Driving with fibro

[_lmh_1223]

Hey guys and gals

Hope youse are all well

Just remembered there that when at my tribunal last week the presenter from DWP kept questioning me about driving and asked if I had notified the DVLA about my fibro coz according to him I shouldn't be driving if am in pain all the time and if I suffer from brain fog, so just wondering has everyone else notified the DVLA about their fibro? And if so were youse told to stop driving?

Any advice on this matter will be very appreciated

Thanks

Lyndsay x

[TheAuthor]

Hi _Imh_1223

You have raised a very valid and interesting point, and I have pasted a link below from the GOV.UK cache on ''Drug Driving'' as there are restrictions on certain medications and their effects on drivers:

gov.uk/drug-driving-law

I have also pasted a second link from the GOV.UK website which has several downloads for disabilities and driving and health medicals and driving. So I hope that everyone finds these links useful and informative:

gov.uk/browse/driving/disab...

Once again, thank you for highlighting such an important issue.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[Regnofibro1]

I don't drive anymore but I live in states and it was my choice.

[Lottieonline]

I contacted DVLA as soon as started Oxycodeine, Clonazepam and Diazepam.

I received a letter of confirmation confirming it was totally fine to drive on these meds as long as I felt OK. And not to, if I felt sleepy or dizzy etc.

I also contacted my insurance company to inform them, I suffer from fibromyalgia and that I am a 'Disabled Driver' including a blue disabled badge to help park etc.

Again, they made a note of it and confirmed it was fine to continue driving!

[determined56]

A letter from your GP to DVLA is what is required not an opinion of the DWP ..did this years ago. Hugs to all

[fenbadger]

All interesting. It's up to you if you lie, but that's immoral and potentially damaging.

There's a further bottom line here. In the UK we are trusted to self report and not go out if unfit. How would your conscience be if you did hit someone else. It's ok to feel safe inside your car, but are pedestrians safe? That driver in Glasgow seems to have done nothing illegal yet caused a lot of injury that made national headlines.

My daughter has MS and surrendered her license. It was returned once the condition was under control. The best place to start is DVLA itself and you wont get shouted at for asking.

Thanks for the links Ken. They're worth a look. I note the absence of fibromyalgia as such, but if your concentration is lacking you might be regarded as "dangerous". Would it be as irresponsible as driving while on the phone?

There's another catch all phrase on that page which mentions neurological conditions. . .

[Annette_D]

I choose not to drive when I feel my condition is at its worst-to be fair on those days I can't normally muster the energy to get ready, let alone drive. I've spoken to dvla who state as fibromyalgia is not recognised as a trigger illness I didn't even have to let them know but I did it out of conscience. Good luck to all those who feel they can drive, and to those who can't-I feel your pain! I've gone from being able to get in the car, nip wherever I fancy to being housebound the majority of the time, and feeling like I've been robbed of my independence! Frustrated, yes-angry, yip -but prepared to put myself and others at risk, not a chance xx

[tasha2]

Everything seems to me as your dammed if you do and dammed if you don't it's all catch 22 .I think if the rules were more clear with all departments including PIP,DVLA,ESA, but everything seems to overlap and if you word something wrong they get out the lynch mob, no wonder we have a society of depressed people. its like all the forms you fill out they ask how does it affect you and you tell them so what do they do ask all the other doctors except for your own GP who no doubt sees you every couple of weeks and after doing all this they tell you no you can walk 200mtrs not 50 like you said, i mean why do they bother to ask you at all if they are going to call you a liar.I could go on and on about this subject as it hits a nerve but i wont, thank god you say any thought please

[Telynores]

I voluntarily surrender my licence several years ago after having unexplained undiagnosed blackouts, my GP had told me that this was required. It was simply a case of writing a covering letter with my licence. It did mean that it was easier to have it returned once I was medically told that enough time had passed since my last blackout.

I haven't driven since.

[_lmh_1223]

Hi, thanks so much everyone, found all these replies mega helpful and informative

I am going to get in touch with the dvla today to let them know about my conditions.

I dont drive everyday and when I do its only a small distance I cover, and dont drive while on any of my medication but I honestly couldn't live with the guilt if anything did happen to a pedestrian or other road user.

Thanks again everyone

Lyndsay xx

[Lipbalmaddict01 in reply to _lmh_1223]

Hi there,

Fibro isn't a notifiable condition and if declaring you do run the risk of losing your licence. I like you only drive if I am not feeling foggy or tired, and when I do drive it's locally only, because a long distance drive would make me tired. I've lost my confidence driving as a result of a period of time when I had suspected narcolepsy, but it turned out to be the after effects of s terrible bout of encephalitis. I didn't drive for a year, even though my Drs advised that I didn't need to notify the DVLA. I get Fenbadgers point about putting other people ar risk on the road but it isn't a judgement call for the DVLA in the case of Fibro, it's your judgement call, and it would be you who would have to live with the guilt should you end up hurting anybody, but you seem well aware of your limitations so I wouldn't feel too badly at all. Having worked area in the law, the DVLA are very quick to act without any kind of assessment, and it's very hard to get your licence back once it's been revoked, I've dealt with many appeals and see the devastating effects of the loss of a driving licence and with it our independence on top of the other things we lose when we get our diagnosis. One thought could be to hire a driving instructor to assess the standard of your driving on a good day, and discuss with your GP or rheumatologist his views about going to the DVLA before you make the decision to tell the DVLA. a courts test for careless driving is whether the driving reflects that of a reasonable, competent and prudent driver. For dangerous driving, the driving must fall far below those standards, knowing that someone could be hurt or killed as a result.

Call me cynical but this line of questioning at the tribunal seems to be strategic to throw you, and to question the validity of your claim in that if you are well enough to drive, you musn't be that bad. Dirty tactics, but not surprising, good luck with your appeal, and whatever you chose to do regarding driving.

X

[Artyrosie]

"I honestly couldn't live with the guilt if anything did happen to a pedestrian or other road user" ... thats exactly how i felt when i took myself off the road some years ago now. I'd had a couple of near misses and I just felt it wasn't safe to be driving any more. I'm still on the insurance in case of emergency - and might need to as my Beloved has major surgery coming up, and he wont be able to drive either!

[_lmh_1223 in reply to Artyrosie]

Thanks artyrosie, I am thinking of just stopping driving altogether, I hardly ever use my car really and when I do its just for short trips, round to the shops or whatever, I am only 26 tho, have been driving for 6 years and have a 3 year old daughter so it is handy for taking my daughter to nursery and for going shopping etc but I really feel that it is just a waste of money because my supermarket is only a 2 min drive from my house and my daughters nursery is only a 2 min drive as well so am paying insurance, tax and diesel to only use it a few minutes a day, not really sure what to do

X

[achydunlin]

I have fibro and arthritis and on gabapentin and naproxen, my doc warned me not to drive if I felt drowsy - which I don't and I time my journeys inbetween doses - I've worked out my most 'alert' times. As it is I don't drive half as much as I did and if I could get away with it (I live in a very rural area with buses only one an hour) I wouldn't drive at all. I get lifts to work with my boss and my daughter is now driving. I changed my car to a much smaller one to help - I find that has been a huge help and I'm not in agony now after just 15 minutes of driving. It's an important issue I think due to the drugs as to how competent you can be driving. I do know someone who crashed their car (thankfully no-one was hurt) as they were drugged up and dozy on cough medicine!! Take care all x

[_lmh_1223 in reply to achydunlin]

Thanks achydunlin, I am also on gabapentin, also co codamol, sertraline and amytriptoline, If I also only drive when I am most alert, if I take my medication early morning it means am ok to run my daughter to nursery at 12.00 but where I live in north Ayrshire Scotland there are buses every 5 mins, bus stop on my door step and bus stop next to my daughters nursery so I am now really considering just giving up driving, I am paying alot of money on insurance and tax and am hardly ever out in the car, will need to have a wee think about it all

Thanks for helpful replies 😊

Lyndsay xx

[Merrrm]

Whoa folks...Some heated comments flowing. .

It is absolutely true that motorway driving is monotonous. ...it can definitely make you feel tired. All the M/W signs 'take a rest if tired' etc evidence this. So let's be realistic here.

Edited By Admin

Not everyone can drive on their meds but providing they are compliant with Drug Driving law it is up to the individual to be the judge of competency...not a'website forum.

Edited By Admin

X

[elc67]

Hello from Canada. I take naproxen , amytriptaline , and gabapentin. In addition I have a prn prescription for acetaminophen with codeine.

My worry was the fibro fog, it's nasty. My amytriptaline was increased, doubled actually from 50mg to 100mg a day but it caused hellish headaches ( like my head was being squeezed in vise grips ). Once that was reduced down to original dose my headache eased off but I'm still left with a dull throb and fibro fog.

I now take all my meds at bedtime. I realized I was practically asleep at the wheel if I took gabapentin during the day.

But I wanted to address driving with fibro fog. I knew how to drive my car, I didn't forget the function, but I did forget where I was going. It's really a nuisance to head out to the doctor and end up pulled over at the side of the road with no idea why I'm in the bloody car.

Taking my meds at bedtime helped me sleep better, but by midday I'm hurting so much And my fibrofog is sooo thick I just call it quits and spend many afternoons between my recliner chair and in the yard ( sitting too long hurts so I'm popping up and down like a yoyo ).

My routine is to get any necessary driving done early in the day when my head is clear. I honestly think there must be a better way to live with FM and all its idiosyncrasies, I just haven't found it yet.

Best Regards

Esme