driving - from new member

[tango]

hi all,
i was diagnosed type 1 last may and put staight onto insulin. its almost a year down the line now and on wednesday the diabetic nurse told me that she thinks that i may be type 2, and that they are going to put me onto metformin. I presume at this time that i will be on both metformin and insulin.
The question iv'e got is that part of my job was driving lorries which obviously i had to stop as i was insulin dependent. What i was wondering was has anyone gone from insulin to just metformin and also can i get my LGV licence back if this were to happen. i know i should have asked more questions about futher treatments when i was in the hospital but i just didn't think until later.

 

[Dennis]

Hi Tango,

You should be able to get your HGV licence back but you will need to explain to DVLA that you were misdiagnosed and you will probably need a letter from your GP supporting your request.

As Sarah says, first you need to be absolutely certain whether you really are type 1 or 2. If it hasn't already been explained to you, it would be worth your asking your GP what were the grounds for him thinking originally that you were type 1 and why does he now think you are really type 2?

You should also bear in mind that GPs usually do not have a detailed knowledge of diabetes, its causes or treatments and if you are in any doubt (which I certainly would be in your case) you should ask your GP to refer you to a consultant. Your GP cannot refuse this, and may in any case be relieved to have the decision taken out of his hands as he certainly seems to be floundering!