I’ve always known a driving licence for people with MS, when limited, has always been a 3-yr licence.
When I first informed the DVLA of my MS, at the time of my DX, they didn’t limit my licence. However, 3 years ago, they did, to a 3-yr licence.
This year, I got the reminder, filled in several pages of questions, which were pretty much the same as 3 years ago, and was told I had to have a medical with my GP. This initially terrified me, as I couldn’t think why on earth they’d need one, as my replies to their questions hadn’t changed since 3 years ago, and I don't have problems that could affect my “fitness to drive.”
Having had the medical, they then sent me my new licence, which is now for 5 years! Whoopee, I thought, but couldn’t figure out why it should have increased from 3 to 5 years.
A couple of days later, I got a letter from the DVLA, explaining:
“DVLA has recently been advised that in instances where a driver has had multiple sclerosis for at least three years and has been able to demonstrate that their condition has remained stable, it may be appropriate to issue longer duration medical licences.”
I don’t know how recently “recently” is, but I thought this might be of interest to other MSers who might not know about this new duration for MSers.
I also don’t know what constitutes “stable” in this respect, but maybe the cause of my having to have a medical was for the GP to confirm that not much has changed in my SPMS over the past 3 years, in relation to the DVLA’s questions on the form?
Re the medical with my GP, I needn’t have worried. It just seemed to consist of asking me the same questions as were on the form, and doing a vision test for what I guess was checking my peripheral vision: closing one eye whilst pointing out which of her hands my GP was wriggling her fingers with.
By the way, the whole process, from the initial reminder form to receiving my licence, took a whopping 3 months!
Hello everyone!
Please can I have some advice? I have developed optic neuritis, this is my first bout of it and at the moment it's just painful and absolutely no change to my vision. It's just in my left eye.
I'm aware that I have to tell dvla of this and I'm already on a 3 year restricted licence- is this likely to effect my being allowed to drive?
Thank you
X
Hello folks. Dont normally post but am always reading them. Advice and wise words needed please. I've had issues with my legs for some time well over a year now. They ache and twitch on a daily basis. Some days I feel like I've run a marathon where in reality I've not moved off the sofa. I'm taking pregablin .I suppose my real worry is that my ms has moved up a notch from rrms to spms. And it scares me!!! Im still driving, working and generally maintaining a house hold but im finding it difficult.
Hello, I've only just been diagnosed with MS. The reason that I went to the doctor earlier this year is that I have continued tingling in my hands which annoyed me - nothing else and it's not stopped me from doing anything at all.
The neurologist diagnosed me with MS about 10 days ago, and today I got a big envelope in the post with all sorts of information about MS, including the advice that I should contact the DVLA. I've just done a little search on here re people's experiences with this (also being VERY worried that my van insurance will sky rocket!), and what I've read really scared the living daylights out of me! For one thing because I've just handed in my notice at work, because I intend to go self employed from next month on, as a professional dog walker! You get the picture: driving every day, loading and unloading dogs and a day not worked is a day not paid! Now I appear to be having "benign MS"; I've had optic neuritis 11 and 8 years ago, and at the time nobody seemed to make a connection between that and MS, so I've been blissfully ignorant all that time, and this tingling in my hands that I have now neither has any effect on my ability to drive nor on taking dogs for walks. I'm meant to be starting on 2 January, but what if I call the DVLA on Monday and they revoke my licence straight away? I've still got 2 weeks left on my current job as well, that requires a 50 mile round trip every day! What on earth am I going to do?? And what would a 3 year licence mean? Will I have to do a test every 3 years? I'm so glad I passed mine, I don't think I could do it again. Please help! :( :(
Hi there,
I know I am being impatient, yip you guessed it there's a but, but my GP referred me to neurologist nearly four weeks ago now and I thought I would have had a letter by now letting me know that they had recieved my referral and that I was on the waiting list. I am desperate for an appointment but just to know they are aware of me would help at this stage.
Any views???
Thanks for listening
marianne
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