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

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

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 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

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: