whdr
New Member
Hi guys, I recently went through the DVLA medical and blood test and wanted to offer some advice for anyone like myself - I needed my licence back within 2 months for work purposes.
At first I thought there would be plenty of time as I had two months before my new job started where I had to drive. Then I came on here and saw that you need 4 - 6 weeks abstinence if you currently drink more than 8 units a day 4 days a week - which I was doing. I decided to not risk it and push my medical back by 5 weeks in order to have 5 weeks abstinence and 3 weeks then to get the license back! And here's how it worked....
- Postponed my medical by 5 weeks - abstained from alcohol and actually felt so much better for it (though I enjoy the odd tipple a couple of nights a week again now!)
- After 5 weeks, I went for my medical and blood test - no previous history of alcohol abuse and answered that I drink very little on the questionnaire. The doctor advised me that he would send his results immediately and that I had passed the medical and that as long as the blood test came back clear then all would be fine.
- 4 days after the medical/blood test - called the DVLA and told them that I needed my license back within 2 weeks as my job depended on it (which was true) - they told me they had received the medical results and blood test and that they had posted a letter to my doctor to check that everything was in order. I asked them if they would fax the doctor to make it quicker and they sent the fax as I was on the phone. I called my doctor and they had received the fax and said my doctor would call me to discuss the form when he had a moment.
- The day after, I called my doctor again and said this was urgent as I needed a licence for my job and they booked me a telephone appointment with my doctor who called me back the same day to discuss the form that was sent to him. The funny thing is that as I have no history of alcohol abuse, my doctor just asked me what the answers to the questions were on the form! He said he would send it back straight away; I called the DVLA later that day and they had not received it.
-Day 7 after the medical - I called the DVLA and they had received the fax from the doctor, the blood test results were fine, and the medical came back fine, and they gave me authorisation over the phone to go and buy a car and drive before my license came in the post.
So within 7 days I had everything complete due to calling DVLA, calling my doctor - and making sure everything was done promptly. I went out and bought a car the next day!
Day 10 after the medical, and my licence arrived in the post - I have now been driving for the past few months and enjoying my new car and new job!!
I hope this helps anyone like myself as I was so nervous for that seven days as my career depended on it.
If you have any questions, let me know.
At first I thought there would be plenty of time as I had two months before my new job started where I had to drive. Then I came on here and saw that you need 4 - 6 weeks abstinence if you currently drink more than 8 units a day 4 days a week - which I was doing. I decided to not risk it and push my medical back by 5 weeks in order to have 5 weeks abstinence and 3 weeks then to get the license back! And here's how it worked....
- Postponed my medical by 5 weeks - abstained from alcohol and actually felt so much better for it (though I enjoy the odd tipple a couple of nights a week again now!)
- After 5 weeks, I went for my medical and blood test - no previous history of alcohol abuse and answered that I drink very little on the questionnaire. The doctor advised me that he would send his results immediately and that I had passed the medical and that as long as the blood test came back clear then all would be fine.
- 4 days after the medical/blood test - called the DVLA and told them that I needed my license back within 2 weeks as my job depended on it (which was true) - they told me they had received the medical results and blood test and that they had posted a letter to my doctor to check that everything was in order. I asked them if they would fax the doctor to make it quicker and they sent the fax as I was on the phone. I called my doctor and they had received the fax and said my doctor would call me to discuss the form when he had a moment.
- The day after, I called my doctor again and said this was urgent as I needed a licence for my job and they booked me a telephone appointment with my doctor who called me back the same day to discuss the form that was sent to him. The funny thing is that as I have no history of alcohol abuse, my doctor just asked me what the answers to the questions were on the form! He said he would send it back straight away; I called the DVLA later that day and they had not received it.
-Day 7 after the medical - I called the DVLA and they had received the fax from the doctor, the blood test results were fine, and the medical came back fine, and they gave me authorisation over the phone to go and buy a car and drive before my license came in the post.
So within 7 days I had everything complete due to calling DVLA, calling my doctor - and making sure everything was done promptly. I went out and bought a car the next day!
Day 10 after the medical, and my licence arrived in the post - I have now been driving for the past few months and enjoying my new car and new job!!
I hope this helps anyone like myself as I was so nervous for that seven days as my career depended on it.
If you have any questions, let me know.
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