Well, where do I begin?
Ok a bit of background: I had been informed on several occasions that I snore, and had some general low-energy ‘slugginess’ especially first thing in the morning. Now, after being with my current girlfriend long(er)-term, she was getting really concerned that I stop breathing a lot at night and literally gasp for air. I asked my doctor about this and got a hospital referral. Here follows what happened next…
1st hospital referral - I was weighed, had my neck measurement taken and blew into a lung capacity measuring machine. This also measures the power you can breathe out with. You also fill out a questionnaire asking you about certain activities and the chances of you maybe dozing to each one. Just answer it honestly is my advice here. The specialist believed I had sleep apnoea and said that it would probably be due to having a smaller than average lower jaw, plus the medication I am taking for another condition won’t be helping it.
2nd hospital referral - Here, I used the lung capacity measuring machine again and was told I blew better this time, despite feeling less than 100% due to a cold!?! Unfortunately my jovial spirit dropped soon after as I was lead to the consultant’s room to be informed I had serious sleep apnoea. It was absolutely devastating to be told this, with all the potential issues that lay ahead as an HGV driver. I enquired about private treatment with the consultant, as it is apparent you can start treatment MUCH earlier than waiting on the NHS referral.
What then followed went something like this:
I contacted the DVLA and they sent the SL1V form out plus an ‘options’ sheet prompting me to choose what to do about my licences. I elected to keep them rather than surrendering at this point. The crucial mistake I made, however, was rushing the SL1V form back with the declaration that I had a sleep condition and that it was NOT under control. In case you’re confused reading this - yes, at that point that was the case, but I had something like 21 days to return the form and a couple of days later I was able to start a CPAP trial. Net result is I was able to get back driving after being what I believed to be green lights from my GP (and the DVLA). Unfortunately, despite believing I had changed my ‘status’ verbally on the phone to the DVLA, they had to process and act upon the information that I provided to them originally and revoked all of my driving licences. By this point I had been using a loan machine from the private hospital (until such point as I could order my own, with the prescription from my private consultant). I then faced the agonising prospect of being at the mercy of the DVLA’s licensing ‘system’ as I had to re-apply for my licences based on my improvement in my medical condition. This took around 6 weeks for me to get my licences back!!
Basically my advice is as follows: If you haven’t yet been diagnosed but it is suspected you have it, you should have the diagnosis. To carry on regardless and risk your own life and the lives of others should you fall asleep at the wheel is, plainly, irresponsible and selfish. If you test positive for sleep apnoea then the best thing to do is get on treatment ASAP. Go private, I was able to get on a CPAP ‘trial’ within days and only had to pay the consultant’s fee (around £300) a couple or so weeks later. They will perhaps loan you a machine until you are in a position to obtain your own one. Out of interest the NHS referral took around a month to get the first appointment and the next week after that to receive a machine from them. You must inform the DVLA right away of your diagnosis (and suspend driving until you get on treatment). They will send you the SL1V form (see above for my experience and crucial mistake!) - you have around 21 days to get it back to them. Basically, get on treatment as fast as possible and then you can answer the appropriate question on the SL1V form - “Is your condition under treatment?”, or words similar to that effect. If you are not on treatment you cannot answer yes to this, it would be an offence which will leave you liable to prosecution. If you answer ‘no’ then within approximately 2 weeks the DVLA will write to you revoking your driving licenses. Bad news if driving is your livelihood!!!
Another important thing to note: when you submit correspondence to the DVLA, wherever possible send it electronically (e-mail or fax, they will provide you the information if you ask for it) - it saves a lot of time (days) in their whole ‘processing’ stage.
I hope this provides insight and information for anyone else who has/may have this increasingly common condition!
