when did you start driving again?

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Scottie

Hi folks ..I was interested to see that Creed3 has started driving again ...I was told to wait 12 weeks by my surgeon ......10 weeks by my Cardio and at least 8 weeks by my GP ....Hubby would be delighted if I never drove again LOL...but he says at 5 weeks I am not ready for it as I'm too stiff and sore and am still not comfortable turning round quickly ...as I would have to drive with the kids in the car I have (for once ) not argued with him ...but I am interested in how long other people waited ....we live in the "back of beyond " and being without the car and being reliant on others can be frustrating ....patience is a virtue that has alluded me most of my life :)
SCottie :)
 
Hi Scottie,

I too live out in the country. My surgeon recommended waiting 6 weeks, but when I could not find anyone to take me to my 4 week checkup, his nurse relented, telling me to be very careful and to put a pillow under the seat belt. I limited my driving to only essential tasks for another 2 weeks.

'AL'
 
Hi Scottie,

I waited seven weeks, and the first time back at the wheel I was soar. Was still having trouble then with my neck, and chest was acheing all over. Took about a week and then I was up and going with no problems. martha
 
It was 6 or 7 weeks for me and I kept the trips short. I, too, am out in the netherworld and a trip to town is about 7 1/2 miles but hardly any traffic so could take it easy as I wanted to. When you go, go easy.
 
I started at 4 1/2 weeks. Some due to necessity to get to tests etc. A flyer from American Heart Assoc. said 3-4 weeks. I am extremely careful and try to avoid any congested areas. I put a pillow under the shoulder belt and pray for no crash or airbag deployment. UGH

Each person is going to be different, I think. I have been very fortunate with a speedy recovery.

Be very careful and don't push too hard.

Best to you,
Bill
 
Scottie,

My doc said 6 weeks. I did drive once after 4, but my wife was available to drive me anywhere I wanted to go and didn't relent when I said "oh, I can drive." :)

Some have said the six weeks allows the sternum to heal enough to take the impact of an airbag if needed. My wife also made me sit in the back seat. And I sure was a back seat driver. :D
 
I live out in the boonies too.

I live out in the boonies too.

When I was leaving the hospital I told my surgeon guy he better give me the real deal, because I was gonna be taking my daughter to Brownies, soccer, etc. All very close to my house... quiet streets. He knew me well enough to know I would be driving if there was someplace I needed to go. At first he was saying 6 weeks too. But finally he told me that I had better wait at least two weeks, to make sure all the anesthesia was out of my system.

Ouchie. I Know I drove to soon...
 
I waited about 7 weeks. And I rode in the back seat the whole time too. My surgeon told me to. Which I found odd, since the last time I had OH no one told me that. But I followed Drs orders and even had a pillow that stayed in the car so I wouldn't forget to take one with me. Even when I did start driving I was a little bit sore. I'm glad I waited, even though it was a pain in the you-know-what.
 
I was 10 weeks out from surgery before I drove. I was so weak that I really didn't even want to before that. For a long time, I wasn't even "stir crazy" to get out of the house. When I started driving, I thought it would be a piece of cake! Boy, was I wrong! I had muscles hurt that I didn't even know I used when driving. It was difficult to turn the wheel and especially to look over my shoulder to change lanes. But it was nice not to have to ask for a ride everywhere. I had begun rehab by then, and three times a week I was having to bum a ride.

As I became stronger, it was great freedom to hop into the car and be independent. I knew I was one step closer to a full recovery!
 
Hi Scottie

Hi Scottie

I wish I was driving again. I'm still sitting in the back seat with a pillow under my seat belt. My doc told me not to drive for at least six weeks. He said the front seat isn't a good idea if you have air bags. My mother just went home after being here for three weeks and my in-laws are coming for the next two weeks to help with my kids and drive me around while my hubby is working. I hope all is going well with your recovery.

Take Care!
Creed
 
Driving

Driving

Is it really worth driving again if you know deep inside you..you are not ready?:( :( Like, still being on pain meds..still foggy-headed..It took me about 7 weeks to get the courage to drive. Just didn't want to hurt anyone..then I too was sore..turning neck, ect..Still didn't drive far from home..Not worth hurting a child, running over a dog or squirrel..:( :( Just because you wanna drive..Bonnie
 
Good morning all:
Re; driving I was told 6 weeks,but am not on any pain killers,the gas has worn off by now,pain is gone except for very deep breaths,and they're very welcome,sooooo I am going to drive today,Sun.the 20th.I'll only try a couple of miles or so on little travelled roads to see how it goes.
Funny story:When I was prepping to go home,many people asked how I was getting there,daughter,son?
and I would tell them "I'm going home the same way I got here,on my GoldWing"talk about pure hysteria.But I think the driving thing is the same as many other ventures in life,you have to move at your own pace,comfort and safety to yourself as well as everyone else preferrably on little travelled back roads,and really only if you have to.Most,if not all of us qualify for the mobility impaired transportation system in our areas,I've used ours over here in Bremerton quite a few time and door to door service is great.

Jim
 
I own the longest record here or at least I think I do. 11 maybe 12 weeks. I couldn't wait to get back in my luxury sedan. haha. Oh well, it's paid for-93 Pontiac Sunbird LE 4 dr sedan and it has one of them there BIG diesil rig engines too. 2.0L OHC. I can race with the fastest bicycler here! :D
 
My surgen also said 6 weeks !!! I am going stir crazy too. Just had 5 week anniversy Friday so this is the last week I have to be driven around. I really hate it because I live out in the middle of the county and before I was soo independent I drove where ever I wanted.

FAYE
Friday September 13th 2002
St. Jude Mitral Value
Dr. Puga & Dr. Warnes
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
 
I think I had a tough time starting to drive again...Not only did I have to actually drive, but I had to shift too. It was a 91 mitsubishi galant, had no luxuries, nothing. And it was a stick shift, so it was hard to drive and I only tooled around on base for a couple of weeks until I was feeling better about driving. Here's a tip though...DOn't let your mom drive if she isn't used to a stick. PAIN! I thought she was going to drop my transmission, and the way the car was jerking, it just hurt really bad. I took a pain med when I got home! good luck!
 
Perhaps it's because DE-troit is so close, but I had to wait less than three weeks to drive. I saw the surgeon 19 days after I left the hospital, and he okayed me to drive. I only cheated once before that.
There are so many cars on the roads here, and so many accidents, and they let us heart patients drive so soon. Might there be a connection?
 
Initially my surgeon has said all of the restrictions would be for at least six weeks but at the 3-week check up relaxed the times considerable and okayed driving at 4 weeks. I was a little stiff at first and easily fatigued so I had to limit the distance or break for rest.

-- roy --
 
I was OK'ed to drive at 3 weeks, but I had a mini-sternotomy so was not too stiff or sore. The air bags worried me, so I bought a baseball catcher's chest protector to distribute the force of an air bag deployment.

I do have a funny story about that vest, which I wore with the logos facing inwards, so it was just plain black. I had driven to the hospital for one of my rehab classes, and I was running late. When I got out of my car at the parking ramp and walked into the hospital, I had forgotten to take the vest off. As I walked in, two cops were walking out. They looked at me...one of them then saluted; they thought I was wearing a bullet-proof vest and was part of some kind of SWAT team!
 
My surgeon told me 4 weeks, which surprised me, because I had read a lot of posts here that talked about 6 weeks. I probably would have driven at that point, except I had borrowed my vehicle to my daughter, whose car had broken down shortly before my surgery. Then before my 4 weeks were up, my son's car broke down, and she let him use it!

I ended up driving at 5 weeks, the first time was a one hour drive from my parents house because we borrowed their motorhome, (which my husband drove), and that was the only way to get both vehicles home. I had no problem whatsoever though!
I think you need to wait until you feel comfortable. Now after my hyster, they said I couldn't drive for a week, but the doctor explained that was only because they want you to stay at home and rest! So who knows!
 
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