfortable driving at first. I was cleared to drive around 3 weeks , but I did not do much. It helps just to go for very short distances and not stay out long when you do. Maybe a soft small pillow would help.

It gets better as you do more healing.

s

Thanks Suzy,

I guess I will try it again this week. Trouble is that it takes about 20 minutes to get anywhere, we are out in the booneys!

Hi BayBBear,
I drove today also. It's weird. I guess I had a turning point for the better the past couple of days. I had no problems at all with my driving. I feel so much better almost over night. My incision site is still sore, but my gas & constipation & a lot of the pains I was experiencing are going away...hooray!!! I go for my 4 week check-up on Wednesday. I even walked around WalMart & stopped at the grocery store for a couple of light items. I feel great!!!! Keep your fingers crossed that it stays that way. I'm sure you'll be on your way very soon also. Hang in there & keep the faith...we're gonna get through this just fine!!

Hi Ann,
I'm another May 5th-er who waited to drive until last Friday. Who knew the Streets and Sanitation department would go out and specially install 'new' potholes and bumpy roads to make our lives uncomfortable?

After I worried about how the seat belt (even with pillow) might be an issue, I discovered it was the bumps and turns that really hurt! Had to take 4 Advil and not do anything for a couple of hours afterward.

Guess it's just a matter of slowly getting back into the swing of things. I did the post office, Blockbuster and Wal-Mart today. Short trips for now until my insides develop some "calluses" agains bumps! Hope you feel better soon.

Louann

Thanks Sue,
Glad to hear you are doing so well. I think I will drive to my son's award ceremony tomorrow. DH will be with me and can drive me home if it is hurting. Take care.

I know what you mean Louann about the bumps. I never noticed all the speed bumps before either, I think they installed them bc they knew I was coming. We live in the country and I swear I am not going on anymore back roads for 6 months, lol!

BayBBear, I am 17 days post op and do not have the go ahead to drive yet, but have been on two outings where DH drove. Had to come home and sleep after each. I had pain and nausea...things going by so fast I guess. Seems silly, but when you have to drive a long while to get places it does take a toll. I too live 20-30 away from Dr. office and our shopping, so I feel for you. I hope it gets better with each new attempt. Keep resting
blessings,
Simplify

I used one of those soft pellet filled pillows for the 1st week that I drove, helped a lot. Not using it anymore, 5 weeks post op. Time does heal. Driving is better than being a passenger...holding onto that steering wheel provides upper body support against those nasty bumps and curves (and YOU have control of which bumps to hit and how the curve is taken!). I live in the booneys too, had lots of heavy rains, the potholes have gotten bigger and take forever to get fixed. And time does help! It really does get better!

Hi BayBBear!
Yep. I thought it was just me, but I'm with Lou-- bumps and turns are the worst! Also (being in the boonies you can appreciate this) the longer the distance the more the aches and pains. I'm crediting this to the vibration of the car. Between the travel and just going from AC to weather to the car and in and out of places, it saps my energy. Since I do so much travel for my job, I, too, need those old traveling callouses back-- whatever they were.