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Driving with type 2

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J

john3294

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello
I am a male aged 73 and was diagnosed about 15 years ago with late onset type 2. Since then I have been on a regular daily dose of Metformin and various other drugs, but, currently Gliclazide. My current gliclazide dose is 40mg before breakfast and again before dinner. I have never experienced a hypo and exercise regularly, although my level can vary if I fail to keep the exercise up. I have a good relationship with my diabetic practitioner at my GP surgery and have regular blood tests. I have never been prescribed insulin.

Recently they have been telling me that I am obliged to test my blood every time before I drive. I attended a clinic this week where a specialist nurse from the local hospital was in attendance, and, again I was told that I must test before driving. As far as I am aware I have no obligation to inform DVLA that am a diabetic, although I have and they have acknowledged this with letter saying is was not necessary. I have advised my Insurers that I am type 2 and am controlled by oral medication and diet and they are happy with that. I can find no requirement either from the DVLA or Diabetes UK, nor is it anywhere stated that it is "good practice" to test before driving. I am a group 1 licence holder and only drive my own private car, have been claim free for the last 10 or more years and have excellent eyesight with spectacles. Yet these nurses are telling me that if I had an accident and had not tested before driving, I could fall foul of the law and possibly prejudice my insurance coverage. I feel very intimidated by this advice.
The Position Statement December 2014 give a great deal of detail about driving with Type 2 diabetes and I have scanned this document many times. I feel that my surgery are misinforming patients as it seems that they are confusing the issue between group 1 and group 2 (Lorry & Bus Drivers) but they refuse to accept this, but, will not reveal where their advice comes from.

Can anyone shed some light please
 
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Welcome to the forum, John.

Pumper Sue has covered the issues. Does your GP prescribe test strips for you to use before driving and other times?
 
test b4 driving

hi
I have never been told this by anyone

I am prescribed test strips but I do not necessary test before I drive

I prob would not be hypo at minute but it is good to know
 
john3294 said:
Hello
I am a male aged 73 and was diagnosed about 15 years ago with late onset type 2. Since then I have been on a regular daily dose of Metformin and various other drugs, but, currently Gliclazide. My current gliclazide dose is 40mg before breakfast and again before dinner. I have never experienced a hypo and exercise regularly, although my level can vary if I fail to keep the exercise up. I have a good relationship with my diabetic practitioner at my GP surgery and have regular blood tests. I have never been prescribed insulin.

Recently they have been telling me that I am obliged to test my blood every time before I drive. I attended a clinic this week where a specialist nurse from the local hospital was in attendance, and, again I was told that I must test before driving. As far as I am aware I have no obligation to inform DVLA that am a diabetic, although I have and they have acknowledged this with letter saying is was not necessary. I have advised my Insurers that I am type 2 and am controlled by oral medication and diet and they are happy with that. I can find no requirement either from the DVLA or Diabetes UK, nor is it anywhere stated that it is "good practice" to test before driving. I am a group 1 licence holder and only drive my own private car, have been claim free for the last 10 or more years and have excellent eyesight with spectacles. Yet these nurses are telling me that if I had an accident and had not tested before driving, I could fall foul of the law and possibly prejudice my insurance coverage. I feel very intimidated by this advice.
The Position Statement December 2014 give a great deal of detail about driving with Type 2 diabetes and I have scanned this document many times. I feel that my surgery are misinforming patients as it seems that they are confusing the issue between group 1 and group 2 (Lorry & Bus Drivers) but they refuse to accept this, but, will not reveal where their advice comes from.

Can anyone shed some light please
Click to expand...

I had this conversation with my practice diabetic nurse yesterday. She said, has your medication every made you hypo? No, then you do not need to test. If you have one hypo episode, then you need to start testing before driving.
 
Always best to read what DVLA says about driving regulations - see here to select the appropriate document to download and read https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-for-drivers-with-diabetes and here for forms to complete if you need to inform DVLA of diagnosis or change of treatment. Be careful to answer accurately, as an incorrect tick in the wrong box could lose your licence inappropriately, which takes ages to sort out.
 
Taken from Copepod's link to the gov website:

Diabetes treated by Sulphonylureas or Glinide tablets (or both)
Car or motorcycle licence

You don’t need to tell DVLA. Read leaflet INF188/2 to find out more about driving with diabetes. Neither do you have to test.

If you read INF188/2 you only need to do something if you actually have a hypo. For standard car licenses you do not have to tell DVLA unless you are on insulin or have had a sever hypo.

I don't think it particularly clever to rely on DVLA rules advice given by medical practitioners (especially given the advice given to some of our members on the diabetic condition and treatment).

Having said all that, is it a hardship to test before driving and every 2 hrs whilst driving if you are taking medication that can induce hypos? Better safe than sorry.
 
That seems very confused advice - what is the difference between a hypo caused by a sulph or one caused by insulin? If anything, the insulin-induced hypo might actually be easier to avoid as it is more predictable. It's like saying you're OK to drive if you think feel OK after drinking vodka, but not beer 🙄
 
Northerner said:
That seems very confused advice - what is the difference between a hypo caused by a sulph or one caused by insulin? If anything, the insulin-induced hypo might actually be easier to avoid as it is more predictable. It's like saying you're OK to drive if you think feel OK after drinking vodka, but not beer 🙄
Click to expand...

Not sure which comment you are refering to, Alan.

If you or on a normal car driving licence, you do not have to inform DVLA if you are on any medication other than insulin. However if you have more than on 1 severe hypo (needing assistance) then you must inform DVLA (as explained in the leaflet).
Otherwise there is of course no difference, a hypo is a hypo. If you are on insulin you will have a restricted licence and have to fill in DIAB1 regularly.

The interesting one is that you have to inform DVLA if you have reduce hypo awareness. I suspect this is one that you may got caught out with by your medical team if you are not careful. However if you have never had a hypo how do you know what your awareness is?
The leaflet is quite clear as to the rules you must apply.
Blood glucose testing must be done 2hrs before driving and every 2 hours (at a maximum interval) for those on insulin (including CGM). I suspect if you have had 2sever hypos in a year (even if not on insulin) you may lose your licence, but I don't know.
 
What I meant was, what is the point of saying you have to test on insulin, but not when on something that can have the same consequence? :confused: As you said earlier, it's something that makes sense to do whether a requirement or not, but it seems that a great number of people are oblivious to what could go wrong if not testing, because they are not being told by their GPs - or often, as we have seen, not being provided with the wherewithal to test :(
 
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Maybe it's me or maybe it's just the effects of aging but I find more and more things do not make logical sense.
 
Snap! LOL

However if taking sulph or glin - if you have 'grandfather' rights to drive C1 or have passed the C1 test anyway, then yes you are obliged to test before and every 2 hours if you are say driving a van or anything above 3500 kgs, to which the C1 category applies.

Ordinary car licence under 3500 kgs - no. Only on insulin.
 
Vicsetter said:
Maybe it's me or maybe it's just the effects of aging but I find more and more things do not make logical sense.
Click to expand...

It's called grumpy old man syndrome, and comes to us all eventually, as a rule of thumb you suffer proportionally based on your contact with officialdom or the number of forms you have to fill in! :D
 
I wonder if the advice given was due to the new drug driving laws that came into force at the beginning of march.
 
Well makes a change for them to start telling people about 'stuff' doesn't it Sue ! Usually they are clueless ..............
 
I have asked my MP for clarification on this very subject. He kindly contacted the minister of transport who wrote back saying you do not need to contact the DVLA nor do you need to test before or during driving. I don't think you can get any better clarification than that
 
COLIN WARWICKER said:
I have asked my MP for clarification on this very subject. He kindly contacted the minister of transport who wrote back saying you do not need to contact the DVLA nor do you need to test before or during driving. I don't think you can get any better clarification than that
Click to expand...
In what context were you given those instructions?
 
I test before driving and a max of every two hours while driving, even my old DN told me to test before driving. There again I am so erratic with my levels on gliclazide.
 
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