CDT levels
- Thread starter Neil02
- Start date
chrism2800
Established Member
One guy on here abstained for 16 months so I believe and still got a CDT score of 1.0,so I'm guessing this or below is acceptable if you have misuse or previous dependency on your records
price1367
TTC Group
What you may find is that people do not have a good memory for what abstaining means, and did in fact have a few drinks here or there...... or there are a couple of severe liver conditions that can raise your CDT.
The advice given on here in the main is from people who have a lot of experience of the DVLA medical system. I don’t feel that anyone has shown an ‘agenda’ on here about alcohol abstention, let alone two, .....but it depends how paranoid you are.
The advice given on here in the main is from people who have a lot of experience of the DVLA medical system. I don’t feel that anyone has shown an ‘agenda’ on here about alcohol abstention, let alone two, .....but it depends how paranoid you are.
chrism2800
Established Member
From spending far too much time on here,32 days should be plenty,unless you were drinking huge amounts daily
C J 1980
Established Member
1% is still a good score. No one can reach 0.0%, unless they are dead or non-human!!!
As I've said before, the only key to the test is pure abstinence and with the best will in the world some tee-total people will always have slightly elevated levels. This could be down to a number of things, such as poor diet or underlining health conditions. That is why you should maintain regular contact with your doctor to ensure the sobriety is documented and they can offer any further assistance to reduce the readings.
CJ
Nicx1234
Member
I didn’t have a drink for 4 weeks and got a score of .06%. Prior to that I was drinking more than I should, a bottle of wine most evenings to be honest. In the 4 weeks leading up to it though I drank loads of water and ate really clean and healthy. Green tea, chamomile tea, turmeric tea. Not sure if this had any affect on it. I was actually surprised it was so low when I got the results back yesterday.
Xeronema
Established Member
I just received a CDT result from the DVLA medical assessment I had. My result is 0.9% and I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since July 2017. When I say I haven't touched a drop of alcohol, I mean I haven't touched a drop - I haven't forgotten some drinks, as someone may have suggested...
Other things can make your CDT be higher than what you'd expect. One reason being past abuse caused by severe alcoholism. I've done irreversible damage to my pancreas so there's no way I can expect my CDT to be at 0, it's just not possible. It's my understanding that anything below 1.6% is someone who is abstinent, however it's not proof of such.
I'd love for my CDT to be lower than 0.9% however it's just not going to happen, not if it hasn't in 6 years. The good news is that I can now drive again.
Edit: From mid 2013 - late 2013, I was drinking in excess of 70cl (700ml) 37.5% ABV vodka and 3 - 6 litres of 7.5% ABV cider a day, every day for a solid 6 months. From 2014 onwards I cut back but was still easily consuming 100 - 200 units of alcohol a week.
Other things can make your CDT be higher than what you'd expect. One reason being past abuse caused by severe alcoholism. I've done irreversible damage to my pancreas so there's no way I can expect my CDT to be at 0, it's just not possible. It's my understanding that anything below 1.6% is someone who is abstinent, however it's not proof of such.
I'd love for my CDT to be lower than 0.9% however it's just not going to happen, not if it hasn't in 6 years. The good news is that I can now drive again.
Edit: From mid 2013 - late 2013, I was drinking in excess of 70cl (700ml) 37.5% ABV vodka and 3 - 6 litres of 7.5% ABV cider a day, every day for a solid 6 months. From 2014 onwards I cut back but was still easily consuming 100 - 200 units of alcohol a week.
Xeronema
Established Member
It took me a couple of years to stop lapsing/relapsing and finally had my last lapse in July 2017. So yeah, if you were a seriously heavy drinker, don't expect to have a CDT less than 0.9%. Before 2013 I used to binge drink (drink 30 - 50 units in one night but happily not have a drink for days or weeks). 10 years of binge drinking and then a couple of years where I completely lost control (6 months where I came close to death (I had to be brought back to life twice in hospital back in December of 2013)). Anyway, not good!
Honestman
Established Member
Just to point out that there are natural occurring alcohol in certain foods types and this is part of the reason there is a balanced range in place ….
osipeddd
Member
Hi,
Had my medical and CDT test done on Monday, but week before did private CDT test at drug test in London and results arrived today, CDT 0.8%, had no alcohol for 1 year not a drop! It's still OK but I've expected tbh to hit 0.5%-0.6%, as have no problems at all with LFT's and general blood test results. So for some people who expecting to have a results bellow 1% and stop drinking 2-4 weeks before the test can be a problem really, it will be defo bellow 1.6% but DVLA will have some concerns, just my thoughts really,
Had my medical and CDT test done on Monday, but week before did private CDT test at drug test in London and results arrived today, CDT 0.8%, had no alcohol for 1 year not a drop! It's still OK but I've expected tbh to hit 0.5%-0.6%, as have no problems at all with LFT's and general blood test results. So for some people who expecting to have a results bellow 1% and stop drinking 2-4 weeks before the test can be a problem really, it will be defo bellow 1.6% but DVLA will have some concerns, just my thoughts really,
Bluberry
Well Known Member
I think it’s all about your own random physiology tbh. I did a medichecks and got 0.2. I was HRO and got my full licence back last month. People on here haven’t drunk alcohol for 5+ years and got higher than that 
I don’t drink fizzy drinks, eat sugar, grains, dairy or tea…only coffee and water but that’s not cos I’m a health nut or anything…I just don’t like them. I don’t know if CDT relates to the liver but every day I have a smoothie made up of tiger nut milk, turmeric, cinnamon, a teaspoon of organic raw milk thistle root powder, fresh coriander and parsley and some berries. I think it helps keep everything together.
I don’t drink fizzy drinks, eat sugar, grains, dairy or tea…only coffee and water but that’s not cos I’m a health nut or anything…I just don’t like them. I don’t know if CDT relates to the liver but every day I have a smoothie made up of tiger nut milk, turmeric, cinnamon, a teaspoon of organic raw milk thistle root powder, fresh coriander and parsley and some berries. I think it helps keep everything together.
Last edited:
osipeddd
Member
I know exactly what you mean, but how to explain it to DVLA, as I was asking people before about physiology and how to prove it to DVLA if you dont drink but still got CDT above 1% as they will not issue driving license if you are above 1%I think it’s all about your own random physiology tbh. I did a medichecks and got 0.2. I was HRO and got my full licence back last month. People on here haven’t drunk alcohol for 5+ years and got higher than that
)Xeronema
Established Member
I thought it was 1.6 or less. That's what I was told by the DVLA.I know exactly what you mean, but how to explain it to DVLA, as I was asking people before about physiology and how to prove it to DVLA if you dont drink but still got CDT above 1% as they will not issue driving license if you are above 1%
Well I got my licence back, I'm just annoyed it goes from start of application date... I've lost 5 months already. It needs renewing in 7 months.
Luna2000
Established Member
He, he. Sounds like you'd be a shoe-in for some of the trials on I'm a Celebrity.I think it’s all about your own random physiology tbh. I did a medichecks and got 0.2. I was HRO and got my full licence back last month. People on here haven’t drunk alcohol for 5+ years and got higher than that
C J 1980
Established Member
My benchmark was less 1.3% - it differs for each candidate depending on one's individual circumstances. I always aim for less than 1.0% as this is usually the golden score mark.
CJ
Baz4233
Member
I have just had my licence revoked and have to do a 12 months absence b4 reapplying if my last drink was jan can i reapply then ? And also do i have to go doctors aswell or can i just reapply ? I haven’t been the doctors for 3 years now
Baz4233
Member
I have just had my licence revoked and have to do a 12 months absence b4 reapplying if my last drink was jan can i reapply then ? And also do i have to go doctors aswell or can i just reapply ? I haven’t been the doctors for 3 years now
BigTom
Established Member
They will not just take your word for abstinence, they require 'proof'. However, they will not tell you what proof they want. If you read through the threads on this forum you will see many people provided the proof by having their GP on board, having a date of last drink registered with the GP and having a few LFT's over the 12 months showing normal (or normalising) parameters.
You have 12 months from when you were refused, not when you told them you last drank in January. So if you were refused in May, you will not get your licence until next May at the earliest. Start on the road of providing the proof, speak to the GP now and get them on your side.
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