DVLA medical test

Convicted Driver Insurance

andy71

Member
Hi Fiends it so happened that I was drink driving one night and caught for the first time as I was unable to provide two breath samples was declared as high risk offender. Once my license was suspended I started binge drinking at times. Decided to go for a detox program in September 2021 and I was put on Acamprosate, I am sober ever since. Now I need to go for my medical with in next few weeks. I need to know should I tell this all to the doctor or may hide this? I am afraid if I tell this to the doctor I may not get my licence back. Please advise, I am very tensed up.
 
As you refused breath samples, it is almost certain that DVLA will contact your GP.
When they find out that you have lied about your drink history it will not go well for you.
You are classed as alcohol dependent, and as such DVLA will want to see evidence of you being alcohol free for 12 months, and ongoing alcohol free after that as you then get 1 year licences for up to 6 years.
You should see your GP and get periodic LFT tests done to show your being alcohol free.
 
As you refused breath samples, it is almost certain that DVLA will contact your GP.
When they find out that you have lied about your drink history it will not go well for you.
You are classed as alcohol dependent, and as such DVLA will want to see evidence of you being alcohol free for 12 months, and ongoing alcohol free after that as you then get 1 year licences for up to 6 years.
You should see your GP and get periodic LFT tests done to show your being alcohol free.
As I have been to a detox program and on acamprosate can it be a proof for being alcohol free please respond.
 
No, it is proof that you have been through a detox programme 4 months ago.
You could have still had a binge at christmas or new year, but it does show that you are trying to address your drinking.
In any case, after a detox DVLA want to see 12 months alcohol free….. to start with.

You can read about it here:

 
No, it is proof that you have been through a detox programme 4 months ago.
You could have still had a binge at christmas or new year, but it does show that you are trying to address your drinking.
In any case, after a detox DVLA want to see 12 months alcohol free….. to start with.

You can read about it here:

Thanks for your advise sir, but how can I proof that I have been alcohol free for a year or so. Would appreciate your response, can I go to the court to appeal against that, please advice. I had been binge drinking at times so it should be alcohol misuse rather that alcohol abuse. Please advice I am new to this country and do not know rules and regulations very well, and my English is also not very good.
 
Any advice from other members please, as I need my license back to drop my two kids to the school. can it somehow help. please advise.
 
Any advice from other members please, as I need my license back to drop my two kids to the school. can it somehow help. please advise.
I would have thought that if your attendance of the detox program and subsequent use of Acamprosate has not been made aware to your GP, then you are best to carry on not drinking, have the DVLA medical and hope that you register a low % CDT reading.Subsequently your GP will have to complete a DVLA medical report for you, but if your detox is not mentioned and you have never had cause to report alcohol related symptoms/problems to your GP in the last 6 years, then wait a few months and your licence should be reinstated.
 
Any advice from other members please, as I need my license back to drop my two kids to the school. can it somehow help. please advise.
Have you applied for your licence to be reinstated yet? You say you need to go for a medical in a few weeks, have you been sent a letter requesting you book your medical at the DVLA choice of medical centre?

As you went on a detox in September 2021, and were given Acamprosate, you will be classed as alcohol dependent. DVLA will need 12 months minimum complete abstinence, with proof. This is usually helped with having a date of last drink recorded with your GP and a number of LFT tests to show your liver health.

As you had your detox in September, it is going to be at least September 2022 before they will consider returning your licence, as long as you provide the proof as demonstrated above, but you will be able to reapply 90 days before this date and hope the system is in a better state than it is at the moment.
 
No I am due to apply for my licence in next few weeks time, indeed I have to go for medical before that as have been classed as HRO, please forgive me for my bad English, should I wait for a letter from the DVLA or apply straight away as I have not received any letter from DVLA yet.
 
The system as you say Big Tom is in an awful state

At my medical in September. The DVLA appointed Dr, im afraid to say seemed like he hadn't a clue about the process. He literally asked me after he knew I was also a Dr, "so will they give it back to you ?". I couldn't believe what he had said, I was dumbstruck

I literally had to bite my tongue that part of my fate lied in the hands of this person who.
1 Didn't take a good medical history ,
2. Took the blood using an awful method that could well have resulted in haemolysed bloods.
3. Didn't make an effort to label the bottles
4. Didn't give me the type of medical that I would have expected to have. It was just a shambles

I also provided copies of 6 CDT tests and other bloods that Ive had at regular intervals over the past 2 years for GMC. They are even done by the same lab that the DVLA use. However he had no interest in them. Here I am giving him evidence of complete biochemical sobriety for 2 years and he's asking me what to do with them.

Its not just the processing of applications , the whole assessment process is remarkably poor.

I had private treatment when I was initially banned. I paid for it and it was very good and helped me immensely but it was in the private sector and my GP was not given any of the details at all. It was up to me to tell them and the only reason I had to was because the GMC wanted my GP involved , for their on going monitoring of me.

You could quite easily go for private treatment and if your GP is never made aware that you've done it, they'd never know.

You could tick no to all the questions on the medical , probably pass a CDT and they may just issue you a new licence. now im not suggesting at all that anyone should lie and try to beat the system. But I think it could be done relatively easily depending on your previous interactions with your GP.

Liver function tests are not a good indicator of long term alcohol use and that's why CDT is now used. But CDT isn't routinely done in house in all labs and hospitals. I know I have to get samples sent to another lab if I request a CDT at work....

So how can one categorically prove sobriety for a year without regular CDTs , well there is no real concrete method. The system is woefully inadequate

I agree with others who've already said

1. regular GP visit - build that relationship. use them to help you and your health and this will reassure the Dr that your well.
2. regular blood tests - if your Dr can and will do a CDT 3-4 times a year that would be good
3. don't lie about it. its bad enough when you tell the truth, if you lie and are caught out, with the current delays , who knows how long you could end up waiting- its not worth the gamble
4. if you've need to have a detox or medication you have a problem and you should make your health your focus. sobriety in this situation is the only way.
 
I would have thought that if your attendance of the detox program and subsequent use of Acamprosate has not been made aware to your GP, then you are best to carry on not drinking, have the DVLA medical and hope that you register a low % CDT reading.Subsequently your GP will have to complete a DVLA medical report for you, but if your detox is not mentioned and you have never had cause to report alcohol related symptoms/problems to your GP in the last 6 years, then wait a few months and your licence should be reinstated.

I do not think that is good advice at all.
It is one thing to be ‘creative’ about only drinking within government guidelines, but another think altogether to tell blatant lies about having been on an alcohol detox programme recently in the hope that it will not be discovered.
The declaration signed on the DR1 for warns:
“I understand that it is a criminal offence if I make a false declaration to obtain a driving licence and can lead to prosecution.”

The form that has to be completed, with all the questions and the declaration can be seen here:

As I said, that would probably not be the case for lying about being alcohol dependent and being in detox recently.
If you misled them about your drinking, and your CDT came back as high, you could be ‘mystified’ about it.
If the dependency and detox come to light what can you say? Bang to right for lying and either a prosecution or years of struggling against DVLA who would dig their heels in every way possible.

Suppose Andy71 checks with his GP about his records and nothing shows up about detox, but then a week after he has checked a belated report arrives from the detox centre? If it is NHS related they are almost sure to forward some information to the GP…. Eventually.
I have seen all to often where people look for the easy route by telling lies, only to find that the lies lead to a much worse situation when they are discovered.

A leading addiction charity has reported:
“Relapse is when an alcoholic returns to alcohol after a period of sobriety. You may be surprised to know that up to 90% of alcoholics relapse at least once before taking full control of their addiction”




That is why the process is in place with DVLA, to monitor people at risk of relapse, and at risk of harming other road users.
 
No I am due to apply for my licence in next few weeks time, indeed I have to go for medical before that as have been classed as HRO, please forgive me for my bad English, should I wait for a letter from the DVLA or apply straight away as I have not received any letter from DVLA yet.
First thing is speak to your GP. Get a date of last drink recorded with them and ask for an LFT liver test. Get them done every 3 months and ask your GP to help with your application. As I mentioned, they will not give you your licence until at least September 2022, you can apply early but they will decline you until you can prove 12 months complete abstinence so it really is up to you whether you bother trying now or get your self together and reapply in June or July.

Biggest thing though, DO NOT DRINK....
 
No I am due to apply for my licence in next few weeks time, indeed I have to go for medical before that as have been classed as HRO, please forgive me for my bad English, should I wait for a letter from the DVLA or apply straight away as I have not received any letter from DVLA yet.
The application for your licence back can be submitted 90 days before your ban is due to finish, if DVLA has not sent you a D27 form, you can get a D1 form from a post office (not a little sub post office)
If you are not even at the stage yet of applying for your licence back, it would probably be the summer holidays before you got your licence back, even if you lie and get away with it so whatever arrangements you have at the moment will have to continue.
If you do lie and are caught out, the children might be at secondary school by the time you have a full licence…………
 
The application for your licence back can be submitted 90 days before your ban is due to finish, if DVLA has not sent you a D27 form, you can get a D1 form from a post office (not a little sub post office)
If you are not even at the stage yet of applying for your licence back, it would probably be the summer holidays before you got your licence back, even if you lie and get away with it so whatever arrangements you have at the moment will have to continue.
If you do lie and are caught out, the children might be at secondary school by the time you have a full licence…………
don't make it worse ! don't lie
 
The application for your licence back can be submitted 90 days before your ban is due to finish, if DVLA has not sent you a D27 form, you can get a D1 form from a post office (not a little sub post office)
If you are not even at the stage yet of applying for your licence back, it would probably be the summer holidays before you got your licence back, even if you lie and get away with it so whatever arrangements you have at the moment will have to continue.
If you do lie and are caught out, the children might be at secondary school by the time you have a full licence…………
Please advice should I tell them the truth?
 
I am new to this country and do not know the rules and regulations please advice would be grateful to you friends
 
Yes yes yes yes yes. Tell the truth. Hopefully that make my position clear. I have a lot of experience of drink driving cases.
The other person also saying do not lie is a convicted drink driver, and a doctor himself so the advice is sound.
 
Thanks for your advice anything else please suggest, I am first time offender and want to get my license back as soon as possible, I would never ever drive while drunk that is for sure., as I have quit drinking now.
 
I am not able to sleep at night because of this problem, please advice, very frustrated why the hell on earth I drove that night while I was drunk.
 
The system as you say Big Tom is in an awful state

At my medical in September. The DVLA appointed Dr, im afraid to say seemed like he hadn't a clue about the process. He literally asked me after he knew I was also a Dr, "so will they give it back to you ?". I couldn't believe what he had said, I was dumbstruck

I literally had to bite my tongue that part of my fate lied in the hands of this person who.
1 Didn't take a good medical history ,
2. Took the blood using an awful method that could well have resulted in haemolysed bloods.
3. Didn't make an effort to label the bottles
4. Didn't give me the type of medical that I would have expected to have. It was just a shambles

I also provided copies of 6 CDT tests and other bloods that Ive had at regular intervals over the past 2 years for GMC. They are even done by the same lab that the DVLA use. However he had no interest in them. Here I am giving him evidence of complete biochemical sobriety for 2 years and he's asking me what to do with them.

Its not just the processing of applications , the whole assessment process is remarkably poor.

I had private treatment when I was initially banned. I paid for it and it was very good and helped me immensely but it was in the private sector and my GP was not given any of the details at all. It was up to me to tell them and the only reason I had to was because the GMC wanted my GP involved , for their on going monitoring of me.

You could quite easily go for private treatment and if your GP is never made aware that you've done it, they'd never know.

You could tick no to all the questions on the medical , probably pass a CDT and they may just issue you a new licence. now im not suggesting at all that anyone should lie and try to beat the system. But I think it could be done relatively easily depending on your previous interactions with your GP.

Liver function tests are not a good indicator of long term alcohol use and that's why CDT is now used. But CDT isn't routinely done in house in all labs and hospitals. I know I have to get samples sent to another lab if I request a CDT at work....

So how can one categorically prove sobriety for a year without regular CDTs , well there is no real concrete method. The system is woefully inadequate

I agree with others who've already said

1. regular GP visit - build that relationship. use them to help you and your health and this will reassure the Dr that your well.
2. regular blood tests - if your Dr can and will do a CDT 3-4 times a year that would be good
3. don't lie about it. its bad enough when you tell the truth, if you lie and are caught out, with the current delays , who knows how long you could end up waiting- its not worth the gamble
4. if you've need to have a detox or medication you have a problem and you should make your health your focus. sobriety in this situation is the only way.
As a Doctor I wonder if I can pick your brains a little. My CDT reading was 'only' 0.30%. In my opinion that is very low and a clear indication I have not been drinking at all for a considerable period of time. THis is on the basis that CDT measures recent alcohol consumption.

Of course, I am probably mistaken in this assumption as I would imagine everyone's metabolism is different and someone else who has not had a drink for the 2.5 years I haven't, may/would produce a different reading.

Can I have your thoughts on this?

Cheers
 
Enter code DRINKDRIVING10 during checkout for 10% off
Top