Fibromyalgia and Driving

This morning someone asked the Facebook Fellow Travelers Group how they handled driving and long trips. After I posted there, I decided to post my thoughts here.

A person without fibromyalgia may consider a drive to be relaxing. They hardly consider it to be work or a tiring activity. Those of us with fibromyalgia cringe when we face a trip of a half an hour or more. 

The combination of sitting still for too long and the sensory overload can push a fibro sufferer right into the pain zone. 

If you have to make a long trip alone, it helps to be prepared before you set out. Have your directions at hand before you go, or program the GPS. Pack water and healthy nibbling snacks like nuts, dried fruit, cheezits or pretzels to keep yourself hydrated in the car and to help keep your blood sugar steady. It also saves you money and you may not be as tempted to indulge in fast food. A lunch at a burger joint can bring your energy crashing down just when you need it most to stay alert in midday traffic. Stop every twenty minutes and get out and stretch a bit. 

Take care of checking your tires, fluids and gas the day before you leave, if possible. The stress of doing these things last minute or wondering mid-trip if you need oil just makes things worse.  

Plan your trip to minimize stressful and overstimulating environments. An hour spent in a Walmart after an hour trip to a doctor visit can make the drive home feel twice as long and it lands me in bed the next day. I find making a list of what I need to do or buy and sticking to it helps me get in and out of stressful environments faster. 

Even if you are on best behavior during your trip, you may still feel the effects the next day. Plan your calendar, if possible to allow for a day of decompression and be gentle with yourself.

While traveling, and in general, drinking soda and diet soda is a big no-no. One of the most healthful and helpful things you can do for your body is get the water habit and kick the soda habit. I admit, I like pizza a whole lot more with a Coca Cola, but I rarely drink soda - I consider it a special treat. The perils of soda, regular or diet, are great and the price a person with fibromyalgia pays for drinking either regularly is enormous.

I know the blast of energy is a soda gives is tempting when you are on the road. Years ago, when I moved from NY to AZ, I used a product called Emergen-C and sipped it nonstop while I drove 12 hour days. It kept me alive. It tastes great. It is a great alternative to soda and canned energy drinks when you are on the road.