How to make a complaint about the DVLA medical assessment process

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simples

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Hi all new here and would like an answer to this little doozy, In september 20015 I went to my doctor and told him I was drinking too much (I knew it was a problem) He referred me to military vets and continued to see me until the end of October. On this visit I was told by my doc that I had to inform the dvla that I was alcohol dependent (I was) and I had my license revoked for 12 months. Here comes the honesty I was putting away a quart of brandy and 12 stella a day! I'd start in the morning and drink to passout. With the help of a shrink at the military vets I started to cope with the problem but for about 5months I'd binge on alcohol for 2 weeks then go dry for 2 weeks. at the beginning of June i went 8 weeks without a drink then drank for 4 days solid. I stopped again on the 4th August, I can re-apply on the 1st September by which time I'd have done 27 days assuming I get my medical within 3 weeks that makes it 48 days without a drink. Do you think i'll be okay? sorry for the long thread!
 
You certainly have been drinking a large amount of alcohol!
i have previously posted on here about how it can take up to 12 weeks for CDT levels to drop. Others have posted how they have passed after 3-4 weeks abstenance.
Yours could be the case where my figure is more realistic, given how much you can drink daily.
if you have concerns, there is a firm called Medichecks who advertise on this site who will do a private CDT test for you for £79, or you could ask your GP if he would do one for you. He may offer to do a LFT - a liver function test - but that is not what you want.
CDT is the measure that DVLA use to determine your fitness to drive. 3.0% or above indicates alcohol dependence. 2.3-2.9% is a concern and triggers an enquiry with your doctor. Below that is usually considered OK, but in your case they may enquire with your doctor anyway.
you may have a problem with the application form anyway, if you were drinking at the same levels that you were before, then you drank 325 units in 4 days. To put that in perspective, it is 23 times the current "normal" drinking pattern advised by the Chief Medical Advisor PER WEEK! It is even more that 6 times the amount that used to be considered as "significant risk" for a WEEK under the old guidelines.

You will have to consider, if you are successful, that if you have another binge you will not have to drive at all whilst drinking, and possibly for 2-3 days afterwards. You have made tremendous progress, I wouldn't want to see an early application that failed turn into another episode for you, perhaps there is a bit more work needed before you apply.
 
well that certainly has me worried (I know its my fault) how high can the CDT limit go? is it 10/100 I honestly don't know
 
It depends on what your start point is, plus medical factors.
CDT has a half life, but this seems to vary according to how long you have been drinking and at what levels. For an "ordinary" drinker, it is reported that the half life is 7-14 days. For an alcoholic, it may be more like 16 + or - 5 days.
assuming a worse case scenario, and assuming no more binges, if your reading was 10%, then it would take 9 weeks to get down to 1.25%.
that is assuming the half rate is linear, for some people with poor health it doesn't seem to always follow that path.
the reason I say to wail 12 weeks in your case is that if you get it wrong for the sake of a few weeks, you will have another 12 months not driving to ponder why you didn't wait!
 
Very good reasoning, problem I have is I need to get back to work soon or I'll lose my job. I am in good health but don't eat too brilliantly my metabolism is very quick (with food) I feel like i'm in a real grey area!!!!!
 
That is better than speculation. The test that they do is saliva rather than blood, but it will be a good indicator of where you stand.
let us know the result as it may help others in your position. Good luck!
 
No its a blood test apparently you stab yoyr finger and send the sample back and get the result in 5 working days
 
Ok, I knew it wasn't a full blood sample that was used but didn't know the full details, never having been in that position to need one myself! don't do that after a few drinks, could be a big mess........
 
Get your application in then! But don't celebrate this result...........
and you still have to deal with questions that are asked of your doctor about the past 3 years. If your result for DVLA is .8% you may still find that you are only given a 1 year licence with your records show the alcohol problems, but a licence is a licence. The only real No No is rehab in the past 12 months.
 
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Didn't do rehab, basically my doctor just fobbed me off to the military vets and saw me every couple of months he put down on my 1st DR2 in april that I had only had 2 units of alcohol since october and that the dependency was controlled. I've pretty much copied him for my DR1 so I'm hoping all will be well. What ya reckon?
 
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