8 weeks ago I had a Heart Attack aged 65. Spent the last 8 weeks in hospital as heart unstable, according to my heart consultant it is possible to get my LGV license back. I have now had quadruple heart bypass and at home recovering. Question is has anyone on here had the same and got license back ? Been told by DVLA involves fitness test of walking for 9 minutes uphill. Would be glad of any info.
I’m fortunate enough to have never been in that position so I’m not qualified to give advice tbh, but I do wish you a speedy and full recovery and I hope you regain your entitlements.
miketdt:
8 weeks ago I had a Heart Attack aged 65. Spent the last 8 weeks in hospital as heart unstable, according to my heart consultant it is possible to get my LGV license back. I have now had quadruple heart bypass and at home recovering. Question is has anyone on here had the same and got license back ? Been told by DVLA involves fitness test of walking for 9 minutes uphill. Would be glad of any info.
look up the bruce protocol, that is the test that is used to decide your fitness for vocational entitlements, good luck
As said I hope you have a speedy recovery.
Going by previous threads about DVLA and reportable medical conditions it does seem like it is rather an uphill battle to get your entitlement reinstated after something so serious to your health.
It does happen but I imagine there will be a lot of hoops to jump through and it might take considerable time to do so.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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Its a farce really. Yes we all know that medical episodes can have devastating consequences, but so long as the cause has been identified and treated then it should be made a much cleaner process to gain back any licence category
Unfortunately knobs like that bin driver in Glasgow haven’t helped.
End of the day, without any prior warning, something could happen to any of us at any point.
I’ve known a couple of people who have been through this.
Here’s the link to the Briuce Protocol, more commonly referred to as the treadmill test
verywellfit.com/the-bruce-t … ol-3120269
One of the guys I knew who managed to regain his entitlement was shockingly obese, which made me think the test can’t be that grueling, plus he clearly hadn’t followed the advice from his doctor about diet and exercise (he broke the steps on one wagon!)
Everything depends on your own circumstances though, not all HA’s / MIs are the same. Your GP will need to read this, so you might be interested to read the section that starts at page 50 - quite technical stuff though.
I’d take the hint and take early retirement. Do you really want to be doing a job that’s stressful and has long hours starting or finishing when the body wants to be asleep, long periods sat doing sod all and is basically everything that’s not good for your health and heart when you’ve had a quadruple bypass, especially when you’ve been in hospital 8 weeks because it’s unstable?
Not disagreeing with the general sentiment, but is 65 now considered “early retirement” 
I had a medical episode in February (passed out stone cold at work). Lost both car and hgv licence but I went private for a cardiology examination including treadmill and echo cardio gram to try and hurry the process. I sent the consultant report off along with the form you have to send to DVLA telling them you’ve had a medical episode (can’t remember form number) and never heard a thing until exactly 3 months after my collapse I received a letter informing me my licences were returned.
Because you’ve had a full blown heart attack and treatment you might have your licenc back in round about the same time scale providing you pass the treadmill test, a friend of mine had his back in 4 months for exactly the same procedure as you. Don’t stress about the treadmill, it’s really not that bad if you’re reasonably fit
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miketdt:
8 weeks ago I had a Heart Attack aged 65. Spent the last 8 weeks in hospital as heart unstable, according to my heart consultant it is possible to get my LGV license back. I have now had quadruple heart bypass and at home recovering. Question is has anyone on here had the same and got license back ? Been told by DVLA involves fitness test of walking for 9 minutes uphill. Would be glad of any info.
Like yourself, i had a heart attack 4 weeks ago and i am on the mend, only spent a week in hospital with a stent fitted and a Pacemaker so slightly different to yourself and i am “only” 59 years old.
I have been doing a bit of research into this whilst sitting at home recuperating.
The links provided in the posts above are relevant to both of our conditions although with my condition and treatment the minimum time i cannot drive a HGV is 6 weeks
My boss has been a top bloke and is waiting for me to get better and get back on the job (probably because it’s really difficult to get good drivers at the moment)
The biggest thing for me is going to be waiting for DVLA to get their fingers out and get my licence back to me as they are notoriously slow at doing anything, even my cardiac nurse has said don’t bank on getting your licence back within 10 weeks.
What i am trying to say is it’s not impossible to get your licence back but it takes time and you have a few hoops to jump through.
Good luck
GOG47:
I sent the consultant report off along with the form you have to send to DVLA telling them you’ve had a medical episode (can’t remember form number)
Form is VOCH1
You can download it online
Thanks for info guys give’s me something to aim for.
I had a heart attack in 2013 and I’ve just done my 3rd treadmill test, I struggled with the last one cos I was made up with a cold but passed…just.
You do 3 minutes at a brisk pace on an incline, then speed and incline increase for a further 3 mins followed by more speed and incline increase for 3 more mins. If you stop at any time its a fail.
So while you are not working get used to walking about a mile as fast as you are able each day and you should be ok when the test comes along.
Good luck
I RETIRED at 65 held my licence until renewal time,never put it to use in 12 months never renewed it.
Take early retirement why put yourself through the stress and worry of driving, only to put you back on the sick. If for circumstances your not able to take early retirement get a non driving job to get you bye.
Your no good to family and friends if you land up putting yourself in a wooden box.
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miketdt:
8 weeks ago I had a Heart Attack aged 65. Spent the last 8 weeks in hospital as heart unstable, according to my heart consultant it is possible to get my LGV license back. I have now had quadruple heart bypass and at home recovering. Question is has anyone on here had the same and got license back ? Been told by DVLA involves fitness test of walking for 9 minutes uphill. Would be glad of any info.
If you have a stressful job it could possibly have been a contributory factor, as others have said it might be time to slow down a bit, time for a job at B and Q if you want to carry on working. Although I do work with someone who had a heart attack in his mid fifties and he is still working today at 73 years old, he did the fitness test you mention, and I think he has to do it on a regular basis, not sure.
To be honest the job was not stressful in fact very easy. Hitch up loaded double dekker LST trailer Cullompton which had been loaded overnight , run to Gloucester services in time for pop master run to Starley Way Birmingham tip and back. 7.5 hours driving on a good day, drop trailer and diesel up. True most days booking 10.5 or 11 hours.
Money was nice being the way fuel bills are going. Anyway thanks for well wishes and info.
Conor:
I’d take the hint and take early retirement. Do you really want to be doing a job that’s stressful and has long hours starting or finishing when the body wants to be asleep, long periods sat doing sod all and is basically everything that’s not good for your health and heart when you’ve had a quadruple bypass, especially when you’ve been in hospital 8 weeks because it’s unstable?
Yes me too. A Lorry driver neighbour whom I’ve known for donkeys years is going through the same thing at present, He had an heart attack around 8-9 years ago with him having stent surgery, He’s just had another heart attack as those stents had collapsed & he was rushed in for emergency surgery.
I said the same thing to him, I asked him what he was going to do as he’s 63, I said you’ve had two warnings now you might not get a third. His HGV entitlement was suspended for 12 weeks. I saw him out & about on a bicycle the other day to presumably to get fit for the medical.
miketdt:
8 weeks ago I had a Heart Attack aged 65. Spent the last 8 weeks in hospital as heart unstable, according to my heart consultant it is possible to get my LGV license back. I have now had quadruple heart bypass and at home recovering. Question is has anyone on here had the same and got license back ? Been told by DVLA involves fitness test of walking for 9 minutes uphill. Would be glad of any info.
I had a quadruple bypass in 2009, in the time I was off recovering my licence lapsed anyway, thought that would be the end of it, so just run the business from the office chair, but the hankering to do drive never went away.
Couple of years later decided to re apply for it, and had to do a treadmill excercise test.
Once your recovered from the op, speak to DVLA to ask for your licence back and they will arrange for the treadmill test, and they pay for it too, so you dont need to shell anything out.
As it was going to be a few months to the treadmill test, I walked everyday, minimum 10000 steps to build my legs up, on the day of the treadmill test I was very apprehensive, but smashed it, and got my licence back about 3 weeks later.
A guy I work with now had to have some stents fitted, and to get his licence back recently he had to do the same test,I advised him to do the same minimum 10000 steps a day in preperation for it, and he too smashed the treadmill test.
Good Luck buddy
Just had treadmill test and passed. 75 now but as previous posts, do lots of walking and haulage sector I’m in still plenty of physical work
thehairyarsedtrucker:
I had a heart attack in 2013 and I’ve just done my 3rd treadmill test, I struggled with the last one cos I was made up with a cold but passed…just.You do 3 minutes at a brisk pace on an incline, then speed and incline increase for a further 3 mins followed by more speed and incline increase for 3 more mins. If you stop at any time its a fail.
So while you are not working get used to walking about a mile as fast as you are able each day and you should be ok when the test comes along.
Good luck
yes not doing the 9 minutes is a fail but it is not the end of the line, there is other ways they can do the stress test on your heart, the treadmill is the cheapest way