CDT Test (Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin)

[Xeronema]

Hi guys.....bit of a worry even though I've read and read and reread information and stories on here! Abstinent for longer than a year then so stupidly drank a lot of wine (probably 8+ bottles) over a 2 week period at Christmas. Guess I couldn't believe dvla would be so prompt (after receiving my gps response) in asking me for a medical. Stopped any alcohol boxing day and hoping to have medical and cdt test 12th Feb at latest. Please do you think this will be long enough to achieve normal levels? I'm kicking myself currently and test will be around 8 weeks after Christmas. My lfts etc were normal back in September so no reason to think those have been affected. Thank for any response and apologies if I've repeated myself!

8 weeks is sufficient, given all the updates I've read on this forum. I don't think I've even read a single post where a person has got more than a CDT of 1% after abstaining for 6 weeks prior to a medical, and that's also including people that were drinking regular amounts of alcohol before that 6 week period. I'd go as far as saying I'll be utterly confused if you don't get a CDT of <1%.

 

[Ritchie1957]

8 weeks is sufficient, given all the updates I've read on this forum. I don't think I've even read a single post where a person has got more than a CDT of 1% after abstaining for 6 weeks prior to a medical, and that's also including people that were drinking regular amounts of alcohol before that 6 week period. I'd go as far as saying I'll be utterly confused if you don't get a CDT of <1%.

 

[Ritchie1957]

Thank you so much for your reply....I really appreciate it! I know you've also been good enough to reply to me before too....its amazing how anxious and shitty a person can feel with this whole process.

 

[TCB1989]

Thank you so much for your reply....I really appreciate it! I know you've also been good enough to reply to me before too....its amazing how anxious and shitty a person can feel with this whole process.

The time period should be fine, the important part now is staying off it! Also word of warning, don’t have medical and then think “I’m home safe” and start consuming again in large amounts straight after, the DVLA have a knack of - losing, misplacing, blood samples not being taken correctly, stored correctly and people called back in to re-do them, plenty of people have been copped out with that! Until that pink plastic is in your hands don’t touch a drop!

 

[Ritchie1957]

The time period should be fine, the important part now is staying off it! Also word of warning, don’t have medical and then think “I’m home safe” and start consuming again in large amounts straight after, the DVLA have a knack of - losing, misplacing, blood samples not being taken correctly, stored correctly and people called back in to re-do them, plenty of people have been copped out with that! Until that pink plastic is in your hands don’t touch a drop!

 

[Ritchie1957]

No intention of drinking til in my hand and thank you for warning.....appreciated!

 

[Xeronema]

The time period should be fine, the important part now is staying off it! Also word of warning, don’t have medical and then think “I’m home safe” and start consuming again in large amounts straight after, the DVLA have a knack of - losing, misplacing, blood samples not being taken correctly, stored correctly and people called back in to re-do them, plenty of people have been copped out with that! Until that pink plastic is in your hands don’t touch a drop!

Yeah, good shout, I mentioned that to someone recently too - can't for the life of me remember who it was. If you have to have a drink (technically nobody 'has' to have a drink), make sure you do it once you've got your results back. After your comment I'll be extending that advice to not drinking until you've got the licence in your hands.

 

[Ritchie1957]

Yeah, good shout, I mentioned that to someone recently too - can't for the life of me remember who it was. If you have to have a drink (technically nobody 'has' to have a drink), make sure you do it once you've got your results back. After your comment I'll be extending that advice to not drinking until you've got the licence in your hands.

 

[Ritchie1957]

I really don't miss it....just kicking myself for Christmas. Pure stupidity but family all around and it was difficult not to join them!

 

[Xeronema]

I really don't miss it....just kicking myself for Christmas. Pure stupidity but family all around and it was difficult not to join them!

Same, I don't miss it either. I miss being able to drink more responsibly. I used to binge drink before I lost control. There's nothing nicer than having a few drinks and feeling all relaxed and sociable. I just couldn't do that anymore and even though I suspect I could have control around alcohol again, it's not worth it. Not just because of my licence but because of how much alcohol has damaged my own health, I'll never fully recover from it. Some recovering alcoholics should just never touch the stuff again, and I'm one of them.

You had a moment of weakness, it happens. I'm not suggesting for one minute that you're an alcoholic or an alcoholic in recovery. You've just got to forgive yourself for it and hopefully when you get your licence back you'll find it so much easier to forgive yourself.

 

[Ritchie1957]

Same, I don't miss it either. I miss being able to drink more responsibly. I used to binge drink before I lost control. There's nothing nicer than having a few drinks and feeling all relaxed and sociable. I just couldn't do that anymore and even though I suspect I could have control around alcohol again, it's not worth it. Not just because of my licence but because of how much alcohol has damaged my own health, I'll never fully recover from it. Some recovering alcoholics should just never touch the stuff again, and I'm one of them.



You had a moment of weakness, it happens. I'm not suggesting for one minute that you're an alcoholic or an alcoholic in recovery. You've just got to forgive yourself for it and hopefully when you get your licence back you'll find it so much easier to forgive yourself.

 

[jo1975]

Hi guys bad news for me last week was refused my licence even though after passing the cdt test at 0.5% im heart-broken to say the least in fact im currently on the sick from work with terrible depression the hole process has caused me loads of stress too. Looks like ive answered a couple of questions wrong clearly caught me out . The dvla doc didnt help the nob. When i rang the dvla before the letter come she said i could reapply in june coz that was when i said id had my last drink june 2023 yea stupid i no now!but when letter arrived it states i have to be abstinence for 1 year does that actually mean june this year please ?

 

[Ritchie1957]

Thank you again and I'm so sorry you've suffered damage from drinking...it is so nice to be sociable and relax with friends and currently (well over past year + I darent. I'm lucky enough to just have a fatty liver so it's taken a while to get lfts down to acceptable. I do Hope you'll be OK?? Have you got your license back now?

 

[Xeronema]

Hi guys bad news for me last week was refused my licence even though after passing the cdt test at 0.5% im heart-broken to say the least in fact im currently on the sick from work with terrible depression the hole process has caused me loads of stress too. Looks like ive answered a couple of questions wrong clearly caught me out . The dvla doc didnt help the nob. When i rang the dvla before the letter come she said i could reapply in june coz that was when i said id had my last drink june 2023 yea stupid i no now!but when letter arrived it states i have to be abstinence for 1 year does that actually mean june this year please ?

If you stated to your GP that your last alcoholic drink was in June of last year, that is correct, it means June of this year.

 

[Ritchie1957]

Hi guys bad news for me last week was refused my licence even though after passing the cdt test at 0.5% im heart-broken to say the least in fact im currently on the sick from work with terrible depression the hole process has caused me loads of stress too. Looks like ive answered a couple of questions wrong clearly caught me out . The dvla doc didnt help the nob. When i rang the dvla before the letter come she said i could reapply in june coz that was when i said id had my last drink june 2023 yea stupid i no now!but when letter arrived it states i have to be abstinence for 1 year does that actually mean june this year please ?

 

[Xeronema]

Thank you again and I'm so sorry you've suffered damage from drinking...it is so nice to be sociable and relax with friends and currently (well over past year + I darent. I'm lucky enough to just have a fatty liver so it's taken a while to get lfts down to acceptable. I do Hope you'll be OK?? Have you got your license back now?

I've had my licence back since April of last year. It expires in 3 days (the DVLA made a mistake and only gave me a 9 month licence). I'm currently waiting for my GP to come back off leave, as I had a letter from the DVLA stating that they've written to him. I was hoping they'd send me to the medical first, so that I could at least be getting on with doing something whilst my GP is off.

Looks like I'll be a Section 88'er, like a lot of folk on here.

 

[Ritchie1957]

What did he ask you that you supposedly answered wrong?





I am so sorry...it is so stressful and depressing. I'm not sure but I think you have to prove abstinence for a whole year and no drinking alcohol at all before that times up! If you're an hro it also means 3 years abstinence before they'll consider using their discretion....I learned that to my cost in 2022. Very. sorry

 

[Xeronema]

What did he ask you that you supposedly answered wrong?





I am so sorry...it is so stressful and depressing. I'm not sure but I think you have to prove abstinence for a whole year and no drinking alcohol at all before that times up! If you're an hro it also means 3 years abstinence before they'll consider using their discretion....I learned that to my cost in 2022. Very. sorry

Not entirely correct. The DVLA have stated to Jo that they need to be abstinent for a year (even with dependency on file), so they can reapply in June of this year.

Are you a HGV driver by any chance? I know that for Group 2 licences they ask for 3 years of sobriety before you're able to apply, or at least that is what was mentioned in the last DVLA meeting.

Edit: Also, I suspect that the question they answered 'wrong' was about the fact they had a drink 8 months ago.

 

[jo1975]

If you stated to your GP that your last alcoholic drink was in June of last year, that is correct, it means June of this year.

Thanks for reply i stated it in my questionnaire 1 of the questions aslo asked was how often would you drink monthly or less trick question for me and i said less thinking it would be less than 3 small glasses of wine not less than monthly so they classing me at alcohol dependent

 

[jo1975]

What did he ask you that you supposedly answered wrong?





I am so sorry...it is so stressful and depressing. I'm not sure but I think you have to prove abstinence for a whole year and no drinking alcohol at all before that times up! If you're an hro it also means 3 years abstinence before they'll consider using their discretion....I learned that to my cost in 2022. Very. sorry

Omg never in the world ive tried ringing them but can i hell get through just to ask if its june this year or next