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applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after going on

D

d blundred

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Type 2
hi im in the process of getting my h g v back after filling numerous forms in from the D V L A having a medical this started in dec 2011 after takin 3 mths of blood readings and sending them off they av already ad a report from my consultant in jan 2012 but still they need to send another form out to me so the consultant can fill it it its now may and ive passed all medical reports up to now by the medical team at the D V L A so just got this one to do so who evers goin through what im doing hang in there keep ringing the D V L A as i do
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

Stick in there, my husband got his licence back a couple of months ago. He lost it in 1999 when he was diagnosed with type 1. The process for getting it back was drawn out though, he'd just done the forms for renewing his 7.5 ton licence when the law changed and he had to start the process all over again even though his licence was still in Swansea.

The bit that surprised us most was the requirement to get a form filled in by his GP, who he's never seen for anything to do with diabetes as his care is covered by the hospital clinic. Once that form was done, tbh the GP asked us which boxes to tick :roll: , it was sent back to Swansea and another form was sent to us for the consultant to fill in (the DVLA pay any fees btw), his consultant is a star and fitted us in within a week once we explained why we needed any appointment so early after the last one. Once again the forms went back to Swansea (the consultant had to post these ones though) and we waited 3 weeks before ringing for an update. He was told that his licence had been issued but they'd only put his bus licence back on so they'd try to stop it being sent out and make sure the HGV was added. Things went downhill from there as they couldn't for some reason issue his licence, typical of him to have a corrupted DVLA file :roll: . To give DVLA their due, they faxed a letter confirming he was legal to drive HGVs to his employers and posted a copy out to us but it took a month for the actual licence to arrive.

Remember to keep carbs etc in your lorry and test before driving and every few hours even after you get the licence back as VOSA have been told to check if they stop you apparently.
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

They DVLA certainly don't rush although I appreciate they have to be thorough, good luck anyway! :)
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

I'm just about to reapply for my categories on my licence in order to allow me to drive my newly acquired 7.5t horsebox. What worries me are the questions relating to hypos. Whilst I am aware when I am going hypo sometimes other people, particularly my partner can see it happening before I acknowledge it. I don't need any help to deal with said hypo but maybe just don't acknowledge its going on, this is at home not when I am about to drive. Do you tick the box saying others notice your hypos before you do? If you have a hypo, when not driving, and deal with it yourself, have you got to admit to this? It concerns me quite a bit regarding hypos and the DVLA taking away yr licence without the chance to appeal or be reassessed. I want to do everything above board but equally don't want to give them any chance to take my licence away.

All advice gratefully accepted.
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

If I remember correctly it's tick boxes on the form and it asks if you have hypo awareness? If you were on your own would you be aware of heading towards a hypo even though there was noone there to tell you? If you rely on someone else to tell you then I doubt you'd pass the medical.
I know I can spot my husband going low before he becomes aware of it, but he gets warning signs around 4.5, which according to his consultant is fine. They (hubby and the consultant) decided that he should aim for a HbA1c of around 8 when he's working as it means he gets warning signs that little bit earlier.
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

I do have hypo awareness so I do know when I'm going low but as I say my partner seems to be pretty perceptive to me "changing" . You say can see when your husband is going low so its a similar situation. However, you say that yr husband and his consultant have agreed on an HbA1c of around 8 when he is working, how often is he tested? does he not drive (HGV) all the time?
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

sorry for the delay answering, hubby drives an artic full time now and tests before he drives the car to work each morning, before he leaves the yard with the lorry and every 2 hours during the working day (obviously if he's sat waiting at the docks for half the day then he won't test til he's about to drive, no point wasting strips when he's not doing anything). He sees his consultant every 6 months when his HbA1c is tested, as I understand it, the consultant and him discussed that 8 was the level they should aim for, erring slightly on the higher side than most type 1s would be aiming for which should reduce the risk of hypos being an issue. As his base line is higher then he gets warning signs higher than he would otherwise, which means he has time to react by pulling up before his levels are actually low enough to cause the problems like blackouts and potential accidents.

We've actually been very lucky in having this consultant. He has said that, personally "I don't agree with type 1s driving artics but it's (my) job to fill in the forms accurately and not allow personal opinions to interfere". He's only stated his opinion once and has been nothing but supportive ever since, I hope that when/if my pancreas decides it'll digest the rest of itself then I'll be put on his list.
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

Lordy100 said:
I'm just about to reapply for my categories on my licence in order to allow me to drive my newly acquired 7.5t horsebox. What worries me are the questions relating to hypos. Whilst I am aware when I am going hypo sometimes other people, particularly my partner can see it happening before I acknowledge it. I don't need any help to deal with said hypo but maybe just don't acknowledge its going on, this is at home not when I am about to drive. Do you tick the box saying others notice your hypos before you do? If you have a hypo, when not driving, and deal with it yourself, have you got to admit to this? It concerns me quite a bit regarding hypos and the DVLA taking away yr licence without the chance to appeal or be reassessed. I want to do everything above board but equally don't want to give them any chance to take my licence away.

All advice gratefully accepted.
Click to expand...

When you say that your partner can pick up a hypo before you?

What signals are they picking up on?

I know that I can pick up a hypo early with my husband, several indicators sometimes just one or a combination of..

We can be taking, and he's coherent sounding normal, but there's a slight vacant look in his eyes..
Another one is his skin tone, can't quite describe it, but I know it.
The other one his is subtle behaviour changes..

Now what you've got to ask yourself is two basic questions

Is when they prompt you are your blood glucose levels below 4 mmol/l
If they didn't prompt you what would happen, and how low would your BG actually be before you clicked you'll hypo!

Because if other are picking up subtle changes before you are, basically already your brain ability to fully function is already started to be impacted by reducing blood glucose!


And you got to consider a lot of the time HGV's drivers are driving on their own, so nobody to act as a backup!
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

jopar said:
When you say that your partner can pick up a hypo before you?

What signals are they picking up on?

I know that I can pick up a hypo early with my husband, several indicators sometimes just one or a combination of..

We can be taking, and he's coherent sounding normal, but there's a slight vacant look in his eyes..
Another one is his skin tone, can't quite describe it, but I know it.
The other one his is subtle behaviour changes..

Now what you've got to ask yourself is two basic questions

Is when they prompt you are your blood glucose levels below 4 mmol/l
If they didn't prompt you what would happen, and how low would your BG actually be before you clicked you'll hypo!

Because if other are picking up subtle changes before you are, basically already your brain ability to fully function is already started to be impacted by reducing blood glucose!


And you got to consider a lot of the time HGV's drivers are driving on their own, so nobody to act as a backup!
Click to expand...
I can see a slight difference in my husbands colour in his face and lips and he blinks slightly more often, however we did consider if these changes were a problem and when tested his bloods are at the 6.5 level which is long before it's considered a hypo. I'm sure the changes would happen a lot lower if he was running at tighter control but as I explained earlier in the thread he aims to hit a HbA1c of 8. Hubby's warning signs start at 6 so still in plenty of time.
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

i av just been to see my consultant on fri to fill in the form to go back to the D V L A im faxing the forms 2mrw as the person i spoke to on thurs said it takes 2 days to get to the right depart when faxin and 3 weeks to get to the depart by post so im goin send it aswell hope this is the last stretch now as im wanting to start back to work this as took me 6mths now since ive applied for my H G V which i can understand as its important to get things right but its just seems endless hoping no more forms to fill in as they av ad everything now as i can possible send about myself im so glad the ban as been lifted as i was davastated when i lost my H G V licence and dont av anything else to fall back on
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

well the d v l a av got the consultants letter he ad to fill in they av ad it for 2weeks now and when i ring the d v l a they r saying its with the medical people and theres a back log so they shud employ more staff to deal with this its been 6 mths now since ive been doin all this form filling hope im goin to here soon as ive passed all other medicals
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

well im still waiting to hear if ive got my h g v licence back i ring the d v l a twice aweek and each time they say they av a back log ive ad good reports off gp and consultants so if u go in alfebetical order as they say shud b hearing soon i understand how they got to b througher but its goin into 7 mths now but they did say it takes forms 2 weeks reach the right department
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

Hi Blundred, im in the same boat I lost my PSV licence 12yrs ago because of the insulin, I had a great job going all over Europe staying in the best hotels and earning a fortune doing a job I really enjoyed.
I applied for my licence back in January this year I paid £85. for my medical joined a gym which I go to 4 times a week determined to be fit and every time I ring up about it they are very rude saying you will get it back when you get it as its been passed to the medical examaner then last week they said they would have to write to my GP, even though he had allready passed me with the medical! If I do eventully get it back I have only got to September next year to pay for my CPC course which is another rip off I already have a management CPC. and to top it all off I dont know anyone who has got there licence back anyway :x
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

d blundred said:
hi im in the process of getting my h g v back after filling numerous forms in from the D V L A having a medical this started in dec 2011 after takin 3 mths of blood readings and sending them off they av already ad a report from my consultant in jan 2012 but still they need to send another form out to me so the consultant can fill it it its now may and ive passed all medical reports up to now by the medical team at the D V L A so just got this one to do so who evers goin through what im doing hang in there keep ringing the D V L A as i do
Click to expand...

I am a non driver but I really wish you good luck :thumbup:
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

hi mal 272 if u read on here there is folk what av just got their licence back i paid

£100 for a medical with my GP i think the D V L A av to be througher but they av ad all my deatails now so just waitin i ring twice a week so im just waitin now will post on here when i get it
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

cus i ad a bypass in jan 2009 the d v l a av got to write to my consultant so now waitin agen might av to go on a tredmill but my consultant discharged me after 6 weeks sed i was cured whats the use of payin £100 to av a medical with ya gp i say just money makin racket
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

Hi Blundred, have you had any news yet? ive got my medical with a consultant on Saturday, any idea how long after that its going to take :!:
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

mines took 8 mths up to yet d v l a av ad my forms and knew ive ad a bypass now 2mrw 2nd august ive got go on a treadmill they cud of sent me for this months ago cameron needs to say folk need start back work he wants go sort the d v l a out for makin folk wait this long im writin a letter to the health minister soon to tell him how long this processes as been as im really gettin fed up now and need to start work i can understant they av got to b througher bout folk bein on insulin but when u av been to c the consultant and yr gp sayin yr fit enough i dont know what more they need to me its a waste of money avin a medical at £100 a throw
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

Hi I agree totally with you, who knows you best your Doctor or a consultant? if its not your doctor why do you have to have a medical with him in the first place then 3 month later they send a letter to the same doctor asking him the same questions that was in the medical? now I have seen a consultant and because some of my readings are below 3 it don't look like Ill be getting my licence back after all, im still keeping my fingers crossed as the consultant says it could go either way as if it was up to him he would say i was safe to drive still ill keep you posted. good luck :thumbup:
 
Re: applying for my h g v after losing it in 2008 after goin

yes please do i ad a bypass in 2009 the d v l a av ad all the previous months to send me to go for a treadmill i went last night on for 9 min now instead of 6 cud only do 7 min as they seem b makin it harder anyhow the consultant there sed my heart was good and the e c g was also good so they av faxed results to d v l a today i also rang d v l a to tell them that id been if they arnt satisfied will av to av a drip to see how the heart is under pressure i dont know what more i can do to prove im fit as i thought this h g v ban ad been lifted for insulin dependants to start back work again 8 mths now so probably a 3rd of the way there
 
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