~Q~ had a problem not too long ago regarding the inability to obtain life insurance due to Naltrexone usage. Now I have my own story to tell.

Yesterday, I received a letter from Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles stating:

"Dear Mr." 3d:

This agency has received information expressing concerns about your ability to drive safely due to your medical condition.

We have enclosed an alcohol/drug usage form for your counselor or treatment source to complete. Please return it to this office within 45 days from the date of this letter. Failure to provide the medical report will result in the revocation of your driving privilege.

After we receive your medical report, the Medical Advisory Board will review your case. We will let you know the decision. In some cases, we may need more information. Also, you may have to take another test at your local driver license office.

Please allow a minimum of 30 days for review of your case. If you have any questions feel free to contact our office at"... "You may also email us at"...

"Please mail your completed medical report to:"...

If you do not wish to drive at this time, you may return your driver license with a signed statement that you would like to 'voluntarily surrender' your license. If your condition improves, you may contact our office for further instructions. You may wish to obtain an identification card. If so, please schedule an appointment online at"... "or call your local office.

Please understand that our laws and policies are in your best interest and the safety of the public.

Medical Review Section, Division of Driver Licenses"

Keep in mind, I have never had a DUI. Heck, I've never even been arrested for anything in my entire life!

Somehow, my Naltrexone usage or my alcohol treatment has made it to my state's department of motor vehicles. Now, my self-initiated successful battle from alcoholism to living a normal life has jeopardized my license to drive. Of course, the questionnaire is a filled with how long I have abstained, the name of the treatment center, and all the usual AA style questions. This form must be filled out by my treatment provider, which in my case is my psychiatrist. And he has to state how long I have been free, not of my addiction, but how long I have been alcohol or drug free. It's a typical form letter.

So, as of yesterday, I have decided to be AF until this episode is over and perhaps indefinitely after that. I have officially reversed my stance on openly going to any doctor for Naltrexone to treat alcoholism. I recommend you get it online and tell no professional a damn thing, ever. You never know how your responsible intelligent actions are going to come back to haunt you. Remember, no good deed goes unpunished.

Disillusioned Bob

oh. my. god.

Arghh. And also, Grrrrr.

That is just Plain Wrong...So glad I I got it online...damn this is wrong

Bob,

I feel for you my friend.

Please read my most recent post to the thread I started about being denied life insurance.

To summarize this post, I did as Loop recommended and applied with a different company, but did not give them a PCP (Which isn't far from the truth really, as I rarely go to the Dr. In fact, the last time I went to the Dr was about 7-8 mons ago). To my surprise, the second company I applied with knew of my Naltrexone use because I am in some type of National database that insurance companies use.

This is both upsetting and scary....

I am going to go AL free for awhile as well. I'm nearly out of Nal and will no way fill another prescription from any Dr for Nal. I'm going to order from the online sources from this point forward. Probably too little too late, but never again will I speak to any medical professional about Nal or TSM.

Q

I'm a bit more pragmatic this morning about my situation, but still bummed out. What is great about being post-cure on TSM is that I didn't even think of running to a bottle to escape my woes. I was rolling over different scenarios in my mind.

Combating my OCD at this point is the greatest challenge, since I spent most of yesterday obsessing about possible futures where I can't drive to work (legally). But this morning I realize that this is beyond my control and I just need to go through the steps. Things my Shrink can write down on my form include that I voluntarily reported my alcoholism to him (not forced by an employer or the state), I have no DUI's, no arrest record and have "completed" my treatment successfully under his care. Submit, wait, and stay dry, which is easy now.

Worst case scenarios: Florida has a drive-to-work-only license, which I could live with. If my license is revoked, since it states on the letter "because of my medical condition", I suppose I could apply for disability. I could get a lawyer and fight it. Or I could go the low road and drive without a license. However, I do not have to address any of those scenarios in the near-term future.

This morning I am philosophizing about this conundrum I'm in. The same internet technology that allowed us to find our way to recovery via this forum is also used by companies and governments to punish our good efforts. Q's alternate strategy would have worked 15 years ago. And I could have easily gotten an Alabama driver's license 20 years ago with no trouble. There was no way for companies or governments to easily keep track of everyone's personal business.

My next step is to see my Psychiatrist Monday morning when he comes in and hopefully we can fill out the form immediately. Failing that, I'll either leave it with him and pick it up later, or get on a cancellation waiting list for an appointment next week. Then I'll send it in and see what happens.

Bob

bob3d,

Don't sweat this. It's just a form and some administrative hoops. I don't think you're in danger of losing your driver's license or anything. You haven't done anything wrong.

I agree that it's BS. They don't issue these letters to the millions of Americans taking Xanax ("they have ANXIETY!! Think of the children!!").

This is VERY upsetting Bob, but I agree entirely with Nemo.

As soon as you submit the form by your shrink and then the state, your license will no longer be in threatened. IMO, it would CERTAINLY violate both the state and US Constitution to deprive you of your license for no rational reason and if it happened, you would win easily in court.

If I'm wrong, let me know and I'll head straight to 60 Minutes.

UNFRICKING believable.

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles Bob.

I hope this resolves itself through your suggested course of action.

Do you have any idea how this information migrated to the licensing board (or whoever is responsible for licenses where you live)? Is it your shrink, or the insurance company?

I suppose there's a myriad of ways the state could get this information. Insurance companies seem to have quite a database that they draw on. Perhaps my state draws on the same or similar databases for "the safety of the public".

I agree that it is probably ultimately going to resolve itself and be a non-issue. Right now it's an annoyance.

I wonder if they'd send me the same letter if I were taking baclofen. Now that I'm thinking about it, I took Campral for well over a year and didn't get a letter and it didn't work at all to solve the alcoholism.

Bob