Medication Impact on Driving and Working

AnonymousUser

believe stupid people shouldn't drive. (or work)

dannik

I always read what each med prescribed to me says about driving. Some of the meds haven't affected me in any way and I have driven short distances.
However there have been some meds that have literally had me seeing things coming out of thin air, I was talking to people that were not even there, yet describing to my husband what they were wearing etc. Really scary stuff for someone that hasn't experienced a high before. On this medication I didnt drive for 6 weeks. When I took it it just made me hallicnate and then go to sleep as I would be shattered talking to these non-existant people.

I hope we are all sensible enough to use our common sense, there is alwyas someone that will help you get a few groceries if you ask them nicely.

If I have to drive these days I plan my day around what time I wake up. I need to take my sleeping/pain meds so I can rest and be pain free for a little while, so no early early mornings for me. If I have to, then I go without my pain meds and pay for it later.ie when collecting my parents from the airport etc.

Sorry for long post, I have seen what the effects are on people who have been involved in accidents where people have either been drunk or on meds that have a ffected their driving ability, it really can change your life the decisions you make, so make them carefully, it s not only you, you will be affecting by the choices you make. Hope that mkaes sense!:D

Love Danni xoxoxo

AnonymousUser

http://www.totaldui.com/dui_state_laws.htm

I found this site that has the DUI laws for each state in the US. I hope that some might find this information helpful.

As for me, I'm with Ron. Before I found the right medication my pain made me so uncomfortable that I had a hard time staying still, or keeping my legs in the correct position for driving, as well as sometimes crying from the pain as I was driving. The oxycodone does not make me high, and in fact makes it much easier for me to work and drive than when I was in pain.

It took me a long time and several tries to find the right medication. One that helped my pain, but didn't make me sick. Whenever I started a new medication, I always started taking it on the weekend, so I could determine how it effected me before having to do anything that would require leaving the house.

I don't have the option of staying home, I need to work.

I don't think it's fair to say I need to make the decision to either be in pain and work, or not work and take meds for the pain. That just doesn't make sense to me.

Anyway, that's my opinion. Meidcations effect everyone differently, that much should be clear to all of us on this site. But each of us has to act responsibly, and honestly evaluate the impact specific drugs have on us. I would never take a drug that made me "high", and drive or work while on it.

AnonymousUser

agriman said:

believe stupid people shouldn't drive. (or work)

) ) )

Bruce

Surely it comes down to common sense?

It's not a matter of narcotic drugs vs alcohol vs something else. A lot of medication can severely impair you as others have already pointed out. Driving while under the influence of a significant dosage of neurontin, lyrica or topamax (to name just a few) when your body is not used to those, can really flip you out. Some people's lights get switched off with over the counter allergy medications. As Ron pointed out, what can be worse is trying to drive while under the influence of chronic or acute pain (try driving when having a bad migraine attack!).

At the end of the day it comes down to common sense - DON'T drive if you feel that you are impaired in any way. Sadly some people out there still will...

shar51

Very well said, a lot of drugs will make you loopy, for me it is the Lyrica or Neurontin. The first week of any adjustment to it will make me like a drunk person and I will not drive. As for the narcotics, I have only taken them after surgery and did not drive for other reasons, could not turn my head. I never felt a "high" from them just some relief from the pain. There are other drugs that people take for anxiety and those to me should be taken with caution, doctor once told me anxiety drugs are very dangerous and are much like liquor in a pill form.

Sharon

downinmyheart

with kids in the car, they are a huge distraction
while reading road signs
before coffee
while listening to music
while listening to news
while reading the instrument panel

really though, i drive better with the darvocet I have been taking (about 1 per daym around 10:30 when the sitting at my desk becomes unbearable) than without

I can hardly move in the mornings to turn my head left and right. Sometimes it hurts like a beeyotch to press the pedals.

Girls gotta work though...

manalerie

I have heard that people who don't have ADD and take medication for it, have an opposite reaction (get high)

Is this the same for pain meds? I have gotten a little goofy on some, but for the most part, I either get really sick, or feel nothing at all.

So my question is, if someone is in pain, would medication affect them differently if they were not in pain? Is that why so many of us don't get "high" off of them?

manalerie

nice point you make...

AnonymousUser

When I had kidney stone and got IV Morphine at ER, ALL I felt was the absence of pain (and gratitude to the nurse that gave it to me). If I hadn't been in pain, i'm sure I would have experienced severe euphoria. They gave me a second one after x-ray, that i didn't request, and i was not even hurting and THAT ONE, i got high off of. Don't remember anything after that until i woke in room. But after 1st one, i just felt normal.