Early this year, I had my licence revoked because I failed the medical with High bloodpressure. Been on tablets for years. Anyway after many visits to the doctor, medication changes and lifestyle changes, I managed to get the pressure back down to normal. Having had 6 months with no work, I’m keen to get going again. Paid the GP for the medical, but he forgot to tick one box on the form. Asking about medication for hypertension. Earlier in the form my medication is listed. Also 3 recent readings have been supplied as needed. DVLA had the doctors name, address, telephone number and email. Still they send the form back to me after 11 days. Beaurocracy? thats another 2 weeks lost income. If it comes back again with some other problem I think I’ll need to visit the doctor. For what? High blood pressure…
Just goes to show how important it is to check and recheck any official form
Yep - my doc buggered mine up twice.
It’s annoying though. I could’ve gone to a local clinic and had the medical for £46 but there was a two week wait. The GP wanted £130 but did it next day. If they charge that kind of money, you’d expect them to be professional about it. Lesson learned.
wiiispa:
It’s annoying though. I could’ve gone to a local clinic and had the medical for £46 but there was a two week wait. The GP wanted £130 but did it next day. If they charge that kind of money, you’d expect them to be professional about it. Lesson learned.
So why go to the GP?
ROG:
So why go to the GP?
Wait two weeks, lose two weeks money vs pay more, but get back to work sooner - or so I thought.
Wiki iispa, when you say “revoked” I’m assuming you didn’t have to have a re test ?
My last medical my bp was high but instead of waiting for it to go down the idiot doctor sent the form off with the high reading !
About 2 weeks later I got a letter from DVLA telling me I had to provide 3 readings with bottom figure (diastolic) below 90
Is that similar to yours ? Nowhere in said letter did it say my licence was suspended , I asked doctor and he said carry on , so I did ?
I soon got bp down sent off to DVLA and accepted
Jim
I had to have a re-test, but the BP was too high, so the licence was revoked and they sent me a new one minus LGV entitlement. It’s taken 6 months on different meds with exercise and diet changes to get the BP back to ‘normal’ (It was 220/125 now down to 130/85). I expect I’ll have to submit 3 more GP readings via another re-test before they are happy. The licence limit is 180/100 so I don’t know why they’d ask for a diastolic of 90? 90-95 is in the normal range for older people anyway. I’ve got 6 months of charts in a spreadsheet done at home, but that won’t count. Blood pressure is up slightly since they sent the form back, but that is to be expected I suppose.
When I said re test I meant actual Hgv driving test .
Sorry if I’m sounding thick wiiispa but is that what your saying?
Jim
JFC999:
When I said re test I meant actual Hgv driving test .
Sorry if I’m sounding thick wiiispa but is that what your saying?
Jim
There would be no need to retake the driving test because the medical will determine whether it is valid or not
Driving test? I hope not. I think after 28 years ~ 2 million miles accident free I know how to drive.
Not having any incidents (often called accidents) is not to be taken as the sign of a good driver
I have sat next to many drivers who were not involved in any incidents and they were deffo not all safe drivers
ROG:
Not having any incidents (often called accidents) is not to be taken as the sign of a good driverI have sat next to many drivers who were not involved in any incidents and they were deffo not all safe drivers
I was 65 earlier this year, now my licence and medical are due on a yearly basis, 
I have the medical booked for Tuesday. My own doctor wanted £130 for the priviledge!!! so I shopped around and got it for £55! Although I’m fairly fit and healthy 
(my opinion) I am still a bit apprehensive about the result 
As I am nearing the end of my working life it is not so critical if I don’t pass but I dont want to pack in working just yet, so fingers crossed. Regards kevmac47.
Good luck with that Kev. I know a couple of guys in their 70’s still fit and driving.
kevmac47:
My own doctor wanted £130 for the priviledge!!! so I shopped around and got it for £55!
I am astounded how much you have to pay in the UK. In France it is set at 33€ (about £28). Mine doesn’t cost me anything as my Sapeur-Pompier medical is valid for the driving licence.
Yeah, i too know the problems that DVLA cause, i am still waiting to hear about my licence, i have had no problems really until this year, usually i have to have a treadmill test, but now the results last for 3 years, so they make more problems, first they wrote to say i have sleep apnoae, then i phoned them to disagree, so they told me to put it in writing, which i did, then they wrote to say they are writing to my doctor, now they have written to say my photo expires in February, and to send a new photo along with my licence, makes you laugh, they already have my licence, so will phone them tomorrow to ask what to do, but all this has been ongoing since the beginning of October, hopefully i can get my licence for the new year, and maybe gift wrapped. 
I just scraped through mine for two years after I reached 65. When I take it at home it’s well under, but sit me in the surgery and up it goes. The last time i spent ages with the nurse - I think she may have got fed up with me - she finally said it was OK (I couldn’t see the reading myself). I didn’t bother again.
Last month I went in for an MOT and, once again, BP was up. The nurse showed me this computer program that said I was unlikely to last another ten years unless I mended my ways. Went back to be fitted with a BP meter to wear all day and the readings from that were fine. Phew.
wiiispa:
Driving test? I hope not. I think after 28 years ~ 2 million miles accident free I know how to drive.
thank ■■■ for that wiiispa,you had me worried there ,got me stressing about bp 7 months before my test
so inthe meantime I will pour the rest of ths strongbow and enjoy, mmmm blood pressure falling
wiiispa:
Good luck with that Kev. I know a couple of guys in their 70’s still fit and driving.
Update on my medical, I passed!! wasn’t really as much of a problem as I thought it could be, (easy to say now it’s over). the doc said I have the blood pressure of a thirty year old, I said I wish I had the hairline and libido to match. regards Kevmac47.
Did my med recently. I was a bit worried about the eyesight test but doc seemed not.
He didn’t comment so nor did I.
Incredibly, the sight requirements for a HGV are stricter than for a flying licence.