I was told it was our vehicle insurance that limits driving prior to 6 weeks. It is likely different elsewhere though as here everone is insured by the same governement corp. ICBC (you can't get licence plates without insurance here) If you are in an accident your insurance may be invalid. So my advice is to check with your insurance.
How long before I can drive my car ?
- Thread starter enkaynj
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ksoly
New member
My Dr. said 6 weeks, but at one month follow up (about 4.5 weeks) he told me to go ahead. I started with short distances and did ok. My only problem was a little soreness when backing out of a parking spot and 3 point turns.
jarno1973
Well-known member
I am now 4.5 weeks post operation...started driving at 2 weeks already but hit a bit of bump which shook me around in the car, caused pain in my sternum and gave the idea that "something had moved". Kind of regret that. I have been feeling very well soon after surgery and the most difficult is to actually stop myself from doing things that I feel I can already do. You should probably have to wait until 6 weeks to have a sternum that can actually take a bit of a hit. If you consider accidents etc. the risk of someone driving you or you driving yourself might not be that different.
I'm 2 days shy of being 4 weeks post op from AVR and I'm 2 days shy of being 3 weeks post op from pacemaker implant. With my doctors blessing I just drove the car from the park. It felt great! I was told not to drive a month before surgery because my symptoms were so bad so it has been 2 months since I've driven. My suggestion is only drive to do short errands, not long drives until you reach the 6 to 8 weeks mark. For me I have just proved to myself that I can drive to the post office which is about a 10 minutes drive away. Friday I will attempt to drive to do my INR check which is about a 45 minute drive, we will see how that goes, might be too much but I will give it a try to find out (I will have a passenger in the car just in case I can't do it.)
Julian - Good idea to have someone along for the first "longer" drive. I found that at 5 weeks, driving was really no issue.
GordoAVR
Active member
My recovery has been quick and w/o complications. I drove a couple of miles to attend a birthday party at two weeks w/o any discomfort. It has been four weeks now; and I have been driving around town in short trips almost normally. The shoulder strap is annoying, but that is about all.
It is my understanding that the real issue in driving after surgery is one of having an accident and dislocating the sternum soft callus, essentially re-breaking, or fracturing, the breast bone. That is a risk we take even if one is a passenger.
It is my understanding that the real issue in driving after surgery is one of having an accident and dislocating the sternum soft callus, essentially re-breaking, or fracturing, the breast bone. That is a risk we take even if one is a passenger.
The issue or concern is not just driving, but handling emergency/evassive driving. Any heart patient can drive a straight line, but would they drive in the Indy 500. All I am saying is be careful out there.
GordoAVR
Active member
Good point about being able to 'control' a car vs. pointing it down the road. My upper body strength felt fine two weeks after the operation. The chest area was sore but not debilitating. Nonetheless, you make a good point in regard to considering the safety of others in addition to accepting the risk to myself. No way would I attempt to drive if I felt inadequate in that regard.
Careful, Gordo! We're all different. . .
At two weeks, my upper body strength was somewhere else - it sure was not with me. I didn't feel that I had decent upper body strength until 4 to5 weeks. Now at 6 months, I can finally do push-ups again without pain.
As the others have said, straight line driving is easy. It is the emergency maneuvers that will be rough.
At two weeks, my upper body strength was somewhere else - it sure was not with me. I didn't feel that I had decent upper body strength until 4 to5 weeks. Now at 6 months, I can finally do push-ups again without pain.
As the others have said, straight line driving is easy. It is the emergency maneuvers that will be rough.
jenlbryan1101
Member
I tried this morning at 3 weeks post op and it hurt so bad to even try to back out of my drive way. I had to call my husband out to try me to the store.
G
Guest
Good night shirt tail ... having another surgery soon ... NOT driving is going to DRIVE ME INSANE!
*sighs*
My last surgery was January 6, 2003. I was allowed to drive again February 10, 2003 ... and I drove right at 12:01a! My sister waited up for me to come back home and gave me only a half hour to drive. LOL.
Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * CruiseNites_2011_Chi.IL *
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I wanna drive" __ Trace Adkins __ '(Her Favorite Color Is) Chrome'
*sighs*
My last surgery was January 6, 2003. I was allowed to drive again February 10, 2003 ... and I drove right at 12:01a! My sister waited up for me to come back home and gave me only a half hour to drive. LOL.
Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * CruiseNites_2011_Chi.IL *
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I wanna drive" __ Trace Adkins __ '(Her Favorite Color Is) Chrome'
GordoAVR
Active member
I'm waiting to be able to race again. The Docs all say no 5 point harness till next season.
It'll be worth the wait. Reaction times improve with better blood circulation.
Jkm7
Well-known member
Keep in mind that if you drive prior to doctor's approval and have an accident, your insurance could refuse to pay.
GordoAVR
Active member
The insurance company cannot simply deny coverage based on an arbitrary advisement. Some doctors advise don't drive for two months, some say three, some say six weeks. It varies. At my five week office visit, I asked if I could drive home, and he said, "Sure, just be careful."
I am not suggesting one should try to drive when they are incapable of controlling their vehicle. That would be negligent and possibly border on criminal. However, I am suggesting that individuals recover at different rates, and it is normal to expect that some people will be fully capable of driving before others.
Refusal to cover an accident claim would first require proof that you were at fault; then it would require proof that you were incapacitated and could not control your motor vehicle. It would then require further proof that the inability to control a motor vehicle is directly related to the surgery, and that you, as the driver, disregarded specific instructions from your medical caregiver.
A cautionary warning in a informational bulletin does not constitute specific individual medical instructions. If that were the case, auto insurance would not cover half the people in this country who are on medications that have similar warnings on their labels.
On a side note I started driving short distances at 3 weeks post op with my doctors approval. I'm now 6 weeks post op and I'm driving everywhere now.
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Jkm7
Well-known member
Doesn't matter what 'some' doctors say. It only matters what Your doctor says. Doesn't matter how fast someone else recovers. As pertains to this subject, it only matters how fast You recover.
Incapacitated would be best determined by the treating physician.
Both of my surgeries, until My doctor said I could drive, I kept my car parked.
My first surgery, I was not up to driving for about 8 weeks and still didn't drive even when my cardiologist gave the okay. I knew I was not recovered enough.
My second surgery, four years later, same surgeon, same hospital, same cardiologist and he gave permission at just about 3 weeks and I drove that day. I knew I was sufficiently recovered to be able to drive safely.
But that's just me and just something to think about.
My sister stayed with me for 4 weeks and drove me everywhere. I sat in the backseat with a pillow between me and the seatbelt. After 5 weeks, I had to go to a meeting, so I drove. Two dangers: in an accident the seatbelt can undo the sternum healing and the airbag can do the same. However, what is not mentioned is that, in the event of needing to avoid a problem, it is necessary to jerk the steering wheel in one direction or another. When I did that, I could feel a pain in my sternum. One can avoid accidents but one cannot keep from sudden steering to prevent problems and be safe. If it wasn't for the steering, one could drive right after discharge from the hospital.
