• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Type I: Diabetes and working

mc9

mc9

Well-Known Member
Messages
170
Type of diabetes
Type 1
How do people with diabetes generally handle the different kinds of work
 
Hi @mc9, I think you probably need to be a little more specific. There are many kinds of work. WHat is the type you are thinking about? For what it's worth, I've done everything from manual farm labour through factory work to office style jobs. I've generally just got on with them and managed my glucose levels around them. Just a case of getting on with life really.
 
mc9 said:
How do people with diabetes generally handle the different kinds of work
Click to expand...

It will be a little while until you actually work, but most just get on with their jobs, I am on the go with my work and I like to be out and about and active. You could even put doing a sport up there with active work.
 
I just go to work same as everyone else. Same as before I had diabetes. I just sit at a desk though. There are type 1 air pilots and type 1 personal trainers, might take a bit more planning for them, but they just get on with it too.
 
catapillar said:
I just go to work same as everyone else. Same as before I had diabetes. I just sit at a desk though. There are type 1 air pilots and type 1 personal trainers, might take a bit more planning for them, but they just get on with it too.
Click to expand...
I didn't think type 1 could be a commercial pilot due to risk, co-pilot and other aviation jobs are permitted
I know as type 1's we can get a pilots licence but that is only to fly in a private capacity.
 
PseudoBob77 said:
I didn't think type 1 could be a commercial pilot due to risk, co-pilot and other aviation jobs are permitted
I know as type 1's we can get a pilots licence but that is only to fly in a private capacity.
Click to expand...

There is a member on here who has been diagnosed type 1 and returned to work as a pilot. I'll see if I can remember his name and tag him...
 
mc9 said:
How do people with diabetes generally handle the different kinds of work
Click to expand...
In a way just as you would sport, you find what routine helps you to main good control whilst engaging in that activity. Diabetes doesn't stop you doing anything you want in life :)
 
catapillar said:
There is a member on here who has been diagnosed type 1 and returned to work as a pilot. I'll see if I can remember his name and tag him...
Click to expand...
I took about 5 hours flying lessons a few years back and read up on flying commercially with type 1 the bottom line i found was that i wasn't allowed to work as a commercial pilot if i got my pilots licence.

This might be different if you are already an established commercial pilot, but diabetes creates to much risk being in charge of people and cargo when concentration and blood sugars continually change.
 
Let's not forget the T1 Rugby and NFL players.
PseudoBob77 said:
I didn't think type 1 could be a commercial pilot due to risk, co-pilot and other aviation jobs are permitted
I know as type 1's we can get a pilots licence but that is only to fly in a private capacity.
Click to expand...
As @catapillar states, the rules have changed (in 2012). Both in the UK and US, Commercial Pilots with Type 1 are now allowed to fly professionally.
 
So I can re-engage in flying lessons again if i want to change career
 
I think any kind of work whether it's a labourer or office admin can function well with type 1, it just requires planning and lots of testing, some days like any non diabetic are going to be challenging so a certain resilience to being adaptable and just carrying on is required, but it shouldn't stop you from doing anything you want to do ;)
 
Let's face it, you can do anything. Jay Cutler, the number 1 quarterback for the Chicago Bears since 2009 is a Type 1.
 
mc9 said:
How do people with diabetes generally handle the different kinds of work
Click to expand...

You just make the necessary adjustments, most jobs/occupations are doable if you put your mind to it, you'll find this out yourself once you leave school @mc9
 
PseudoBob77 said:
I didn't think type 1 could be a commercial pilot due to risk, co-pilot and other aviation jobs are permitted
I know as type 1's we can get a pilots licence but that is only to fly in a private capacity.
Click to expand...

It used to be that way, but the rules have changed. Although I would imagine there are variations between different company policies.
 
I've travelled the world, working onsite in various cities (and camps in the desert!) as an IT consultant. You just learn to work around different working hours and local diets. One thing I always do when I visit a new location where people don;t know me is mention that I have type 1 diabetes so a) there's no need for them to worry if they see me injecting drugs b) if my bg drops low then I get stupid and bad tempered so please tell me if I'm being at all rude or nasty! That usually gets a laugh and is a gentle intro to colleagues.
 
Going back to work was a worry for me (the airline pilot!) and it's been straight forward.

Sitting in a seat all day keeps the levels pretty steady. I find my control is better at work then at home when I'm moving about/doing things! Readings have ranged from low 5s to 11 or so. I have to take readings at certain times so some readings are within 2 hours of eating (the Krispy Kreme doughtnut bumped me up to 11 just before landing yesterday, but was nicely down to 7.2 a couple of hours later).

I bring my own food, keep fasting acting carbs next to me, use my libre and tell all the crew of my situation. I've been slowly transitioning over to unlabelled crew food using my Carbs and Cals app.
 
I trained as a dancer & spent 2 years in the Italian Operetta Company touring Italy as a dancer. I then did lots of dance work in the uk with well known celebrities, taught dance then spent 10 years in advertising. Had 2 children then went to university to do a dance studies degree which was both practical & academic. I did teacher training at the Royal Academy of Dance and have since worked as a teacher. I also work on Queen Mary 2 & Britannia, during school holidays, organising & delivering youth activities. I wouldn't say that type 1 (for coming up to 56 years now) hasn't stopped me doing anything but I do need to be well organised in order to be able to manage!!!!
 
Most of it is doing your first few days and seeing where patterns appear. You might find different times show up hypos or stressful periods of the day impact you more, just like school. You can then adjust your insulin accordingly. I'm lucky to have an insulin pump so I can just lower my basal if I find I'm on the shop floor that day and not on a till but that is obviously harder if you are on injections. Employers must give you reasonable adjustments though so that might be some advanced warning of what your schedule is likely to look like as far as they can know that to help you prep in advance. :)
 
Back
Top