Hypo question on Application form

Well I just put Yes for both DD as that is the case for me, if they have any doubts then they can check with my medical records, renewed my licence early last year and they did write to my HCP's for additional information.

I cant actually remember the details of these questions as it was 2 years back now..........

How can you be deemed unaware if you select, always aware...............which I assume is always aware of the onset of hypoglycemia.......

unless you have real problems with hypo, just paint a safe a picture as possible......

I believe I am aware each and every time a hypo comes on.........are you saying your not?

I said Yes to both as it's true for me.

I promise you it is very possible to be always aware, so please don't go trying to convince the DVLA that Type 1s cannot always be aware. I'm always aware when my BG is going a little low - I sometimes ignore it if it's close to food time or if I don't have much active insulin on-board - but that's different than not being aware.

Don't overthink it unless you like making life hard for yourself - your license renewal form is not the time or place for making a point. If you are not fully aware of hypos then you must say so and forfeit your license.

Smidge

What a **** fool question 3F is !

"Are you always aware?"

Could they have not made it a tad clearer of what they are asking ?

Is it " are you always aware that you are going hypoglycaemic " , if so the question should state that's what it means .

Or
Are you always aware of your surroundings and environmental happenings as opposed to zonked out and unaware ?"

Why can't they just replace the question by cutting to the chase and ask:
" Do you have hypo awareness ? "
" Are you consistently hypo aware?"

Oh I forgot. This the DVLA The same department that when a consultant mentioned that I had night time hypos ( Lantushell, and never needed assistance ) , made me jump hoops for months to prove I never drove in my sleep

Signy

donnellysdogs said:

I'm aware... But just know from previously speaking to them that they told me that if any person put yes to the 2nd box that they would revoke immediately as they deemed that nobody could always be aware and that this then made people unaware of hypo's.

Its completely thrown me as I am aware and only needed help in past 4 years on one occasion when I knew due a huge bolus and immediate sickness that I was goingto need assistance.

The question has completely thrown me due to the info I was told over the phone by dvla member previously...

So I am the same as you and should be entering yes and yes.

Just therefore now wondering if any person has put a yes and no whether there licence was revoked....

I'm totally aware but so nervous of filling in these forms.... Just one tick in the wrong box and bang licence gone.

Click to expand...

If your totally aware you av to out yes I've got to renew my licence b4 April and I am fully aware so the answer will b yes in both questions asked

I'm not on a pump however it is still classed as an injection. It is still a liquid being forced into the body, just a slightly different method.

When I last filled in my DIAB1 form, there was a question on how diabetes was controlled like injections, pump, tablets but this has now changed from looking online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254415/DIAB1.pdf
and the insulin pump has been removed. A pump is still a device that is injecting insulin through a tube lol

The form looks fairly straight forward to filling in but like Smidge has said, dont read more into the questions than necessary.

I ticked yes and added in that I am VERY hypo aware (which I am)
They still medically checked through my application .
Wrote to my GP and asked for his points/facts .
He faxed these through as the original photocopies sent in went AWOL .

This is why my licence renewal took so long to be processed .
Over 5 months of time to get it sorted
Apparently they can also ask for your last 3 months of blood sugar readings also .
To check through these .
Thankfully they didn't go down this route with me .
Might have taken even longer - if they had done this .

donnellysdogs said:

@iHs or any other pump users!!

How do you fill in these boxes?

1a) please tell us how your diabetes is treated?

Insulin injection
Other non insulin injectable treatment
Tablets

So which one did you tick?? Or did you just write on INSULIN PUMP??

Click to expand...

Given the options available it would have to be injections.

Back to your second post in the thread, if answering Yes to that question meant they would revoke people's licences immediately then myself and many other members of the forum would have had their licences revoked, if you've not had problems for 4 years DD and are hypo aware then there shouldn't be a problem.

donnellysdogs said:

Phoned dvla.. They said to just write on Insulin Pump!!! But that means someone then has to decide which box to tick on their computer input screen.....

This form was only reviewed in Oct 2013 so is pretty ridiculous if they could not pump in a box for a pump.

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It's very strange that they don't have the pump as an option on the form.

As for the gp question, can't remember what I put as much like you I'm under the care of a hospital clinic.

Not sure of course, but maybe the tick box insulin pump option got removed because it might have looked as though someone who had a pump was better controlled than someone using injections which remains to be seen.

Not sure what DVLA will make of those using closed loop artificial pancreas using glucagon and insulin when and if it becomes available... The mind boggles lol

Not an answer as such DD but it is total hypo unawareness that is considered a contraindication to driving.awareness )
Many people with T1 have awareness at a lower than normal level . I don't think that it is a matter of recognising every time you slip a bit below 4 since that isn't really a level at which you have cognitive dysfunction It's just for those of us taking insulin a level to be proactive at.
If you were always aware of levels of 4mmol/l then you would never have a hypo. That isn't the case , most T1s (on average) have at least a couple of hypos (that is levels of less than 4mmol/l) every week.
If you aren't recognising some symptoms, albeit subtle (ie not always lots of sweating or shaking) below 3mmol/l then it is perhaps a different matter. .
Here is what DUK says in it's guidance and advice to 'professionals'. I think the second bit that I've highlighted is important and I would certainly lose my licence here in France if I didn't recognise hypos at levels below 3mmol/l.

How should we define hypoglycaemia unawareness?
There is no clear guidance on this. For Group 1 drivers the new regulations allow for a
licence to be revoked or refused if the patient has impaired awareness and require this if
there is complete unawareness. As there is evidence for cognitive dysfunction around
3mmol/L, people who are asymptomatic when under this glucose concentration are at risk
for impaired performance without awareness. Given the inter-person variability for this
and the margin for error in home glucose monitoring, a clinical assessment is advised.
Group 2 drivers are required to have full awareness of hypoglycaemia and any degree of
impaired awareness would result in the licence being revoked or refused.
What about confirmed asymptomatic biochemical hypoglycaemia?
A person’s home glucose monitoring may show episodes of blood glucose below 3mmol/L
for which the patient reports no symptoms or there may be biochemical evidence of
asymptomatic hypoglycaemia on capillary glucose testing. This supports a diagnosis of
hypoglycaemia unawareness. If hypoglycaemia below 3mmol/L without any subjective
awareness is characteristic of someone’s hypoglycaemia experience, they may be defined as
completely unaware and should report this to the DVLA and be advised not to drive
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Document...riving-diabetes-professional-guidance0212.pdf

donnellysdogs said:

@iHs or any other pump users!!

How do you fill in these boxes?

1a) please tell us how your diabetes is treated?

Insulin injection
Other non insulin injectable treatment
Tablets

So which one did you tick?? Or did you just write on INSULIN PUMP??

Click to expand...

I would just tick injection because you are injecting insulin a nice steady rate via a pump.
I did ask them before why they had highlighted pumps and was told people on pumps only have them due to bad control so we check them carefully! Being me I told them their theory was not correct and discriminating.

No 1 rule for the DVLA is give no more info than is asked for.

donnellysdogs said:

Just had my form through for renewal today.

Question 3e.... Do you get warnings of hypo..........YES or NO

3f.... Are you always aware........YES or NO



to me it's impossible for a type 1 to be aware all the time...

I know previously the DVLA told me that if you say YES always aware they take your licence away because they deem that as unawareness. So if you tick NO-are they going to **** you.

What are other persons recent experiences from ticking these boxes?

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I filled in the paper work to renew my licence just before Christmas, i answered yes to both questions and have got my licence back. So its fine to be honest and answer yes