Driving

[DonnaM]

What experience have people had regarding informing the DVLA?

[Stumbler]

Hi @DonnaM  and welcome.

 

It's a straightforward process and IT IS a legal requirement, so please don't put it off.

 

Here's a link to get you started:-

https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving

 

You can advise the DVLA online and give them details of your condition, your Consultant and GP. The DVLA will contact your Consultant and GP to enquire about your fitness to drive. This can take some time so you are able to drive whilst this process is undertaken.

 

If your Consultant/GP are unable to confirm your fitness to drive, then you may be asked to take an Assessment Test at your nearest Assessment Centre

 

Ultimately, you will be issued with a 3 or 5 year licence so they can keep you under review. This can be a nuisance although there is no fee to renew your licence every few years..

 

It is also a legal requirement to advise your Car Insurance Company. They will normally just ask you to confirm that you have advised the DVLA about your medical condition. They should not increase your premium because of this. which is illegal as defined within the Equality Act 2010.

 

Happy driving

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DonnaM]

@Stumbler Thank you. Yes the MS nurse told me yesterday, so I will notify online this weekend. 
 

I am just concerned of the unknown based on still having my children to drive to school etc, as no other family members I started to panic.

 

My symptoms have been mild and even improved just recently. I’m about to start treatment, but was worried about previous dizziness/blurred /balance problems when walking.

 

 

[Stumbler]

@DonnaM . It's really incumbent on you to decide when you should and shouldn't drive.

 

Having said that, symptoms that affect you when  you stand, may not cause problems when seated in a car.

 

MS is an unpredictable condition. Personally, I found that periods of extreme stress caused my MS to relapse and progress so please consider this in the future. If you can influence and improve a situation, do it. If you can't, then just accept the situation and move on.

 

In a way, you're fortunate that there are a range of treatments available now to reduce the frequency and severity of relapses. There has been an exponential advance in these treatments over the last 20 years or so. Hopefully this will control your MS so it just becomes a mild inconvenience.

 

[DonnaM]

Thank you for your advice it’s really helpful. I found when sitting in fine and I’m trying to reduce my stress level plus treatment etc, so fingers crossed. 😊

[Stumbler]

A Positive Mental Attitude goes a long way too. 

 

[DonnaM]

Thank you again and so sorry I didn’t say hi or introduce myself on my initial post I’d just been panicking about it. 
 

im usually a very positive person and plan to be, but been under a lot of stress with no support outside the family, so this topped it off and not much sleep. 😂

[Stumbler]

MS is one of life's taboo subjects. It's not discussed generally, which is the reason for an absence of support outside of the family. There is a general ignorance about MS so no-one knows what to say and your friends can shy away! 

 

Don't let your friends disappear. Go out of your way to stay in touch, try and educate them and let them know you're still the same person. Show them that MS should be kept in perspective.

 

The lack of general support has lead to the appearance of niche peer support groups and forums. In fact, the popularity of forums like this seems to be migrating to general social media platforms, hence the lack of recent activity here. But there are a handful of Forum members still here, who ensure that no question goes unanswered.

 

My one piece of advice for managing MS is to "listen to your body". It knows what you need so if you feel tired, then try and rest up.

 

Take care and stay well.

 

.

[Happymama]

Hi, I'm not Dx (thank the Conservatives) but have started a therapeutic counselling course.  Over the last two years, up to Diploma (which is in the post) I swear my anxiety areas in my brain have vanished.  I'm just totally chilled.  I can recommend the course for teaching you about yourself, self reflection is part of the education, and it helps you listen to others better too.  

 

It took half way through the diploma year for me to decide that it's a vocation, not an education and at that stage I was having symptoms daily, with not a day off from muscle spasms, electric shocks, sluggish bowel, vertigo, cognitive stuff and buzzing/numbness.  Not had anything since Christmas bar a bit of muscle spasm, but that's a few hours, not weeks long.  I now have weeks with not a symptom.  Heaven!  

 

I can recommend it for teaching you to chill out!  

 

Good luck with the licence.  I too depend on my car because i'm at uni in September and the town I go to - well, we have 'green miles' here and it takes two buses each way, and over an hour plus half an hour's walk each way and takes 15 mins in the car.   

[DonnaM]

Sorry for the delay and thank you for your post. That sounds really promising. Thats an area I need to work on, as I’m an anxious person who worries and overthinks. I have also had a lot of stress due to being the only family member/carer for my dad and upset due to bereavements. 

[DonnaM]

@Stumbler This is all great advice again thank you. I will do that. 😊

My half sister had the condition and kept people at arms length, so I have little information on how it affected her. 

[Stumbler]

@DonnaM , you're not contagious and you're still the same person.

 

Show people that you're a person with MS, not a disease that's consumed a person - think "Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)"!

 

You're deserving of a full and satisfying life as much as the next person!

 

Try not to catastrophise. Things can look worse but they can also work out better ......

 

 

[DonnaM]

@Stumbler Thank you for your encouraging words. I’m a positive, determined person apart from being a worrier..haha, so hopefully I can push forward and live my best life despite the diagnosis.