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Driving with Diabetes

Diabeticliberty said:
I once lost my license through a hypo at the wheel but got it back after 3 weeks. It was a very long time ago and I know that things are much stricter now regarding DVLA. They are really slow even with routine stuff. I know that you have probably considered all the options but could you beg anybody you work with for a lift? A really numb question to ask but I will ask anyway. Could you cycle as a last resort?
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I could cycle. But would need an ambulance with oxygen to follow me as it's 26 miles.
 
PMJ said:
I could cycle. But would need an ambulance with oxygen to follow me as it's 26 miles.
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Yes I understand. If you don't currently ride a bike or haven't done for a while 52 miles per day is a bit of an ordeal. Daft question no 3. Would your employer give you 4 weeks holiday if you explained your situation? This might give you enough time to try and get something sorted with DVLA. Sorry to ask the stupid questions but one of them might spark an idea that works for you.
 
Having almost lost my license in 2010 with an incident. I had to make decisions.

One waa to always be near to public transport/work/hospitals etc. We have moved 4 times since then and each time that waa top priority. Perhaps on a longer term basis this may be something to look at.

I also got given a pump immediately. My nurse also got me to a consultant that would deal with me fairly..

It is 5 to drive, and I also think of as 4 and on the floor (alrhough I'm not).

My hospital in 2012 also gave me afunded cgm.

In those days it wasnt easy to get pumps or a cgm....

Would your hospital consider giving you a libre to help you as well for the next 4 weeks?

It is tough but it sounds like you have a plan and 4 weeks now to reset awareness. It is best to try and get awareness levels closer to 4.0 than below...
 
donnellysdogs said:
Would your hospital consider giving you a libre to help you as well for the next 4 weeks?
It is tough but it sounds like you have a plan and 4 weeks now to reset awareness. It is best to try and get awareness levels closer to 4.0 than below...
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My question again is will your hospital get you a DEXCOM CGM? Sorry to beat a dead horse, but Dexcom is the only one that will alert you automatically via smartphone before you get low. Which is precisely what they/you want here. The goofy Libre you have to read it out with a separate gizmo and there are no alerts. You only get like 8 hours of data stored on it. I mean if you're going to all the expense and the trouble of wearing one it might as will be the good one.
 
If you have been told you cannot drive then if you do you won't be insured which is a criminal offence.
If you have a prang mild or serious you'll be forking out as you won't have an insurance company to do it for you.
If you don't tell the insurance company that's another criminal offence.
Must be awful for you but somehow you have to stick to that eight weeks.
Taxis friends busses trains?
Taxis can be very expensive I know but if you can grit your teeth and do it you'll save your job.
Don't have to tell them anything about the driving ban.
Ride a bike?
I've recently had to take a medical driving assessment but fortunately flew through it.
This wasn't because of diabetes but the fact I'm on class A drugs for pain relif and I have cauda equina syndrome along with tumours o my spinal cord cauda equina and sacral nerves.
All benign thankfully but they give me serious problems.
If you don't show up it's loss of license.
If you do show up you obviously want to keep the license.
Two examiners in the car.
One with dual controlsand a clip board.
One sat behind her and she too has a clip board.
Extra mirrors so the lady in the back can see my face as well as see through the seat gap at my legs and the gear stick.
I've got to hide the pain I'm thinking.
When we finished the ladies told me they could clearly see when I was in pain ... whaaaa?
They also said I'd flown through it but ... got to go back in three years and they expect to see me in an automatic.
Funny but I was thinking of getting an automatic because of the weakening in my left leg but didn't tell them that.
I told them this and asked how they came to that conclusion.
The lady in the back of the car could clearly see the weakness in my leg and hesitations I wasn't even aware of!
Do as your told or you'll have even more to lose.
Best of luck.
 
TheBigNewt said:
My question again is will your hospital get you a DEXCOM CGM? Sorry to beat a dead horse, but Dexcom is the only one that will alert you automatically via smartphone before you get low. Which is precisely what they/you want here. The goofy Libre you have to read it out with a separate gizmo and there are no alerts. You only get like 8 hours of data stored on it. I mean if you're going to all the expense and the trouble of wearing one it might as will be the good one.
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Or the medtronic guardian connect is also a standalone cgm... for those without pumps.

It is real time to an iphone and you could possibly sway hospital by agreeing for them to overview it.

I have a funded medtronic cgm and agreed for hospital to be able to view it at any time as I have nothing to hide.
 
DVLA requires diabetics treated with insulin to have sufficient hypo awareness.

Sufficient hypo awareness is not defined by the DVLA, what is sufficient, or not, is realistically a question for your consultant.

I don't think anyone would argue that not recognising hypos until you are at less than 2.5 is not sufficient hypo awareness. The brain stops working normally at levels less than 3.5, decision making & reaction times slow. If you don't know you're under 4 and you continue behind a wheel you're a danger to yourself and others.

To be perfectly honest, 8 weeks to try and restore awareness is generous. You should make the most of it. You should make sure to stay over 4.5 at all times, if you're dropping under treat with fast acting carbs. If you need to get yourself closer to work, stay with a friend in town, rent a room, airb&b somewhere then look into doing that.

I have surrendered my driving licence because I am hypo unaware because I believe that should I be able to restore awareness (which I don't think I will be) it should be easier to get it back having voluntarily surrendered it rather than having had it taken off me.
 
Most CCGs do not fund CGMs either for even those that have lost driving licences due to hypo awareness loss.
 
PMJ said:
I have been for a review at the hospital today. One of the reasons is that sometimes I am not aware of having a hypo until blood sugar readings are -2.5. So I raised this with the specialists. They put me on a 24 hour monitor and today I went for the results. After a mix up at the hospital I left and came home. Just taken a call from the consultant and due to the results they have said I can't drive for 8 weeks until I regain some hypo awareness This is devastating to me as there are work issue las that mean I need to be there to protect my job and if I can't drive I am not able to get there on public transport without adding 3 hours each way making it impossible to get to the office. Plus with everything going on at work I am not sure they would wear me being off for that long without handing me a P45. How can I get round this. Will the hospital report me to the DVLA. What can I say to work that will get them on my side I am really really lost as to what I can do here and what support I need I am 54 years old and the stress of all this is getting to me oh and to cap this all off I am currently off work after a 3 day hospital visit with Viral Bronchitis.
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You're having a really tough time! It's hard being caught between the work devil and the deep blue sea of T1.
So, one at a time.
Work: do you belong to a Union? The Equality Act makes it clear that the employer must, where possible, make adjustments for those with disabilities and T1 is a recognised disability. The reason I ask if you belong to a Union is so that you can have someone on your side if the chips are down. If you do then it's worth contacting them now, if not then it's worth joining one.
You might also be able to negotiate a special rate with a hotel - something like a Premier Inn that's on the cheaper scale, or with a B&B for an extensive weekday stay. Most places would also agree to check on you if you don't appear for breakfast on time, and thus give you a bit of nighttime ease of mind.
Now hypo-awareness. You've probably already received as more advice from everyone else as I could give so good luck restoring awareness, which may be easier once you have a strategy for reducing the threats within the workplace.
All my wishes for a good outcome!!!!
 
Thanks again all. With regards to the Libre the hospital have offered one but self funded and they didn't have one that worked so having to wait for that Not sure that I will be able to take 4 weeks leave and if I could I n sure it would be unpaid or elements of it would be. I always carry jelly babies or glucobtabs with me wherever I go just at the moment I don't know when to take them. Sitting here watching a film and felt a little weird so tested bloods and they came to 3.3. There was no indication other than instant that they were low. So I do understand the reasoning behind the restriction. Just feeling hard done by and kinda isolated.
 
I think you could probably go on disability while you regain your hypo awareness if your gubment people say you're (in essence) currently disabled and your driving privileges are taken away. If I were you I'd move in that direction. You're paying insurance for that you might as well use some of it. Right? I just tested mine after a 1.5 mile walk and feel maybe a tad low but fully functional both to me and others. Test was 3.3. So that's my low point. So in the UK if I tell some gubment lackey about that am I screwed driving?
 
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TheBigNewt said:
I think you could probably go on disability while you regain your hypo awareness if your gubment people say you're (in essence) currently disabled and your driving privileges are taken away. If I were you I'd move in that direction. You're paying insurance for that you might as well use some of it. Right? I just tested mine after a 1.5 mile walk and feel maybe a tad low but fully functional both to me and others. Test was 3.3. So that's my low point. So in the UK if I tell some gubment lackey about that am I screwed driving?
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TheBigNewt said:
I think you could probably go on disability while you regain your hypo awareness if your gubment people say you're (in essence) currently disabled and your driving privileges are taken away. If I were you I'd move in that direction. You're paying insurance for that you might as well use some of it. Right? I just tested mine after a 1.5 mile walk and feel maybe a tad low but fully functional both to me and others. Test was 3.3. So that's my low point. So in the UK if I tell some gubment lackey about that am I screwed driving?
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Not that easy to draw disability benefits here.
Could take months before a decision is made.
 
TheBigNewt said:
And what if he can't get his hypo awareness back to their arbitrary satisfaction? Take the bus forever? What if he agrees to test frequently and show it's 5.0 or greater driving? And/or get a Dexcom that goes off at 5.0 and alerts him? As for the insurance not covering you did you know that in the UAE you are not covered by any insurance if they find ANY alcohol detected in your blood a the time of an accident, even if someone runs a red light and hits you. A level of 0.01 and you're uninsured. Sounds about as fair to me as what they did to him.
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Of course, if you drive in the UK without insurance or a valid license, that's also a criminal offence, and usually results in a fine at the least and jailtime at the worst. But them's the rules, and people abide by them. Same rules for all. By the way, not "arbitrary satisfaction" on hypo awareness. If you feel it above 3.5 mmol/l, then they have no issues. If you don't, then there are issues.

UAE rules aren't so dissimilar to Scotland, where you are not allowed to drive if you have more than 0% alcohol in your blood. Again, that's the rule. Everyone has to abide by it. You can choose to ignore it if you want, but there are consequences if you are caught. We all know the rules. It's a case of how you live with them.

TheBigNewt said:
I think you could probably go on disability while you regain your hypo awareness if your gubment people say you're (in essence) currently disabled and your driving privileges are taken away. If I were you I'd move in that direction. You're paying insurance for that you might as well use some of it. Right? I just tested mine after a 1.5 mile walk and feel maybe a tad low but fully functional both to me and others. Test was 3.3. So that's my low point. So in the UK if I tell some gubment lackey about that am I screwed driving?
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So. You are technically Hypo unaware as you tested your glucose level, and it was below 3.5, without feeling hypo? And You don't use a dexcom.

Technically at that level your brain is not functioning correctly, and technically, you are Driving under the influence of drugs.

Whoops, you kill someone while driving at that level when you shouldn't have been driving because you can't do it safely. It's not so much for their own good that people are stopped from driving. It's for everyone else. An incorrectly controlled 2 ton missile is just that.
 
tim2000s said:
Of course, if you drive in the UK without insurance or a valid license, that's also a criminal offence, and usually results in a fine at the least and jailtime at the worst. But them's the rules, and people abide by them. Same rules for all. By the way, not "arbitrary satisfaction" on hypo awareness. If you feel it above 3.5 mmol/l, then they have no issues. If you don't, then there are issues.

UAE rules aren't so dissimilar to Scotland, where you are not allowed to drive if you have more than 0% alcohol in your blood. Again, that's the rule. Everyone has to abide by it. You can choose to ignore it if you want, but there are consequences if you are caught. We all know the rules. It's a case of how you live with them.


So. You are technically Hypo unaware as you tested your glucose level, and it was below 3.5, without feeling hypo? And You don't use a dexcom.

Technically at that level your brain is not functioning correctly, and technically, you are Driving under the influence of drugs.

Whoops, you kill someone while driving at that level when you shouldn't have been driving because you can't do it safely. It's not so much for their own good that people are stopped from driving. It's for everyone else. An incorrectly controlled 2 ton missile is just that.
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I tested for a reason. I had a question about being hypo and technically I was (3.3). I did eat something then too. But I was not impaired and could have driven legally here. I could drive better than some high school kid using a cell phone and eating a Big Mac. I just renewed my driver's license and they don't ask me if I take insulin. They ask if I have a medical condition that might affect my ability to drive. I check no, which is the truth because I don't drive impaired, intoxicated or hypo. Personally I think the Diabetes Police discriminated against the OP. He never had a problem, he was being honest and he got slammed for it. That should teach him.
 
TheBigNewt said:
It's not going to help anyone from what you say. It's only going to mess you up. I'll tell you one thing, if this happened here the ACLU whom I generally abhor) would sue the bejeezus out of your whomsoever is doing this and most likely win.
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No, they wouldnt. The DVLA have various rules that apply equally to all - rules about medical conditions and fitness to drive, rules about eyesight, rules about age, etc etc

The OP didn't make a mistake - he was honest.

The rules aren't there to inconvenience us. I find it a nuisance having to,renew my licence every 3 years and fill in the form, but I take comfort in the fact that the DVLA's thoroughness in assessing me also means they properly assess other people with conditions that might affect their ability to drive.

I don't want poor drivers on the road threatening the lives of my family and others, thanks, so I'm more than happy to do my part and abide by the rules.
 
TheBigNewt said:
They ask if I have a medical condition that might affect my ability to drive. I check no, which is the truth because I don't drive impaired, intoxicated or hypo.
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Is it not a requirement to inform the licencing agency that you have type 1 diabetes in the USA @TheBigNewt
 
"That should teach him"------what?"......@TheBigNewt.

I can very clearly remember 2010 when I almost lost my licence and got 'similar' remarks from some forum members here. Not helpful.

I also had superb help.

Thank goodness the supporters I had here saw me through.. and beyond.

It appears OP has got a plan put in place by his team now to help him.

I hope that he can stay above 5.0, even if running higher for 4 weeks to be honest.

My hospitals have always said 8 weeks ref running higher so it does appear there has been some compromise for OP.

Its long term that must be considered. For me, it meant moving out of a rural area, halfway up a mountain in Wales and deciding to always live nearer to good transport and hospitals and my hubbys work.

Not everyone can afford to go out and buy dexcoms, and the Libre is an option that may be viable for the OP. Some people really do not have the finances to afford the cgms, even if it might help them.

I do not think personally that making statements about "diabetic police" are helpful at all.

We all have to realise the rules and regulations in our countries. If hypo's are not recognised early enough then it is blooming hard but people do have to adapt and consider choices in lives to get help, be honest, and to try and plan for this sort of thing happening.

Been there and done it, thankfully I had superb help by a number of people here, my diabetic nurse and a consultant. I hope that the OP will always be honest in his approach to hypo's and driving.
 
Looks like your NHS will start supplying T1DM's with Libre CGM in November. That's good. And quite cheap considering how few Type 1's there must be there and how cheap they probably buy them. And most diabetics (like me) won't want to mess with one. Now if Libre would only integrate an approaching hypo alarm to your phone somehow.
 
noblehead said:
Is it not a requirement to inform the licencing agency that you have type 1 diabetes in the USA @TheBigNewt
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Information from diabetes.org http://www.diabetes.org/living-with...s-licenses/drivers-license-laws-by-state.html
All states have special licensing rules about medical conditions. Some may apply to people with diabetes. Some states apply these rules to all drivers with diabetes. Others apply them only to people diabetes with these medications or symptoms:

  • insulin use
  • loss of consciousness
  • low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • seizures
  • foot problems (such as neuropathy)
  • vision problems (such as retinopathy)
They have a drop-down so people can put in their state and find out what the specific requirements are.
 
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