Thread: Drink Driving Medical

Can anyone give me any advice. I was caught drink driving and banned for 16 months. I know what i did was stupid and would never do anything like this again. I stupidly refused to give a specimen so was classed as a high risk driver and consequently had to have a dvla medical.

I gave up drinking for 2 weeks but failed my medical due to high liver function levels. My doctor was contacted and he confirmed I do not have any problems with alcohol. I was stunned when the dvla said I could not apply for another 6 months.

I am due to reapply in February 2009. I have not drunk any alcohol for over 3 months now and have had 3 blood tests through my doctor. Although my liver function tests have improved and my gamma gt came down to 87, (the NHS levels are 10-70), my alt came down to 45 (NHS levels 10-50) my GP says my liver function is normal and to reapply. The DVLA set upper limit of 50 for Gamma gt and 40 for ALT. I decided to wait a further month but my levels have increased slightly for no reason. I have tried talking to the DVLA re their levels but they say they set there own limits. Incidently I do take omeprazole every day for reflux and advisory leaflet says this can alter liver function.

Has anyone any advice?

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thanks but i've been taking livercare tablets for 3 months now and these contain milk thistle

Once again the DVLA prove to be a law unto themselves!

'Liverpool paul' I am going to have the DVLA medical in Feb 2009. Like you I refused to give a sample,stupid I know now. I have had a few heavy binges on the drink over the last year but nothing since August 08. Do you remember the questions they asked you when you had the original medical that you unfortunately failed. I have been told they are very subtle questions to try and catch you out on your drinking history. My doctor knows I have had a few bad episodes on the drink, but that's behind me now. Will they be contacting my GP if my bloods are OK. I can understand the frustration and worry you are going through. Please can you give me some advise

hi loggy-z...the dvla will send out a questionare to your doctor about any medical drinking habits..ie if you have undergone detox or anything like that...
you will have to fill out a questionare yourself when you go for a medical, and from what i can remember their is no trick questions at all, just simple yes or no's, and when was your last drink, and maybe what did your drinking habbits used to be like... if you haven't been drinking since august then you should pass with flying colours..
hope this helps
regards paul.

liverpool paul hope you passed the DVLA medical. I believe the omerprozale can send your GT levels right up. I have my medical on the 27th Feb and have spoke to my GP. He said he knows of no questionnaire that the DVLA will send him and was not aware of one??? are you sure they do this. I know someone who took the medical 6 months ago and he was a regular weekend heavy drinker gave up for ten days and passed. His view was the medical was just another money maker after paying nearly £110 cash as the doctor would not accept a cheque. If I was to fail would I be able to appeal
loggy-z

Paul don't tell me you have to pay again. If your gamma gt are still high even if your not drinking you must be in a catch 22. When's the medical and is it the same doctor. Mine is this Friday I'll give you an update and will ask the doctor about things that could make you fail apart from alcohol. If your not drinking and your doctor says you have no drinking problem then surely your going through the same procees again to be knocked back. How long after the test do you find out your results.

hi loggy z..my medical is on the 18th of march..i think it takes 2 to 3 weeks if i remembering correctly to when you will find out, if you have passed it or not..yes i do have to pay again unfortuneatly..hope all goes well with yours mate, fingers crossed for both of us..keep in touch mate..
paul

Hi Liverpool-Paul

I have my medical soon also in two weeks. After reading the threads can you confirm that if your blood results are ok they will not contact your doctor.

Also is there any mention of drugs on the questionaire, if so what do they ask?
Thanks

Yogster

hi yogster..
to be honest mate, i'm not sure if they contact your doctor or not, if blood results are ok..
i think that they have contacted mine before my next medical because i failed my original medical 6 months ago by quite a high margin..

Hi Mate,
Thanks for your reply. Have you any idea of the pass rate figures for ALT, Gamma GT etc as i have had a Liver function test a week ago with my GP and i have a print out of the results so i can check if OK.

Thanks Mate

Yogster

hi yogster..
these are the figures and what they test for as when i had my medical 6 months ago..hope yours are ok..you are allowed to be out of range with only 1 of the certain ranges that they test ..

gamma gt upper reference range 50
mcv upper reference range 98
ast upper reference range 40
alt upper reference range 40

although my doctor says that their is no such tect result as an ast anymore, and after looking on the internet i cannot find out anything about it either..
let me know where you are at out of interest please mate..

Mate,
I am going to check my results against what you have given me with my GP as my results are difficult to understand, my results show as a measurement "iu/L" am i looking at the correct column as there are two results? I will get back to you this week after i have seen GP and i will let you know my results.
Also mate if you pass the blood and urine test, how long before you are told if you can drive or not?

Yogster

Loggy-z,
Mate did you pass your medical?

Yogster

Bear in mind that different labs use different reference values.

AST can still be done, but will only be done by the lab if the GGT is abnormal.