Hi Everyone, It has been a while since Iooked at the Parkinsons site.I want to ask if anyone has had the same thing that happened to me,I filled in my Driving licens form and was horified when sent a letter back from them,DO NOT DRIVE. Well I knew my driving was fine and often have to drive to my caravan in the Highlands,I was almost in tears as you would not know that I have Parkinsons.The leter stated I have a sleep problem,which I dont also I suffer from confusion,which I dont. Went to see my G P They said it never came from them,and there waas nothing in my medical files to state this.Went to see my Consultant nothing in my files also. Got a phonecall from Consultant who re -cheched my files ,and states she had filled in my form wrong, and ticked a wrong box.She will phone DVLA directly to tell them abuot ticking a wrong box,which she at leastwas full of apologies,but that DO NOT DRIVE,was hurtfull.TThanks Sky.
Hi @sky, 
Welcome back to the forum! 
I can understand why you’d feel devastated by this news and it’s really unfortunate that your consultant made that error. I hope she is able to rectify this; in the meantime, if you want more information on how to appeal their decision, you can find it on our website here:
Best wishes,
Reah
Thanks Reah My consultant asked me to give her a letter allowing her to get in touch with DVLA,and that’s what I did to-day,She will get back to me as soon as possible.She was very apologetic and hope to get it sorted,will let you know,and thanks for the info,
Hi @sky & @Reah,
I hope your consultant sorts out your problems with DVLA and soon. I am sure when I reapply for my licence in May I am going to have similar issues, however, I did have a sleep problem. From March 2019 until the 8th Jan 2020, I was lucky if I was getting 3 and 1/2 hours sleep in a day. Fortunately after exhaustive testing at the Royal Papworth hospital sleep study centre they found the only issue I have is I do not get into REM sleep. Luckily for me by increasing my dose of Clonazepam by 0.5 mg within 2 days I was up to 5 hours sleep and within a week 6 hours.
I am now nearly 3 weeks in and I am getting six hours sleep a night on a regular basis. In the last week probably as I am on holiday and having one or two glasses of red wine I am managing 8 hours sleep.
I really don’t know how my very loving and caring wife put up with me for so long, being always tired and at times like a bear with a sore head.
Luckily my work were incredibly understanding so I have still got a job, one less worry. Hopefully when DVLA do write to my GP, Neurologist, Parkinson’s nurse etc they will all tick the right boxes as I no longer have a sleep problem.
Fingers crossed for you Sky in getting your licence renewed and I will have to wait to see what my outcome is but I hope I can keep my licence as otherwise it will be another part of my independence gone. Try to think positive that’s all we can do 
IPS1926 Thanks for that, Iknow that the surgeries and hospitals are always very busy,but the biggest problem of all would you believe is car parking. you have to set off very early to get a space.Iam going on holliday in a few weeks also,but hope to hear back from DVLA sooner.What I have learned is it is the GP and Consultant word that counts.Will keep you informed.
jps1926 wrote>“Luckily for me by increasing my dose of Clonazepam by 0.5 mg”
How much do you take now, if you don’t mind saying? I currently take 0.5mg to stop my restless leg syndrome keeping me awake
Phil, I now take 1.5mg with the option to move up to 2mg but will wait and see if I need to increase further in about 14 days after I get home and get back into my normal regime.
Hi jps1926 and Phil and Reah got the letter back this morning with a complements ticket pinned to it.I was scared to open it but eventually did. It was a duplicate letter of one they sent to the hospital ,this was to show ,we were all singing from the same song. They have accepted the doctor had ticked the wrong box,and must state that I do not suffer any side affects from my meds, so my Doctor has to confirm she made an error. In myself, I found that you must do ,go to the very top the DVLA and this is the most important part,ask the question ,Where in my medical files does it state that I had problems with certain meds,if they cant ,you have the same rights as every driver.
@sky, well that is some positive progress for you. Fingers crossed that your Doctor does confirm quickly that she made an error.
As for me my sleep problem thankfully is a thing of the past now getting at least 7 hours sleep. Only issue is GP has already informed me that when the DVLA write to him, when I send my application in at the beginning of May that unless he has a letter from the consultant at Papworth sleep clinic discharging me that he will have to inform DVLA of my sleep issue, as was. I don’t see the consultant until 23/04 and I’m leaving on 3/05 for a 3 week holiday. So I suspect knowing how slow letters take to get to my surgery that I might have to challenge DVLA when I get back on the 25/05. But that is for another day.
As I said early fingers crossed you get your driving licence back soon
Hi JPS , Just back from the Canaries yesterday, and almost missed our flight home, but I had to tell people that I got the letter I had been waiting for,now my Consultant just has to confirm that I have no side affects fom my meds, my Consultant is a Consultant of Medicines so she will know her job and has said she was sorry to myself and my wife for a simple mistake and anyone can make it, Nice to speak to you.
Hi @sky,
I’m really pleased that they acknowledge the mistake made by your doctor and are making positive steps to sort this out. I also agree with the sentiments about asking questions - I’m sure this will help many others on the forum and will give them the confidence to challenge decisions like this.
All the best.
Reah
Hi Reah, and Jps, I am still waiting for my licens to turn up ,you see I don’t know if I can drive while waiting ,I must have sent a dozen emails without reply. The last time they were in touch with me was the midle of February. This is the last sentence of that letter.For Mr Peggie to regain his licence we would need conformation that Mr Peggie does not experience side- effects from his medication likely to affect his driving.
This is what my Consultant replied,. I have confirmed to the DVLA that there are no side affects from your medication that would impair your driving and I have strongly recommended that they reinstate your licence.
Yet I am still waiting,I think I must be at the bottom of the pile. does anyone know iff they are still open yet.
Hi @sky,
I know it must be frustrating not hearing back from the DVLA with a confirmation, but I can imagine with the current pandemic, many things have either put on hold or will take longer sort. I’d say give them another week and if you still haven’t received a confirmation, contact your consultant so they can chase them up on it.
Best wishes,
Reah
@sky @Reah , well I got my dates wrong and I had the reminder arrive towards the end of March and on the advice of my GP after speaking with the sleep consultant was to submitt it straight away. I used tracked mail so I’m ow it arrived at the DVLA on 30th March. My current licence expires on 6th June and I have not heard anything from either DVLA or GP or sleep consultant. The GP has told me that he would call and have a telephone consult with me if DVLA write and I have a video consult with sleep consultant on 23rd April. Neurologist has told me that he will also confirm to me if DVLA write to him and based on my current meds would be staying that there is no clinical reason to withhold a new licence being issued.
Fingers crossed that you here from DVLA soon and I am keeping mine crossed that I here something in the next 4 - 6 weeks. I understand that DVLA are still operating but like a lot of government departments on reduced staff levels in the offices and some home working or moved to other government sectors.
I work for the government and I am designated a key worker which is a 2 edge sword, now working upto 60 hours a week from home and instead of one in 6 weekends on call, it now one in 3. So lots of extra stress I could do without. But on the positive side I still have a monthly income and I have also joined an online streaming Qi Gong class. The later is helping to manage my stress and also helping with improving my balance, coordination and movement.
Stay safe and as I said hopefully we will both get good news from the DVLA eventually.
Hi @jps1926,
Fingers crossed the DVLA comes back with some good news. Also, good for you on finding ways to manage your stress levels during this time - I’ve found exercise to be a great stress reliever myself. 
Best wishes,
Reah
Hi There everyone, Well Istill have not got my Driving licence back .I got in touch with CEO and was told That they are short of staff and are doing critical drivers first, which I accept. But ny case has been going on since November 2019,long before the Coraviris. I look every day for postman, but it never comes… I tried to find out if I could still drive without it and was told that they are only doing emails ,but they will not answer my emails. allways marked return to sender.Thanks s ,but I am feeling down at the moment.
Hello Sky, like you I am finding it frustrating as my licence is stuck in DVLA. As a key worker I marked the envelope as such and included a letter inside confirming my key worker status from a government department as I am directly involved in the COVID-19 response. There is a number I can use to find out where my licence is in the process.
I called on 18th May, as my licence expires on 6 June, I was told that it was received on the 30th March scanned into the system on the 14th May and was going to be sent to the medical section the following week! Not much use I thought in marking it as a key worker. I was told there is a very large backlog in the medical section and only so many licences are being sent across each week. I was also told that my renewal had not been marked as a key worker something she would rectify.
I explained that I need to be able to drive as I am unable to use public transport and asked would I have it all back by 6th June. I was politley told it is very unlikely but as they had my application I could still drive under section 88 of the Road Traffic Act as long as I meet the criteria in a leaflet and my GP agrees I am fit to drive. Below is the information with a web link to a Gov.UK website;
Dear Customer,
Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act could allow you to drive while your application is with DVLA. More information here –
www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla
Please do not reply to this email as the return mailbox is not monitored.
Best Regards
DVLA
In the guidance which is not a long and one part states;
***• Your doctor must have told you that you are ***
***fit to drive. If your doctor is unsure about how ***
***a medical condition affects driving, they should ***
***refer to ‘Assessing fitness to drive – a guide ***
for medical professionals’ at
www.gov.uk/dvla/fitnesstodrive
So all good I thought, as I meet all the other criteria, so I called and spoke with my next to useless GP, who’s response was that in his opinion I wasn’t fit to drive. He explained that this was due to not having any upto date information and he would need to write to my Neurologist & Othopaedic consultants which could take upto 2 weeks for the surgery to do. Reason being he was going on 10 days holiday that evening!!! Probably less time to dictate a letter than I have taken to write this lol this is the last straw and I will be changing GP to one my Parkinson’s nurse says is the only one in my surgery she never has to chase for information as he always shares it with her.
Anyway previous paragraph just me getting it off my chest. I hope once you have read the guidance and you meet all thd other criteria, that your GP is more understanding and confirms that due to PD, you are fit to drive. Fingers crossed for you Sky in getting confirmation from your GP so you can drive until you get your DVLA letter back sometime.
Stay safe, stay strong & good luck
John
HI There, Just yo let you know what is going on with my licence. Yesterday morning I got a letter from DVLA, stating that I would have to re-apply for my licence,I was shocked and so downhearted that I would have to go through all that again Letters from Doctors and photos to be taken cost of a new licence and the emails long wait for result, so I decided to leave it all for the day. Then this morning I got a phone call fromDVLA .W e have decided your doctor made a genuine mistake and are sending you out a new licens, So I can drive from tomorrow and I could not believe it , so I am one happy chapie this day,It was not luck but perseverance,I know it is hard with the Parkinsons, but never give up. I wish you all the same result,
Hi @jps1926,
Wow, it sounds like you’ve been really going through it! I can appreciate how frustrating it must be for you having to wait for a final decision from the DVLA. Once you receive a final decision I can advise you on your options if need be.
I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t had the best experience with your GP, I’d suggest you contact your Parkinson’s nurse as he/she can arrange for you to speak to another GP if you’re unhappy with your current one. For more support on this you can always give our helpline a call on 0808 800 0303.
Best wishes,
Reah