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Driving and hypoglycaemia

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Pumper_Sue

Pumper_Sue

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Driving and hypoglycaemia ? what are doctors being advised to do?
The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists [ABCD] has recognised that the EU Directive on standards of driving in diabetes will have a significant impact not only on drivers with diabetes but also on the doctors who complete medical reports for the DVLA. The ABCD has clarified their response to the Directive and this basically advises doctors on their actions with their patients on the most important change ? hypoglycaemia. [Practical Diabetes Vol. 29 No1] It seems sensible that people with diabetes know what advice their doctors are receiving, so below are the key points in the ABCD recommendations to doctors.

Read the rest here http://www.iddt.org/about/living-wi...ycaemia-what-are-doctors-being-advised-to-do/
 
I'm afraid this doesn't cover my own point Sue, as nothing else I've read does either. The question on the Medical Questionnaire that is currently causing me problems is 'Have there been repeated episodes of hypo in the last 3 months'

No definition of 'repeated' given to doctors. DUK said as long as they had been pounced on andhad or were being dealt with, doc should say that and DVLA shouldn't go berserk as long as doc said he was satisfied - well he doesn't appear to be at this point. Seeing clinic again next Fri - as long as DVLA haven't written by then and banned me that is, because he hasn't responded yet which he hasn't - since I can't even get there if they have! (unless of course I go to that town in his car with my husband at 05.20 am for my 3pm appointment, LOL - I'm not keen .....)
 
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Diabetics are allowed to drive as long as you make sure the DVLA know it is in good control.
 
MrAutoimmune said:
Diabetics are allowed to drive as long as you make sure the DVLA know it is in good control.
Click to expand...

If only it was that simple! There isn't a mechanism for individuals to notify the DVLA of how good their control is and they wouldn't believe you anyway. If you are on a restricted licence (which most if not all insulin treated diabetics are) then the DVLA require a report from their GP or consultant.

I note that the iddt article doesn't mention T2s on insulin!
 
Vicsetter said:
If only it was that simple! There isn't a mechanism for individuals to notify the DVLA of how good their control is and they wouldn't believe you anyway. If you are on a restricted licence (which most if not all insulin treated diabetics are) then the DVLA require a report from their GP or consultant.

I note that the iddt article doesn't mention T2s on insulin!
Click to expand...

If you are on insulin it doesn't matter what type of diabetes you have. The same rules aplies for hypos.

My GP has never been contacted for a report either regarding my fitness to drive. I just fill in the form and send it back and my licence comes back within a couple of weeks.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
If you are on insulin it doesn't matter what type of diabetes you have. The same rules aplies for hypos.

My GP has never been contacted for a report either regarding my fitness to drive. I just fill in the form and send it back and my licence comes back within a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

Sorry, Sue, but did you read the article? it didn't mention T2s on insulin, just on Metformin and sulphonylureas.
I'm surprised the DVLA don't contact your GP, they do with me, would you know that they have? I only knew because my GP was on holiday and that delayed the renewal of my licence.
 
Vicsetter said:
Sorry, Sue, but did you read the article? it didn't mention T2s on insulin, just on Metformin and sulphonylureas.
I'm surprised the DVLA don't contact your GP, they do with me, would you know that they have? I only knew because my GP was on holiday and that delayed the renewal of my licence.
Click to expand...

There is no reason to mention type 2's on insulin as they have exactly the same rules as type 1 or 1 .5's or even if you have 2 heads and 3 arms if you are on insulin the same hypo rules aply.
Obviously they mention the the effect that oral medication has which type 2's use.

I asked my GP if he had ever been asked for any info about me and the answer was no he hadn't which was due to the fact that I have good control and do not need assistance with hypo's.
 
Last edited:
Sue, so do I have control and I haven't needed assistance with a hypo for about 8 or 9 years, (which was one isolated hypo when I had a lot of sheet happening in my life) so there had already been at least 2 renewals since then

Yet this year as you know, they requested a medical for the first time ever since I passed my test in 1986.

I dunno if it's random, or they just took a dislike to me, or everybody will now get this. Time will tell !
 
Pumper_Sue said:
I asked my GP if he had ever been asked for any info about me and the answer was no he hadn't which was due to the fact that I have good control and do not need assistance with hypo's.
Click to expand...

I think that either you've been lucky or I've been unlucky, it's got nothing to do with good control (mines fine) or hypo's (don't have them).
 
trophywench said:
Sue, so do I have control and I haven't needed assistance with a hypo for about 8 or 9 years, (which was one isolated hypo when I had a lot of sheet happening in my life) so there had already been at least 2 renewals since then

Yet this year as you know, they requested a medical for the first time ever since I passed my test in 1986.

I dunno if it's random, or they just took a dislike to me, or everybody will now get this. Time will tell !
Click to expand...

Personally, I suspect there's a knack to filling in the forms............. Give no information except what is asked for.
They don't ask if I am on a pump so they are not told.
People always think a pump means bad control. 🙄
 
Well it may have been that Sue, cos where they ask 'how many clinic appts have you had in the last year' it was a lot more than my normal '2' because of all the pump appts - one to get a 'dry' one fitted, 1 to take it back and say Yes please, next one to get it, one a month later to check on how I was getting on, next was my usual 6 months one, then interim one 3 months after that to check on progress - oh hang on, at one of the earlier ones I also got the meter/remote programmed in, or was that yet another visit? ..... so I expect they thought I was in dire trouble!

Which is fair enough really from their POV innit? They haven't a clue what's happening

So I spose I should have just said '2' which were the only ones with the consultant, rather than just going through my diary and counting em! But they didn't say 'How many times did you see the cnsultant/' so I was truthful and answered how many 'Clinic' appts I'd had. I never count the annual GP MOT.
 
Hi there,
I am filling in a medical questionnaire to renew licence DVLA. I know it seems a silly question but on form it asks if you have had an episode of hypoglycaemia. If you answer yes you have then have to fill in about severe hypos etc. My worry is , I hardly ever have a hypo but which I have warning sign and treat myself accordingly. Would answering yes prevent me from obtaining a licence. Really worried.
 
rubymurry said:
Hi there,
I am filling in a medical questionnaire to renew licence DVLA. I know it seems a silly question but on form it asks if you have had an episode of hypoglycaemia. If you answer yes you have then have to fill in about severe hypos etc. My worry is , I hardly ever have a hypo but which I have warning sign and treat myself accordingly. Would answering yes prevent me from obtaining a licence. Really worried.
Click to expand...

If you have hypos then answer yes and also that you have warning signs. If you have had hypos that need assistance then you must tick yes to that as well. If no help required then the answer to the assistance is no.
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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