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Driving and high BG (it's not what you think)

Discussion in 'Driving and DVLA' started by Rosbif, Mar 22, 2016.

  1. Rosbif

    Rosbif Prediabetes · Well-Known Member

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    Hi,

    Maybe this is not the right forum in which to post but having recently acquired a meter I try to test various situations, including those of stress.

    I'm currently learning to drive (a bit of a late starter at 38) and am not a natural. I've had a thorough grounding with an instructor and am now driving with my husband accompanying me - I've done over 2000 miles.

    The problem is that I'm anxious about driving, mainly before starting the car and before parking it at the end. Once I'm driving it's generally OK and I do get some pride and enjoyment from being able to do it and don't want to give up.

    However, my BG after a trip in the car is often around 9 -10!!!! I don't know whether anyone can relate?
     
    #1 Rosbif, Mar 22, 2016 at 9:20 AM
  2. Mike d

    Mike d Type 2 · Expert

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    Stop testing as that will jump you. I get it (parking especially) but your anxiety is (IMHO) leading to that. Practice and more practice even if it's just around the block. 2000 miles counts for nothing unless you take your own sweet time, settle down and understand the difference between thinking the worst and driving the best. Make it a boring routine until you NEED to do it and have confidence in knowing you can. The stress is driven by the departure and arrival point, not in between ... again IMO

    Second nature.
     
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    #2 Mike d, Mar 22, 2016 at 9:50 AM
  3. RoseofSharon

    RoseofSharon Type 2 · Well-Known Member

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    I agree with Mike D as per the stress. It does diminish over time. You sound like you stress like me. Quite honestly I'm not going to say relax (though the temptation is there) rather just take a deep breath and keep practicing. You can do these things, you have already done them numerous times. Just keep proving so to yourself and slowly over time you will find yourself doing them with less and less stress.
     
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    #3 RoseofSharon, Mar 22, 2016 at 10:11 AM
  4. Rosbif

    Rosbif Prediabetes · Well-Known Member

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    Thanks @Mike D and @RoseofSharon for your comments :) I'll keep on practising and see what happens with time. It's true that I've already made some progress compared with the early days when I used to wake up at 3 am and obsess over certain aspects that I hadn't yet mastered or things that had gone wrong during the lessons!
     
    #4 Rosbif, Mar 22, 2016 at 4:32 PM
  5. ladybird64

    ladybird64 Type 2 · Well-Known Member

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    I intended to take driving lessons but had to postpone for a year because of serious illness. Nerves were awful, more so because in other areas of life I'm confident in my abilities to learn new skills fairly easily. I stressed, said on loiads of occasions that I'd wished I hadn't started, especially as I only had a weekly lesson, nobody to practice with. I've also got problems with pain that got to mne at times.

    2 weeks ago I took my test and passed first time. I'm 52 years old and had never been behind the wheel before. Stop testing when you know your anxiety will be high, and just concentrate on doing the best you can.

    I'm sure you'll do just fine☺
     
    • Winner Winner x 1
    #5 ladybird64, Mar 22, 2016 at 11:41 PM
  6. Rosbif

    Rosbif Prediabetes · Well-Known Member

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    Congratulations on getting your licence! I'm holding off going for mine as I still need to iron out a few things (parking, town centre driving and not braking like a brute...). In France it's the driving schools that get the test dates for their students and the number of test places allocated to each school depends on their success rate... so if you fail, then you're not a priority when it comes to getting a new date. I'm normally fine with learning new things (academically) but this has been a real challenge!
     
    #6 Rosbif, Mar 23, 2016 at 12:16 PM
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