Police and hypo and dvla

[theacatsmother]

Dear Donnellysdogs,

Gosh what a wait you're having! But they say no news is good news, and at least they've not rushed in and done the worst we all fear. Keep your chin up and try to relax - though that's much easier said than done. Give yourself a treat or two - retail therapy even if only a small item is usually a good pick-me-up. Both my cats send hugs.

Thea

 

[fliss]

Hi

I'm not type 1, but have read the thead with great interest.

I'm type 2 but with reactive hypoglycemia, could I ask a really stupid question?

I get bs levels of below 3 at least 2/3 times a month, BUT they do recover quickly, should I inform the DVLA and should I actually be driving at all.

I sincerely hope that things go well for you regarding your licence, I am so lucky, my doctors and nurse are brilliant.

Fliss

 

[Debloubed]

Hi Fliss, my suggestion would be to call the DVLA and ask! Whatever a driver's condition, if they are taking medication of any kind which can cause a hypo then they should inform the DVLA asap. I'm pretty sure your insurance is invalid if you don't?! but don't quote me on that............if you are testing regularly then there isn't any reason why you shouldn't be driving. Good luck

 

[jopar]

Hi Fliss

It would be worth while asking the DVLA

Can I ask, are you aware that you are getting low in BG?

The king pin with diabetics is the hypo awareness side of things, if you are able to detect the first symptons of you hypo's before the either going hypo or you would be just inside the hypo range, which enables you to pull over safely if you are driving etc, then the DVLA normally allows you to continue to drive, you need to ensure that you follow a good protical, of testing before you drive, ensurening that you have eaten with in a period of time, i.e meal, snack which would limit the likely hood of your BG falling while driving etc.. Oh hypo treatment in the car with you just in case!

If you do or very likely to suffer an hypo without any warning then you are unlikely to be allowed to drive due to very increased risks involved...

But honesty and common sense with one self about your control should say whether as an individual one should or shouldn't be driving! Sadly there are a lot of diabetics who know that their diabetic control isn't suffient to drive, or they can't be bothered to take simple precautions etc, with I'm ok jack or it won't happen to me etc...

 

[donnellysdogs]

Hi Fliss

DVLA people on medical section answering phones are lovely people and will give good advice.

I wasn't exactly a looney with my incident, as I had done my blood 1 hour before my 2nd 1/2mile drive in car, and I had ate a chunky sizeable amount of barabrith. It has been another very good warning to me especially on one other factor...the DVLA and other leaflets of advice say don't drive for more than 2 hours without eating/checking bloods......mine was 1 hour, and I had stopped and pulled over and was eating when circumstances were taken out of my control. It has taught me though not even to drive for 2 hours as in the guidelines, and forum member ISA has given me some good advice about other driving techniques that she does.

I phoned the DVLA this week, as it is now almost 3 months since my incident, and although I am the 'highest priority' there are two weeks of other 'highest priorities' that they have to work through before they get to mine. Mine is still sat on someone's desk. They are working on medical questionnaires from August 20th still, and mine was received from Consultant on 2nd September with his letter being faxed to them on 28th August. In the meantime, they just tell me that if my Consultant hasn't told me to stop and my levels are stable and testing to carry on driving.

My pump consultant and my diabetic consultant have both stated to me that they will back me up again if needed. The Consultant that spoke to me this week said it would be daft to revoke it, as he has written letter backing me up and that if they had revoked it immediately I would be now in a position to get it back..he said that they would be informed of the DVLA decision and if they did revoke it then he would write a letter immediately to get the shortest revoking period ever as it would be just a punishment and not doing anything else as he states that I am medically fit to drive.

 

[fliss]

Hi all

thanks for the info - I had my appointment with the practice nurse this morning, Im very lucky she is fantastic, and as even altered my prescription so I can receive 2 tubs of testing strips a month.

She aslo put the fear of god into me by telling me that you shouldn't drive if you mesure under 5 after testing! I only go above that after eating then it goes straight back down into the 4's.

I think I should inform the DVLA and my insurance. I can tell when I am going hypo! I start sweating badly and get a banging headache almost like a migrance

Thank you all for your support it is very appreciated.

Fliss

 

[tomjayboy]

I was told at the Diabetic clinic to inform DVLA as I was taking insulin my Driving licence is now reviewed every three years, nobody wants to loose there licence but for insurance purposes you should inform the DVLA and you car insurance.

 

[theacatsmother]

Hello Fliss,

I'm a type 2 on insulin because of other meds, and I used to work in insurance. Yes, you need to tell both your car insurance company to say you are diabetic and the DVLA to let them know about your hypos (I'm assuming they already know you're diabetic), but as said before provided you are hypo aware it is unlikely you would lose your licence. But contact the DVLA first as the first thing your insurers will ask is whether you have informed DVLA. If you say no, not yet, you may have difficulties with the insurers - they get very neurotic about these things. Provided you can say you've informed the DVLA you should have no problem with the insurance company. If the DVLA restrict your licence it is best to let your insurance company know so there can be no question on their part that they haven't been given the full information.

Hope this helps.

 

[donnellysdogs]

2 different leaflets in our hospital give advice on driving, one says don't drive if 4 or below, the other says 5 or below.

Certainly now I have learnt my lesson, I will never even get anywhere near steering wheel unless above 5. I will never drive longer than 1 hour without stopping and testing.

Despite the unfortunate mess I landed myself in, I am so glad that people have read the thread and being more aware of the difficulties around driving. If it saves someone else from bother then my experience has had a silver lining...thank goodness we have this forum and the internet to discuss such issues as these.

Again, as far as I am concerned I am so grateful for the help I have received from people. Some have gone beyond what I could ever have imagined and I really value the time people have taken to write. I did get worked up about people saying that people like me mess it up for other diabetics, but I am glad that my experience might have just helped 1 single person to think about their driving and licence and bg's.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Well over the 90 days, and definitely not within the 90 days that the DVLA say that they try to get responses to the driver within.

Wait and see....is no news good news???

 

[cugila]

Keep smiling girl ......
Whatever happens will be in its own good time. I hope and pray that things will all go your way. You have done everything you possibly can. Relax and enjoy what you have now.
Not around much at the moment but I'm still hoping you get the result you want .....

Ken x

 

[donnellysdogs]

Dear All

I had my letter from the DVLA today.

I have kept my licence.

I am absolutely thrilled.

It has been a huge learning lesson to me. I will never drive unless my levels are above 6 now, and even at 6 I will keep a few sweet snacks on the dash board to snack whilst on journey or turn my pump off depending on how long a journey it is. I will never drive longer than 45 minutes without doing another test. I know that this is more than the DVLA state to do, but I can never go through what happened to me again. I still think about the driving incident everyday, and I just will never forget it.

So, the DVLA don't automatically take diabetics licences away if you have a hypo whilst driving.............providing that you pull over and stop and are treating yourself. Even if police and ambulances are called by a stranger (as in my case), it does not automatically mean your licence will be revoked..........I was lucky I had stopped and pulled over, I did not injure anybody or cause an accident. I also fought the biggest fight of my life with GP's/hospitals and DVLA to keep it.

All I can add to all of this to everybody.....is to please make sure you test before you drive even on the shortest of journeys. Make sure you have some quick acting carbs in glove box. Please don't learn the hard way, as I did, it really isn't worth it.

Lastly, thank you so much for eveybodys support through out. I never knew that there was so many helpful, lovely people.

 

[cugila]

WOW Sharon........

That is fantastic news. I am so glad to hear you finally got that result you were waiting for. I told you before NEVER give up and NEVER, NEVER take what anybody says about you automatically lose your licence .....it just is NOT true, as your case has shown. I had been keeping my fingers crossed and hoping you would succeed all this time. :wink:

You showed true grit in doing everything you could to make sure you kept your licence.......you are a shining example to all members that when faced with adversity.......NEVER give up.

Way to go girl...........

I have sent you a Pm.

Regards
Ken. xx

 

[SophiaW]

Woohoo!! I'm so pleased for you And the outcome has been even more worthwhile in that you've got a pump and a better care team as a result. I'll bet you're pleased this is all over, it must have been very stressful for you with all the unknowns for so long.

 

[daisy1]

I'm so glad for you that all worked out well. And it has warned other people about what could happen if they drive and go hypo. I am going to take a lesson from this to be careful even though I'm a type 2 (on medication) even if apparently you don't get hypos on Metformin. A while before being diagnosed I used to have a hypo every morning before lunch before I knew what it was and how to treat it. I didn't eat breakfast in those days. I instinctively had something starchy to eat before I felt well enough drive back home. Its only since being a member of this forum that I found out what it was and what to do. I will never take a risk again thanks to reading about your experience.

 

[catherinecherub]

So pleased for you Sharon. I admire your genuine concerns about hypos and driving, (something we should all be aware of) and your tenacity in getting this sorted.
Your experiences may help others in the realization that we have to take this issue seriously.

 

[jameshallam]

Fantastic news... Seems like the right result since you have defintely 'learnt your lesson' with regards to driving and BG. Hopefully others will read and do the same.

Always keep a spare meter and jelly babies in the glove box!

 

[iHs]

This has caused poor Sharon loads of unnecessary worry. She did what is required of all diabetics who feel hypo whilst driving and that is to try and pull over safely and eat something sugary to raise bg level. No need at all for ambulance or police to turn up even though helpful stranger thought that he was doing the right thing. If she had been able to quickly eat something whilst she was driving, she would not have found herself swaying about in the road.

My message to all IDDs is that insulin especially the bolus type will make bg levels drop fairly quickly at different times of the day so best to make sure yr level is about 7 or 8 before you put the keys in the ignition.

No good keeping glucose tabs or jellybabies in glove box :?: . You need to have them within easy reach on yr dashboard and be open and at first signs that you feel that yr bg level may be starting to drop, you'll be able to quickly pop a sweet or whatever in yr mouth and then pull over which you should be able to do in a safe way.

 

[Debloubed]

No good keeping glucose tabs or jellybabies in glove box :?: . You need to have them within easy reach on yr dashboard and be open and at first signs that you feel that yr bg level may be starting to drop, you'll be able to quickly pop a sweet or whatever in yr mouth and then pull over which you should be able to do in a safe way.

Good point, accessability is the key! On the dash, passenger seat if it's empty, drivers door pocket if you have one, somewhere you can just pick and grab should you need to. I have experienced being hypo at the wheel and I thought 'I'll just find somewhere to stop' and couldn't and went from being in control to not being in control (of myself I mean, fortunately I stayed in control of the car, Lord knows how!). I am convinced if I'd had my jelly babies in the door pocket I would have made it to safety in a lot less stressful manner! I just kept thinking 'need to stop, glove box is too far away, need to stop, can't lean over, need to stop' and went from mild hypo to borderline severe in a matter of minutes.

However, I'm pleased to hear the OP got a good result! Hurrah!

 

[sugar2]

What fabulous news!