Type 2 Diabetes

[bjd]

Ok i was wondering if anyone is using the weekly injections to control type 2 and if so was there any issues with keeping your vocational licence ? i have read on the site that there additional medical requirements for insulin dependent people but it says clearly that if your not on insulin then there isnt an issue but how do you stand when using the non insulin injections ?

[DrPhilThornley]

For a group 2 licence holder, you don`t need to worry about the fact that the treatment is given by injection. What matters is what type of medication you take rather than how you administer it.

DVLA divide diabetes treatment into three types:
- Medication which cause a risk of low sugar levels (hypoglycaemia)
- Medication which isn't likely to cause low blood sugar levels (including non-insulin injections)
- Insulin injections

So your treatment comes into the lower risk category; it would be very unusual for anyone on non-insulin injection treatment for diabetes to have a problem with their licence unless there was some other medical problem.

For people taking tablets from the "medication which causes a risk of hypoglycaemia"category, the DVLA rules for self-monitoring are much stricter and in fact were tightened up a lot last year.
The most common medication in this category is gliclazide.

You didn't say whether you are on anything else apart from the injections. If you are, you need to check which DVLA category those tablets comes into because even though DVLA won't be too worried about the injections you are on, they will be more concerned if you are on one of the medicines from this category and they would require very frequent self testing of your blood sugar levels.

[ROG]

DrPhilThornley
Specialist Contributor

Blimey, a Doctor where I can read their writing

Seriously, WELCOME, its good to have such an expert on the site

[knight2]

Yes it is good to have areal expert on here. Dr Phil you can come again, could wind up being a bit of a bus mans holiday though.

[bjd]

well i have since found out there 2 rypes they dont like glinides and another one begning wirh an s

[DrPhilThornley]

Yes, you`re right. It is medicines belonging to the glinide family and medicines belonging to the sulphonylurea family. The most common of these is gliclazide.
I was planning to do a separate posting sometime about the DVLA rules for diabetes.

[zeddman]

well i have since found out there 2 types they dont like glinides and another one beginning with an s

Just done my medical,and since 1 of my pills is Gliclazide ,it got me a letter sent out for further info and consent for my medical records........

[DrPhilThornley]

You're right! DVLA are quite fussy about gliclazide. This is because in a very small number of people it can cause a person's blood sugar level to unexpectedly go lower than it should which can cause erratic behaviour or even impaired consciousness in extreme cases.
The DVLA rules say that a person taking gliclazide has to do a finger prick test within two hours before starting to drive and then every two hours whilst driving. It's a shame because in the majority of people gliclazide never causes unexpectedly low blood sugars but the diabetes experts who advise DVLA feel that they should make this a requirement because of the minority who could become incapacitated and crash.
Sometimes an easier option is to ask your doctor for one of the newer types of diabetes tablet which don't require two hourly monitoring.

[Wheel Nut]

My missus is on Liraglutide (Victoza) which apparently is acceptable, although she injects, it isnt insulin, she struggled with it a bit at first with nausea and tiredness, might be worth Doctor Phil explaining it

[DrPhilThornley]

When this particular medication was quite new a few years ago DVLA were unsure about how safe it was for drivers so they did have special precautions for people using it.
But the rules now just divide medication into three groups as follows:

Medicines (including injectable medicines) which are unlikely to cause hypoglycaemia (unexpected low blood sugar levels).
Medicines that may have a risk of causing hypoglycaemia.
Insulin.

Liraglutide comes into the first category of medicines which are unlikely to cause unexpected hypoglycaemia and therefore there are no special DVLA requirements for monitoring blood sugar levels with this medicine even though it is given by injection, like insulin.

[zeddman]

Gotta give the DVLA there due,it didn't take long ,the only downside is i am subject to a medical review in 3 years time.