Driving with Diabetes

[Jaylee]

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.

Hi @PMJ ,

Sounds to me like your consultants have advised you not to drive for a certain amount of time (8 weeks.) until hypo awairness is recovered?
Take the advice. Work with the consultants.
Doesn't sound like you need to inform DVLA, as you have had no debilitating hypo events needing 3rd party assistance. Thus a review of your licence entitlement..

I went for an eye test yesterday & was emphatically advised not to drive till the drops wear off.. Sound advice. I took the bus there & back. Certainly no need to inform DVLA..

My point is? It's temparary & self imposed while things sort out..

I'm wishing you the best of luck! It will get sorted.

 

[TheBigNewt]

Hi @PMJ ,

Sounds to me like your consultants have advised you not to drive for a certain amount of time (8 weeks.) until hypo awairness is recovered?
Take the advice. Work with the consultants.
Doesn't sound like you need to inform DVLA, as you have had no debilitating hypo events needing 3rd party assistance. Thus a review of your licence entitlement..

 

[TheBigNewt]

See the quote above I messed it up. That was my point at the beginning of this thread: The guy's license isn't suspended. They have no right to contact the Driving Police. He hasn't had a problem driving. He may have what the Diabetes Police refer to as "hypo unawareness" which IMO is a pretty arbitrary and vague "condition". And they somehow will mess around and clear him of his crime. But he should be able to drive just like the rest of you, testing before he gets behind the wheel, etc.

 

[JTL]

If you ignore the advice not to drive having had eye drops then your insurance company will not pay up if you have an accident same with the eight weeks advice.
I think you'll find it in the small print.

 

[PMJ]

Yeah. Licence is as good as suspended. My insurance will be invalid as will my licence. So if I got stopped whilst driving and the DVLA have not been informed I am not sure what or how any punishment could be metered out. Don't get me wrong I have no intention of ignoring the advice but it does beg asking (especially when you have time on your hands )

 

[JTL]

Yeah. Licence is as good as suspended. My insurance will be invalid as will my licence. So if I got stopped whilst driving and the DVLA have not been informed I am not sure what or how any punishment could be metered out. Don't get me wrong I have no intention of ignoring the advice but it does beg asking (especially when you have time on your hands )

You might get away with running a red light but should you be involved in something serious then the police can usually and do usually check everything.
If you're having a hypo at the time then most coppers I would imagine will spot something isn't right with you and in a serious situation your medical situation will be checked.

 

[CarbsRok]

See the quote above I messed it up. That was my point at the beginning of this thread: The guy's license isn't suspended. They have no right to contact the Driving Police. He hasn't had a problem driving. He may have what the Diabetes Police refer to as "hypo unawareness" which IMO is a pretty arbitrary and vague "condition". And they somehow will mess around and clear him of his crime. But he should be able to drive just like the rest of you, testing before he gets behind the wheel, etc.

Slight problem with your views it's illegal in the UK to drive if no hypo warnings. Being hypo unaware makes you a danger to all road users.
We also have to abide with a Drs view if told not to drive. In the UK the book is thrown at you if caught driving when told not to. A Dr can also inform the DVLA if that Dr suspects you have ignored that advice and quite rightly so IMHO.

If after the 4/8 weeks and OP's awareness has not improved then he will be told he can not drive and must inform the DVLA.

There is quite a list of conditions/illnesses that we are required to inform the DVLA of, if we don't and are found out it's a £1000 fine.
Quite a few of the conditions just mean a restricted licence, some are an obvious licence revoke.
Driving is a privilege not a right

 

[donnellysdogs]

When I had my run in with my licence in a conversation with DVLA i said to them that the situation was making me anxious and depressed. Two days later I had a letter saying I hadnt declared an illness (anxiety and depression!!(... so had more hell to contend with.

A lot of meds-even for depression should be declared to DVLA. Its not just diabetes. Many persons on meds for depression etc may not even be aware that they have to inform our DVLA.
So its not fair to call them the diabetic police. Its not just us that have to comply. So do heart people, epileptics etc etc.

The rules are there for good reason.

My hubby is non diabetic but fairly often asks me to check his blood.. after the gym mainly.. he as a non diabetic is aware when his levels are 3.9 and he always eats before driving after the gym now.

We have rules to protect us and others. Its not easy to say that after my incident but it is hugely important to maintain awareness above 3.4 and the nearer to 4.0 the better.

Good on OP for discussing with consultant.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Also with this... I am very aware that my incident was the day before my first appointment at this hospital. I know that day, as I suspect others may do for weeks eapecially prior to an appointment that they may be trying to get better control and readings....and possibly running a tad lower than normal.

I know for sure that I was at the time of my incident. I had tightened my control which was ok anyway... and I paid a heavy price for it.

Dont test to impress before appointments is my additional advice in this scenario. Perhaps I am the only odd bod that has done this, but I doubt it.

 

[TheBigNewt]

Oh, I get it sure (rolls eyes). Now that they took the OP off the highways you're all SO MUCH SAFER. So if you're the privileged "hypoAWARE" ones you can drive if you test. Or if you don't test. Or if you test and are 3.3 and just jump in the car and head for the pub without eating a thing. But if you're the OP and are the shamed hypoUNAWARE and you happen to mention this to some gubment/healthcare Bozo you get punished for it. Punished even if you test before driving, and correct if need be, and have had diabetes for like 30 years and never had a driving incident due to being low. I'm glad you're all safer now and you should sleep soundly! You know who I don't want driving? A 17 year old kid who was diagnosed 3 months ago. But he can probably get a license right away. I'm sure he can here.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Oh, I get it sure (rolls eyes). Now that they took the OP off the highways you're all SO MUCH SAFER. So if you're the privileged "hypoAWARE" ones you can drive if you test. Or if you don't test. Or if you test and are 3.3 and just jump in the car and head for the pub without eating a thing. But if you're the OP and are the shamed hypoUNAWARE and you happen to mention this to some gubment/healthcare Bozo you get punished for it. Punished even if you test before driving, and correct if need be, and have had diabetes for like 30 years and never had a driving incident due to being low. I'm glad you're all safer now and you should sleep soundly!

If someone is driving your concentration is on the road.... if you are not recognising hypo's until under 3.0 then you are even more liable to not recognise them if concentrating on road.

It wasnt so long ago in Scotland that there was a horrific accident caused by a driver with (different) medical condition that ignored it.

I think the most and best thing to say with regarding OP for DVLA is that he hasnt needed assistance at any time. This will be a significant factor.

I think we have had quite a bit of damning here in last few posts. Perhaps we could be more mindful that some comments are not helpful for the OP.

 

[noblehead]

Yeah. Licence is as good as suspended. My insurance will be invalid as will my licence. So if I got stopped whilst driving and the DVLA have not been informed I am not sure what or how any punishment could be metered out. Don't get me wrong I have no intention of ignoring the advice but it does beg asking (especially when you have time on your hands )

Do you mean if it was just a routine Police stop or if you were involved in an accident?

 

[Jaylee]

Do you mean if it was just a routine Police stop or if you were involved in an accident?

Strangely. I've been involved a fair few "routine stops".. Christmas drink drive campaign, commercial van driving about in the dead of night.(looking for thieves.) Blown headlight bulb. "Thanks Oficer I'll sort that in the morning."
A quick check on tyres, MOT, insurance & road tax & a look at my licence. I'm on my way!

 

[noblehead]

Strangely. I've been involved a fair few "routine stops".. Christmas drink drive campaign, commercial van driving about in the dead of night.(looking for thieves.) Blown headlight bulb. "Thanks Oficer I'll sort that in the morning."
A quick check on tyres, MOT, insurance & road tax & a look at my licence. I'm on my way!

Few stops myself over the years @Jaylee , was breathalysed for the first time about 10 years ago, it was using the hand-held traffic light device rather than the old blow-in-the bag one, got the green light as I hadn't had a drink but it was a strange experience nonetheless.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

My practice nurse told me that if she gets diabetics going to her for reviews and they have issues with hypo awareness then she will report them to DVLA at Swansea. I asked her about patient confidentiality and she went on to suggest that when we fill in our 3 year license renewals the tick box that we all fill out allows her to speak to Swansea and she is not breaching confidence. Seems a little bit Gestapo to me

 

[donnellysdogs]

All doctors/nurses have the right to inform DVLA.

Patient confidentiality doesnt come in to it.

 

[Jaylee]

Few stops myself over the years @Jaylee , was breathalysed for the first time about 10 years ago, it was using the hand-held traffic light device rather than the old blow-in-the bag one, got the green light as I hadn't had a drink but it was a strange experience nonetheless.

Now I was pulled for a blown bulb comming back from a gig in Swindon one night.
He diagnosed a bad connection to the bulb. I thought "so your an auto electrician now then?"
Any way. I asked him if he was going to ask if I'd been drinking? (Confident I hadn't.) He held in his hand a "box."
"Ahh." The officer said, waving the breathalizer in front of my face like Ben Kenobi, "you haven't been drinking."
"Are you sure you don't want me to blow in the box?" He sounded more like a Jedi as he wafted the device in front of my face & said "you haven't been drinking" I could almost hear "these are not the droids your looking for."

Funny thing was. The following morning when i looked at the bulbs. (I always carry spares. It's the law when driving on the continent?)
He was right! Turned out to be a "dry joint" & cleaning up the contacts resolved the bulb issue..

Anyway. I digress (as I mentioned before in threads on this topic.) in my experience. The average copper doesn't have diabetes on the radar...

 

[noblehead]

I asked her about patient confidentiality and she went on to suggest that when we fill in our 3 year license renewals the tick box that we all fill out allows her to speak to Swansea and she is not breaching confidence.

Must admit I've not seen that mentioned on the licence renewal form.

 

[noblehead]

"Ahh." The officer said, waving the breathalizer in front of my face like Ben Kenobi, "you haven't been drinking."
"Are you sure you don't want me to blow in the box?" He sounded more like a Jedi as he wafted the device in front of my face & said "you haven't been drinking" I could almost hear "these are not the droids your looking for."

It could only happen to you @Jaylee ...........................lol

 

[CarbsRok]

I asked her about patient confidentiality and she went on to suggest that when we fill in our 3 year license renewals the tick box that we all fill out allows her to speak to Swansea and she is not breaching confidence.

She has to inform you first of her intentions and the consent you sign is for the DVLA to contact your HCP if any query.