Second Medical!

Convicted Driver Insurance

pinkieb

New Member
Hi guys,

Okay last year I made the stupid mistake of driving 1.5 miles at 1.30am in the morning from my mum's house to home. Yes I was over the limit and stopped. I refused a breath test. Subsequently I got a year bank with 3 months off for completing the course.

I received the letter allowing me to drive and have been driving since March.

DVLA, who I telephoned today, have just sent me a letter requiring a second medical.

Right here's the thing. I never go out at night and certainly don't drive normally but I have been partial to a bottle of wine at night. This has increased since my older boyfriend moved in to a bottle and a half. Whilst banned I saw no reason to stop and didn't stop before my medical - rather stupidly.

As I am now addressing the issue, seriously, after realising I may not get my licence back. I intend to start a new life abroad and leave my boyfriend to his own alcoholic ways, as lovely as he is, he is not going to stop drinking and it's not good to be around when I want to change. As I intended to leave shortly, I now have to wait to do the medical again. As I am seeing a specialist clinic next week in London which gets you to stop drinking immediately and no further urges, I just need a bit of advice please.

Given that my last drink was last night, how long should I leave it to have my second medical?

Thanks for any advice!
 
Hi guys,

Okay last year I made the stupid mistake of driving 1.5 miles at 1.30am in the morning from my mum's house to home. Yes I was over the limit and stopped. I refused a breath test. Subsequently I got a year bank with 3 months off for completing the course.

I received the letter allowing me to drive and have been driving since March.

DVLA, who I telephoned today, have just sent me a letter requiring a second medical.

Right here's the thing. I never go out at night and certainly don't drive normally but I have been partial to a bottle of wine at night. This has increased since my older boyfriend moved in to a bottle and a half. Whilst banned I saw no reason to stop and didn't stop before my medical - rather stupidly.

As I am now addressing the issue, seriously, after realising I may not get my licence back. I intend to start a new life abroad and leave my boyfriend to his own alcoholic ways, as lovely as he is, he is not going to stop drinking and it's not good to be around when I want to change. As I intended to leave shortly, I now have to wait to do the medical again. As I am seeing a specialist clinic next week in London which gets you to stop drinking immediately and no further urges, I just need a bit of advice please.

Given that my last drink was last night, how long should I leave it to have my second medical?

Thanks for any advice!


hi pinkieb,


so you have had a medical recently I take it? If so I am sure you would have had the cdt or carbohydrate deficient transferrin test that the Dvla now use to detect heavy and long term alcohol abuse.

The fact the Dvla have asked you to attend another medical indicates to me that they have concerns about the result of your cdt test. I think you need to call them and ask why they require you to take another medical.

A cdt test result of 2.6-3.0% in the vast majority of cases indicates heavy alcohol use in the 7-14 days leading up to the blood sample being taken. Drinking a bottle and a half of wine per night would in most cases produce a cdt result that would concern the Dvla.

If it was me I would call and find out exactly why they need you to attend a second medical and what the medical will involve. Hopefully then me or another member will be able to help.
 
Hi,

Thanks so much for your response - yes my medical was the first week of March. I will give them another call and see if they can shed any light!

Thanks.
 
As usual for the DVLA, nothing is straightforward!

They won't tell me the results, even though I have paid for the medical and surely I have a right to know?!! I contacted the surgery where the test was done and they said the results don't come back to them so they couldn't tell me either.

All DVLA would say was "the results aren't as clear-cut as they would like".

So assuming I'm currently being looked at as being a "problem drinker", how long should I leave to make the next medical appointment?

Thanks!
 
I just realised I didn't ask them what the medical involved so had to phone back again!

It's just a repeat test - repeat blood test and up to date information. So assume it's exactly the same medical as before.
 
I just realised I didn't ask them what the medical involved so had to phone back again!

It's just a repeat test - repeat blood test and up to date information. So assume it's exactly the same medical as before.


Right,


The Dvla make a decision based upon your cdt test result and your medical history. When you filled in the questionnaire at the medical did you disclose any conditions that may effect your driving or any issues with alcohol past or present such as detox etc?

If Dvla are concerned about your test result it is highly likely that your score was between 2.6 and 3 percent. That's not surprising given the amount you drink. From research if your below 2.6 you pass. If your over 3 then it's a fail and you have to apply again in 6 months unless your result is justified by the existence of several other factors that effect a very small percentage of people.


You should call them back and ask them exactly what is concerning them and what they hope to achieve by asking you for another medical. You also need to know if they will be doing another cdt test as this makes a big difference. And I would insist on knowing the result. I am pretty sure your entitled to know the result. Let me know and I can give you some advice
 
Okay...........I've phoned DVLA yet again and asked to speak to a manager. He repeated the same blurb about they couldn't give me the info as they aren't medically trained to interpret it.........he firstly asked me to go to my doctor and get him to phone DVLA for me, but then he put me on hold and found out how I could get the info - by writing in!

As I have been waiting for the results - my medical was 7th March, all this time, I have emailed the DVLA and asked that they email me the results asap. Not sure that that will get replied to though.

All I was told by the manager is that the test was borderline and they need to retest to ensure I don't have a problem.

It is a CDT test again.
 
I am SO unhappy with the DVLA - "join the club" I hear you all shout!!!!

I am STILL waiting for the return of my licence, even though my ban was up in March and I did the second medical in July.

Every time I phone, I just get the same bloody response, no update yet, it was fasttracked by a manager a few weeks ago, and yesterday the person I spoke to just said "phone back in a week".

It's CRAP isn't it? Do I have any recourse?

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks.
 
Pinkieb
you could ask your MP to take it up on your behalf, that sometimes works wonders.
i think that would be better than you pestering them, although I understand that you want, and are entitled, to a decision.
if you keep pestering for an answer, organisations sometimes take the easy way out, err on the side of safety and just refuse a request. (Not just DVLA) at least you do have a s88 licence allowing you to drive in the meantime.
Have you had success with the drink side of things? You said you were going to go for a clinic appointment. I understand if you do not want to discuss your private life, but if you have had success with addressing alcohol issues, some details of what has helped you may help other readers of the forum.
 
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