Driving and epilepsy?

mikey72

Has she only has asleep siezures? If that's all she has had for the last three years, she can still drive, but must still inform the dvla, so don't drop her in it just yet.

mikey72

bigjl wrote: »

...............From memory an EP pat needs to be seizure free without medications for a year before they have a chance to get their licence back.
...................

With or without drugs.

rigsby1967

Thanks bigjl
She has always had epilepsy since child hood and was getting fits approx every 9-12 months but since being pregnant they have become more frequent.
I was told that as she has .....fits and knows when one is coming on and only ever in the morning when she wakes up she doesn't have to tell DVLA or give up her licence.

Yes i did think this was the case bigjl but did need it confirmed before i go in head first.

rigsby1967

mikey72 wrote: »

Has she only has asleep siezures? If that's all she has had for the last three years, she can still drive, but must still inform the dvla, so don't drop her in it just yet.

Ah ok, she gets these fits just when she wakes up in the morning, shes been on meds for years and has had the dose uped since the pregnancy and said nothing has been said to the DVLA.

mikey72

If that's been a pattern for three years, and only when she's asleep, the dvla may class it as ok to drive, and issue a licence on those terms.

mikey72

Good advice on here http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/AboutEpilepsy/Livingwithepilepsy/Drivingandtravel/Drivingandtransport?gclid=COL7xPbrlLACFUdItAodqVLi0w
and http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/driving/agencies-licence-categories#standards

bigjl

She would need to have notified them of any nocturnal seizures, handed back her licence, then been seizure free for a year, then applied for a new licence. If she was then to have more seizures but they are all at night then then as mikey says she would be fine.

However the insurance company needs to know and it will be noted by the insurance company as the risk is different to the one they are underwriting if they don't know, this would invalidate any insurance cover if they found out, even if she wasn't driving or at fault I suspect.

Did a quick Google and found this.

http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/AboutEpilepsy/Livingwithepilepsy/Drivingandtravel/Drivingandtransport?gclid=CPiGuenslLACFWchtAodRRr92w


From that you can drive if your seizures are controlled with meds, not as I said earlier, not sure if this has changed since I learned about such things, but the above link would seem to be a good place to start your research.

I think it is obvious that she has never informed the DVLA that she is not seizure free. I assume she has small seizures than doesn't attend A/E, as this would mean her GP is not informed of any change in her seizure pattern.

Torry_Quine

rigsby1967 wrote: »

Thanks bigjl
She has always had epilepsy since child hood and was getting fits approx every 9-12 months but since being pregnant they have become more frequent.
I was told that as she has .....fits and knows when one is coming on and only ever in the morning when she wakes up she doesn't have to tell DVLA or give up her licence.

Yes i did think this was the case bigjl but did need it confirmed before i go in head first.

At the very least DVLA need to know about this and will contact her GP and until she gets clearance should not be driving.

mikey72

The dvla should be aware, they should issue a licence based on the answers the gp gives, and it should be declared to the insurers to keep everything legal.

keystone

Myoclonic seizures on waking don't necessarily mean she would be dianosed eplileptic. I get them but when I'm falling asleep rather than waking.

Cheers