My first posting so hello to everyone. To condense the story and not sound too boring, I basically passed Class 1 at 21 years of age and fork truck and Moffett licences ensued. I had worked in the haulage industry from 16 including loading and unloading with fork lifts and cranes and then driving HGV’s for a living. My CV guaranteed me getting every job I went for and I utimately worked for some of the best companies, with great wages aswell. Upon reaching the grand age of 34, I was struggling to cope with the job I was doing and I had to make the dreadful decision to leave my job. This was not easy as I was making a fortune but the long hours, I thought, were the reason for me feeling so tired and unwell. This was difficult to comprehend as I had always worked hard and I couldn’t understand why all of a sudden I was struggling to do it. I found another job with good money and after a short time I left that too, exhausted …and then a week later BANG, I was rushed to hospital with a heart attack and given a 50/50 chance of pulling through it. At 34 my life was turned upside down. I changed my job and have worked in an accounts office for the last 7 years, my love of driving being put on the back burner. I have managed to keep my licence by having two medicals/ treadmill tests over the last six years and satisfying DVLA that I am fit to drive HGV’s. My third one is currently due and upon passing I have decided I want to go back to driving. Because this will be my first venture into applying for jobs after having a heart attack, I wondered how much prejudice there will be against me. The words heart attack scare people generally because of their ignorance of the recovery process. DVLA are a strict lot so if they say I can drive, then surely that should be the end of the matter. I seem to think that might not be the case though. If any drivers or employers reading this have any experience or views on what probably lies ahead for me, then I would appreciate your replies. And that was condensed…phew 
Thanks
Steve
In this climate your not going to sell yourself too well if you mention heart attack. If they don’t ask, don’t tell. Your next problem is being out of the game for so long, any references you have will be worth little as they’re not from the industry.
Just phone around. The container game would be your best bet, long hours but no hard labour involved. If you live near a container port you could get agency shift and home work. If not, your looking at a long daily commute or 4/5 nights out a week.
If you’ve been out of the business for a while and making a good living in something else, hire a 7.5t and drive around the M25 until the bug goes away and you come to your senses. Any Friday afternoon would work.
I too had a heart attack in 1999 i was off work for 8 months and had an angeoplasty in 2000, i was able to keep my job during this period, provided i could pass the medical, and was able to take the test two months after the op and got my licence back imediately.
I left that job in 2006 and got another, after one week in the new job i was, like you feeling tired all the time, i was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I was dismissed from my new job on medical grounds and spent eight months having cameras inserted in every orifice you can imagine. The cancer is now controlled with drugs and i was able to return to work in september 2007…six weeks later on the way home from work, I was involved in a motorcycle accident, breaking my right wrist and right ankle…again my new employer had to dismiss me on medical grounds. underwent numerous operations on my limbs and in January this year had another heart attack, my current sutuation is not good, I had another heart op in August which has sorted that problem but am unable to take the treadmill test due to my ankle, consequently, My LGV C+E entitlement was revoked in september this year. The upshot of it is. I will probably be losing my right leg below the knee next year and fitted with a prosthetic limb.
At which point I should be able to complete the medical, DVLA medical have already said that i can get my licence back if i can pass, even with a prosthetic leg
I still get offers of work now, although they are getting less and less.
The point i am getting at is that you dont have to disclose a disability unless asked, as long as DVLA are aware of the facts, employers cannot refuse you on them grounds
All i can say to you is keep trying
why don’t you go freelance with your own van and earn that way
from what i been told you can earn a fortune
We have a van company near here,they do customs clearance loads to Switzerland and all over europe,sleep pods in back of van,eat on the move,and a fine if you are late for delivery.
“fender666”, that response by “enit?”, is a sensible , and down to earth one. My view is that if you have experienced, and recovered from,as serious a health problem as you have, and are now in other employment, with probably regular and not excessive hours of work, then you should pay particular attention to the last paragraph of “enit?”,s post. Read through some of the posts on the various threads on this site. You will see that there have been a lot of changes in the haulage industry, even in the 8 or so years since you last worked in it as a driver. Most of those changes have not made the job any easier.It seems to me to be much more stressful than it was when I retired 10 years ago,from what I look back on as the job I loved, but am glad that I am no longer doing, because of the over-regulation of the Haulage Industry. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.
Some good points raised and thanks for the replies. I drove an artic because that is what I wanted to do right from school. I went into accounts because I was advised to find something less ‘stressful’. The thing is though, it’s not really what I want to do for the rest of my life. I earned more money driving a lorry than I do now and believe it or not, there is also quite a lot of stress involved in what I do now, mentally not physically though. So at the age of 41, I have decided I want to go back to driving again. I do think that as soon as I mention my heart attack though, I will be out the door. My licence is valid for 3 years after each medical, so an employer would surely notice this and ask why ? I am prepared to do my medical and treadmill test, obtain a digital tacho card, do a refresher course to come up to speed etc all of which costs money, but if no one is prepared to employ me then there would be no point. I am 41 and fit and have full blessing of the DVLA to drive artics, would an employer disagree ?
Fender666:
would an employer disagree ?
call a few large employers well out of your area and pose the question - most large HR depts should be able to answer this
That’s a good idea ROG but I don’t think they would admit to it due to the fact it’s discriminating. I might be wrong but surely they would be in the @#*# if they admitted that. That’s the thing, if after a job interview I was told I hadn’t got the job, how would I know what the ‘real’ reason was for not getting it ? Not good enough or because of health grounds ? Don’t think they’d be allowed to use the latter !
I think I will contact some companies though just to see if I can get their stance on it.
I think that one of the main problems you will encounter, maybe one of who is prepared to insure you.
The insurance companies seem very ‘cagey’ these days.
Don’t tell them. 
If the DVLA are happy that you are entitled to drive an HGV, then so should a prospective employer!
I am 55 and suffered a serious Heart attack in 2007, I had angioplasty (3 stents) and three months later a triple bypass in the August of the same year. By December I had been granted the use of my HGV1 back, and am now employed on a smaller vehicle (class 2 with a Hiab)
I was upfront with my new employer about my health, I think that it is better to be straight with any boss. Emphasise the part about the DVLA being happy to let you drive. You have age on your side, if someone is willing to give an old ■■■■ like me a job, then you should be Ok!
Good luck and let us know how things go for you.
Thanks Twoninety88, that gives me some optimism and the kind of thing I wanted to hear. Glad you pulled through it OK, it’s a very scarey thing to happen and very difficult to put your life back on course after such an event.
I wonder how many HGV (LGV) drivers have had heart attacks or have suffered heart trouble. It would be interesting to know if there is a possibility of a correlation between the two and how many such incidents are recorded on DVLA’s records ?
Hi fender, I’ve been through the heart attack scenario, had the stents fitted, and like has been said, if the DVLA are happy for you to resume LGV driving then anyone who discriminates against you are on sticky ground. As for insurance Co’s being picky, when I was recuperating and pondering whether to go back into the job if I passed the medical/treadmill test, I raised this matter with an insurance broker who confirmed that it would make no difference to premiums, as those of us that have had attacks and are monitored are the lucky ones and known quantities, unlike the rest who could be ticking time bombs 
The point i am getting at is that you dont have to disclose a disability unless asked, as long as DVLA are aware of the facts, employers cannot refuse you on them grounds
Bear in mind, though, that if you are on a short term licence then the insurance company will need to know, even though they are not allowed to raise the premium as a result. If you don’t tell them about your condition and have an accident, you may well end up being told you are uninsured. On this basis, you will need to tell your employer so that they can inform the insurance company. (Had to research this for a CM feature recently, and that’s what the Transport Solicitors say, plus I have MS and therefore first-hand experience myself.)
As for Disability Discrimination, then in an ideal world it is true to say that an employer is not allowed to knock you back on those grounds. However, in the real world, they can always think of an excuse…
Good luck, whatever you decide.
‘those of us that have had attacks and are monitored are the lucky ones and known quantities, unlike the rest who could be ticking time bombs’.
A good point Big Joe! I have thought this over the last few years and I would raise this point in an interview, to hopefully strengthen my chances and alter the viewpoint, if in fact the viewpoint needed altering haha.
‘in an ideal world it is true to say that an employer is not allowed to knock you back on those grounds. However, in the real world, they can always think of an excuse…’
I have also thought this too but there’s not a great deal I can do about it.
Thanks for the insurance info about premiums not rising. At least if any prospective employer uses that excuse, I can quell their fears
Thanks again for the replies. Not an interesting subject for most and I apologise. You never know what’s around the corner though …