4 weeks on

[Valentina98]

Hey Everyone

I'm 4 weeks on post CA and Stent, my question is can I now drive or do I have to speak to my doctor/cardiologist first

V x

[Valentina98]

Thank you x

[Lezzers]

If you have had a cardiac arrest you need to advise the DVLA who make the decision on how long you cannot drive for. If the CA was due to a heart attack it can be a 6 months ban but the DVLA will write to your cardiologist for clarification regarding your medical condition

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest group has some information. My brother in law after his out of hospital cardiac arrest and heart attack was advised not to drive for 3 months.

I suggest you contact your GP or Cardiologist to get their advice about whether it's safe for you to drive.

suddencardiacarrestuk.org/i...

[Lezzers in reply to Milkfairy]

It was a 6 month ban for my husband but that may have been because his condition was inoperable. Good idea to contact the SCA UK group. Lots of info there

[Lezzers]

Nope! He didn't have the ICD fitted for some years after his HA & CA.

Screenshot taken from the SCA UK group, it may be a grey area (the onus is left on you to tell the DVLA) but it could affect you if you don't tell them.

Will post the 2nd screenshot shortly, I don't seem to be able to add 2 screenshot to the comments!

.

[Lezzers in reply to Lezzers]

2nd screenshot

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[Lezzers]

That's the issue, CA doesn't get mentioned as it's an event. The SCA UK group are absolute experts in this field so I would take their advice on what you should & shouldn't do. As I said the onus is on yourself but why would you not tell them. If the DVLA take your licence away for a short period of time, I personally think that's a small price to pay, bearing in mind my husband has lost his licence for 8 months so we're very aware of the massive problems this can cause. If you don't tell them & something then happens & the DVLA take the view 'you should have told them' then you would have consequences to face.

[Captain_Birdseye]

"Cardiac Problems" seems a little vague doesn't it!

[Lezzers]

I agree re an ideal world, unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world. The DVLA make up the rules, they interpret those rules & they hold all the cards. The SCA UK group have spent hundreds of hrs with the DVLA & the police putting those Q&A together to help people avoid falling foul of those rules, not telling the DVLA because it may cause inconvenience wouldn't wash in the event of an event happening and the DVLA deciding they should have been told.

In an ideal world the consultant would tell you when you can/can't drive but as the OP is asking the question in the group then you assume she hadn't been told. My husband lost his licence after being hospitalised in January, none of the consultants he saw when he was in hospital told him not too drive nor did his nurse & nor was it on his discharge papers, it wasn't an issue as we knew the ICD rules. On his recent discharge from hospital it is on his discharge papers that he can't drive for 6 months.

My experience of GP's & heart conditions, a gp won't tell you what you can & can't do if you're under a cardiologist. If you're not under a cardiologist they will refer you to the DVLA. Trust me, late last year I had a query about driving, the nurse said ask the GP, GP, said ask Papworth, Papworth said ask the DVLA, we asked my husband's own cardiologist and got the answer, but it was a palaver for what was essentially a minor question.

As you probably know I belong to a number of support groups surrounding hearts, ICD's , SCA, etc, their advice is always tell the DVLA! If you personally decide not to that, that is your choice.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Another thought.

If you don't tell the DVLA and surrender your license when it's unsafe for you to drive, then you could potentially cause harm not only to yourself but to others too.

What would you say to the family of a pedestrian that you injured or even worse killed because you decided it was inconvenient to tell the DVLA?

Personally I believe we have a social responsibility not to drive if there is any doubt.

I spoke to the DVLA, my insurers and my Cardiologist to clarify my position as my vasospastic angina can become unstable.

I have permission to drive.

However, I don't drive long distances anymore or during periods when my angina is unruly.

It means sometimes I don't drive for months.

I couldn't live with the thought of being responsible for another person's injury or death.

[Lezzers]

Yep, I totally get that! My husband lost his licence in January for 6 months due to a medical event. He then was shocked by his ICD a couple of weeks ago & the 6 months started again, making 8 months in total! I don't drive, we live in a small village, he's under 3 hospitals & they're all about a 2 hrs drive from where we live, we totally understand the problems caused by losing your licence but like you say...hey ho. After the first medical event no one told my husband he couldn't drive or that he had to inform the DVLA (fortunately we knew the rules!) so in 'theory' he could have continued to drive but he would have been breaking the law by doing so, he would have left himself open to a £1000 fine, he would have invalidated his insurance & in the event of a claim he could have potentially been thousands of pounds out of pocket & received a 'no insurance' conviction, which in turn will reduce insurers willing to insure him going forward & would therefore impact the cost of his insurance!

Why would you take the chance of all that happening!

Can I ask if your ICD has shocked you since your ablation?

[Lezzers]

As I've already said the SCA uk group are a registered charity, they're the experts in this field & their advice is to notify the DVLA. They've spent hundreds of hrs with the DVLA & the police covering issues like this & the answer is in the Q&A

If the DVLA screw up then they screw up, again they hold all the cards, though you have to remember that the OP has multiple medical conditions & that also needs to be taken into account!

Whether or not the DVLA are obliged to take into account statistics, if they even use those statistics or whether they look at an individual & make decisions, we don't know because neither of us work for them, I'm guessing that it's a bit of both. Which is why they write to your medical team about your condition, they have in fact, a number of times, disregarded a consultants advice that someone can drive IF their own medical people feel differently.

Tbh we can do a lot of research on Google & find any sort of info, it doesn't mean it's written in blood, a lived experience is completely different, you would be surprised how much this question is asked, hence the SCA Q&A.

But, this constant backwards & forwards doesn't help the OP in any shape or form. We have both given the OP the benefit of our advice, it's really down to her as to which advice she wishes to follow, so I'll now leave her to make up own mind up.

[Lezzers]

Have a look at the screenshots I've posted earlier, that covers whether you should tell them or not. However the onus is on you to tell them, if you tell them & they say thanks we don't need to know then you have a win win situation. If you don't tell them, something happens and the DVLA take the view that you should have told them, then you'll have all sorts of problems, including invalidating your insurance. However to decide not to tell them because it might become an inconvenience is never a good reason.

If the DVLA decide you shouldn't drive they may ask for your licence to be returned, if you don't return it they will revoke it. It's much more difficult to get your licence back if it's been revoked than it is if you've surrendered it. Either way, they will write to your medical team about your fitness to drive.

[Lezzers]

That's good to hear. When you were having VT's ( I'm sure you said it was VT's and not Afib but I'm sorry if I've got that wrong) were you aware of the VT's? Or was it just a case that your ICD shocked you out of the blue?

[Lezzers]

Not at all a can of worms, just different experiences

[Heather1957]

100% agree, just because you can doesn't mean you should!

I know after my bypass I had to be discharged by the cardiac surgeon after 6 weeks and as you say even then when you drive you turn and look over your shoulder which uses muscles not used since the bypass it caused me awful pain.

After my stroke I had to see my GP as the stroke can effect people differently.

After my 2 stents I think it was 7 - 10 days before I drove.

Remember driving too soon after a procedure can invalidate your insurance (so not only your health is effected) so you do need to get it right.

You should be fine after 4 weeks but it won't hurt to speak to the GP.

[Lezzers]

Yes, that's something you hear about a lot about not feeling up to driving. A HA in itself it's a very traumatic experience but to also experience a cardiac arrest must really affect your self confidence. It's widely recognised by the medical profession that many people who've had or witnessed a CA, or performed CPR on someone often suffer PTSD. The SCA UK group are affiliated with SAD's and can arrange counselling if your own surgery won't arrange it or the waiting time is too long.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lezzers]

PTSD can certainly effect your concentration, it's often overlooked.

[Valentina98]

I know!

I've even more confused now. I'm thinking about deleting the post as it's got so confusing

V x

[Instructor57 in reply to Valentina98]

I was a week after a HA and stents .Did not need to tell DVLA.

[Heather1957 in reply to Valentina98]

What are you confused about?

If in doubt contact your GP.

[Handel in reply to Valentina98]

Good question though V. The DVLA certainly don't make things easy or understandable! As a insulin dependent diabetic with a 3 year restricted licence, I've been through it all. Good luck though. Lots of love and hugs. Jan xxxx

[Lezzers]

That's good to hear your GP was on the ball, sadly not all are. I hope it helped you.

[Charliedog123]

it took me 12 months to get my head a round driving again after my CA I was scared it was going to happen again, as you know you get no warning you just go and wake up four day later. So it is up to how you feel about it ,good luck and keep safe.

[Thanksnhs]

I informed the DVLA when I got my ICD and when it went off I knew the rules and surrendered my license. I was deemed by my cardiologist after 6 months I could drive but it took the DVLA another two months to return it so annoying, I never told the DVLA that I have had a transplant and I don't have an icd now not sure if I should 🤔char

[Lezzers in reply to Thanksnhs]

I'm not sure about if you have to inform them of your transplant, I can find out if you like. But I do know when we told the DVLA of my husband's ICD he got an acknowledgement letter from them & the letter does say you need to inform them if there's any change in your condition.

[Thanksnhs in reply to Lezzers]

Hi after I came out of hospital I completely forgot about the DVLA and time just went on, it's only when I was reading the thread I thought about it and wondered if they had to be told It is a change of circumstances so I should probably look in to it. Char

[Lezzers in reply to Thanksnhs]

Yes, definitely worth looking into it. I would have thought after a transplant the chances of a medical episode happening while you're driving would have reduced considerably despite the amount of medication you must now be taking x

[Thanksnhs in reply to Lezzers]

Travel insurance definitely has and that is a plus point😅 thanks for the advice I will definitely look into it char x

[Flimflab]

There is guidance on the DVLA website gov.uk/heart-attacks-and-dr...

I hope that helps? They finish by saying check with your doctor.

There is additional guidance on British Heart Foundation bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....

Which includes

"Yes, you need to tell your vehicle insurance company about your heart or circulatory condition. You will need to tell them about any changes to your condition and your treatment too. If you don’t, your insurance may not be valid."

And (my paraphrasing) the common sense pull over if you experience an attack.