• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

HELP NEEDED

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

thane delaney

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
trying to call the helpline, get recorded message and music for 5 mins then "thankyou for calling diabetes uk" and get cut off. Great helpline
 
Hi, sorry you are having trouble with the helpline but welcome to the forum. The forum is made up of people who have diabetes, or those that care for them and is a support forum hosted by DIabetes UK. There are one or two staff on here who administer the site.
Hope you get through soon and sort out any issue you have. 🙂
 
Sorry you are having problems but it may be technical issues they are experiencing or anything so I find it harsh to criticise them when we don't know what''s going on

All you can do is keep trying but also you could ask for information/questions etc here on the forum

Services are strained at the moment too so it just takes time and patience I'm afraid
xx
 
Fire away on here with your questions - we're well known for being entirely non judgmental and often exceedingly helpful.
 
thanks for the replies folks, i understand things are a little hectic. I was diagnosed with type 2 last yr and was given next to no advice by the diabetic specialist who i saw apart from lose 30kgs or i will be blind and lose my feet by Christmas. Received no dietry advice (or any advice really) from her but changed my diet and have lost nearly 50lbs - down from 267lbs to 217lbs. Thing is, i have a routine blood test scheduled this week but i wont be attending as i am a hgv driver and if the results aren't what they want i will be homeless and jobless and i cannot afford to take the chance
 
Hi @thane delaney. Sorry you have had problems making contact, but there are many on the forum that can give you some ideas.

Congratulations on the weight loss so far and I can see you still have a bit to go. All too easy to get out of shape as an HGV driver.

Being sent away by the medics with little information or support is not an uncommon observation by new members and we are here to try and help. A couple of questions which might help members to chip in with their experience. Do you know what your HbA1c was at diagnosis and are you on medication? Also what blood tests are you going for and what results do "they" want?
 
thane delaney said:
trying to call the helpline, get recorded message and music for 5 mins then "thankyou for calling diabetes uk" and get cut off. Great helpline
Click to expand...
If you have only been trying today, it is a Bank Holiday. I think the helpline is normally only during office hours.
 
thane delaney said:
Thing is, i have a routine blood test scheduled this week but i wont be attending as i am a hgv driver and if the results aren't what they want i will be homeless and jobless and i cannot afford to take the chance
Click to expand...
What do you mean by that? As far as I'm aware Hba1c does not effect whether you can drive or not so I'm unsure of why that matters, as for not going that isn't a good idea, we have annual tests for a very good reason, to avoid complications which if you do develop may mean having your license revoked etc anyway xx
 
Docb said:
Hi @thane delaney. Sorry you have had problems making contact, but there are many on the forum that can give you some ideas.

Congratulations on the weight loss so far and I can see you still have a bit to go. All too easy to get out of shape as an HGV driver.

Being sent away by the medics with little information or support is not an uncommon observation by new members and we are here to try and help. A couple of questions which might help members to chip in with their experience. Do you know what your HbA1c was at diagnosis and are you on medication? Also what blood tests are you going for and what results do "they" want?
Click to expand...
Hi,
I have gone about as far with weight loss as i can as far as cutting out the unnesessary stuff - i was a sucker for chocolate, lots of it, late at nite so stopping that has resulted in the weight loss. I am a gym person (at least 4 times a week minimum) so am active so 217lbs at 6ft is pretty good i think. I pay no attention to BMI as that says i should be between 9st 13lbs and 13st 3lbs. With my frame that is unrealistic. I have never let my job let me get out of shape - i dont do overnite runs so prepare all my own food etc.
I have found my details from last years health check - my HbA1c says "no events found"
I take metformin twice a day
The letter i have received is just an appointment for a blood test and a urine sample - it doesn't specify anything else so i dont know what they want tbh. All i know is that my driving license can be taken at the drop of a hat and that bwill render me jobless and homeless. Thanks for your input
 
Kaylz said:
What do you mean by that? As far as I'm aware Hba1c does not effect whether you can drive or not so I'm unsure of why that matters, as for not going that isn't a good idea, we have annual tests for a very good reason, to avoid complications which if you do develop may mean having your license revoked etc anyway xx
Click to expand...
I dont know what my HbA1c is - on my health check care plan from last yr it says "no events found".
Like i say, i received no help or advice from my former surgery. I have been for my eye/foot/circulation tests and all have been good, no problems. Am just very concerned about this blood test and if it doesn't correspond with what they are after i am finished. I am 45 - not the age to be jobless and homeless. Thanks for your input btw
 
thane delaney said:
I dont know what my HbA1c is - on my health check care plan from last yr it says "no events found".
Like i say, i received no help or advice from my former surgery. I have been for my eye/foot/circulation tests and all have been good, no problems. Am just very concerned about this blood test and if it doesn't correspond with what they are after i am finished. I am 45 - not the age to be jobless and homeless. Thanks for your input btw
Click to expand...
The blood test is just Hba1c, cholesterol etc and urine sample is to make sure your kidneys are ok and functioning as they should, the test is nothing to be concerned about and your license won't be revoked because of the results, we need the tests as if the medication you are on isn't working then you can discuss different medications/approaches, I'd highly suggest you go please xx
 
This is the relevant link for you, https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....ife-with-diabetes/driving/driving-licence?amp

If you’re not on any medication that can cause a hypo then you have nothing at all to worry about, if you’re on Metformin it looks like you need to just declare it to the DVLA, but it won’t affect your license as again you aren’t in danger of hypos.If you’re not on any medication you don’t even need to declare it.A0186F06-1C99-484A-8806-87A762557D73.png

It’s really important to keep the check ups, they’re there for your benefit, and will help you protect your eyesight and feet.
 
Last edited:
Ljc said:
Metformin is not insulin.

I hope this helps , I copied it from this gov site https://www.gov.uk/guidance/diabetes-mellitus-assessing-fitness-to-drive


All Group 1 and Group 2 drivers who experience an episode of severe hypoglycaemia whilst driving must not drive and must notify the DVLA.


Managed by tablets carrying hypoglycaemia risk
Group 1
Car and motorcycle		Group 2
Bus and lorry
Including sulphonylureas and glinides! - May drive and need not notify the DVLA, provided:

■ no more than 1 episode of severe hypoglycaemia while awake in the last 12 months and the most recent episode occurred more than 3 months ago
■ should practise appropriate glucose monitoring at times relevant to driving
■ under regular review.

It is appropriate to offer self monitoring of blood glucose at times relevant to driving to enable the detection of hypoglycaemia.

If the above requirements and those set out in Appendix D are met, the DVLA need not be informed.

The DVLA must be notified if clinical information indicates the agency may need to undertake medical enquiries.		! - May drive but must notify the DVLA. All the following criteria must be met for the DVLA to issue a licence for 1, 2 or 3 years:

■ no episode of severe hypoglycaemia in the last 12 months
■ full awareness of hypoglycaemia
■ regular self-monitoring of blood glucose – at least twice daily and at times relevant to driving, ie no more than 2 hours before the start of the first journey and every 2 hours while driving
■ demonstrates an understanding of the risks of hypoglycaemia
■ has no disqualifying complications of diabetes that mean a licence will be refused or revoked, such as visual field defect.
Click to expand...

He drives an HGV so has to declare any medication34B9C3E3-C6DF-4FDD-A4F2-CD67C36FFFA2.jpeg
 
@thane delaney - apologies for my "out of shape" remark, bad choice of phrase to try and encapsulate the things that can result from being in a sedentary occupation which needs continuous high level concentration and only youself as company.

Have you got any help from the comments members have made?
 
Anitram said:
Both Diabetes UK websites (.co.uk and this one) have a section covering driving with diabetes, along with the DVLA website.
Click to expand...

Just for clarity, diabetes.co,uk is a commercial website, and completely unrelated to Diabetes UK the national diabetes charity. I only mention this, because ‘.co.uk’ don’t always make this clear, and people sometimes get confused.
 
Welcome to the forum @thane delaney

Sorry that you had trouble calling the helpline. It operates during office hours. Please do try again of there’s anythng about your diabetes, or driving and diabetes that you would like clarity on.

I can fully understand why you are worried about the possible impact of diabetes on your driving license - but as others have said the blood tests you were being invited for are very different purposes and are to help keep you safe and well.

If you were on a medication that the DVLA were interested in you would already be having to monitor your own BG levels and be able to provide 3 months of readings.

Please do reconsider and attend your appointment and get your HbA1c checked - without it your Drs don’t have the information they need to help you.

Congratulations on the weight loss 🙂
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top