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Type 1 and driving?

D

diva19871987

Well-Known Member
Messages
74
Location
Nottingham
Hi everyone, I have been diabetic since the age of 12 am now 25. I have over the years felt I could never drive because of my diabetes and have suffered some memory loss due to uncontrolled sugar levels. Over the past 4 years I have really tried to keep good control and feel I am finally getting somewhere with it now so I am plucking up the courage to start driving. What I want to know is about 3 years ago I was told I had retinopathy in both eyes. Not so bad I needed laser treatment but there were 4 very small bleeds but was told not to worry. I then did nothing but worry and did everything I could to not let sugars go above 7. This resulted in lots of hypos, sometimes about 6 a day which wasnt very good but I was desperate to not let it get too high. If it went above 10 I took lots of insulin then went low, I was like ayo-yo, up, down, up, down. Ive finally got it to sometimes no hypos at all but would like to know what sugar levels are best for driving. I know from reading on the internet you should never drive below 5 but what is the best level to be at to be safe and be at my best to learn. What kind of foods are best to eat before and if I was being very cautious, could I eat something and not take insulin in order for it too be higher rather than dropping too low, say let it go to 11 or 12 then after the lesson take insulin or would this be silly. Would this affect driving if I did this? I do know I should be talking to my health care team but I have my first lesson friday and cant get seen my a doctor till 1st april. Also do any of you type 1s have any problems with driving and what are insurance groups like with diabetes, do you end up paying a lot more because of it? If you feel a hypo coming on whilst driving how high do blood sugars need to be before you start driving again.Thanks
 
Hi,

I've been driving with diabetes since I was 17 (over 11 years now) and I've never had any problems with it. I won't drive if my sugars are below 4.5. I also take extra care if they have been yo-yoing. You sound like you've done a great job in getting your sugars below 7 but they need to be stable.

I always keep Lucozade and/or dextrose tablets in my car just incase I need them. I have good hypo (and hyper) awareness and can usually tell in advance I I need to pull over.

With regards to insurance, it's important that you tell your insurance providers. If you do not you insurance will be void. It's never affected my premiums though - my insurance is pretty low.

Good luck with the lessons! You'll love the freedom it gives you :)
 
there may be others with better suggestions than mine, but i make sure i'm over 5 (if under obvs eat something to get it up!), if i'm under 7 i eat a banana or a cereal bar but over 7 and i tend not to worry. i've only started to be so careful since ferrying my kids around. been t1 12 years and have driven all that time with no probs, always make sure you have a hypo remedy just in case (and to replace them...i've often needed to eat/drink my car carbs and forget to replace!) no insurance prob or price hike, just declare t1.

good luck with your lesson!
 
Hi diva,
Did you disclose your diabetes when you applied for a provisional? Has your GP informed the DVLA of your fitness to drive including hypo awareness and vision?
Most people use a b.s. of 5. as safe to drive.
 
On long journeys I like my bg to be above 6 and on shorter journeys above 5.5, you should always carry fast-acting glucose in the car together with a small snack and remember to test regularly when traveling long distances.
 
Diva, whilst I can see the logic in eating carbs before driving to make sure you don't go too low, you still have to deal with the rise in bs later. Far better would be a tighter regime where you can be more confident that the chances of going too low are much less likely. In my case, this has happened only since changing to a low carb diet 2 years ago - which has reduced my need for insulin greatly. I never need more than 6 units of Novorapid for any main meal and typically, 4 units will often suffice. I've been a T1 for 30 yrs and never had better bs control. Wish I'd done it decades ago!

I wish you well.

Phil
 
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