can not think or drive my car.

[Guest guest]

I get times that last for a long time that I can not get my words out

and even have alot of trouble driving. I get so confused. This is a

great sign of demenitia and altimers. I dont know that kind of doctor

to go to. if this is from my fibro I need to know as I am quite scared

and need information as my doctor is no help. Should I stop driving?

I am 69 and have had this 15 years. This is worse in later years? I

have heard there are last stages of fibro, is that what is happening?

Please help!!!!!!Sharoncookie

[Guest guest]

Dear Sharon,

While you describe your confusion as dementia, it is also a great part of

fibromyalgia. As for you stopping driving, only you know the answer to that. I

do not drive much for the same reason. We have to consider others when we get

behind the wheel of a car.

Sending hugs,

Annie

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[Guest guest]

> I get times that last for a long time that I can not get my words out

> and even have alot of trouble driving. I get so confused. This is a

> great sign of demenitia and altimers. I dont know that kind of doctor

> to go to. if this is from my fibro I need to know as I am quite

> scared

> and need information as my doctor is no help. Should I stop driving?

> I am 69 and have had this 15 years. This is worse in later years? I

> have heard there are last stages of fibro, is that what is happening?

> Please help!!!!!!Sharoncookie

Knowledge is probably the best treatment for fear. Will your doctor

refer you to another doctor? Perhaps a neurologist, for screening

for dementia and alzheimers. A Rheumatologist could rule out

conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (for the physical symptoms).

Fibro symptoms may be masking other things, and only a doctor can

help you rule out things and determine what's going on.

If you have dementia or alzheimers, there are some treatments now

that can slow the progress of the disease and give you better quality

of life. Better you should know, and get treated. As for driving,

the neurologist could help you with that decision too. Please look

up and call council for aging in your town or county, and perhaps

contact a senior center to get information about services for those

over 65. They will at least be able to point you in the right

direction and give you some phone numbers. You may be able to find a

lot to help you.

Keep us posted what you find out, ok?

Z

[Guest guest]

I too have problems getting the right words out especially if I am talking with

someone I have never met, but it also happens with family. There have been times

that I am in stores and get confused and can't find anything so I leave without

getting anything. I also do the same when driving at times. I prefer to have

someone else drive. Routes that I use to take become confusing to me at times

and I have driven the route for years. It's the ole' Fibro Fog! I wished it

would lift!

Debra B

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[Guest guest]

My brother always knows when I'm in a fibro fog because I can't find the

simplest words. I also won't drive when I'm like that. I've always been so

afraid that I might hurt someone. I don't worry about me so much, but I

worry about others.

Tigger (Ruth) in Rhode Island

_____

From: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

[mailto:Fibromyalgia_Support_Group ] On Behalf Of debra bunt

Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:32 AM

To: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

Subject: Re: can not think or drive my car.

I too have problems getting the right words out especially if I am talking

with someone I have never met, but it also happens with family. There have

been times that I am in stores and get confused and can't find anything so I

leave without getting anything. I also do the same when driving at times. I

prefer to have someone else drive. Routes that I use to take become

confusing to me at times and I have driven the route for years. It's the

ole' Fibro Fog! I wished it would lift!

Debra B

__________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Sharon,

I'm sorry you are going thru this......I'm not sure what kind of dr. you should

see either, but you have to get this checked out. I'm sure someone else on here

can suggest a type of dr. I just wanted to say that if you are getting confused

while driving, please consider all the little ones in the other cars. Please

stop driving at least until a dr. ok's you to drive again. As hard as it would

be to give up driving, think how devastating it would be to be responsible for

taking someone else's life in an accident. Especially if it was a child......

You need to see a new dr. so they can treat you and help you figure all this

out. There could be something they could do to help you tremendously!

Take Care,

Jill

can not think or drive my car.

I get times that last for a long time that I can not get my words out

and even have alot of trouble driving. I get so confused. This is a

great sign of demenitia and altimers. I dont know that kind of doctor

to go to. if this is from my fibro I need to know as I am quite scared

and need information as my doctor is no help. Should I stop driving?

I am 69 and have had this 15 years. This is worse in later years? I

have heard there are last stages of fibro, is that what is happening?

Please help!!!!!!Sharoncookie

[Guest guest]

>

> I get times that last for a long time that I can not get my words out

> and even have alot of trouble driving. I get so confused. This is a

> great sign of demenitia and altimers. I dont know that kind of

doctor

> to go to. if this is from my fibro I need to know as I am quite

scared

> and need information as my doctor is no help. Should I stop

driving?

> I am 69 and have had this 15 years. This is worse in later years? I

> have heard there are last stages of fibro, is that what is

happening?

> Please help!!!!!!Sharoncookie

>

Sharoncookie, I am so sorry to read about the problems and concerns you

have. I am not certain what kind of doctor you should see but perhaps

some one on the site will be able to make suggestions. And it must be

so frightening to have the symptoms you have described. I have never

heard of anyone dying from fibromyalgia. Perhaps some of the other

problems that crop up which seem to be related.

God Bless you and I do hope you get some good answers from some one on

the site!

[Guest guest]

Fibromyalgia carries its share of concentration and memory problems. But please

talk to a physician about this before we assume it is just the fibro. Having

trouble with getting words out can mean many things. Also if you are forgetting

where you are driving to or cannot remember things like how to get back home it

could be something else.

On the other hand, please don't be too alarmed before you know if you have a

type of dementia such as alzhiemers. It may just be the fibro. But I urge you

strongly to get some medical attention.

Hugs,

Debra V.

Subject: can not think or drive my car.

To: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

Date: Monday, April 21, 2008, 8:42 AM

I get times that last for a long time that I can not get my words out

and even have alot of trouble driving. I get so confused. This is a

great sign of demenitia and altimers. I dont know that kind of doctor

to go to. if this is from my fibro I need to know as I am quite scared

and need information as my doctor is no help. Should I stop driving?

I am 69 and have had this 15 years. This is worse in later years? I

have heard there are last stages of fibro, is that what is happening?

Please help!!!!!!Sharoncoo kie

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

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know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

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[Guest guest]

Sharon, I'm going to help bring some factors into focus reguarding what

you are feeling and where you are in this stage in your life.

1. See a doctor that specializes in Geriactics.

Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion

and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later

life.

2. Two factors may or are coming into play, one is the Fibromyalgia and

the second is the natural aging process. I can definatly tell you that

it is these two factors that is affecting your driving. I'm going to

turn 48 next month and have stopped driving at night because of the

following observations:

a. The 3 factors involved with driving are, recognize-process-react.

People with FM have lost their " fine tuning " and do have memory and

motor skills that on the surface might -mimic- Dementia and Alzheimers.

Only a qualifed physican can make a proper diagnosis.

3. Your concers are valid, when you percieve that something is not

right and feel that your doctor is not helping you,..find one that

wiwill. Take control of your health, remember that doctors work for us

and we are not helpless in our ability to get a second opinion or to

find someone else who -is- interested in our health care.

In most cases doctors lack of interest = " I don't know anything about

it " .

4. Drive only when you feel up to it, there is no need to push yourself

beyond your control point. Bad things can happen when climbing behind

the wheel and not in a " reasonable " condition to navigate. You may not

be 100%, but can safely get to your destination. Family and friends

will simply have to understand that you do not always feel well enough

to drive. This does not rule out driving all together, this is just

a " sometimes " scenario.

5. Education is an important factor in managing Fibromyalgia, and will

help calm your concerns about how it affects you in your " best years " .

You may have to see more than one doctor, a Geriactrics and a

Rheumatologist as a combination to manage the changes you are

experiencing.

6. Self Management, is a task in itself but you have to reach a stage

where you have had enough and set your sights on getting control of the

FM and not letting it control you. The two " I's " come into play at this

stage, " I will " and " I can " . Arm yourself with these two concepts and

nothing can stop you on the path to managing your Fibromyalgia.

[Guest guest]

I have the same problem with words and even deciding what or how to do some

tasks when I am in a deep fibro fog. I can get very confused at times and no, I

don't drive then either. Sometimes I'm not confused about big things like

driving or " operating heavy machinery " , just about trying to figure something

out - like doing my taxes or paying bills.

I would go to see a neurologist if I were you. I guess I would talk to my PCP

and get him to refer me to one. (or get one of the other doctors I see to

suggest one - my PCP is young and I have other doctors who really know the best

doctors to see.)

Since you are worried about these things, I would take the tests that check

for early onset Alzheimer's. You are young to have it or any other type of

dementia. But getting checked out would help put your mind at ease and that

would help the stress and probably your symptoms.

I really believe you are experiencing fibro fog to a great extent. But be

sure to see a doctor anyway.

Take care,

Marti

Tigger tigger.pinkraincoat@...> wrote:

My brother always knows when I'm in a fibro fog because I can't find

the

simplest words. I also won't drive when I'm like that. I've always been so

afraid that I might hurt someone. I don't worry about me so much, but I

worry about others.

Tigger (Ruth) in Rhode Island

_____

From: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

[mailto:Fibromyalgia_Support_Group ] On Behalf Of debra bunt

Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:32 AM

To: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

Subject: Re: can not think or drive my car.

I too have problems getting the right words out especially if I am talking

with someone I have never met, but it also happens with family. There have

been times that I am in stores and get confused and can't find anything so I

leave without getting anything. I also do the same when driving at times. I

prefer to have someone else drive. Routes that I use to take become

confusing to me at times and I have driven the route for years. It's the

ole' Fibro Fog! I wished it would lift!

Debra B

__________________________________________________________

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know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.

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