DVLA stress test!

[angiep]

Can I ask where you’ve heard the maximum heart rate requirement? I can manage the 3 stages, but certainly not at under 125 bpm.
My understanding is that (as Phill D says in post #20) it’s essentially a test to check how your heart responds when placed under greater stress, to see if you’re likely to black out, and not a fitness test as such. Would it not then be more logical to set a minimum heart rate to ensure your heart is under sufficient stress? Looking back at the post #1, surely it is the second of the options you pose in the middle paragraph?
Obviously it may relate to individual health conditions, although Appendix C in the guidance , linked in post #14, doesn’t seem to refer to it (purely a lay reading of it!)

We Googled how to pass the Bruce Protocol stress test. If you are younger than 73 your max heart rate will be higher. 220 minus your age. The 85% is mentioned in a few places we have Googled.

 

[Badknee]

Also wear shorts and a loose top which you may have to remove anyway for the monitoring tabs and your comfiest walking shoes.

Yes, shorts, T shirt, bottle of water and a towel. Shave your chest yourself to speed the process up as they need to stick a twelve lead ecg monitor onto you.
Good luck.

 

[angiep]

I've always managed the test as I'm still pretty active in life. It's not worth worrying about reaching the goal on a test. I've never looked into the pitfalls and won't.

I'm pleased for you, it sounds like you've got it sorted.
The reason for us researching and trying to give my husband the absolute best chance of passing is that if he loses his C1 licence we will have to sell our much loved motorhome. We can downsize to 3.5 but if we can possibly keep our moho that's what we want.

 

[Badknee]

I had to do it to regain my hgv licence. Total fail the 1st time then six months of hard labour exercise and past with flying colours.
You will finish the test and they will leave the leads on and continue to monitor you as Les Dawson had one as part of a full mot for his insurance company. He finished the torture, sat down, leads off and had a massive heart attack so now they leave them on.

 

[Phill D]

I'm pleased for you, it sounds like you've got it sorted.
The reason for us researching and trying to give my husband the absolute best chance of passing is that if he loses his C1 licence we will have to sell our much loved motorhome. We can downsize to 3.5 but if we can possibly keep our moho that's what we want.

Forearmed is forewarned. And you understand what is going on.
Sensible I think.

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[Phill D]

I had to do it to regain my hgv licence. Total fail the 1st time then six months of hard labour exercise and past with flying colours.
You will finish the test and they will leave the leads on and continue to monitor you as Led Dawson had one as part of a full mot for his insurance company. He finished the torture, sat down, leads off and had a massive heart attack so now they leave them on.

Yes they monitor your recovery period.

 

[Lee337]

it would have been nice just to get my HGV back. Applied 10 months ago and only now have they decided they need to speak to my consultant as I've had a heart defect since birth (never affected me in any way & at 50, still active). The consultant said he needs to see me face to face before writing the DVLA report & can fit me in, in October 2022. That's 14 months since applying & I've found myself another job now anyway.

Got to carry on or I'm likely to lose my C1 category.

 

[John Barrett]

Comment in the Benidorm Weekly rag.
"DVLA are currently Shirking From Home"!

 

[Barti Ddu]

I think that Solwaybuggier is right. The test is to show that your heart can cope under stress. I think that they want to check that it can operate without malfunction when at above 85% of its theoretical maximum heart rate for your age. I think that for most people walking at 3.5mph up a 14% incline for any prolonged period would be a big ask.

 

[Riverbankannie]

On wikipedia, it says the formula 220 - age inaccurate and other formulas better. You may well find that a higher heart rate is OK. As said above, I think the ECG results, blood pressure and oxygen percentage under the stress more important.

​

Underlying Heart Rate Formulas​

Maximum heart rate (MHR) is often calculated with the formula 220-age, which is quite inaccurate. The heart rate formula most often used for the Bruce is the Karvonen formula (below).

A more accurate formula, offered in a study published in the journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, is 206.9 - (0.67 x age) which can also be used to more accurately determine VO2 Max, but may produce significantly different results.

Karvonen method​

The Karvonen method factors in resting heart rate (HRrest) to calculate target heart rate (THR), using a range of 50–85%:[citation needed]

THR = ((HRmax − HRrest) × %Intensity) + HRrest
Example for someone with a HRmax of 180 and a HRrest of 70:

• 50% intensity: ((180 − 70) × 0.50) + 70 = 125 bpm
• 85% intensity: ((180 − 70) × 0.85) + 70 = 163 bpm

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[wiljoy]

I'm pleased for you, it sounds like you've got it sorted.
The reason for us researching and trying to give my husband the absolute best chance of passing is that if he loses his C1 licence we will have to sell our much loved motorhome. We can downsize to 3.5 but if we can possibly keep our moho that's what we want.

Just carry on with a slow build up of exercise preferably on an incline. On the level is easy but it's when they start the tilt it becomes harder.

 

[stevec]

I've just been to the gym on an open weekend and had a go on their treadmill (wife is already a member). After a few minutes warm up I managed all three sections of the test with a peak heart rate of 120. However this is with holding on to the hand grips. Can anyone who has done the test advise as to whether you have to do the test "hands off" as that introduces extra effort. I didn't try this. Also are you allowed a few minutes warmup? I have been doing the CouchTo5k scheme for a few weeks and they advise a 5 minute brisk walk before running. Also can you jog the test or is it only walking?

P.S. I am just coming up to my 68th birthday and would probably be asked to do a stress test due to medical conditions. I want to be prepared!

 

[Phill D]

You cannot hold on to the grips that is not stressful enough.
You do not get a warm up period.
That is setting 1

 

[Neil S]

I had unexplained chest pains which after extensive testing the hospital could find nothing wrong
However when I casually mentioned that I wanted to renew my expired HGV class 1 they insisted i went on the treadmill and did the 9 minute test
Boy was it hard they had me wired up to the monitor but after 7minutes and 20 secs I was exhausted and sweating buckets
I had to stop and thought that’s me failed so I can’t renew my licence
However the cardiologist did a report to DVLA saying that I was in his opinion ok to drive as there was no signs of a heart problem and I got my licence back

 

[stevec]

OK thanks looks like I need to try harder. Forewarned is forearmed!

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[Neil S]

You cannot hold on to the grips that is not stressful enough.
You do not get a warm up period.
That is setting 1

They allowed me to at Dumfries infirmary during my test

 

[Phill D]

They allowed me to at Dumfries infirmary during my test

Not me here in South Wales, and they insist you keep upto the front of the tred mill, no lagging back,

 

[Riverbankannie]

I wouldn’t have thought a warm up given as they will want to know your base (at rest) readings in order to see what, if any, changes occur.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I was allowed to hold the front bar during my tests, both times.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Forgot to add that the initial 3 mins is really the warm up period and as said dont drink caffeinated drinks or sugary drinks 24 hrs before you go and only have a light meal/ breakfast.

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[bobnick]

Bought (and brought ) a used scooter last Saturday afternoon. Evening did the change of ownership online.
New updated V5 arrived this am. One week, that's not bad is it?

 

[angiep]

Currently in the same situation as OP, and similarly doing gym work to prepare. From my experience so far, first 2 levels are simple - in fact the first is almost too slow a pace to walk easily. But I find the 3.4mph pace really difficult - too fast to walk easily, not fast enough to jog - I'll keep trying! I don't find the incline a particular problem.

Well, my husband is still waiting for his stress test. The hospital cancelled the 22nd June a few days before and we are back to waiting for them to find him another date. Have you had yours yet Solwaybuggier?
The application for the license was submitted on 10th Jan and license expired early April. We can use the motorhome in UK but not Europe. On the plus side at least he is confident of being physically able to complete the test having spent a couple of months practicing at the local gym.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I had 2 stress tests cancelled,both at different hospitals,basically because the DVLA were overly slow in payment or didn't want to pay the invoices to the hospital's.

 

[angiep]

I had 2 stress tests cancelled,both at different hospitals,basically because the DVLA were overly slow in payment or didn't want to pay the invoices to the hospital's.

Good grief! It's almost like the DVLA are doing their best to make it impossible to renew a C1.
I think it was you that suggested practicing the test to music. Thanks, it made a big difference.

 

[Solwaybuggier]

I had my test on 20 June, and passed as far as the consultant was concerned. Still heard nothing from DVLA though.

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[angiep]

I had my test on 20 June, and passed as far as the consultant was concerned. Still heard nothing from DVLA though.

Glad you have got your test out of the way. Just the waiting game with the DVLA to get through now!

 

[pappajohn]

I had a treadmill test 6 years ago, not licence related.
I didn't get past the first 3 minutes.
Angiogram later that day then a triple bypass operation

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Finally! Checked my licence status today and it’s showing as licence renewed (with C1) from today, 6 months after the D4 reached DVLA. Just got to wait for the actual licence now. But they did have one final query on 7 July, which people may need to be aware of.

On the Vision Assessment form, they said the optician hadn't answered q2(d), which asks “If glasses are worn for driving, is the corrective power greater than plus (+)8 dioptres in any meridian of either lens?” with a Y/N answer. As I wear contact lenses for driving (& the previous question had asked "What kind of corrective lenses are worn to meet this standard?”,options being glasses, contact lenses or both) it would seem logical that 2(d) did not apply. But apparently in 2(d) "glasses" includes contacts, as a generic term! So it was back to the opticians! Once I've received my new licence I will be writing to suggest a rewording of the question, but in the meantime it may help people completing a D4 to be aware of the issue.

Hope AngieP(the OP)'s husband, has finally got sorted - but I'm certainly not going through all this again, not least because my next reapplication in 3 years would be not long before my wife would need to reapply, and she's made it very clear she's not going to go through all of this!

 

[MarionK]

I tend to agree. It seems like an impossible task. If he was younger his maximum permitted heart rate would be higher so it's almost like the older you are the more difficult they make it!

I'm pretty sure I'd fail, and I'm only 60 and never had any heart trouble yet. If I did, I'd be extremely worried about doing nearly 10 minutes non stop walking of any kind. Maybe that's the idea, to get folks to chicken out.

 

[Peter and Julie]

I had unexplained chest pains which after extensive testing the hospital could find nothing wrong
However when I casually mentioned that I wanted to renew my expired HGV class 1 they insisted i went on the treadmill and did the 9 minute test
Boy was it hard they had me wired up to the monitor but after 7minutes and 20 secs I was exhausted and sweating buckets
I had to stop and thought that’s me failed so I can’t renew my licence
However the cardiologist did a report to DVLA saying that I was in his opinion ok to drive as there was no signs of a heart problem and I got my licence back

I specifically asked for a treadmill/stress test after getting breathless walking round the shops. I'm 54. In my family its hereditary, 3 stents and a bit of laser surgery to unblock the 4th vein/artery I'm great!

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