i have just informed dvla about my Atrial fibrillation and they will be investigating has anyone had this experience

[jeelly40]

[tk11]

Just had my decision back took them ages but ok'd to drive. Good luck

[jeelly40]

thankyou for your reply how long it did take roughly

[Langara]

I received my reply from the DVLA within 3 weeks.

[jeelly40]

Thankyou Langara did they say that you were fit to drive

[rosyG]

Mine took 3 weeks and they wrote to say it was fine to drive

[BobD Volunteer]

Once you complete H1 and say that you are not incapacitated by the condition it is a formality.

BobD

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob, Insurance company have to be informed as well,even though given all clear with DVLA,,,CX

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Forgot to say that. I have been banging on about it for so long I have become bored with it. Sorry. Hope you are well.

BobD

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Up and down like a fiddlers elbow....still waiting for appointment with EP. Take care. Cx

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Change of direction Bob but been meaning to ask...what's the difference between a flutter and ectopic or are they the same...c

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Atrial Flutter happens in the right atria. Ectopics are missed or extra beats from the left ventricle so quite different things Carol. Ectopic in a medical sense means out of place. or position. I think what happens is that the ventricle contracts with no blood in it so although it is a beat nothing goes round the system, and it feels like a missed one. I was always told that they are a sign that the heart is unable to go into AF although trying to. To me when they are coming in clusters all the time it feels just as bad and scary.

Bob

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob have a good weekend...cx

[Hertbeat321 in reply to BobD]

Af in both upper chambers and ectopics can be in all four chambers, if that's the case it's called multifocal ectopics, or can be just in upper or just in lower,

Cardiac nurse

[Langara]

Yes, I was allowed to drive, and as Bob rightly says unless you are incapacitated by AF the DVLA do not apply any restrictions.

[Westietam]

hi I have been waiting about three weeks now .Have informed the insurance company

[PhyllisK]

Hi, I printed off the appropriate form but did not think it applied to me because my GP or cardiologist has never mentioned informing the DVLA , is this correct?

Phyl.

[PhyllisK]

Hello Ectopic, thank you for the response to my post, I will notify the DVLA re: my AF.

Phyl.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to PhyllisK]

Hi Phyll, the problem is that DVLA send out mixed signals. Under advice to medical practitioners AF is not notifiable meaning that unlike some conditions the doctor is not bound to send a report to DVLA. Under advice to drivers it is notifiable with a £1000 fine if you do not and get caught. I must confess that up until about two years ago I was telling everybody that they did not need to advise DVLA as I was reading the medical practitioners section. A kind soul on the Yahoo forum put me right on that one much to my surprise. mea culpa.

Bob

[PhyllisK in reply to BobD]

Hello Bob, it is good to hear from you again.

I decided to fill the DVLA form in once again but remembered why I did not complete the original form first time.

The first question on the H1 form reads : Do you have any heart or heart related condition that your Doctor/Consultant has advised you to notify DVLA about? the answer in my case is no I have never been advised to notify DVLA.

I have also been discharged from the cardiology clinic.

My dilemma is do I or, don't I inform DVLA.

[Hidden in reply to PhyllisK]

That's where I got to and I have specifically asked my EP (1) do I need to inform DVLA, and (2) am I ok to drive. He said I do not need to inform DVLA and I am fine to drive unless things change obviously. i.e. as Bob said, he's following DVLA advice to professionals.

So if I advise DVLA, I will be doing exactly the opposite of what my EP told me. Confusing isn't it? But as it's confusing, it's got to be best to inform them, then you can't be in the wrong. I believe from another thread that some people have just written a letter to DVLA as well as or instead of form H1, which as you say stops in it's tracks at the first question, IMO.

I have informed my insurance company in writing (as I would do with any non day-to-day event) and they have said no problem unless things change.

[PhyllisK in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Koll, it is confusing but I will notify the DVLA as you advise.

[porridgequeen in reply to PhyllisK]

Hi PhyllisK and jeely40,

I was in the same position, never been told not to drive and had been discharged by the cardiologist. I answered no to the first question. The DVLA did not inspect my medical records and informed me within 3 weeks that I could drive.

As already said, it is just a formality.

[PhyllisK in reply to porridgequeen]

Thanks porridgequeen, just to be on the safe side I will notify the DVLA.

[Hidden in reply to porridgequeen]

Hi porridgequeen

Can I ask, when you said no to the first question, the next question is if you answered "YES" what is the condition.

As the answer was no, did you write any condition in the space and what did you do with the rest of the form, fill it in as though you had a condition or leave everything blank?

Thanks

[porridgequeen in reply to Hidden]

Hi Koll,

I know what you mean, answering 'no' seems to make a nonsense of the rest of the form but that is what I did. I had never been told by a doctor that I should not drive so the first answer was 'no', then I completed the rest of the form accordingly..... everything blank!

It was definitely the oddest form I have ever filled in. But who are we to reason why.

[Hidden in reply to porridgequeen]

PQ, Sorry to be a pain, but are you saying you filled in the bit stating what condition you had and then just answered no to all the questions, or did you literally leave it blank in the bit where is asks what condition you have?

Really, really sorry to be pedantic, but without driving I'm finished, so I want to get their silly form filled in right.

I'm only referring to page 2, the one about your condition.

[porridgequeen in reply to Hidden]

No problem at all, I had the same discussion with my husband - at length.

It asks if you have a condition that has caused a doctor to tell you not to drive. I (and you ) don't have a condition where the doctor says not to drive. Answer No.

As I did not have such a condition I had nothing to describe so I left the next bit blank.

The following questions are all about the condition (that we don't have) so I left all that blank as well.

All but the first question were left blank.

Hope that hasn't made things more confusing! The DVLA say they do return forms that have not been filled in properly.

Message me if you want more help. Good Luck

Angela

[Hidden in reply to porridgequeen]

Amazing! I thought that's how it should be "filled in" just couldn't believe my ears/eyes.

I think I'll do the same and see how it goes.

Many thanks

Koll

[tk11]

Jeelly it took about 4 weeks but worth the wait. I informed my insurers and they noted it and told me nothing had changed.

[jeelly40]

Thankyou guy i have now sent off the relevant forms i just dont want them to take away my license

[Chris-S]

I informed them a few weeks ago, filled in the forms they sent and have received a reply saying I dont need a medical and can keep my licence hurrah.!!!.Also had some interesting info regarding angina, heart attacks etc and when and if you should notify them. So pleased as have severe coronary artery disease and cannot walk much - without my licence I would be trapped.