# Driving post op **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [May 21, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/driving-post-op/3559 "2013-05-21T02:10:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lesley1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.chiarisupport.org/lesley1/32/1854_2.png) [@lesley1](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/lesley1)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/driving-post-op/3559/1 "2013-05-21T02:10:02Z")
how did everyone wait to start after surgery? I'm still nervous about driving ---
**Author:** ![WhatsForDinner](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.chiarisupport.org/whatsfordinner/32/960_2.png) [@WhatsForDinner](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/WhatsForDinner)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/driving-post-op/3559/2 "2013-06-02T21:48:52Z")
I was told not to drive until after my one-month post-op appointment, AND after I was no longer taking any meds which mess up driving. This could mean both serious pain medication (which I stopped rather quickly) and muscle relaxants (which I took for longer). Finally, I didn't drive until I felt like I had enough neck mobility to be safe. All these restrictions meant I did not drive for about six weeks post-op. The biggest bar for me was getting off the muscle relaxants without stopping so soon that I would get tension headaches. (For what it is worth, I also found I had to adjust medication levels very slowly. I would spend almost a week at any given number of pills before I adjusted. I learned from hard experience that if I adjusted after only a few days, I could suffer a minor setback, and then it would take me another week to recover by taking a larger number of pills.) I have no idea how to generalize, though, from my personal experience. ---
**Author:** ![lesley1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.chiarisupport.org/lesley1/32/1854_2.png) [@lesley1](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/lesley1)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/driving-post-op/3559/3 "2013-06-03T02:15:56Z")
I am almost 3 mo. post op from the decompressin surgery which i had on march 11. but I am only a month from being home from a second trip to the hospitol from spinal fluid leaking from my patch. I was in there for 15 days. So I am still on pain meds from that major setback. all the fluid had leaked into my neck leaving large lumps and severe pain. I think that was worse than the surgery. Anyways I think I can drive but my very over protective husband does not. He thinks I will have to jerk my neck if something happens and reinjure it. I also had a c1c2 lamenectomy. my kids will be out of school soon and I WANT TO DRIVE. he thinks im being stubborn and of course over doing it. Even said he would steal my keys when he went to work. LOL im hiding a set. well just want to see how long everyelse waited. ---
**Author:** ![Anglyn](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.chiarisupport.org/anglyn/32/676_2.png) [@Anglyn](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/Anglyn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/driving-post-op/3559/4 "2013-06-03T12:55:06Z")
I waited six weeks. I wanted to be sure I had full mobility in my neck first and that I was off all meds! Good luck! :) ---
**Author:** ![Readyforrelief](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.chiarisupport.org/readyforrelief/32/2172_2.png) [@Readyforrelief](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/Readyforrelief)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/driving-post-op/3559/5 "2013-06-04T00:37:04Z")
I was wondering this myself…just 2.5 weeks post op. My NS just emailed me back that I could drive as soon as I felt comfortable. I don’t think I’m there yet.