Early retirement and diabetes

[HpprKM]

Not sure where I can go with this question, or anyone here can really advise - but knowing there are some really 'wise owls' out there I thought it worth a try

I will be 60 towards the end of this year and should have been reaching retirement age for a woman, however, as you probably know the age is being gradually being raised starting from anyone born in 1950 - me! I now have to wait to receive government pension until 60.5 yrs. I have a particularly demanding job, which I have loved until recently but it is getting more demanding, employers putting more pressure on us all (others struggling and some are off with stress). As a T2 diagnosed around 2.5 yrs ago, I am feeling increasingly exhausted to the point of not being able to sleep (partially due to my work), and have all kinds of other T2 symptoms which combined with tiredness and stress are really getting me down, and making me so depressed.

I really need the money, but not sure how much longer I can cope.... I feel that the stress is sending sugar levels up, also other symptoms such as getting into bed and feeling all kinds of itches. I have developed dry skin to the point of mild eczema (hope spelt right), so constantly need to apply emolient, I recently had ear surgery and now have tinnitus (I am told that I am losing the higher frequency levels of hearing - and I have not read any information about this, but feel sure that it may be linked to diabetes since it is nerve damage), also have other problems including my feet burning after being on them so much at work and now developing leg pain in my right leg.

Yes I sound a wreck :roll: , and such a moan and depressing person, I am not really - but this is really beginning to get to me, last night I had around 4 hrs sleep, awoke after an hour then my mind was full of work issues, then my skin itched, then my feet were burning and so on and so forth! My sugar levels have not been that high, and I do not check them that frequently, yes I know I should - a habit I must change. But I just feel I can hardly manage with the diabetes, work and enforced H.E. study for the next year just to keep the job, by the time I graduate I will be ready to retire, or fit to drop - one or the other :wink:

I have my first UK grandchild due in May and I want to be able to enjoy it, the way I am feeling I will not have any energy for that, or to help my daughter .... have two grandchildren who live abroad a tough situation but I have learned to live with it, so the baby here means so much to me!

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi HpprKM,

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time of it.

I think if I was in your shoes, I would go and see the Dr. and get some sick leave. During this time you will be able to recharge your batteries and be able to make a decision about the future. It is no fun holding down a job and feeling as rough as you do.

Would you be able to manage money-wise if you stopped work. Most people think they can't but although it is a big leap most pensioners manage. Your health is paramount and so is your future. I do not have grandchildren but know my friends go out of their way to make them part of their lives.

At the end of the day, you have to find a solution for you. Carry on working and bring yourself even further down or give it up and live life to the full. This is not a rehearsal.

You say you do not test often. Is your diabetes controlled? If it isn't then getting it stable may make you feel better. Time off would help with this as you would have time to sort it out.

Whatever you decide, and it has to be your decision, I wish you all the best.

Catherine.

 

[Synonym]

Hello Hpprkm

I am so sorry that you are having such a tough time at present.

As Catherine says go and see your doctor. List all the health issues that you are trying to cope with and tell him that you are not managing all of those never mind going to work as well. If you end up crying all over him then don’t worry about it since at least he will actually ‘see’ that the problems are real.

You say that you need the money but if you go off sick you will get sickness benefit as a start and may find that you can get other help too. Depending on your work contract your employer may even have to pay you for some considerable time; in any case that is worth investigating if you don’t already know. You may find that being able to pull back and relax may help you deal with the health issues more easily and you may even get better or at least on an even keel quicker. Sometimes it is a vicious circle and you can see that the health problems don’t help the work problems and vice versa.

It might help to go and see someone at the CAB who could help you to claim other things. You may even be eligible for DLA but do need to remember when filling in any form that the questions you are having to answer concern your very worst day so that is a bit of mental gymnastics too. Our council has a benefits maximisation team which send someone out to your home to ensure that you are getting all the help that you can have and they fill in the forms for you. Again worth enquiring once you are off sick.

Don’t forget that it costs money to go to work – fares and transport, clothes, convenience foods because you are too tired to cook, office collections, secret Santa presents, etc. etc.! :roll:

It is amazing how you can manage – truly!

You sound as if you don’t feel well enough to work and can’t cope with the pressures of work and further education and you really need to be well to cope with those pressures. At your age you have earned retirement and should not be feeling guilty about anything and you need to be able to enjoy your grandchildren so do go and see your doctor so that you will be able to do so. 8)

Sometimes it is better to make the decision yourself and make it a positive thing rather than waiting too long so that the problems are more serious and difficult to recover from.

 

[JanetS]

Do you know what, reading your post is like reading my OWN thoughts and problems. It is scaringly similar.

However, I appreciate and understand that you may not be THAT similar to me money-wise or employment wise, so I'll just tell you my management/coping strategy.

With painful rheumatoid arthritis I continued to commute into Central London until the end of 2003 when my then employers offered voluntary redundancy. I snatched their hands off, took it, then started another job, again in London (stoopid me), and after 2 years begged for part time. I decreased work by a day. After the tube strikes I realised I just could.not.go.on!! I was dragging myself to work each day. I was stressed, my feet were burning (but I eventually got the good medication for it, even though it makes me drowsy the next morning). Things were made worse when I asked my doctor if I could apply for retirement on health grounds. Her reply? 'You don't fit the criteria. We can always manage the pain'.

To say I was gutted and disappointed was an under-statement. (My Mum begs me constantly to do this.)

So. I resigned from that job in Central London and vowed, for the sake of my health, and sanity, to take on another job nearer home, and with less hours. I now work for a local NHS doing Bank admin work, and can more or less dictate my own hours. Yes I have savings and a tiny pension from my old job (but the pension went against me when I tried to sign on at the Jobcentre some years ago. It stopped me getting JSA, would you believe???), and my pay now is less than £8 an hour. Unfortunately, I don't get a Govt. pension for another 5.5 years.

I also get tinnitus...and that is a good point you make about connection with diabetes! I was diagnosed T2 just 2 months ago. My Mum STILL insists I could get disability benefits. But I am not sure, so I carry on working. But my health has improved sooo much by cutting down the hours. Do you know what? I barely feel the arthritis pains now, because now I drive to work. Just 15-20 minutes and I'm there. Bliss!

Please, take the advice and go on sick leave. Claim stress/depression/fatigue. And I'm pretty sure you don't even have to milk it...you sound quite ill and surely your GP will acknowledge this? However long they give you, just keep extending it, providing you get full money. Or half, whatever your sick pay policy is. Then bring up the subject of medically retiring.

Give it a go. Good luck, and let us know how you are and how things are working out.
(Sorry for waffling on! But I thought I'd give you my experience of benefitting from reduced working hours.)
Janet

 

[Bluenosesol]

I had 23 years of service until last June when I was kicked out of the door without a penny due to the company going into administration. I went from a high salary to £63 a week. After 6 months they have now stopped my Job Seekers allowance. Currently living on a very small early pension and the wife's part time wages. I suspect that my jobseeking endeavours are going to bear fruit fairly soon..
..HOWEVER...this time off has given me space and time to get to terms with my diabetes. I rarely get a BG above 6 (at meal + 2) and HBA1C is in the 5's. Even though I have struggled financially, I have never felt better and never been happier!!!!.MONEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE HAPPINESS!!!
GET THAT TIME OFF WORK AND LOOK AFTER YOURSELF!!!
Good Luck - Steve.

 

[artijayne]

Not sure where I can go with this question, or anyone here can really advise - but knowing there are some really 'wise owls' out there I thought it worth a try

I will be 60 towards the end of this year and should have been reaching retirement age for a woman, however, as you probably know the age is being gradually being raised starting from anyone born in 1950 - me! I now have to wait to receive government pension until 60.5 yrs. I have a particularly demanding job, which I have loved until recently but it is getting more demanding, employers putting more pressure on us all (others struggling and some are off with stress). As a T2 diagnosed around 2.5 yrs ago, I am feeling increasingly exhausted to the point of not being able to sleep (partially due to my work), and have all kinds of other T2 symptoms which combined with tiredness and stress are really getting me down, and making me so depressed.

I really need the money, but not sure how much longer I can cope.... I feel that the stress is sending sugar levels up, also other symptoms such as getting into bed and feeling all kinds of itches. I have developed dry skin to the point of mild eczema (hope spelt right), so constantly need to apply emolient, I recently had ear surgery and now have tinnitus (I am told that I am losing the higher frequency levels of hearing - and I have not read any information about this, but feel sure that it may be linked to diabetes since it is nerve damage), also have other problems including my feet burning after being on them so much at work and now developing leg pain in my right leg.

Yes I sound a wreck :roll: , and such a moan and depressing person, I am not really - but this is really beginning to get to me, last night I had around 4 hrs sleep, awoke after an hour then my mind was full of work issues, then my skin itched, then my feet were burning and so on and so forth! My sugar levels have not been that high, and I do not check them that frequently, yes I know I should - a habit I must change. But I just feel I can hardly manage with the diabetes, work and enforced H.E. study for the next year just to keep the job, by the time I graduate I will be ready to retire, or fit to drop - one or the other :wink:

I have my first UK grandchild due in May and I want to be able to enjoy it, the way I am feeling I will not have any energy for that, or to help my daughter .... have two grandchildren who live abroad a tough situation but I have learned to live with it, so the baby here means so much to me!

Hi I am in a similar position as I, like you, can’t get my state pension for another 5 years. Finding it difficult to get up in the morning to go to work especially when I have had a sleepless night. Too tired for exercise. I could take my work pension and do less hours of work. But it’s scary as the works pension is not much to live on. Maybe it’s the right thing to do as I would have more time to lookaftermyself and enjoy my grandchild. Hope your situations and health improves. Definitely a good idea to go off work for a while. Jayne x

 

[Daphne917]

@HpprKM I am in the same situation - turned 60 last year and have another 5 years before I can collect my state pension. However I am lucky as I have been able to take partial retirement and drop from 5 days to 3 days per week - is that an option for you?

 

[MrsA2]

The original posts on ghis thread are over 10 years old. I dare say everyone has since retired. You may wish to start a new up to date thread instead

 

[aard]

I know of someone , whose work suffered from Diabetes, brain fog etc, he got sacked and is now having to sue the company.

Just a word of caution for anybody reading these posts saying take sick leave for Diabetes.

Note this company is underdtanding for things like cancer , heart probs etc.