Gliclazide - Blood Test, Hypo, Driving

[EllieM]

I'm organising medical insurance for my 88 year old T2 father, who was on metformin for about 8 years prior to this year, but now is on gliclazide instead, and have a long list of his medications.

He's been told not to blood test by his DN, who also told him to have a tea time snack of biscuits at 4pm to avoid hypos when he was on metformin.
He eats a moderately low carb diet, probably about 100g per day. He has very reduced mobility due to back issues (walks with mobility pusher).

Now I find he's been escalated to gliclazide, with no mention of hypos, which presumably are now possible. Should he be doing blood tests before driving? I don't think he's ever had a hypo, though with a (deceased) T1 wife and a T1 daughter he knows about them for other people if not himself.
(He has no clue as to his hba1c, unfortunately, though I'm assuming it must have increased so as to cause the change in meds.)

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @EllieM, I imagine he would need to be assessed by his GP to see whether he now comes under the Fitness To Drive Laws over there. It seems strange that that was not sorted out at the time of prescripton of the Glicazide.

 

[Fruitella]

Hi @EllieM, I imagine he would need to be assessed by his GP to see whether he now comes under the Fitness To Drive Laws over there. It seems strange that that was not sorted out at the time of prescripton of the Glicazide.

Possibly the prescriber wrongly assumed that the gentleman no longer drives. My dad had a mini stroke recently and medical staff just assumed he no longer drove. I think do you drive should be a standard question in circumstances like this regardless of age.

 

[EllieM]

Possibly the prescriber wrongly assumed that the gentleman no longer drives.

He lives out in the country (2 miles to nearest bus stop and they don't have a bus every day), plus he's got a mobility sticker for his car, so the surgery do know he drives.
Is it normal for them not to want patients to do blood tests even when they're on gliclazide?
He does have a fall back plan for if they remove his driving license (heavy duty mobility scooter would get him to local shop/PO, though he'd no longer have access to a bank), but his driving is still pretty good (well it was in March when he left us in NZ to go back to the UK). His main medical issues are due to back, hip, knee pain, none of which are operable.