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Insulin & Driving

G

Glenmar

Member
Messages
5
I have type 2 on tablets and have read that the next stage may be insulin. I am wondering when would a doctor put you on Insulin. What effect would it have on my driving, Insuance etc.
Glen
 
Hi Glenmar
I was on tablets and am on insulin aswell. I had to inform the driving licence people. They send you out a form for you and your doctor to fill in and then you get a new licence. this licence is only for 3 years then you have to renew. Hope this helps
Lorraine
 
Hi,
I have been on insulin a long time and my licence is on a three year renewal too. I have had a major hypo when driving - I was turning right off a main road crossing traffic and I basically just stopped, almost like I was asleep at the wheel. If I had started jerking about which I have in the past it could have caused a really serious accident. As a result I was admitted to hospital and the Doctor had to notify the DVLA. They wrote to me and requested my licence and I couldn't drive for 6 months till the Doc was convinced I had my symptoms back. I got my licence back on a twelve month renewal but now it is back to the max of three years.
My advice is try to keep it under control, always test before driving and keep sugary sweets in the car!
Good luck :)
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Glenmar</i>
<br />I have type 2 on tablets and have read that the next stage may be insulin. I am wondering when would a doctor put you on Insulin. What effect would it have on my driving, Insuance etc.
Glen
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

See http://diabetes-support.org.uk/Driving.html which gives it from a diabetic's perspective.

Patti
On Levemir/Novorapid. Last hba1c 5.3
 
Steve,

That's correct - and the actual complications that would require you to notify DVLA are detailed in the website above that Patti gave a link to.
 
Well I haven't because I am type 2 and non-insulin dependent so I don't need to.
 
I thought that if you are on medication that can cause a Hypo then one was obliged to inform DVLA. Therefore, if you are diet controlled or only on metformin then you don't have to tell DVLA. Its unlikely for anyone to have complications of diabetes and only be on diet control or metformin only.

I wonder if the DVLA site has exenatide or sitagliptin advice?

Marty B
 
my lisense is on the normal 3 year renewal, for people that have had to renew their lsiense do they send you a reminder and the appropriate paperwork or do you have to remember when it's 3 years and sort it out yourself?
 
Lets get some misconceptions cleared up here.

- Byetta when used as prescribed cannot cause a hypo.
- A hypo can occur when byetta is used in conjunction with a sulphonylurea, but it is the sulphonylurea that creates the hypo, not byetta. (Presumably anyone taking a sulphonylurea should inform DVLA as hypos are a known side effect)
- A hypo can occur if byetta is administered incorrectly i.e. if you inject a dose and then fail to eat, or inject after a meal instead of before.

Having said that I have a meeting with my consultant tomorrow where I am expecting to have glicazide added to the metformin & byetta mix as my sugars are not coming down as fast as they should. So I expect to have to inform DVLA anyway!! :evil:
 
Hi Sarah,

Thanks for passing on these links. I wasn't aware that DVLA now had a section specifically on Byetta, but it does confirm what I wrote above in that registration is only required when used in conjunction with a sulphonylurea.

I'm not sure where the US medicinenet.com site got their information from because it doesn't tally with any other sources. The byetta manufacturers say hypos are only possible when used with sulphonylurea, a view that is supported by the netdoctor, the UK equivalent of medicinenet.com

http://www.byetta.com/patient/byetta_sa ... on_113.jsp

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000024.html

I guess that as long as I follow the DVLA guidelines then I am doing the right thing.

PS last time my BS got low enough for a hypo was so long ago I can't remember what it felt like!!
 
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