I am 68 and still working, but a friend of mine is 47 and as just had an heart attack. He as been told he will probably never get his HGV licence back but he will be fit for work in a few months time.
He as been a class 1 driver from being 21 and knows nothing else.His doctor as told him he is fit to continue his normal job , but not fit enough to drive a truck■■? where does that leave him??
He is to old to be trained for a new skill, but not old enough to be permanently on the sick,
My question is what is to become of drivers who through no fault of their own are unemloyable?.
I can understand his doctor suspending his licence temporarily, but surely, only a formal medical tribunal can make the final decision. Have a look on the post regarding diabetics by Wheelnut. It could throw up some ideas.
He’s not unemployable but might have to do something else to earn a crust, maybe van driving. Much depends on what exactly is wrong with his ticker as it’s still possible to keep/regain LGV entitlement after a period of time.
skoowif:
I can understand his doctor suspending his licence temporarily, but surely, only a formal medical tribunal can make the final decision. Have a look on the post regarding diabetics by Wheelnut. It could throw up some ideas.
Wouldnt trust them as they will say he is fit for work ( even if he can only do 3 hrs per week that is how they work )
Have a look in the "Family & Heath forum " you may find something in there as he may not lose it permanently depends how bad the Heart attack is & if he does as the Dr tells him although he will poss have to do the tread milll test before they give him his licence back
This may help
Or a read of this
Am I reading this right? On the basis of ONE doctor, he’s never to get his HGV licence back? Surely there has to be a higher authority that these types of cases can be refered to.
I hope your friednd is on the road to recovery now and wish him well from me and I’m sure everyone else on Truck Net. Begs the question though… Why Isn’t he a member himself? 
Steve
i had a heart attack whyen i was 39 and had to surrender my license.applied for it back and the dvla sent me to hospital for an angiogram to check me over and i got it back. this was after about a year.
had another heart attack at 45 and a quadruple by pass at 46 so did not bother to ask after thtis lot as i thought it would be a no no.
dont give up but speak to the dvla as there are options open to you
good luck
But if you have had the by pass then re apply they may send you back to the hospital depends on that you may be able to re apply for it as there are a few drivers who have had a by pass then have received there licence back
Guy just got sack at my work for having a fit though his doctor said he was fit to drive as his fit was caused by too much drink one Saturday night.
He got kept on as a loader for a while to see how he got on but was told it was 5 years minimum before he could apply again.
Seemingly they don’t deal with individual cases and its five years whether your o/k or not.
I have instructed the wife and my mates not to phone me an ambulance if I ever have one too many and go into spasm`s. 
Can see their point as who is going to gamble on some stranger not having one behind the wheel.
aranger:
Guy just got sack at my work for having a fit though his doctor said he was fit to drive as his fit was caused by too much drink one Saturday night.He got kept on as a loader for a while to see how he got on but was told it was 5 years minimum before he could apply again.
Seemingly they don’t deal with individual cases and its five years whether your o/k or not.
I have instructed the wife and my mates not to phone me an ambulance if I ever have one too many and go into spasm`s.
Can see their point as who is going to gamble on some stranger not having one behind the wheel.
A read o this may help
Also look up some of my other post on this & yes I have had more than 1 & yes the DVLA did give me my licence back after several test at the hospital
animal:
aranger:
Guy just got sack at my work for having a fit though his doctor said he was fit to drive as his fit was caused by too much drink one Saturday night.He got kept on as a loader for a while to see how he got on but was told it was 5 years minimum before he could apply again.
Seemingly they don’t deal with individual cases and its five years whether your o/k or not.
I have instructed the wife and my mates not to phone me an ambulance if I ever have one too many and go into spasm`s.
Can see their point as who is going to gamble on some stranger not having one behind the wheel.
A read o this may help
Also look up some of my other post on this & yes I have had more than 1 & yes the DVLA did give me my licence back after several test at the hospital
All this happened recently and I believe he had several visits to hospital and his doctor plead his case for him to the point that he said he was coming back to drive on the 3rd of last month but he got a letter basically calling him an alky despite the fact he hardly ever drank ( according to him).
He got the bump just after new year as they took his car license for a year as well.
He was confident to the last he would be o/k but now he is on the scrap heap at 45 with no real prospects as he cant even drive a car.
Pretty sure he tried everything to get back as he was devestated.
Wasn`t a stroke he took right enough it was an epileptic seizure.
Mine has been going on for a while now & atm I carnt drive a car or ride my bike but will get there
Im 47 & fought DVLA medical section for a long time but my Dr is convinced it is not Epilepsy the last incident was Dec 2010
Hi I had a heart attack at 38 ,felt it was the end of my life ,lost my hgv 1 .I had been driving from the age of 21 all over uk and europe and loved it . Had the same problems fit to work ,but not to drive .Reapplied for hgv after a year ,had a treadmill test and was granted my hgv back on a 1 year renewal .Whent back driving but just didnt feel safe ,compleat lack of confedence when parked up in the middel of noware .It got to the stage where i would only park if there was a hospital nearby i kid you not .First hgv renewal time ,went for medical ,Dr looked at my notes and says You cant hold hgv the rules from dvla have changed ! So no hgv no job no prospects .Eventuly i moved into managment ,but the stress was killing me .So jacked it in .Then i found a job driving a 7.5tonner for a local builder .Have been with him for 6 years and i am like a pig in ■■■■ i love it .I am treated with respect and payed by the hour at a very good rate (more than i ever earned driving a artic ).So there is light at the end of the tunnel for anybody going through bad times heathwise ,you just need that lucky break and move on .
Regards steve 