Medical Conditions & Driving

[Damer]

Apologies there doesn't seem to be Club Wide Forum I can post this.

At the weekend I suffered a medical episode, (a seizure) at home, that required hospitalisation overnight.

When discharged the next day I explicitly asked and was told I was still fit to drive.

Later that day I was called and verbally told I cannot drive for 6 months.

I have had nothing in writing, neither has my GP. 

The DVLA website is very vague on this too. 

Any guidance or experiences appreciated. 

I feel fine.

[Malc]

I would ask again, maybe your GP this time  .......  for a definitive statement ........  he is your GP after all

coz if you don't and drive and have an accident, well, your insurers may void you☠️

Malc

[200h]

dont drive until you've had confirmation from your gp

[ALAW]

7 hours ago, Damer said:

Apologies there doesn't seem to be Club Wide Forum I can post this.

At the weekend I suffered a medical episode, (a seizure) at home, that required hospitalisation overnight.

When discharged the next day I explicitly asked and was told I was still fit to drive.

Later that day I was called and verbally told I cannot drive for 6 months.

I have had nothing in writing, neither has my GP. 

The DVLA website is very vague on this too. 

Any guidance or experiences appreciated. 

I feel fine.

Sorry to hear this Damien hope you are ok now and recovering. I know when i had my heart attack and bypass op i was told not to drive for 6 weeks after. I believe some things are notifiable to your insurers look at your policy it may state various conditions they need to be notified on. Out of interest who rung you to say you couldnt drive. This might not be much help but another club member may come along and post a definite answer.

[GS300h2014]

Certain drugs such as alcohol and especially cocaine can cause a seizure in susceptible individuals who otherwise would be seizure free. If this wasn't the case for someone suffering a first seizure; then it seems very sensible advice not to drive for a good number of months. If however alcohol was the cause, then the person would need to give up alcohol (rather than driving) as a fall could give a serious head injury. 

[rich1068]

20 hours ago, 200h said:

dont drive until you've had confirmation from your gp

Mark is entirely correct. It's your GP's call.

[Herbie]

When I had a triple bypass operation a few years ago the hospital general policy was no driving for 6 weeks. However, surgeon trumps hossy and he said 8 weeks, so 8 weeks it was, with no requirement to inform DVLA. The GP had no say in it whatsoever.

If it's been a hospital case I would call the consultant's secretary and ask them for the consultant's view as he'll be the lead, possibly only 'trumpable' by DVLA.

Seizures are notifiable to DVLA. A friend of ours, 62 years old, had a 'Nocturnal Seizure', just one, and it was the one and only seizure of any kind that she's ever had. Her GP said that she should notify DVLA and I can't remember if he said that there's also a requirement for him as the GP to inform DVLA too.

Anyway, whatever, the result was that she had her licence revoked for 6 months and if she had another seizure during that time then the 6 month clock would start again - luckily, she didn't and now has her licence back.

[Damer]

"Update"

Had a letter from hospital today that says: "......please inform DVLA and refrain from driving for 6 months".

I could get into the semantics of the language, but it looks like I won't be driving for a bit.

 

 

 

[Herbie]

52 minutes ago, Damer said:

"Update"

Had a letter from hospital today that says: "......please inform DVLA and refrain from driving for 6 months".

I could get into the semantics of the language, but it looks like I won't be driving for a bit.

Bummer, but thanks for the update.

[Barry14UK]

Lest people are unaware, you are not even supposed to drive for 24 hours after you have had a General Anaesthetic.  I had this for a Transperineal Template Biopsy on two occasions.  The first time the hospital booked me into a hotel for the night . The second time they kept me in a ward for the night and I had to have all the temperature and other regular checks sick people are given, although if I had lived near enough and not needed a train and car journey home, I could have just got a bus or taxi home within a few minutes after the anaesthetic had worn off.  

[Damer]

22 hours ago, ALAW said:

Sorry to hear this Damien hope you are ok now and recovering. I know when i had my heart attack and bypass op i was told not to drive for 6 weeks after. I believe some things are notifiable to your insurers look at your policy it may state various conditions they need to be notified on. Out of interest who rung you to say you couldnt drive. This might not be much help but another club member may come along and post a definite answer.

It was the Junior Consultant from the Hospital who called me. I have since got it in writing, I cannot drive for 6 months.

[Damer]

On 1/21/2021 at 10:23 PM, Damer said:

It was the Junior Consultant from the Hospital who called me. I have since got it in writing, I cannot drive for 6 months.

Re-reading the letter it is a "recommendation" that I refrain from driving, not an "instruction". I am taking on board all the medical advice. My reading of the letter is that there is no legal obligation for me to stop driving. I will discuss with my GP on Monday.

 

[200h]

i know its easy to say something when it doesn't effect you

but if you where driving when you had another seizure and your

 car collided into a vehicle , pedestrian a child and the outcome

for the involded wasn't good how would you feel

after speaking to your Gp ask them to put it in writing in plain

english that you can drive so there is no mis understanding

or mis interpretation from anyone that may ask to read the letter

[Herbie]

32 minutes ago, Damer said:

Re-reading the letter it is a "recommendation" that I refrain from driving, not an "instruction". I am taking on board all the medical advice. My reading of the letter is that there is no legal obligation for me to stop driving. I will discuss with my GP on Monday.

 

As I said above, I don't think the GP has any say in the matter. It's the hospital consultant who was treating you, not the GP, and we also know that seizures of any form and/or duration are a DVLA notifiable condition. Once you do notify them I think they will be making the decision for you.

https://www.gov.uk/epilepsy-and-driving