Hi Everyone,
What have people done in regard to notifying the DVLA about PP?
I have started to drive again this year - actually after many years of not driving as I used to live in a city, so didn't need to drive at all, and my husband drove most of the time. What did you do, and what does the DVLA require from you? I've only just had a chance to look into it.
TIA x
I had to notify DVLA, I actually think my doctor at the MBU did it for me initially, I wasn’t deemed fit to drive so didn’t drive 6 months and had to apply to get it back, they wrote to consultant at time to make sure was deemed fit to drive. I was only given a years licence and they wrote to me to reapply and again contacted consultant to make sure I was again fit to drive.
Hi Tia,
DVLA make it fairly straightforward. There is a form you fill in that has medical questions including if you were admitted etc and doctors/medical professionals care. The only thing I found tricky was remembering dates (eg last appointment) but your medical department (MBU or consultant’s office etc) can help with that. As the other poster says, DVLA then contact the docs and make the assessment. So it was all quite smooth!
You can find more info here: gov.uk/health-conditions-an...
Good luck!
Ellie
when did you have PP? As per the other comments you need to inform the DVLA with the medical docs. I wasn’t allowed to drive for 6months post my PP and only get a 1 year license which needs to be renewed every year.
I had it last August 2023, but I wasn’t driving at the time so didn’t need to notify them. I only started driving this year, so I’ve been fit to drive for a while, and haven’t been having any issues. My recovery in psychosis support team have said I shouldn’t need to inform the DVLA when I have asked in the past. I think it’s because I have been well for over 3 months. The rules aren’t always easy to understand on the government website for many things!
I’ve asked my support team again. I’ll see what they come back with. If I start to feel I am relapsing, and need Olanzapine again, I would stop driving anyway and let my team know I was having symptoms. In times of high stress, I fear it could come back. I’m just cautious not to drive at those times like anyone should, with or without a mental health condition.
My worry has come about as my husband is wanting to separate, saying he has “fallen out of love with me”. He has been holding onto it for a year, pretty much just before I had my 2nd daughter in June 2023. Then PP hit 9 weeks later in the August.
I’m working through those issues with him, but can’t help the feeling that PP has pushed him away from me even more. So we haven’t had any chances to even talk about our relationship, or share how we felt. It’s all out in the open now, but it doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking.
I want to continue being independent and not rely on him should we eventually separate. We have 2 daughters together. We had a really chilled and happy life until all the challenges of becoming parents - first in covid, then when PP came along. I thought we were doing well, but I think he has been mourning that old life.
I’m just trying not to worry, and we are still best friends really. Love isn’t lost, he is just unhappy. However, I won’t hold him back from what he wants to do. We just have to make it work for our girls.
I’m sorry to hear about your partner. I also split with mine just before PP. We had a lovely time through lockdown then first baby came along, then second and then PP, and we sadly split a month after first baby. Then I was stressed out for 3 months and got PP… we’re now successfully coparent if two young boys, so, it can be done! And I’ve kinda met someone else who I’m feeling really positive about. Much nicer feeling than all the toxic arguments with my ex! If you wanted to chat at all let me know. Sending you strength x
Thank you so much for your reply GemmaPorter . I'm so glad you were able to get out of that difficult time in your life and that your kids are happy. That is my main concern, I don't want to disrupt them too much.
This forum is such a lifeline when nobody else understands what you are going through. This gives me hope that things will be fine. We have been together for so long, since I was 19 years old, and he was 23. We are now 34 and 38, so we don't know what life will look like without each other as husband and wife. In reality, we are in each others lives till death do us part now as we have 2 amazing girls. They are our focus and have been, so we have neglected each other. This is easily done as we all know when you have kids and as women, we have a complete transformation when becoming mothers, and an immense amount of stress! My focus went on my girls and myself, so I see why he feels he has been left in the back ground. I've been so focused on healing from the PP to be there for my girls and him, so I didn't notice how he was feeling. He didn't want to risk me relapsing, so kept it in and it built up to this. It all comes from a place of love.
I don't know what will happen but I am sure we will be fine as we are such good friends. He is planning on moving into his mums house, so we will see how that goes. It's been a challenging 4 years for us. He said he has been unhappy/struggling for 1 year, I gave him some perspective and said I have been on a complete transformational journey for 4 years! I think he needs some perspective on the situation and moving out is the only way he will see it. xx
Maybe some time apart will help you both gain some perspective; you’ve both been through so much .. I have also been on a transformational journey the last four years, being pregnant through lockdown then going back to work was just horrific.
The time apart from my Ex has actually made me realise that we’re not suited and haven’t been for a long time. We get along fine when there is no stress but as soon as something difficult happens, he becomes very nasty and quite mean. He has also just failed to show up on a few occasions which made it very stressful for me with a baby and 3/4 yr old. Sometimes being apart is the better option and I think for us, it is. I don’t think it helps when both parents work at demanding jobs, there’s just no time for the relationship! And modern day expectations are that you should have it all, all of the time.
I hope you’re ok anyway, PP is such a traumatic time for a lot of people. Hopefully you both have the time and space to heal now. Xx
Thank you for sharing your experience GemmaPorter it sounds like we have had a similar journey into motherhood. It’s exactly that, your energy is just so split between demands of life, so you do not have time for each other, or to do the things you love. You don’t have anymore nurture left in you for your partner, especially when face with something like PP. We have such a close knit wider family and friends. We haven’t told them yet, only a close few family and friends. We have support, so that is good.
Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more. Ellie has emailed me about connecting and noticed we are already messaging on here 😊 xx
Have PMed you xx
Hi lovely,
I notified the DVLA whilst in the MBU and the Doctors there helped me complete the form. I have a three year licence at the moment which means I have to renew it every three years. I also notified my insurance however please don't worry as they cannot penalise you for having a medical condition as far as I know and it didn't affect the cost of my insurance thankfully. I was worried when notifying both but now I realise that worry was not necessary at all. I hope it all goes well.
N x
Thank you NMG1991 for your reply. I'll see what my support worker says as they should know what I need to do in regard to the DVLA. Since I have been in their care, they haven't said I need to notifiy them as I had fully recovered from it last year. I think my worries about having another psychosis have resurfaced because of this stress, and that can spiral if I don't take action. I'm speaking up, talking to friends, family, on here and my husband about it all. I have to be realistic that stressful situations like this can trigger an episode. So far, I have been able to manage it well. x
Everyone's experience is so different. I was never instructed by any doctor at any point to notify the DVLA. (Even when I was on a lot of medication and very ill) Obviously I didn't drive at that time, but unless a doctor tells you you need a medical license I wouldn't go informing them. Some may disagree, but if you have been stable for a long time, I don't really see the relevance.
If you broke your leg a few years ago, didn't drive at the time, a doctor would tell you not to drive. They wouldn't say you need a medical license until you recover. Nor would they tell you you need to inform the DVLA years later.
I'm sorry you're also going through a difficult time personally. If you do decide to inform them, the chances are it'll need to be reviewed and approved either every year or every 3 years depending on circumstances. I met a lady virtually whos doctor accidentally ticked the box for a medical license for her. It took years and a lot of hassle for her to get her licence back and get the medical license part removed.
Hope this helps
Thank you Dolly292 for your reply, this helps a lot. Those are my thoughts exactly as people have said they are a nightmare getting back to you. I think I was just preparing myself for the worst case, but I don't have anything to worry about as others have said. I'm well, and this difficult time will not break me.
My support worker has said the same thing - as I was not driving at the time of the intial PP episode, I didn't need to inform them. I'm well now and have been driving with so much more confidence. It is one of the things that helped me gain confidence back after PP because I had been scared and anxious to do it for so long, whilst being pregnant, or with young babies in the car! I'm proud of myself for that achievement and I don't want this emotional upheaval to undo my hard work.
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