Driving with an ICD

(Further to my question 'ICD fired during dinner')

The pacing clinic reported that my ICD firing was appropriate, and that I should not drive for six months.

I have a painful hip which limits my walking exercising.

I am an advanced motorist, (so I know the law) live in a rural district, and this is a severe restriction on my activities, ironically including travelling to / from my local heart support exercise club

1. When did the six months start, from the firing or being verbally informed of it?

2. Should I be expecting written confirmations of the period?

3. Will I be informed when it's legally safe to drive again?

[Lezzers]

I'm really sorry that your ICD has fired, I suppose the way to look at is that its done its job

You have to notify the DVLA and they will be able to advise you re written confirmation etc. I belong to an ICD support group and they always advise you to surrender your licence rather than have it taken away as it's easier to get in back. I'm not really sure how it works though, I can give you the details of the group if you're interested, they're on Facebook.

You should apply for a disabled bus pass from your local council, you should automatically be entitled to one.

Likewise your local council should be able to put you in touch with local organisations that'll help with traveling for hospitals/shopping etc

Good luck

[Hidden in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you Lezzers, most appreciated. I never thought of trying the local council.

I'll have a look at the ICD support facebook group.

[Lezzers in reply to Hidden]

The group is called ICD support-UK but it's not limited to UK residents. Lots of support and info there.

Good luck 🤞

[Fish4Info]

As Lezzers says, you have to report it to the DVLA. This is the DVLA advice:

gov.uk/guidance/cardiovascu...

I found this link too:

rbht.nhs.uk/sites/nhs/files....

You can report to the DVLA here:

gov.uk/defibrillators-and-d...

[Hidden in reply to Fish4Info]

Thank you Fish4Info, for your very informative links.

[Thanksnhs]

Hi when my ICD fired in the April,I never noticed I only found out when the hospital phoned and told me my home monitor had picked it up! I immediately contacted the DVLA and they sent me a letter for my consultant to be filled in if and when he thought I was fit to drive,I then had to surrender my driving licence to be honest I was gutted.In the September my consultant filled out the fit to drive form and I got my license back in the November the DVLA are so slow char

[Fish4Info]

I just want to add to what Hidden said. TBH I wouldn't want to rush back to driving. A friend of mine had a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) while he was jogging in a Belgian forest about 8-9 years ago. Luckily his friends were a cardiac nurse and a cardiologist - and they carried out CPR till a fire engine turned up with a defib machine. (Fire engines and ambulances work together in Belgium.) After a period of recovery in the UK, my friend continued with his plans to emigrate to South America. After a few years, he started gently to jog again. Unfortunately he had another SCA on the streets of Lima. This time no cardiologist or cardiac nurse ... and he passed away. :-(.

To this day, I think he had some sort of arrhythmia and would have benefitted from an ICD. I don't think his expat lifestyle helped. Even though he was British, he had lived abroad for 20 years and only lived in temporary accommodation when he was recovering in the UK. I don't know what tests he had ... or to what extent he listened to his body. Obvs, this is conjecture on my part ... but these devices are there if/when you need them. I'd try to do anything to tweak the way I lived if I were in your shoes and had not to drive for 6 months.

Good luck with everything.