Lost License Advice

Type 1 and LADA
#1

Hello,

My name is Simon Dunford,

I live in Ontario, Canada.

This previous summer a very unfortunate event occurred, I had a very bad hypercalcaemic event and passed out at work. This was the first time this has ever happened to me and I have had diabetes since I was 3 years old (now 19). The reasoning behind this event was because I gave myself too much insulin and was working so I could not make it to the lunch room in time, I noticed the signs of hypercalcaemia but was preoccupied and neglectful. The paramedics were called and arrived to pick me up, when this happened I was awake and coherent but they urged me to come to the hospital. I arrived at the hospital and was told by the emergency doctor that he was required to report this to the Ministry of Transportation, which resulted in the loosing of my license. I send my required doctor report which claimed my blood sugars to be keen and on track with a A1C to be 6.3 which is adequate and equivalent to an average non-diabetic. The medical review board denied me because more than 10% of my blood sugars were below 4.0 which is bound to happen with perfect test scores, this is irrelevant to my previous event (of passing out at work) because the symptoms are very prominent and I understand when/if I have a low blood sugar. Therefore the Medical Review Board requested 6 months of good test results and no evidence of any severe hypercalcaemic incidents (passing out or anything below 4.0) which I have done. My blood sugars have been higher now because I am trying to get my license back and they will not accept me if I have any sugars below 4.0, which I have done successfully. The pressing issue at hand here is due to the fact that I fear I will be denied again, (because of the high blood sugars which have nothing to do with driving (only low blood sugars effect the ability to drive)) and the amount of time the medical review board takes to review the case (they claim it to be 6 weeks but the first time they reviewed it the time they took was longer than 2.5 months) I am very optimistic and keen to get my license back as I need it for school and transportation for food, and my school campus, the inconvenience has had a drastic effect on my mental health and is intolerable, It’s unfair that I am being scrutinized on an event that had nothing to with driving and is the first of its kind in my many years of having this disease and I can ensure that it is not going to happen again as I always test before getting behind the wheel of a car.

Does anyone have advice as to how to get it back ? ... Anyone else had the same issue and got it back ?

#2

ok....first off....I suppose you mean hypoglycemia. Second, if you not driving at the time when you were low and "caught"....how can they possibly revoke your licence.
We as diabetics have lows all the time, but since we're not causing any harm on the road.....no worries. Something's off!

#3

Ditto to the things Linda just said!

#4

Is driving your job? that is, are you a bus driver? What are Canadian laws regarding regular driving? In the U.S., not all states check on diabetes management status though many have regulations about it. You can view our information here: http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/know-your-rights/discr.... Check your regulations for Ontario, probably through the Canadian Diabetes Asso. Our regulations differ for private vs commercial drivers.

My personal experience has been that folks only have a problem if there is some obvious reason to believe a person may be unsafe to drive. One hypoglycemic episode is not such a reason, I think, unless you are a commercial driver. I am not even sure I was asked if I have diabetes even though I am in a state that calls for that. I can't recall but am sure I told the truth if I was asked. Nothing was required of me.

I do know that people who maintain tight or near normal A1c levels CAN be more prone to hypoglycemia. I am not saying that you are but I am saying it can happen. To your question of high numbers, I know that no one in the U.S. would be questioned about that unless the numbers are at the extreme of being near comatose levels.
#5

WAM

#6

The driving regulations in Ontario/Canada do no necessitate that kind of scrutiny.

#7

welcome to this lovely place we call family
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#8

I'm sorry you are having such trouble. You have to realize Canada is hyper aware of hypos at this point. There was a dramatic fatal crash in 2009 and victims brought the ombudsman into the picture and since that time there has been a marked tightening on drivers who experience hypoglycemia. And in your situation running hypo 10% of the time and being young does not help your situation.

You can read some of the background on the Ontario Ombudsman website. I urge you to read the material thoroughly, this is the context in which you must struggle to regain your license. It should also help you realize some key elements you need to be successful, perhaps the most important is finding a doctor who will support your application. And if doctors involved with your initial hospitalization and report are the ones reporting on your current condition they may stack the cards against you. Choose your doctor carefully, it is their medical opinion about the chances that you will suffer a serious hypo that everything depends on.