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I am over reacting?

LittleGreyCat said:
I would respectfully suggest that you make time to eat between lessons.
8.30 until lunch is an awfully long time to go without food considering your symptoms.
When I was at school {mumble} years ago we used to have a mid morning break between lessons.
Gentler times, probably.
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We have a morning break, but generally that is more like 5 minutes as you move your stuff to the next class room. very difficult to grab any food. today I have 5 lessons back to back. That is a normal day for most teachers in the UK. between individual lessons I might have 1 minute which again is not enough time to eat anything. I am going to see my doc to get reassessed and also speak to my union rep and see if I am missing out on anything i am due.
 
Make the doctor the first point of call. Many T2s can successfully fast all day without the issues you describe.
 
I would recommend going back to your doctor ASAP. On Metformin you should not be feeling or getting hypos like you are or feeling bad enough to not be able to do your job properly There is something that needs to be sorted out
 
Simon101, I am concerned that, as a Type 2 diabetic, you may simply not be eating enough food to sustain a busy teaching day. This could also mean that not only are you not eating enough food but possibly also not enough protein and fat.
And a second thought. Were your blood sugar levels unstable during the recent school holidays? What do you actually eat on a typical school day?
 
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simonr101 said:
Thanks for you advice. I love almonds and they were my go to food. But in a nut free school they are a no-no. I am trying to get an appointment with my doc to get a referral.
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OK, so no nuts, but there must be other suitable things you could eat as a quick snack. Look for both Lowish Carb and Low Glycemic Index, because if you get both right then your BG peaks will be flatter and your BG drops in response to high Insulin (cause by the BG peaks) will also be shallower
 
Dr Snoddy said:
Simon101, I am concerned that, as a Type 2 diabetic, you may simply not be eating enough food to sustain a busy teaching day. This could also mean that not only are you not eating enough food but possibly also not enough protein and fat.
And a second thought. Were your blood sugar levels unstable during the recent school holidays? What do you actually eat on a typical school day?
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During the holidays I get to eat when I'm hungry, can't always do this in work. Also during the holidays I am a lot more picky about the carb content of what I eat. Going back to work makes eating healthy or following a low carb diet a bit difficult.
 
bulkbiker said:
Consisting of what exactly? These may be one of the reasons you have alpine like sugar levels?
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I have a cheddar cheese sandwich and usually one with a slice of processed meat in, ham, chicken, beef.
 
Hi Simon,

I must admit that your posts are making me quite concerned.
You are getting lots of suggestions and advice, but you don't seem to be taking one central fact on board:
This is your health, and nothing takes priority over that.
with a secondary followup that this is your career, and if you lose that, through not taking care of yourself, then your life will change out of all recognition.

If you are experiencing non-responsive hypos, and are going long stretched without food, then you need to do something about it, as a priority.

Simply saying 'I don't have time to eat' is simply not good enough.
Likewise, 'I am too busy to prep and organise food' is also a massive FAIL.
An avoidable fail.

I bet you have priorities in your life that you would never drop. You attend meetings. You prep for classes. Don't you?

Well, the time has now come for you to add new priorities, and they should come before meetings and classroom prep.

There are many, many different snack options that you can arrange to eat on the run.
Cubes of cheese.
Those dried slices of banana you can buy in bags.
chocolate.
slices of chorizo.
adding cream to your coffees

I have attended many meetings where people arrive, explain they missed lunch and then get their sandwiches out.
And I am quite sure that as a science teacher you are more than capable of using the opportunity of a blood test and a brief explanation of why you need to eat a glucose tab as a learning opportunity for your class. Think how useful that could be to them in the future, if they ever have a T1 class member, or a family member with diabetes.

I strongly urge you to stop looking for reasons why you can't do the things that you obviously need to do, and instead work out ways to introduce those things into your life as a priority. Start now. Organise easy bite sized snacks. Pack them in easy to access ways, and make sure you eat one between classes tomorrow - even if it means having them in your pocket and munching them on the move.

And finally, if you truly, genuinely, feel that you are so time poor that you cannot arrange snacks and eat them, in order to avoid a hypo, then please get yourself signed up for a time management course, because there is no one who is genuinely in that situation.

I am sorry if this post seems harsh. ~It isn't intended that way. I have myself been through a 3 year period of my life when I spent around 7 hours a day in the house, 6.5 hours of it sleeping. One day off a week. So I really do understand the challenges of eating on the run, but it also qualifies me to tell you that the consequences of NOT taking care of yourself NOW are going to be much worse than the minor hassle of getting organised and staying healthy.
 
simonr101 said:
Sorry back story:Had to take a day off work this last week. Has been up all night visiting the bathroom every 20 minutes or so, then had a double leg cramp, first one then an hour or so later the other one. I'm a school teacher and I knew that if I went into work the way I was feeling it would not have been good.
Went in the next day and had to have a full "back to work" interview, this is basically because I am also battling depression and anxiety and had a lot of time off over the last year.
During the interview the comment was thrown out " many people are living successfully with diabetes". At the time I left it as I do have a bit of a tendency to over react. But now I'm thinking, ***?
There are mornings when I can just about get up, feel like I am coming out of an anesthetic. I use the Freestyle Libre and Miaomiao with a smart watch (all self funding) so I can make sure I don't hypo in front of a class. In fact in the last year I have had two bad turns where I asked for help. Both of which ended up with me sitting in the staff room unresponsive for between 30 and 50 minutes, I then went home. Both of these were written down as caused by depression, even when I corrected them nothing was changed. The other day during a meeting my alarms were going off and I ended the meeting with a reading of 2.8.
Just how do you make people understand? How do you make people realise what you go through? Especially when it is clear that the person in control has made it quiet clear that we will never be on a "friendly" level of professional relationship.
I am now due to have my 6 monthly blood test done, so that's an over night fast, which means I will need to come in late. I just don't know what to do. I know I am entitled (hate that term) to take the time off but feel like I am under the microscope all the time.

Sorry for this but have no one else that I can talk to.
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No you are not over reacting! Coming from the professional point of view: you are being bullied by your line manager, be that head of dept.or headteacher, this is unacceptable. Speak to HR, union rep etc. Off the premises. Can you talk to the head or C of G, or are they the problem???? Have you been referred for support through the education dept? Don't know what it's called these days, but offer support &'counselling. Used to be Medicare. Next time you have a back to work interview, you set the agenda & make sure you get your point across. Wouldn't even think about having a friendly professional relationship, they don't exist. Be strong. The education authority & school have a duty of care towards their staff.Feel free to contact me should you wish to rant! I speak from experience as a deputy head/acting head, dealing with stress etc. Been the victim of bullying & fought back! They don't like it!
Keep a diary, record everything! even if it seems petty. Actually writing it can be a form of therapy.When I was looking after my parents with dementia and was battling authorities I did this, it's empowering.i also wrote a series of short stories in Joyce Grenfall style about what was happening!!
Can't advise you on diabetes I'm still muddling through myself!
Sorry to ramble on but it's something I feel passionate about. Good luck! X
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Along with others, I am wondering about the hypos.
This isn't usual for people with T2 on Metformin.
I do note that @Dr Snoddy seems to have had similar symptoms.

It might be worth looking up Reactive Hypoglycemia just to check that you don't fit that profile.

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned Union assistance.
Do you belong to a Union?
They are usually very supportive of members.
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I'm on metformin and if I go too long between meals I get a hypo like feeling ..shaky and can't concentrate etc then when I test my BG my readings are in the low 4's which a lot of people on here are fine with.
 
simonr101 said:
I have only been back in the UK for a year after 13 years working abroad. So silly question, do I just ask my doctor for a referral? at the moment my diabetes is being handled by my GP's practice.
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Go back to your doctor ( hopefully you have a decent one ) and explain how you are feeling .
 
Simon101, I tend to agree with Brunneria. Unfortunately, unless you make time for regular food you will become ill, be off work and be letting both yourself and your students down.
If I knew that I was going to have a tough week at school I would give myself an 'M and S' week of low carb ready to eat meals. My colleagues used to think that I was being indulgent but it was remarkably cost-effective. Something cooked for breakfast - I can prepare and eat a cheese omelette in under 5 minutes, something from the 3 deli items for £7 for lunch or a whole food nutty salad, cheese, olives etc as a snack and a ready meal for dinner. This would keep my blood glucose levels stable (and my temper and anxiety under control). I could then concentrate on all the other things that a busy science teacher has to do.
Start being kinder to yourself. You are not indispensable.
 
simonr101 said:
My sugars go up after meals and usually recover after about 2 or 3 hours. I am in a union and have been putting off speaking to anyone as I don't want something that turns out to be nothing escalating.
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It is escalating but due to them not listening. Try and secure a well rehearsed union rep for a meeting your union calls for. Before they try and say the opposite. Your union may just phone your HR for clarification on them supporting their duty of care, even.
 
I agree with all the above!

Having been dxd before the holidays and back at school as a T2 this term there are lots of things to do to keep bs constant and loads of LC options for lunch that are not sandwiches and are quick to eat.

Cooked chicken, left overs from the night before, cold sausages, prawn mayo pot, cheese and LC crackers ( they take 10 mins to make)
Also agree with the self care, you can't do our job at half speed. I had a couple of little bs wobbles as I got used to the new work routine but told children I needed to test and eat and why.(They were crashes after high bs!) There are bound to be a couple of D children in school and it all helps awareness.

And make sure you are in a union. Today. They can advise and support. Keep all emails, messages, meetings, notes etc. I struggled through work place bullying but I wish I'd had the guts to deal with it properly. Ultimately, if you don't like your school, move on and find your spiritual home! Best thing i did.

It is really important to be kind to yourself. Good luck... half term will be here in no time!
 
Jim Lahey said:
A type 2 using Metformin should not typically be experiencing hypoglycaemic episodes. I think possibly you my need referring to an endocrinologist. At the very least your doctor should consider cessation of Metformin, but I can’t see this making much difference.
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Once again I had hypos not on insulin and on metformin only. In 2002- onwards as only time I tested. On metformin before that for PCOS only. I did hv underactive thyroid diagnosed in 1993. After a dose of bell's palsy. So I agree. More may be involved.
 
Once again I had hypos not on insulin and on metformin only. In 2002- onwards as only time I tested. On metformin before that for PCOS only. I did hv underactive thyroid diagnosed in 1993. After a dose of bell's palsy. So I agree. More may be involved.
ALSO
I remember terrible hypo like feelings after a huge drink and treated it with an occasional lucozade sport which sorted me right out. I bragged about a fantastic hangover cure. If only I KNEW.
 
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