Medical very soon - blood tests??

  • Thread starter Lily of the Valley
  • Start date
Convicted Driver Insurance

Lily of the Valley

Hello to anyone who is reading this, :)

I wonder if you can help with my query?

Do you know the exact acceptable laboratory reference ranges for the blood tests (Gamma GT, MCV, ALT & AST) used by the DVLA to measure the blood test results?

I'm due for a medical very soon and would really like to know this information if possible.

For peace of mind I actually had the blood tests done via my own GP a couple of months ago, who said everything came back normal and healthy.

But I've since read on another website that the DVLA are very strict and their 'upper reference ranges' for the blood tests are a lot lower than those used by the NHS.
The NHS ranges being used more as a guidence to health problems that need treatment.

I'm now confused and worried again. :confused:

Although I am healthy, don't have a problem with alcohol anymore and my blood tests are fine according to my GP - I still can't help feeling worried because I used to have a problem with alcohol in the past - binge drinking. I used to consume far too much alcohol in one session. But even though I addressed the alcohol misuse problem last year and have been told to stop worrying, I would still like someone to answer my question.

Can you help - does anyone know for certain the exact acceptable laboratory reference ranges for the blood tests required by the DVLA Medical?
If you do - could you please spare a moment to reply. I would be so grateful!

With thanks,
Beth. :)
 
It doesn't work like that.

You will only fail if AST:ALT ratio > 2:1, AND GGT is elevated.

It is hugely unlikely that the above would be present in the absence of alcohol related liver damage.
 
If AST:ALT = 2:1(+) in the absence of elevated GGT, this could be due to non alcoholic fatty liver diease. Similarly, elevated GGT is not a reliable marker of liver enzymes, due to it's unspecificity (could be elevated for any number of reasons.

However you generally won't find the two in combination in the absence of alcohol related liver damage.

This is what the DVLA (and everyone else) use.

"But I've since read on another website that the DVLA are very strict and their 'upper reference ranges' for the blood tests are a lot lower than those used by the NHS.
The NHS ranges being used more as a guidence to health problems that need treatment."


Not correct.
 
It doesn't work like that.

You will only fail if AST:ALT ratio > 2:1, AND GGT is elevated.

It is hugely unlikely that the above would be present in the absence of alcohol related liver damage.

That's all a bit gobbledly-gook to me. :confused:

All I know is that my GP blood tests came back as...

Gamma GT = 15
MCV = 99.7
ALT = 18
AST = 22


I don't know if that is good, average, or not so good.
According to my GP it is fine.


Thanks for the reply and sorry for the rather long delay in replying back to you.
Can you shed any more light on the above?


With thanks,
Beth. :)
 
I am due to have my drink driving medical soon. The DVLA have messed me around initially telling me i didn't have to do it and i had to send a wrongly issued licence back. Im a student and post exams I had a couple of months June-July where I went out quite a few times 2-3 times in a week and got drunk 20+ units most nights. When i finished for the year I came home didn't drink for 2 weeks, then went on holiday for a week. Had a couple of very heavy nights on holiday with moderate drinking throughout the week as well. The last time I got very drunk was 7th August and I had my Gp test my blood 4 weeks after that and my liver profile was fine but gamma gt was 72. I then had it rechecked on the 24th September and it went down to 41 and other enzymes were fine again as well. I kept abstaining thinking Id have the medical soon but the DVLA took so long to sort things out and kept telling me different time scales as to when it would be. I was very good with my abstinence, (i was abstinent for 2 months) went through freshers week completely dry etc.. but I gave in a few days ago and got very drunk thinking my medical would be a arranged a long time away only to find out the dvla finally got the paperwork through the day after i got drunk. Does anybody know if this one off binge after 2 months abstinence will significantly alter my lfts? Also if it is only the gamma gt that is above 50 and the rest of the liver markers are fine is that enough to refuse me the licence?
 
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