Reducing pem going cross country

[Davsey27]

I was curious if anyone may have input.I am considering location to the east coast from Southern California My father gave a vehicle and we ate currently staying in hotels.

We drove just 3 hours yesterday from Mexico to Palm Springs and I get pem from these short legs that usually takes 2 days sometimes 3 to get back to baseline.

At this rate how can my father help me to pace myself driving me cross country without spending 2 days at a hotel room after driving 3 hours east?

Thank You

 

[andyguitar]

At this rate how can my father help me to pace myself driving me cross country without spending 2 days at a hotel room after driving 3 hours east?

Try to limit the amount of stimulation you get while you are in the car. Even just avoiding looking out the window and cutting out road noise will help.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

how can my father help me to pace myself driving me cross country without spending

yeah, I had to stop looking and processing all the visuals. Its too overwhelming, and made me feel drunk and wool ill. I think I even covered my eyes, on my own scenic vacation drive.

 

[Woof!]

Make sure that your back is well-supported. I had to sell a perfectly lovely Honda Civic with low miles because, no matter what I did, its drivers seat didn't support my bitchy body. It was pitched backward! When I looked into purchasing my Prius, I told the salesman not to bother me until I sat behind the wheel. When I learned Priuses had additional support for my lower back, I was sold!

Occasionally I need to drive a van owned by a local NFP. To deal with its drivers seat, I use a folded towel to pad the seat and use an inexpensive wire-and-mesh back support. I take a lot more breaks and do isometric exercises as I drive to increase the circulation in my legs, and I listen to books-on-tape to pass the time pleasantly.

Since my PEM after driving 2 hours is as bad as it is after driving 5 hours, I go for the longer time driving. If I'm going to be sick and tired, I might as well make it worthwhile, I figure, but that's me - Type A all the way!

 

[Davsey27]

Make sure that your back is well-supported. I had to sell a perfectly lovely Honda Civic with low miles because, no matter what I did, its drivers seat didn't support my bitchy body. It was pitched backward! When I looked into purchasing my Prius, I told the salesman not to bother me until I sat behind the wheel. When I learned Priuses had additional support for my lower back, I was sold!

Occasionally I need to drive a van owned by a local NFP. To deal with its drivers seat, I use a folded towel to pad the seat and use an inexpensive wire-and-mesh back support. I take a lot more breaks and do isometric exercises as I drive to increase the circulation in my legs, and I listen to books-on-tape to pass the time pleasantly.

Since my PEM after driving 2 hours is as bad as it is after driving 5 hours, I go for the longer time driving. If I'm going to be sick and tired, I might as well make it worthwhile, I figure, but that's me - Type A all the way!

Curious doing everything right earplugs,laying flat,not looking out windows.How long does your pem last after 5 hrs of being driven?

 

[Woof!]

Good to hear from you @Davsey27! I was wondering how you were doing, especially when I realized I misread what you wrote to mean you (and not your dad) were driving. For me, being the driver is something I have to do since I get horrible vertigo if someone else drives around curves or over bridges. While this also means I can't drive over certain bridges or drive curvy roads by myself, I can white-knuckle many shorter ones by looking ahead and singing to distract myself.

I can't really answer your question because we're a case of apples-and-oranges. As a rule of thumb, I can't be a passenger in a car being driven by anyone else for very long without it being a horrible, draining experience, no matter what. If it was me your father (even assuming he's the best driver in the world) was driving, you'd have to sedate me, cover my eyes with a cold pack and put on earphones with a really, really good book-on-tape to distract me.

When it comes to multi-day, multi-state trips (something I do 2-4 times a year on average) I am really Type A and I'm used to running on adrenaline for several days to a week before crashing for several days to a week (the first sign I'm about to crash is when I start tripping or slurring my words). Yes, I know that's not recommended, and I'm the first to encourage others to pace themselves, but the alternative is not participating in certain events important to me.

Are you strong enough to do some of the driving? Have you mapped out the trip to avoid curvy roads? Can you listen to books-on-tape, and does it help?

Oh, and I just thought of something else. I do really, really well with long-distance train travel where I stay in a handicapped "room" where my meals are brought to me and I have my own bed and commode. Is it an option for you to travel by Amtrak train instead of a car?

 

[Davsey27]

Good to hear from you @Davsey27! I was wondering how you were doing, especially when I realized I misread what you wrote to mean you (and not your dad) were driving. For me, being the driver is something I have to do since I get horrible vertigo if someone else drives around curves or over bridges. While this also means I can't drive over certain bridges or drive curvy roads by myself, I can white-knuckle many shorter ones by looking ahead and singing to distract myself.

I can't really answer your question because we're a case of apples-and-oranges. As a rule of thumb, I can't be a passenger in a car being driven by anyone else for very long without it being a horrible, draining experience, no matter what. If it was me your father (even assuming he's the best driver in the world) was driving, you'd have to sedate me, cover my eyes with a cold pack and put on earphones with a really, really good book-on-tape to distract me.

When it comes to multi-day, multi-state trips (something I do 2-4 times a year on average) I am really Type A and I'm used to running on adrenaline for several days to a week before crashing for several days to a week (the first sign I'm about to crash is when I start tripping or slurring my words). Yes, I know that's not recommended, and I'm the first to encourage others to pace themselves, but the alternative is not participating in certain events important to me.

Are you strong enough to do some of the driving? Have you mapped out the trip to avoid curvy roads? Can you listen to books-on-tape, and does it help?

Oh, and I just thought of something else. I do really, really well with long-distance train travel where I stay in a handicapped "room" where my meals are brought to me and I have my own bed and commode. Is it an option for you to travel by Amtrak train instead of a car?

Maybe amtrak roomette could be a option from La to Texas or Louisiana .I appreciate the suggestion
Curious what makes you think this may be better than being driven?

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I had to sell a perfectly lovely Honda Civic with low miles

backs....

Our Nissan Pathfinder came with every possible back support adjustment and killed my back on every long trip I ever took. I solved it by stuffing an extra pillow into the lower back area.

The Honda Civic never hurt my back not once, and lacked those extra adjustments.

 

[Woof!]

Maybe amtrak roomette could be a option from La to Texas or Louisiana .I appreciate the suggestion. Curious what makes you think this may be better than being driven?

For me, train travel is soooo relaxing. The seats are built for extended use and they have foot rests, and in the case of a roomette or handicapped room, I can lie down whenever I need to and use the commode without even walking down the hall. I can close the door and not interact with anyone except my Vertigo Assistance Dog (who always travels with me and helps me up the train steps should I want to go to the upper level), and my meals are delivered to me by the porter (don't forget to tip him/her when you get off the train if you get good service). Alternately, I can get up and walk around the train whenever I want. I'm not stuck in a small place with no option to move the way you'd be if you were in a car. On top of all this, the scenery is often off the beaten path and extremely pretty.

I've ridden the Sunset Limited (the train you'd be taking) from New Orleans to San Antonio (arrived near midnight - check the schedules closely to be prepared!). My favorite train, though, is the California Zephyr from Denver to Emeryville in both directions. Spectacular scenery over the continental divide! Prior to Covid, my dog and I would take this train twice a year for no other reason than to sit back and watch the scenery for 2 days. The Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle is also really nice (I know their route doesn't apply to what you hope to do, but I'm in train-withdrawal!, so I had to mention it. I'm envious you might take the Sunset Limited from LA to NOLA.)

What are your limitations? If you let me know what you need to avoid, I can better help you decide if the long-distance trains are for you.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

For me, train travel is soooo relaxing.

the train is THE way to go.......I want to go on a train ride super badly. Its been quite a while.

I got to do the California Zephyr on one of its last early runs. 1962. I was eight years old, Sacramento to Chicago.

It was the greatest most fabulous event in my child hood life.

Chicago- we spent the day and I curled up in a gigantic upholstered chair and slept for hours

Its probably been 20 years since I did the Coast Starlight run and saw coyotes running on dunes, and seals miles inland swimming in Elkhorn Slough.

both are now Infrastructure Projects. Falling in, or falling off. They even fought this year's wildfire from the Zephyr tracks in the Feather River. Some repairs likely needed.

 

[Woof!]

I was wondering how close to the tracks the fires were getting. Eek!!!

I'M IN TRAIN WITHDRAWAL!!!!!!!

@Rufous McKinney - when all this Covid mess is cleared up, wanna meet up on the Zephyr? The Coast Starlight would also be an option!

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I'M IN TRAIN WITHDRAWAL!!!!!!!

I also have extensive Train genealogy.....My grandfather was the bookkeeper in the Chicago Stock Yard for Southern Pacific. Then 2- GG grandfathers were train engineers.

We then have various grandfathers who fell off the wagons to their deaths. Three at least I know of.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I was wondering how close to the tracks the fires were getting. Eek!!!

I don't even know if thats ever happened before...but they had hoses and water on the tracks as the fires came down the granitic slopes of the great Feather River Canyon. Some t shirt got made to commerate it.

 

[Davsey27]

For me, train travel is soooo relaxing. The seats are built for extended use and they have foot rests, and in the case of a roomette or handicapped room, I can lie down whenever I need to and use the commode without even walking down the hall. I can close the door and not interact with anyone except my Vertigo Assistance Dog (who always travels with me and helps me up the train steps should I want to go to the upper level), and my meals are delivered to me by the porter (don't forget to tip him/her when you get off the train if you get good service). Alternately, I can get up and walk around the train whenever I want. I'm not stuck in a small place with no option to move the way you'd be if you were in a car. On top of all this, the scenery is often off the beaten path and extremely pretty.

I've ridden the Sunset Limited (the train you'd be taking) from New Orleans to San Antonio (arrived near midnight - check the schedules closely to be prepared!). My favorite train, though, is the California Zephyr from Denver to Emeryville in both directions. Spectacular scenery over the continental divide! Prior to Covid, my dog and I would take this train twice a year for no other reason than to sit back and watch the scenery for 2 days. The Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle is also really nice (I know their route doesn't apply to what you hope to do, but I'm in train-withdrawal!, so I had to mention it. I'm envious you might take the Sunset Limited from LA to NOLA.)

What are your limitations? If you let me know what you need to avoid, I can better help you decide if the long-distance trains are for you.

Dr.Lynne,

Prior to ME,each time I get off an elevator I mostly get veritgo for about a minute ground dipping

I took Amtrak from Emeryville,Ca to New Orleans with a roomette back in 2013 5 years before Me.

Looking out the windows frequently .I experienced vertigo when I got off in New Orleans but no pem

I lay flat on sleeping mattress in the back of the suv
recently being driven 3-4 hours.I do wear earplugs and try not to look out

Its strange when I hear opposite traffic it feels like the other cars noise eat into my nervous system.Perhaps doubling or tripling klonopin may be one way to mitigate this

Seems that maybe the body traveling horizontally does something to induce pem even in the absence of sound of light though I could be mistaken.Perhaps it may be impossible to trick the body that it's not moving 60 mph horizontally

It's a new thing since I got covid last december.Needing an extra day or 2 in the hotel of bedrest

Thank you

 

[Woof!]

The transitional vertigo you describe (elevators, detraining) is the kind that can be minimized by over-the-counter meclazine.