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Vertigo and DVLA

Posted , 4 users are following.

Razouski
Razouski

I've recently had a viral infection of my innner ear - giving me vertigo, nausea and profound deafness. I am just about getting the vertigo under control, but have found out that anyone suffering from vertigo or dizzyness is obliged to inform the DVLA. WHile I am not driving, I am hoping that when my symptoms disappear I will be able to get back in my car. I just wondered if anyone hear has informed DVLA, and what is the outcome. I would hate to lose my driving license.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • ben99468
    ben99468 Razouski

    Posted

    Hello Razouski, Ben here,

    I am sorry to hear that you have contracted this horrendous dease, for which there seems to be no cure, and the professionals don't seem to know how we got it or if it will strike again.  They want us to do exercises and I will admit they do help, if for no other reason than they distract us from the reality of it for a period.  I'm beginning to think it just has to "run it's course".  Time is the healer here. A Although I think a small part of it is exercising, I have been doing everything they prescribed since the beginning, just over a year now, and although my symptoms have subsided greatly from the initial attack, I still have a huge amount of dizzyness and light headedness.  It affects everything I do and I am overwhelmed by it at times as I try to work through it.  I do drive, but I take the greatest precautions like drive slowly, no radio or phone. I drive under the speed limit to give myself more time to react to developing situations ahead of me, and I really pay attention to where I am going, no sight seeing.  I only drive very short distances, like to the doctor's office and to therapy or Walmart. I plan my trip through the "back roads" and try to go when the traffic is lowest.   In short; I drive like a drunk who knows he will go to jail if he gets stopped or has an accident.

    I live in the U.S.A., so things are probably different for me, but I can tell you this; if I got stopped for something while driving and the officer decided I needed to pass a sobriety test, I probably could not do it.  I have not checked into the legal aspect of it, but it is always understood that Americans are not allowed to drive distracted and this is one #*=?? of a distraction for me.  I personally would not inquire directly, "not to tip my hand", I don't need the gov in my face right now.

    My only advice is that if you feel you are not really able to avoid a collision, or if you think you couldn't drive without weeving around like a drunk or be able to follow the speed signs etc. don't do it.  Er on the side of safety.  But try it because some of the people on this site can drive and do it all the time.  They are the lucky ones, they seem to have a better way of dealing with it than me personally.

    I sincerely hope you can find some solice in what I have written here and "go for it", life is short, don't miss out.

    Ben

    • anne05147
      anne05147 ben99468

      Posted

      my job as a community nurse means i have to drive but i totally agree. When i was too unsafe to drive i had to take a month off work, because i could barely walk without holding onto something.  Since improving i still take extra care like yourself.  I try to avoid driving i nthe dark as this has been affected since vertigo started.  I don't think i walk in a straight line any longer so would not get past the drunk test, but as i don't drink i would pass the breathyliser.  I think you have to report if you have menieres disease to DVLA but you shouldn't drive if you feel incapable with any conditiion.  There's no way i could drive when my condition was at its worst but strangely enough i don't get vertigo whilst driving probably because i am concentrating so hard on driving safely.
    • Razouski
      Razouski anne05147

      Posted

      Thanks Anne and Ben. I have avoided driving so far but still not sure whether or not to report to DVLA (my consultant said I should, which was why I looked it up).

      I googled DVLA and vertigo.

      On https://www.gov.uk/vertigo-and-driving it says:

      You must tell DVLA if you have vertigo.

      You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.

      I was wondering if anyone had filled in the form provided, which is for any kind of vertigo, and what the outcome was.

      I don't want to fill it in if I'm likely to lose my licence, on the other hand i don't want to be fined! 

    • anne05147
      anne05147 Razouski

      Posted

      i have just been contacted by DVLA to ask for information on my condtion.  I think my occupational health department contacted them when i asked occupational health for support with this condition and not being able to drive when it was at its worst.

       

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