Meniere's Disease and driving

Hello Cjoy

I have had Menieres for over 20 years, and because I had severe vertigo while driving, I had to stop.

I actually find that driving helps me focus.  But on the heels of a major vertigo attack I can't do anything for a few days.  Driving helps with minor vertigo.

I have had Menieres for about four years, was only diagnosed just over two years ago and I wasn’t told to much about the disease, just told that I had it by my ENT consultant. Turns out Menieres is a noteifiable condition and must be reported to the DVLA! So all my driving licences were suspended on the spot when I notified the DVLA, my car and bike licences were returned because my Dr. gave me the OK to drive but lost my HGV licence and my job! Got my HGV back after three months and returned to commercial driving but after another attack I stopped driving trucks, just couldn’t live with myself if I hurt or killed someone during an episode. So got a job as a telecoms field engineer, I hadn’t had any significant problems with my menieres so thought all was well. Then out of the blue I almost blacked out while driving, luckily was able to pull over and my wife took over. Have subsequently had two more near blackouts while driving, no warning! Just almost pass out then after have the normal dizziness and fatigue that is associated with menieres. Most annoying thing is I don’t get bad attacks, its always tinnitus, mild to moderate dizziness, mussy headedness and fatigue, enough to stop me but not the drop attacks that many suffer from, but it does look like Menieres is about to rob me of another job. I can go for months without anything other than the tinnitus but the dizziness attacks just keeps coming back, and it seems to change with time! Just when I think I’ve got control of it, it changes!

Yep. I have all the typical symptoms including the severe attacks with the vomiting and everything and what I call the daily disease LOL. And yet I rarely have trouble driving unless I happen to have an actual attack while doing so, in which case of course I pull over.

I've had a recent diagnosis on Menieres.

I have had Tinnitus, Hearing Loss (Played in a band, went to lots of loud rock concerts and worked in noisy environments for many years) for over 10 years. I have also had a physical blockage in my right ear for many years as well, but no-one has ever taken me seriously when I have mentioned this.

I have had some brief, mild, non-debilitating Vertigo incidents recently but only following periods of intense stress, which caused headaches, fatigue, disorientation and nausea. The trigger for the Vertigo seems to be lying back during these periods of intense stress (e.g. in the bath, or when the ENT doctor tried an Epley Manoeuvre on me).

I am very susceptible to travel sickness as a passenger in a car but, like the vertigo, I am never affected by this as a driver. I am concerned very much by this diagnosis.

Yes, mine Meniere's works the same way. I drive well with no issues. I do well with motion. But when the motion stops the imbalance seems worse.

I was diagnosed with Meniere's in 2017. I have trouble with my balance while walking but have no problem driving a vehicle most of the time. the first 18 months the violent rotary vertigo was worse, I had to pull over a few times to wait for it to be safe to drive. Now that I am in the late stage of this wretched disease, the vertigo happens much less and driving is not affected at all.

All the best to you 😃

I can feel my world about to "flip" and I quickly get off the road as my severe attacks include vertigo and vommitting until i dry heave and pass out eventually. Sometimes i can drive if my head is absolutely motionless but it depends on the severity of the attack. i have also spent 4 hours in a parking lot waiting-- this disease can be dreadful at times