what to say at the medical

Convicted Driver Insurance

pookie

New Member
Hi all
I have to go for the alcohol related medical in March but don't know whether to say if I've had a drink or not. I will not have had a drink for about 5 weeks by the time I go but don't know if I say I haven't had a drink and my cdt levels are not low enough they would know I'm lying, or should I say I've had the odd one or two. I've not been banned for driving, or ever been stopped, but a couple of years ago I did mention to my GP that I recognised my mental health was poor and the drinks I had at christmas combined with a house move wasn't helping matters. I have bipolar and have to reapply for my licence each year, this is the first time I've had to go for an alcohol medical and I'm so worried they will take my licence away as I rely on my car so much.
Any advice greatly received. Has anyone else been in this situation?
 
The time you need to worry is if your own GP thinks you have misused alcohol or been dependent on it within the last six years, the DVLA medical tends to scare everyone taking it and most people will panic around their medical date, the kind of folk who answer no to all alcohol questions are the ones DVLA tend to investigate (like they are in denial or lying), it's ok to have or had alcohol issues (we all have moments) but it's your GPs input upon investigation that will determine weather you are issued a licence or not, if you've had alcohol issues then be honest on the medical questionarre and just because you have it doesn't mean that you are dependent or misuse, make an appointment with your GP to discuss your previous alcohol issues and hopefully if and when DVLA do ask for more information then you have already covered that with seeing your GP , the problem tends to arise when DVLA ask your GP for information and you've not been to see them, then this situation can and often does result in a revocation, your GP will tell you if he has any concerns regarding your alcohol intake......
 
Pookie , there’s enough collective knowledge and experience on this Forum to help you answer your Concerns , for yourself .

You suggested that you are NOT T-total , so try reading what the Main DrinkDrive.org site has to say about CDT . I think it even goes so far as to help you calculate (roughly ) where your CDT levels are AT PRESENT . And from there ( with ABSTINENCE ) could work out if you stand a chance of a Respectable reading in 5 weeks time .

Personally , I wasn’t a BIG drinker , although couldn’t say that 11 years ago !
I walked into a Medical recently . . . completely UN-PREPARED , I could have EASILY waited another 4 weeks to take the Medical . . . But being ( this is embarrassing ) LOVED UP from Self-medicating . . . I just didn’t THINK before booking it . . . Or for that matter before going to the Pub for a good few Bevvies , 3 days prior !
 
I have had a look through the forum and realise that my CDT levels may be in amber, so what I would like to know is should I say to the doctor that I have had the odd drink in the few weeks running up to the medical (even though I haven't) as I don't want to raise any flags. If I tell them the truth that I haven't had a drink and my levels are raised are they likely to revoke my licence or will they send me for a further test.

I have no problem not drinking for as long as this takes and I'm still allowed to drive at the moment. However this process is causing me a lot of anxiety due to my bipolar.
 

I just had a quick look and came up with this .

If you reckon you may , after 5 weeks , still test AMBER , then your sure to be drinking WELL OVER the Gov. guidelines .
Even 3 pints / night on a regular basis can elevate your CDT . Do this over a prolonged period and before you know it you are in the RED !
 
MORE GOOD READING

My computer skills come and go . . . I found a Government site that advises Doctors on making decisions . . . But have lost the ability to put the link directly in front of you .

Go back to the DISCUSSIONS page and scroll down to “ Gov. guidelines for medical decisions attaining to Alcohol “

Ps , lots of water , iron supplements and as much EXERCISE as you can stay awake for , should help to LOWER your CDT . ( it has also been reported that smoking RAISES CDT ! )
 
Thanks for the advice, it will be good for me to do lots of exercise - been meaning to get back to the gym.

I have decided to raise a complaint with the DVLA as well as there has only been one episode where I mentioned to my GP about alcohol affecting my mental health and that was 2 years ago at christmas. I have all my records from the DVLA from a freedom of information request last year and before that episode the GPs have always ticked 'no' when they were asked my problematic alcohol consumption, so I do feel a bit victimised and discriminated against
 
Thanks for the advice, it will be good for me to do lots of exercise - been meaning to get back to the gym.

I have decided to raise a complaint with the DVLA as well as there has only been one episode where I mentioned to my GP about alcohol affecting my mental health and that was 2 years ago at christmas. I have all my records from the DVLA from a freedom of information request last year and before that episode the GPs have always ticked 'no' when they were asked my problematic alcohol consumption, so I do feel a bit victimised and discriminated against
Hi Pookie - It sounds like I'm going through a similar situation. I was treated for severe depression last year. Admitted to drinking in excess to my GP/Consultants in the past. I proved, however, that I wasn't dependant on alcohol by taking several weeks off. DVLA insisted on a medical and have since revoked my license for 6 months. All of which seems very unfair given I wasn't convicted of anything!

I'm waiting for DVLA to tell me the CDT results.
 
Hi Pookie - It sounds like I'm going through a similar situation. I was treated for severe depression last year. Admitted to drinking in excess to my GP/Consultants in the past. I proved, however, that I wasn't dependant on alcohol by taking several weeks off. DVLA insisted on a medical and have since revoked my license for 6 months. All of which seems very unfair given I wasn't convicted of anything!

I'm waiting for DVLA to tell me the CDT results.
Yes, totally unfair. I think there has been issues with the way the DVLA treat people with mental health problem, I feel it is unfair and discriminatory so once I get this process out of the way I'm going to make a formal complaint. I don't how they can say I have a persistant binge drinking problem when it happened once, at christmas and the amount I drank probably wasn't even technically binge drinking. I'm just panicking now because it is what I do and probably don't really have anything to worry about, but my stupid bipolar brain doesn't listen to that.
 
If there is any sign of alcohol abuse through the DVLA medical such as raised CDT then they will not hesitate to revoke your licence, the question is what they will class you as dependent or misuse the DVLA are very strict on their process.....misuse you can expect 6 months revocation and dependent you can expect 12 months of abstination and you are never allowed to consume alcohol again....
 
If there is any sign of alcohol abuse through the DVLA medical such as raised CDT then they will not hesitate to revoke your licence, the question is what they will class you as dependent or misuse the DVLA are very strict on their process.....misuse you can expect 6 months revocation and dependent you can expect 12 months of abstination and you are never allowed to consume alcohol again....
Thanks for the candid response. I've got 6 months revocation on the basis of misuse. I suspect my CDT was OK (I'm waiting for the results form DVLA, but I hadn't been drinking for over a month before the CDT). However, I had shared with medical consultants the fact that I had been drinking heavily on the run up to my suicide attempt.So I guess, my advice would be: be very careful about telling ANYONE if you've ever had a bout of heavy drinking! Seems kinda ironic that my life already depressed, is properly screwed by the DVLA having not got behind the wheel drunk!!
 
Yes I know how you feel I was revoked for telling a GP I drank 30 units a week, had to abstain for a year and then issued a 1 year temp licence, classed as dependent ....the only good thing is that my insurance premium didn't go up...
 
MORE GOOD READING

My computer skills come and go . . . I found a Government site that advises Doctors on making decisions . . . But have lost the ability to put the link directly in front of you .

Go back to the DISCUSSIONS page and scroll down to “ Gov. guidelines for medical decisions attaining to Alcohol “

Ps , lots of water , iron supplements and as much EXERCISE as you can stay awake for , should help to LOWER your CDT . ( it has also been reported that smoking RAISES CDT ! )
Thanks for that advice, I was wondering about the iron supplements, didn't know about the exercise and water.
 
Thanks for that advice, I was wondering about the iron supplements, didn't know about the exercise and water.

You have to be careful about Iron supplements, there are some claims that taking iron helps with lowering CDT but there 8s clear evidence that taking too much iron can have a very bad effect on your liver. For the minimum possible benefits I would avoid taking iron supplements unless they are medically necessary.
 
As for the Exercise . . . Do it now , or do it later ( carrying the Shopping ) when they Revoke your License ?
 
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