Hello everyone.
I've been a lurker on here for some time but as I've made tracks in MY story it's time to share.
Banned for 24 months in Jan '15
Lost job, quite a few friends and went into a spiral of depression.
Completed course around Feb which reduced it to 18 months.
Sent off for new licence 12th May.
Received letter with doctor's information on the 25th.
Phoned doctors' surgery (33 miles away from my address) and they only had 13th Jul as the earliest slot so I phoned DVLA straight away and made sure this was OK as it fell out of the 6 week window. They said it was (pheww!)
Now, I had abstained from drinking almost completely for around 6 weeks apart from the odd pint here and there.
13th Jul arrives. Go to doc. We sit there and he fills out the questionnaire while asking me the questions. Nice chap too!
He asks me to take off my top, sit up on the bed thingy and prods me around the middle, checks my arms for strength then I'm asked to lay down where he then checks my legs and feet for strength also.
Next I have to walk in a straight line heel to toe (OK) and then do the eyesight scale (OK)
Top back on, time for the blood test (hate needles!, such a wuss, lol) he takes my blood pressure which he claimed to be 'perfect' so I'm happy.
He siphoned about 5ml of blood out, injected it into the tube to be sent away and there was a smidgeon (1ml) of blood left to which he jokingly asked if I wanted back. That made me laugh!
A bit about me....
I'm not exactly what you'd call healthy. I'm male, 34, slightly overweight (used to be quite a bit over) eat crap - pizzas, microwave meals etc and I don't sleep much.
Right, so medical on 13th Jul.
Checked the driving licence website regularly since a few days after and on the 22nd (9 days after the med) my licence has been reinstated with all categories and I expect the actual card will drop through the post either tomorrow or soon after.
Due back on the road Aug.10th
Insurance paid for and MOT done.
Happy Days!
G.
I've checked in with this thread a lot since the end of my ban started to feel close, and found it very reassuring, so it's now my turn to contribute.
1) Date you applied for new licence: 30/08/2016
2) Date when you got the letter to book medical: 15/09/2016
3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical: rang same day
4) Date of Medical: 04/10/2016
5) Date of Results and Outcome: Checked the website today, 10/10/2016, and saw that it's been fully restored. I was a bit surprised by the end date at first and was trying to work out why they'd have given me a 6.5 year licence, then I realised it's the original end date of my previous licence. That did come as a surprise to me -- I thought it would be 10 years from the date of renewal. Don't know my actual result yet.
Also Please state:
1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical: 19 days
2) Drinking habits prior to abstinence period: Drank quite heavily throughout my ban, rarely had a day off. More at weekends, but at least 5 units a day on weekdays.
Hi all
I've followed this site over the last 20 months that I have been banned and found it really helpful, so thought I'd post in the hope that it helps others in the future.
1) Date you applied for new licence: 1 Sept 2016 (I had completed my own D1 form not wanting to rely on the DVLA sending one automatically, however, fair play to them, their form arrived the following day)
2) Date when you got the letter to book medical: 15 September 2016
3) Date when you sent letter back to book medical: tried calling the nominated doctors daily however "no DVLA appointments had been released" so it was the following Tuesday (20 September) before I got an appointment
4) Date of Medical: tomorrow!!! Thursday 20 Oct
5) Date of Results and Outcome:.... to follow
Also Please state:
1) Period of abstinence prior to actual medical Date: cut down significantly over the last nine weeks and just drank at weekends (sat night, Sun lunch). Last night out was 03.10 which was definitely what is classed as a "binge"(!) so will have had 17 days clear by the time of the test
2) Drinking habits prior to abstinence period: Bottle of wine a night.. more at weekends. Sounds a lot now but I think it increased over the time I was banned because I knew I wasn't driving anywhere.
So as my user name suggests I am now "at the end" of what has been a horrible 20 months. Yes completely my fault, although we all have our reasons and circumstances for doing it and to be honest the number of people that I have spoken to who have been in the same position but not caught is quite alarming. I can solemnly promise that I will never drink and drive again. I think what has hurt me the most is how my ban has affected others; I was due my punishment, but my children missing out on activities, seeing grandparents etc through my stupid actions of one night is what I am most ashamed about.
Onwards and upwards, fingers crossed for tomorrow and as soon as i get the results through I will report. One of the most confusing things has been the CDT half life figures and length of abstinence - and believe me I have googled! - so we'll see and I pray that my 17 days puts me in the safe zone. I have taken milk thistle and iron supplements; no idea whether they'll make any difference but others on here have recommended it and hey, I have nothing to lose!
Thank you to everyone who posts on this forum.. not only is the information and other peoples experiences useful, but also that feeling that you're not the only person in the world going through this experience. I remember looking at the beginning of the ban and seeing people in my position now and thinking "that's a life time away", but the time does pass, and you learn to adapt (online grocery shopping is a god send!). This is just a blip in life, but these blips are what we learn from.
Good luck to all who are reading this..
Hello everyone.
I've been a lurker on here for some time but as I've made tracks in MY story it's time to share.
Banned for 24 months in Jan '15
Lost job, quite a few friends and went into a spiral of depression.
Completed course around Feb which reduced it to 18 months.
Sent off for new licence 12th May.
Received letter with doctor's information on the 25th.
Phoned doctors' surgery (33 miles away from my address) and they only had 13th Jul as the earliest slot so I phoned DVLA straight away and made sure this was OK as it fell out of the 6 week window. They said it was (pheww!)
Now, I had abstained from drinking almost completely for around 6 weeks apart from the odd pint here and there.
13th Jul arrives. Go to doc. We sit there and he fills out the questionnaire while asking me the questions. Nice chap too!
He asks me to take off my top, sit up on the bed thingy and prods me around the middle, checks my arms for strength then I'm asked to lay down where he then checks my legs and feet for strength also.
Next I have to walk in a straight line heel to toe (OK) and then do the eyesight scale (OK)
Top back on, time for the blood test (hate needles!, such a wuss, lol) he takes my blood pressure which he claimed to be 'perfect' so I'm happy.
He siphoned about 5ml of blood out, injected it into the tube to be sent away and there was a smidgeon (1ml) of blood left to which he jokingly asked if I wanted back. That made me laugh!
A bit about me....
I'm not exactly what you'd call healthy. I'm male, 34, slightly overweight (used to be quite a bit over) eat crap - pizzas, microwave meals etc and I don't sleep much.
Right, so medical on 13th Jul.
Checked the driving licence website regularly since a few days after and on the 22nd (9 days after the med) my licence has been reinstated with all categories and I expect the actual card will drop through the post either tomorrow or soon after.
Due back on the road Aug.10th
Insurance paid for and MOT done.
Happy Days!
G.
Hi how do u check website to c if you have had your licence reinstated
It says I'm not putting right details in so does that mean it isn't been issued