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Diabetic in Prison?

M

Mark262626

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Don't know if anybody will be able to help me here but just in case someone works in a prison or know someone who has been there.

Am back in court next month for sentencing and know I'll be getting a prison sentence. It's a big head wreck but am trying to be ready for it and make the best of things.

I am Type 2 diabetic so am trying to figure how that will work in prison. I know if I was Type 1 it would be mich worse with injections and that but that doesn't apply to me. I usea CGM and the last time I got arrested the police took that off when I got searched and put in the cell. I assume I wont be allowed that in prison so will have to go back to finger prick tests - will I be able to do them myself or will a nurse take it? I wasn't very good at controlling my levels before being ona CGM but now am very good as I can check it all the time.

Am also wondering if teh "diabetic" food is alright and if thereis a choice as there is much choice as there are many things I don't like. I know I'll be tempted just to have the regular food.

The other thing is that I am due to have retinopathy injections and don't know how taht wil work if I am in prison. I have been in with teh diabetic clinic I go to and they are doing areport on my condition and medication and say that the prison healthcare people will lok after all that but i don't know what to expect/

I know I've got plenty of other things to be worried about and it's not meant to be easy but just asking about this if anybody knows
 
Hi @Mark262626 and welcome to the forums.

I don't know the answers to your questions but it would probably help if you could confirm what medication you are on (your profile says you are on tablets ) and whether you are low carbing as a method of controlling your T2. Also, can you confirm your country, as I'm pretty sure that prison rules and regulations vary widely with location.

Hopefully someone here will be able to answer your questions.
 
Mark262626 said:
Don't know if anybody will be able to help me here but just in case someone works in a prison or know someone who has been there.

Am back in court next month for sentencing and know I'll be getting a prison sentence. It's a big head wreck but am trying to be ready for it and make the best of things.

I am Type 2 diabetic so am trying to figure how that will work in prison. I know if I was Type 1 it would be mich worse with injections and that but that doesn't apply to me. I usea CGM and the last time I got arrested the police took that off when I got searched and put in the cell. I assume I wont be allowed that in prison so will have to go back to finger prick tests - will I be able to do them myself or will a nurse take it? I wasn't very good at controlling my levels before being ona CGM but now am very good as I can check it all the time.

Am also wondering if teh "diabetic" food is alright and if thereis a choice as there is much choice as there are many things I don't like. I know I'll be tempted just to have the regular food.

The other thing is that I am due to have retinopathy injections and don't know how taht wil work if I am in prison. I have been in with teh diabetic clinic I go to and they are doing areport on my condition and medication and say that the prison healthcare people will lok after all that but i don't know what to expect/

I know I've got plenty of other things to be worried about and it's not meant to be easy but just asking about this if anybody knows
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Hi Mark,

Welcome to the forum.
Prisons & the police do have a duty of care.

Where roughly, are you geographically located in the world?

How long (approx.) is your custodial sentence likely to be..?
Though your retinopathy treatment maybe a security & logistical challenge for the prison service. You should be entitled under that "duty of care."
 
EllieM said:
Hi @Mark262626 and welcome to the forums.

I don't know the answers to your questions but it would probably help if you could confirm what medication you are on (your profile says you are on tablets ) and whether you are low carbing as a method of controlling your T2. Also, can you confirm your country, as I'm pretty sure that prison rules and regulations vary widely with location.

Hopefully someone here will be able to answer your questions.
Click to expand...


I am on glicazide 2 x30mg oer day (was on 3), 2 x metroformin per day, Penindopril 1 per day and 1 Rosuvasatin. I am not good at knowing what med is what but think the first 2 are the main diabetes control ones.

Yes I do low carba s much as I can - don't eat rice or pasta and barely any potatoes or bread. Don't do any special diabetic food or anything like that. Thing is people have told me that when you get special diabetic meals they are mainly no sugar but still have most of the other stuff that ups the reading.

Am living in England.

Thanks
 
Mark262626 said:
Yes I do low carba s much as I can - don't eat rice or pasta and barely any potatoes or bread. Don't do any special diabetic food or anything like that. Thing is people have told me that when you get special diabetic meals they are mainly no sugar but still have most of the other stuff that ups the reading.
Click to expand...

Given that the official government/NICE diet for diabetes includes carbohydrates, I’d suspect that you’d need an official letter from your GP or a dietician indicating that the management of your diabetes depends upon restricting carbohydrates in order to eat low carb in prison. It’s difficult enough in a hospital setting. Of course you’d always have the option not to eat certain elements of what is offered, but that’d likely leave you hungry.
 
Pleaded guily and have been told to expect 18months - 3 years. Obviously hoping its more like 18 months.

The rrinopathy thing when I was told is freaking me out about the channce of losing sight. Just hope I can still that done even if I am in prison.

Appreciate the links above as well - a lot to read there but sometimes those guides are what should happen instead of what really happens
 
I agree, you'll do better if your GP or diabetic team write an official letter to the court/prison stating you are diet controlled. and you require suitable low carb meals as well as access to medication at set times.
 
TriciaWs said:
I agree, you'll do better if your GP or diabetic team write an official letter to the court/prison stating you are diet controlled. and you require suitable low carb meals as well as access to medication at set times.
Click to expand...

As he's on gliclazide even the NHS will admit he also needs access to testing. Not sure what the sitaution will be on using a self funded dexcom or libre but you can but ask. I think DUK may be a good resource here, as I believe they may have some advocacy services.
 
I think the meter and lancing device and lancets would be confiscated first up when the new prisoner is being processed (invasive body / rectal search comes to mind), and only given out and used under medical supervision.
 
I’m so sorry to hear this, Mark, it must be a very stressful situation. My impression has always been that institutional diets, whether hospital or prison, tend to be quite high carb, so that may be tricky. I don’t want to sound defeatist, but maybe if what you’re looking at is only 18 months to 3 years (and I say “only”, I don’t mean to minimise it at all!) then in a “worst case scenario”, if you don’t manage to get the concessions you need, be kind to yourself. I’ve had periods of longer than 18 months where I’ve let control slip badly - and then I’ve got back on the wagon. If you have a couple of years of less-good control, that’s a shame, and it’s not ideal, but you can get back to working hard at it when you get out.

And in the meantime, I hope you manage to get some or all of the concessions that you need. Not allowing a CGM seems very unnecessary :(. And I hope that court next month goes OK and that it will be at the lower end. Take care.
 
Since the party line for diabetes is to eat the same as everyone else and base your diet on starchy carbohydrates and fructose, I have a very hard time imagining that a prison will recognise the existence of a suitable diabetic diet, let alone offer one.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Since the party line for diabetes is to eat the same as everyone else and base your diet on starchy carbohydrates and fructose, I have a very hard time imagining that a prison will recognise the existence of a suitable diabetic diet, let alone offer one.
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Jim is depressingly correct here: you should try to get a medical letter saying you need low-carb though- it's worth a try. If that doesn't work, I suppose you will just need to minimize the carbs and try to work them off as best you can. If you can work off the carbs you eat, you can probably still be ok for a year or longer if it comes to that- my T2 diabetic dad eats nothing but carbs, but he doesn't eat any more than he needs and he's very active: his Hba1c numbers are always great.
 
Thanks for all the advise.

Yeah am a bit all over the plavce right now with everything going on and thinking about the next couple of yearrs but glad too hear from people. The main thing I will make sure is I get those letters from my GP and the diabetes situation to have them and hopefully they help. Was horrible having to explain why i neded the letters but I know that is my own fault.

I know I won't be greay at sticking to my current plan when I don't have control. I find it hard enough sometimes ebven now. I am good when I am at home but I work on sites and it's hard to stick to the salads and stuff when most are having breakfasts and rolls and that and I am not always good but it;s not the end of teh world if I can't always stick to the diet. I know I have other things that I need to be more worried about.

Everything I have read seems to say that I should have accesss to the same healthcare even in prison so hope that applies to the retinopathy. That is the thing I am eorried about not got treatment for as the team told me how important was I get treatment for it. Hopefully it works out for mr. I've seen people from prison in the hospital before with guards and handcuffed so I suppose if I get it I will be like that which must be gorrible with people straing at you but would prefer to get it than not.
 
Hi @Mark262626 have you tried talking to the booking team where you are due to get your retinopathy injections and explained your situation - they must have come across similar in the past (and if not they might need to start thinking about it for the future!)? Maybe you can get some treatment sooner/before you go back to court at least?

Does your medical situation get taken into account for sentencing? Hoping that you are treated fairly and that you are not made to pay with your long-term health on top of your actual sentence.
 
Explained the situation and got my first eye injections week after next so just before going back for sentencing, They said it would definitely be better for me to be started before I go to prison as better to have the treatment started before then.

Solicitor has the details but doesn't think it will make much of adifference. Told the probation officer as well.
 
Mark262626 said:
Explained the situation and got my first eye injections week after next so just before going back for sentencing, They said it would definitely be better for me to be started before I go to prison as better to have the treatment started before then.

Solicitor has the details but doesn't think it will make much of adifference. Told the probation officer as well.
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Hi Mark,

As someone who has on a couple of occasions a brush with the law in my youth..? Arrests but No charges.
(It is apreciated the custody officers have procedures to protect themselves during routine arrests & wot not. Not just us from the rash judgements under the circumstances?)

Behaviour & compliance is key. What i was falsely accused of & vindicated after extensive scrutiny on one occasion.? Let's just say. I Should have been cuffed? (Long story, someone used a half glassed door as a "weapon" my wounds were found as defensive.)

Hopefully you will gain support if there is an earned trust..
(I can only be candid & impart my own experience.)

Best wishes..
 
Got my first round of eye injections yesterday so that was something. Got given an appointment for the next set next month but will have to see what happens with that. At least I have the appointment o bring with me.

Back in court next week for my sentencing
 
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