Reasons why you wouldn't be allowed to drive on anti depressants?

[Trewsers]

Okay this could be long. I will try and be brief. MIL is stuck in hospital and as yet we don't know what is wrong. OH and I have been doing our best to visit daily and its a four hour round trip - so quite tiring but necessary.
SIL lives in Canada and has decided to come over for 6 weeks with 9 year old son. She is leaving her husband behind. She can drive and has held a licence for 15 years plus. OH and I suspect she has no marriage and is on anti depressants as we have had hints from MIL about this - we do know she has a terrible phobia about getting cancer - and has never been right since her dad died when she was a teenager.
Now, OH's family are very secretive and these things don't get talked about - you just have to piece things together and draw your own conclusions. Asking outright leads to temper outbursts from MIL and then tears - so we haven't pursued that avenue. SIL is moody and unapproachable so no point trying to be honest with her. Thing is OH was glad she was coming until last night whilst visiting his mum. When he suggested his sister be put on his mum's car insurance she ignored him and tried to change the subject! She then later said we could use her car (we don't need it we have our own!!!). So, OH mentioned it again and she gave the excuse that the policy needed renewing. This morning we have done that and put his sister on the policy. But we have found out that his mum fibbed last night - she told us sister was on it every summer when she came on her annual visit but according to brokers she has not been on it for 2 years? This ties in with when we found out about her depression. So, is there any medical reason why she cannot drive if taking tabs? OH takes mild ones and is fine to drive. Could there be a reason?
Thing is, OH is cheesed off as he was lookin forward to having the pressure eased by his sister but it looks now like she is going to expect to be ferried about by us!!!! Like we haven't enough to do!!
Sorry for long post - does anyone know if they can make you unfit to drive?

 

[squidsin]

I'm not aware of any that leave you unfit to drive. Unless you're drinking at the same time!

Possibly if it was something really, really severe and anti-psychotic like Lithium. I will Google! EDIT - no you can still drive on that.

 

[Rubic]

Yes, depending on the type of antidepressant, the dose and generally how the person reacts to them some of them could potentially stop you from driving.

Some will make you drowsy. I took some once and found that my mind wondered very very easily - I basically had a total lack of concentration and I would say that it would have been dangerous for me to drive when on them (I know this feeling can wear off as your body gets used to them but I didn't stay on them long enough to find out if that was the case.

 

[Trewsers]

She hardly drinks anything alcoholic - so can rule that one out. Tis so odd, such a secretive family, yet we are expected to "know" what to do in times like this! MIL has been in the hospital for 5 weeks - surely his sister can be honest with us? OH emailed her last night to update her on her mum's condition - and to tell her about the insurance but she's not replied..

 

[Trewsers]

Hmmm. Wonder if she does not feel right driving? Wish MIL would be more open - there's no shame in any of it, we are only trying to help and we thought it would be nice for her to have a car to use whilst here. Afterall, MIL can't drive so when she does get home she's going to need somebody to take her shopping etc. His sister has allegedly booked her flight over here on the strength of looking after her mum!

 

[joosie]

The side-effects of antidepressants can include impairment of concentration, judgement and motor function, which would make your reactions slower when driving and potentially a risk on the road. The thing is they don't affect everyone the same way, so for some people driving won't be an issue and for others it will.

 

[k8te]

I am a RMN and I haven't known of anyone being told not to drive due to antidepressants, the interesting thing you mentioned is her 'phobia' could this be classed as some kind of OCD, if so she may be on a anti-psychotic which would effect her driving due to sedation levels etc...but only whilst she is unstable x

 

[Trewsers]

I am a RMN and I haven't known of anyone being told not to drive due to antidepressants, the interesting thing you mentioned is her 'phobia' could this be classed as some kind of OCD, if so she may be on a anti-psychotic which would effect her driving due to sedation levels etc...but only whilst she is unstable x

Yes, she has this terrible phobia, ever since her Dad died of cancer, she never was offered counselling or any help and it escalated over the years. OH tried to help her but she just closed up to him - and to a certain degree it was all brushed under the carpet. So sad really - I am sure if she'd only talk about it things could get better.

 

[k8te]

That's really sad she hasn't been offered any 'talking therapy', I work a lot with people with depression & anxiety, some of those have OCD with intrusive thoughts such as going to die, being a paedophile, harming others & contamination x

 

[Wally]

she just closed up to him - and to a certain degree it was all brushed under the carpet. So sad really - I am sure if she'd only talk about it things could get better.

Been there, got that particular tee-shirt, every time we got a counselling appointment the old bugger phoned and cancelled it giving the excuse that "the lady was such a nice young lass, she does not want to sit and listen to me".......:stomp::stomp::stomp::stomp:

It's a horrid place to be, outside looking in, and if they don't want help, there's nowt you can do

 

[Trewsers]

You see I can think of nothing better than getting things off my chest - even the stuff that sounds silly!!! I guess you are either made that way or not....

 

[eml]

With all the secrecy is it possible she has lost her licence or has some condition that precludes her driving. MIL obviously knows something she is not telling you!! I don't think you can just add her to the insurance without checking her current driving status, eg any accidents/convictions etc so a request for that info may open the door to talking??

 

[Trewsers]

With all the secrecy is it possible she has lost her licence or has some condition that precludes her driving. MIL obviously knows something she is not telling you!! I don't think you can just add her to the insurance without checking her current driving status, eg any accidents/convictions etc so a request for that info may open the door to talking??

Went to see MIl again last night, and informed her of the insurance situ, so far she hasn't let on that there is anything dramatic that may prevent it. We have some papers for her to sign later on but she did mention that her daughter just might not "feel like" or "manage" to drive. So I am wondering if there isn't necessarily a medical condition but just the fact that she's maybe lost confidence?

 

[Tina2011]

Anti depressants can affect driving. I know when my sister was taking them she did not want to drive. I ended up ferrying her everywhere for several months until she felt better.

It might be the AD's or it might be her confidence/state of mind, either way I would give her the benefit of the doubt. Depression is a horrible thing.

 

[Trewsers]

Anti depressants can affect driving. I know when my sister was taking them she did not want to drive. I ended up ferrying her everywhere for several months until she felt better.

It might be the AD's or it might be her confidence/state of mind, either way I would give her the benefit of the doubt. Depression is a horrible thing.

Yeah, I know it is horrible, I just wish sometimes the family would confide in each other abit more and then we wouldn't have to make up our own conclusions - we only want to help. I suspect that she has lost confidence - which must be terrible for her. Hope she can get some help.