Hro medical (your experiences)

Convicted Driver Insurance
They want a urine sample because cannabis use is best detected that way.
It can show cannabis use during the past 28-35 days so they are checking to see if you were honest about when you last used it.

I understand that they wish to detect cannabis but why not use my blood test? When you say best detected that way it sounds like they are trying to catch me out!

This is my issue as I have used cannabis after my original medical but I was honest in my first medical about when I last used it.

Any idea how they would determine if I passed a Urine drug screening if they have not legal limits?
 
They are trying to catch you out!
They are assessing your fitness to drive on the road and as a part of that they are testing to see if you use illegal substances.
cannabis stays detectable in urine for much longer that in blood. Hence the request for urine. In any case, once tested, the laboratory may well have discarded your blood sample.
i do not have much experience of drug testing outcomes, we deal primarily with alcohol driving offences but if your sample tests positive for cannabis residues then they may well say have another test in 2-3 months and wait for the outcome of that.
 
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Like many, I have been frantically scouring sites and in particular people's kind help and advice on here relating to DVLA and getting licences back. By way of an introduction as well, this is my synopsis of the stress:
1) Date you applied for new licence: Latest applied for when DVLA sent renewal forms back in Feb (DR1 and medical questionnaire). I have been doing these yearly for the last two years and receiving a temporary 1-year licence on a basis of these forms and verbal communication between wife and my GP on my attitude to booze. Original involvement with DVLA was before I even had a chance to speak to my doctor about it so I must have been bad. A nurse took my bloods in response to a complaint of chest pains.

2) Date when you got the letter to book medical:
2nd May 2018. It was a surprise TBH. Maybe if I pass this, I get a full 10-year but, since it's only 2 and a half years since I was hauled over the coals by my GP/DVLA, I doubt this as it's less than their 'tick in the box' three years.
3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical:
N/A - I phoned up a week later as I was on holiday - elevated boozing, etc. Great to come back to and the source of worry since.
4) Date of Medical:
4th June 2018
5) Date of Results and Outcome:
Not yet received results but I did an 'aside' when I phoned up the DVLA today to ask whether I needed a covering letter whilst the medical results were being analysed. The blood results were in and on her screen but I got the 'Not medically qualified' guff. They were waiting for the questionnaire that probably got sent by snail mail. I was told to call back next week to check on progress. In a way, I was quite optimistic by this as she said I didn't need the covering letter - just the one that told me to make a medical appointment would do and 'Her Majesty's Finest' could enquire on the back of that if I got pulled over. She could have said, if the blood result was 3.0%, that I was not to drive (or consulted one of her colleagues who could tell me). That would have save them a first class stamp - which they seem to do when something is urgent to them rather than us.


Also Please state:

1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical Date:
32 days (ruined by a glass of cava due to Harry and Meghan on the 19th)
2) Drinking habits prior to abstinence period:
Mainly weekends (Fri - Sun) - 3-4 Beers / day. Occasional bottle of wine with missus anytime (1-2 times/month) and after work (once a fortnight) for a couple of beers. Used to be a lot worse (1-2 bottles wine / day) - GGT was over 800. Abstained for 2 years prove a point but missed the beer and hated being asked whether I was an alcoholic all the time.

I hope everyone breaks free of these
draconian and drawn-out processes for good !! I'll post updates when I get them. Hopefully good news eventually. Thanks again for the inspiration to keep me going. It's very stressful at the best of times.
 
Unrestricted licence got reinstated 7 days after DVLA medical. I don't know CDT results but i was drinking more than enough to make me very very nervous and the DVLA medical was very clinical and didn't give any scope for explanation. The lesson learnt from the last three years is never to challenge one's GP. If they say "Don't Drive", bow down, and acknowledge (follow is up to you) the instruction quietly. I didn't and they got the DVLA involved involved, without following the rules of actually talking to me first of intentions, or family and I still don't have the written notification that should have been provided at the time (BMA). They went through the motions with me, pills. scans, specialist referral which, you go along with, when you are trying to get your doctor to agree that you can drive again. All the time, you are quietly screaming that it's simply a silly mistake and that I 'drank too much'. Doctor agreed within a month with many apologies along the way (over-zealous mistake??)........ DVLA within two and a half years.

Living with the potential that the DVLA can review and measure your life has been very unsettling and there seemed to be nothing I could do about it. However, it helps immensely to read the comments and experiences here and so, I hope, this text does so too. Is this the only circumstance where you can be punished for not actually doing anything wrong ?

It makes me worried to go and see my GP now in case they trigger the whole chain of events again if I say the wrong thing.

Bacchus
 
1) Date you applied for new licence: 3 months ago
2) Date when you got the letter to book medical: 2 months ago
3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical: 5 weeks before medical
4) Date of Medical: 5/7/18
5) Date of Results and Outcome: 25/7/18


Question: is it normal to not get the results of your blood test??

Here is my letter from DVL and I'm absolutely astonished and furious !

"Dear Mr ...
Thank you for attending your medical examination with DR .... We have now received the results.
To allow us to progress your application we have written to your GP for further information. We usually expect a reply with four weeks. (!)
When we receive their reply our medical advisor will then consider your fitness to drive. This may take some time but as soon as a decision has been made we will let you know.
Yours ..."

What the heck??!!!
I'm not an alcoholic, just a recreational drink once or sometimes twice a week, they haven't even mentioned the blood test results ??!!!
I've made an appointment to see my doctor this Friday, he also received a letter from them. God knows what that's about, I have never had an alcohol related illness so my Dr can't shed any light on my drinking habits, all he can do is ask me the same questions I answered with the medical.

At a loss here - feel like suing them, the least they could do was give me some details.

Also Please state:

1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical Date: I didn't really abstain, i drank 5 pints 2 nights before the medical whilst watching England play in the World Cup.
2) Drinking habits prior to abstinence period: not a heavy drinker - twice a week - 4 or 5 pints, never been an acoholic (just stupidly drank one night and got stopped) I cycle almost every day and cycled 30 miles there & back to the medical without breaking a sweat.


 
1) Date you applied for new licence: 12/07/2018
2) Date when you got the letter to book medical:
24/07/2018
3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical:
27/07/2018 - Called doctors reception number on letter.
4) Date of Medical:
30/07/2018
5) Date of Results and Outcome:
19/08/2018 - Full 10 year License received


Also Please state:

1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical Date:
Not full abstinence.
2) Drinking habits prior to abstinence period:
Was drinking pretty much every day.

Hello everyone,

Have been researching the wonderful info and advice on this website since about a couple of weeks before I sent off my application and thank you so much for the information provided.

My story is this.

I am 41 now and was banned back when I was 19 for being a reading of I think about 100+ not sure the exact reading as so long ago. Like a lot of people I was young and stupid and decided to try and drive at 3 in the morning after a crazy night out, something I regret but I have learned from.

I got a 2 year ban and assumed I would have to retake my test according to the info on here and the DVLA website. I hadn't applied for my license back as I was living in an area with metro travel and great public transport after moving to go to uni and study. I couldn't afford a car so didn't bother re applying and after uni got a mortgage and again couldn't afford a car.

I drank socially up until about I'd say 10 years ago when a relationship broke down, I'd go from drinking a little to a lot on and off for a while and didn't see myself really as a problem drinker, then I lost my brother to cancer over 3 years ago and was living on my own, miles away from family and friends and in a job I detested. I then started drinking on and off more, some weeks I'd drink more than half a 75cl of vodka or spiced rum a day, on weekends I'd easily put away a whole bottle.

2 Months ago I decided enough was enough, I was unfit, felt like crap daily and was ashamed of myself.

I quit the job, moved back to my home town, quit the drinking and found a new job. Since being back I only drank what I assume would be classed as 'binge' drinking on a festival weekend which fell on the 13/14 of July and drank about 6 pints on friday and roughly same on the Saturday.

I then only drank about 1-2 bottles or cans per week and didn't drink for the whole week leading upto the medical.

I was taking iron & multi vitamin one a day, going to the gym 4-5 times a week, walking miles, riding my bike, drinking lots of water and eating pretty healthy with loads of veggies and salad, loads of fruit too, and feel so much better, I'm getting back to what I was before and look so much healthier and fitter, and my confidence has gone right up :)

I got the shock of my life when the receptionist told me the appointment was available on the monday and I only called on the friday, I wasn't sure what I'd get on the CDT as I was drinking so heavily before and the festival weekend gave me doubts too.

License arrived today as full and I've turned my life around so much, don't crave the drink at all, have the odd social couple maybe once a week since the medical and will continue to do so as I don't miss the hangovers and I love going to the gym which the drink totally ruined. I honestly thought I'd have to retake test, but the gods have smiled upon me haha. I'll be going out with friends/family brushing up on driving for a while before I contemplate getting a car and I was already doing practice theory and hazard perception online as I was preparing in advance to retake test anyway.

So I'd again like to thank everyone for their advice and hope my story and dates on medicals/drinking etc are of use to anyone else in a similar position, there is light at the end of the tunnel, I'm proof of that :D
 
Hi, could I ask

when do you get a medical appointment for the CDT test, is it after the form is received by the DVLA and with whom - am I sent a list of GP's that I could attend or is it a case of "this is the one you will attend".

during the medical I assume blood is taken by the GP ?

Do you fill out a medical questionaire while there or does the GP do it by asking the questions ?

will they contact my GP regardless of CDT % to obtain background info ?

Also if drinking normally and within guidelines is there any need to abstain before the test?
 
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You apply to DVLA on the D27 form that they send you 90 days before your ban is up, or on a D1 from the post office if the D27 doesn’t arrive.

About 2 weeks later you get a letter from DVLA telling you the name of a doctor in your area who you have to contact and arrange a medical within 6 weeks of the letter.

They include a questionnaire for you to complete and take with you to the medical. I have seen people report that the doctor goes through the form with you and has been known to alter some answers in response to questions that he has put to you.

Blood is taken by the GP which is tested for CDT, which is supposed to be the best indicator of alcohol abuse in recent weeks. Abstaining is not necessary, in fact you could have a pint on the way to the medical, they are not testing for alcohol, just the effects of it. 3 or above is a failure, 2.3 - 2.9 is a grey area where they will enquire with your doctor 2.2 is normally a pass, but if they’re are any other concerns from the medical, or your questionnaire, then they may still write to your doctor to enquire about your medical history.
 
Thanks for your reply, I think I have messed up sending my form to the DVLA to late - did not think the process would be so long, I may have added another month to my ban
 
still very worried my past history will come back to haunt me.

How do I prove I dont have a problem other than the CDT test - I can tell my Dr I dont but what proof is that, if they look at my medical history, last time saw a dr was a year ago, same time as the ban started and reading others experiences on here I dont hold much hope.
 
If they do write to your doctor they will enquire if you have had any alcohol related problems in the past two years, including seizures, alcohol abuse or dependency. The answers will influence if they issue you with a full licence, a restricted one of perhaps 12 months or they refuse a licence.
You can read about the definition of these conditions here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/drug-or-alcohol-misuse-or-dependence-assessing-fitness-to-drive

Thanks for that,

I have been controling my drinking for the 14 months of my ban - just no proof of it, as havent been to the GP to monitor it because they dont inform you this is what is required
 
THIS INFO IS OVER A YEAR OLD BUT IT COULD HELP

I POSTED LATE AS WANTED TO PUT BEHIND & MOVE ON WITH LIFE

Been back on road for over a year now but see my comments below

hope this helps anyone with worries

My medical experience July 2017

1) Date you applied for new license: 31.05.17

2) Date when you got the letter to book medical: 10.06.17

3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical: Called & booked with doctors
reception on 16.06.17

4) Date of Medical: 03.07.17

5) Date of Results and Outcome: 12.07.17 Full license issued !!!! After what has
been a very stressful time I am over the moon with results.
I have requested a copy of the investigation but a week before medical I done a
medichecks CDT blood test & got 0.8%. I phone them one week after medical &
they advised they got the blood results on the 04.07.17 & paperwork
questionnaire on the 07.07.17. but had not reviewed the paperwork side of things
so I called everyday from the 10.07.17 to get updates until the outcome.

6) Medical: My medical was at 8am & I was nervous as hell, dry mouth &
everything. I got the impression from the doctor he wanted to get it done ASAP &
get rid of me, wasn't really talkative. He filled out questionnaire for me asking me
the questions. I answered NO to everything. My blood pressure was a tiny bit high
he said but obviously isn't a issue as I got my license back.

It proves that if you keep positive , stay off the drink , don't give them any cause
for concern there shouldn't be any problems & to the comments about they always
contact your GP .. THEY DONT

I even went to my GP & he said he would support me all the way & would call me
if they wrote to him & go thru paperwork correctly

my final CDT result was 0.6%

Also Please state:

1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical Date: 36 days, I took milk thistle,
liver care, multivitamin, & turmeric

Thanks all the support on here I have had

Peace out guy
 
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Ban expired months ago, but I work at sea, so hadn't got round to it.
Medical: 31st July
DVLA have blood results but won't tell me (which is SOOO frustrating).
Now the 7th August - 1 week from the medical, and DVLA say they haven't got the paperwork from the doctor, who posted the questionnaire the day of the medical. I have chased the doctors office, who confirm it was send out the day of the medical.
I'm hoping its just not been processed yet by the DVLA office? Is this likely?
Is there a way to demand the blood results?
 
Ban expired months ago, but I work at sea, so hadn't got round to it.
Medical: 31st July
DVLA have blood results but won't tell me (which is SOOO frustrating).
Now the 7th August - 1 week from the medical, and DVLA say they haven't got the paperwork from the doctor, who posted the questionnaire the day of the medical. I have chased the doctors office, who confirm it was send out the day of the medical.
I'm hoping its just not been processed yet by the DVLA office? Is this likely?
Is there a way to demand the blood results?
This is normal, dont worry. Mine sat for 14 days while before it was scanned into the system.
In terms of your test result, most people have made a written request to which they will respond d.

Good luck with everything, hope it won't be too much longer now
 
This is normal, dont worry. Mine sat for 14 days while before it was scanned into the system.
In terms of your test result, most people have made a written request to which they will respond d.

Good luck with everything, hope it won't be too much longer now
Thanks,

10 days now, still waiting.

The waiting is so stressful. Waiting to know if I can continue my life or not. Its messing with me mentally.
 
THIS INFO IS OVER A YEAR OLD BUT IT COULD HELP

I POSTED LATE AS WANTED TO PUT BEHIND & MOVE ON WITH LIFE

Been back on road for over a year now but see my comments below

hope this helps anyone with worries

My medical experience July 2017

1) Date you applied for new license: 31.05.17

2) Date when you got the letter to book medical: 10.06.17

3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical: Called & booked with doctors
reception on 16.06.17

4) Date of Medical: 03.07.17

5) Date of Results and Outcome: 12.07.17 Full license issued !!!! After what has
been a very stressful time I am over the moon with results.
I have requested a copy of the investigation but a week before medical I done a
medichecks CDT blood test & got 0.8%. I phone them one week after medical &
they advised they got the blood results on the 04.07.17 & paperwork
questionnaire on the 07.07.17. but had not reviewed the paperwork side of things
so I called everyday from the 10.07.17 to get updates until the outcome.

6) Medical: My medical was at 8am & I was nervous as hell, dry mouth &
everything. I got the impression from the doctor he wanted to get it done ASAP &
get rid of me, wasn't really talkative. He filled out questionnaire for me asking me
the questions. I answered NO to everything. My blood pressure was a tiny bit high
he said but obviously isn't a issue as I got my license back.

It proves that if you keep positive , stay off the drink , don't give them any cause
for concern there shouldn't be any problems & to the comments about they always
contact your GP .. THEY DONT

I even went to my GP & he said he would support me all the way & would call me
if they wrote to him & go thru paperwork correctly

my final CDT result was 0.6%

Also Please state:

1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical Date: 36 days, I took milk thistle,
liver care, multivitamin, & turmeric

Thanks all the support on here I have had

Peace out guy
Thank you.... Re: DVLA asking for. Our Medical histories. Too many people are scaremongering . DVLA do NOT routinely ask for your medical history . They would only do so if there was a concern arising from the day of the medical exam or you have been banned. Previously.. I think there’s a lot of people on here with a lot of previous drink drive history who are giving people incorrect advice.
 
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