Type 2 Work and Diabetes.

[UsmanMo96]

Hi All,

I have been really tired and i cant believe i didn't take a break from work due to being concerned that i would get sacked for my attendance. My health should be first but i unfortunately have had no choice but to come to work, my manager even mentioned in my attendance meeting that his sister is a cleaner at a hospital who has diabetes and she never takes days off which i felt was completely unrelated and irrelevant to my attendance review meeting. - I feel diabetes isn't taken serious and i feel that my manager doesn't understand how my blood sugars being constantly high and not coming down affects my work life. my other colleague who takes insulin told me to go on insulin, which has never really helped improve my diabetes. - anyway. rambling, -
what am i suppose to do if my blood sugars are high and not coming down? as far as work goes? if i take off a week i could get the sack. but even if i take a week off my levels won't come down in a week or a month. - I have not spoken to the union rep yet but i thought i would see what people think because i think i might just leave work and just go away for a while.
i want to go to work and get my work done and feel good and not tired and fatigued due to my blood sugars.

 

[VashtiB]

Hi @UsmanMo96 - how do you usually manage your diabetes? What benefit do you think a break from work would give you in managing your diabetes. I am sorry that you are struggling at work - being fatigued from uncontrolled diabetes makes life generally much harder and can also make it harder to function effectively at work. So understand how you must be struggling at work and it sounds like your work is not very sympathetic or understanding.

I am a type 2 on diet alone- was on metformin but no longer. I found that once I reduced my carb intake my levels went down reasonably quickly. So if you are low carb and still having high levels there might be something else going on. If you ar not low carb that may be something for you to consider.

I usually do one meal a day when working as frankly I work very long hours (approx 10 hours working and 2 hours commuting) and I don't stop for lunch so it's easier not eating than trying to find time to eat so low carb is easy on those days- more challenging on the weekends.

If you are not low carb I would suggest at least considering lowering your carb intake. Your profile suggests you are on Sitagliptin and I'm not sure whether that can cause hypos so if that is a possibility you should gradually lower your carb intake and monitor your levels.

Good luck

 

[EllieM]

I have not spoken to the union rep yet but i thought i would see what people think because i think i might just leave work and just go away for a while.

I'm not in the UK so may be misunderstanding this but I believe they can't sack you for taking time off for hospital and doctor's appointments. And in your position, if this is a fear, I would definitely see my union rep.

And I would also look at what I could do to bring down those levels.... An hba1c of 71 corresponds to an average blood sugar of 11 so it's likely that you are passing sugar into your urine and generally feeling tired and fatigued.

So, some possibilities
1) Diet. I don't know if you low carb and if you do whether you could low carb some more? (Being careful not to hypo if you're on meds that make that a possibility).

2) Stress. Obviously work is an issue here but they are supposed to make reasonable allowances for your condition. I definitely wouldn't quit without talking to a union rep about your options first.

3) Meds. You say you've tried insulin unsuccessfully and your profile says you are on sitagliptin and metformin. I'm not sure whether there are additional T2 drugs that could be combined with these (other than insulin), but am sure your GP will know.

4) long covid? Is this a possibility, in which case you may just need to be patient???

5) It's often hard to differentiate between fatigue and depression. Is it worth seeking help for this?

I'm sure there are other things you can do (eg more exercise if you're not too exhausted and you have the time, try to go for a walk in sunlight etc).

my manager even mentioned in my attendance meeting that his sister is a cleaner at a hospital who has diabetes and she never takes days off

Completely irrelevant and is making me feel very indignant on your behalf. T2 varies massively between people. I would mention this to your union rep.

I can only agree with @VashtiB 's comments about diet being a possible way forward.

Lots of virtual hugs. Hopefully some more informed UK people will be along to give more advice soon.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Hi All,

I have been really tired and i cant believe i didn't take a break from work due to being concerned that i would get sacked for my attendance. My health should be first but i unfortunately have had no choice but to come to work, my manager even mentioned in my attendance meeting that his sister is a cleaner at a hospital who has diabetes and she never takes days off which i felt was completely unrelated and irrelevant to my attendance review meeting. - I feel diabetes isn't taken serious and i feel that my manager doesn't understand how my blood sugars being constantly high and not coming down affects my work life. my other colleague who takes insulin told me to go on insulin, which has never really helped improve my diabetes. - anyway. rambling, -
what am i suppose to do if my blood sugars are high and not coming down? as far as work goes? if i take off a week i could get the sack. but even if i take a week off my levels won't come down in a week or a month. - I have not spoken to the union rep yet but i thought i would see what people think because i think i might just leave work and just go away for a while.
i want to go to work and get my work done and feel good and not tired and fatigued due to my blood sugars.

Normally diabetics do go to work and we shouldn't be expected to have more sickness absence that anyone else nor even have many clinic appointments unless you have complications too?
I think you may need to reach out to HR or Occupational Health re finding a constructive way to help you manage your condition but I don't think its work that is causing you to be ill. If you've made them aware of your condition and explained what you are doing to reduce any sickness then this on record and will surely help you in future given that they may be wary of being accused of disability discrimination.
If your blood sugars are high and I completely understand how exhausting that is, how will being off sick help you? You will just be at home feeling awful and also not being able to pay bills. So the question is how do you get your sugars down? I don't think your union rep can help with that unless you are not being allowed reasonable time off to attend a hospital appointment for example.
Insulin -
The root problem is the blood sugars plus your insulin resistance. Your colleague is correct in one sense that going onto insulin will reduce those sugars but the insulin makes the problem worse in the longer term and will make you more likely to gain weight and have heart disease. Even people who don't make much insulin (later stage type 2s ) can still recover their insulin levels by diet.
Food
Changing diet is the only way to reduce insulin resistance - going low or lower carb so that there are minimal starchy and sweet foods and drinks being consumed. Would that be tricky for you at home and/or at work?
A low carb diet is now deemed to be both safe and effective so you could talk to your diabetes nurse about that or do a little research yourself and get started with the proviso that if you are taking any meds ending in flozin or a gliclazide you should check with a DSN before dropping carbs drastically.

 

[UsmanMo96]

Hi @UsmanMo96 - how do you usually manage your diabetes? What benefit do you think a break from work would give you in managing your diabetes. I am sorry that you are struggling at work - being fatigued from uncontrolled diabetes makes life generally much harder and can also make it harder to function effectively at work. So understand how you must be struggling at work and it sounds like your work is not very sympathetic or understanding.

I am a type 2 on diet alone- was on metformin but no longer. I found that once I reduced my carb intake my levels went down reasonably quickly. So if you are low carb and still having high levels there might be something else going on. If you ar not low carb that may be something for you to consider.

I usually do one meal a day when working as frankly I work very long hours (approx 10 hours working and 2 hours commuting) and I don't stop for lunch so it's easier not eating than trying to find time to eat so low carb is easy on those days- more challenging on the weekends.

If you are not low carb I would suggest at least considering lowering your carb intake. Your profile suggests you are on Sitagliptin and I'm not sure whether that can cause hypos so if that is a possibility you should gradually lower your carb intake and monitor your levels.

Good luck

Hi, I am not currently on any plan as far as diet goes. I have tried fasting and that was slow and never brought my levels down by much. I don't know how time off work could help i genuinely was really depressed last few weeks and probably am still. I want to bring my numbers down and i get scared thinking what if i still feel the same when my numbers are down. Sorry i am on Gliclazide now i take 80mg for breakfast and 80mg for dinner.

 

[UsmanMo96]

I'm not in the UK so may be misunderstanding this but I believe they can't sack you for taking time off for hospital and doctor's appointments. And in your position, if this is a fear, I would definitely see my union rep.

And I would also look at what I could do to bring down those levels.... An hba1c of 71 corresponds to an average blood sugar of 11 so it's likely that you are passing sugar into your urine and generally feeling tired and fatigued.

So, some possibilities
1) Diet. I don't know if you low carb and if you do whether you could low carb some more? (Being careful not to hypo if you're on meds that make that a possibility).

2) Stress. Obviously work is an issue here but they are supposed to make reasonable allowances for your condition. I definitely wouldn't quit without talking to a union rep about your options first.

3) Meds. You say you've tried insulin unsuccessfully and your profile says you are on sitagliptin and metformin. I'm not sure whether there are additional T2 drugs that could be combined with these (other than insulin), but am sure your GP will know.

4) long covid? Is this a possibility, in which case you may just need to be patient???

5) It's often hard to differentiate between fatigue and depression. Is it worth seeking help for this?

I'm sure there are other things you can do (eg more exercise if you're not too exhausted and you have the time, try to go for a walk in sunlight etc).


Completely irrelevant and is making me feel very indignant on your behalf. T2 varies massively between people. I would mention this to your union rep.

I can only agree with @VashtiB 's comments about diet being a possible way forward.

Lots of virtual hugs. Hopefully some more informed UK people will be along to give more advice soon.

My GP and my DSN think i have mental health issues and only offered me 20 sessions of therapy and i even told the therapist i have high blood sugar and

I'm not in the UK so may be misunderstanding this but I believe they can't sack you for taking time off for hospital and doctor's appointments. And in your position, if this is a fear, I would definitely see my union rep.

And I would also look at what I could do to bring down those levels.... An hba1c of 71 corresponds to an average blood sugar of 11 so it's likely that you are passing sugar into your urine and generally feeling tired and fatigued.

So, some possibilities
1) Diet. I don't know if you low carb and if you do whether you could low carb some more? (Being careful not to hypo if you're on meds that make that a possibility).

2) Stress. Obviously work is an issue here but they are supposed to make reasonable allowances for your condition. I definitely wouldn't quit without talking to a union rep about your options first.

3) Meds. You say you've tried insulin unsuccessfully and your profile says you are on sitagliptin and metformin. I'm not sure whether there are additional T2 drugs that could be combined with these (other than insulin), but am sure your GP will know.

4) long covid? Is this a possibility, in which case you may just need to be patient???

5) It's often hard to differentiate between fatigue and depression. Is it worth seeking help for this?

I'm sure there are other things you can do (eg more exercise if you're not too exhausted and you have the time, try to go for a walk in sunlight etc).


Completely irrelevant and is making me feel very indignant on your behalf. T2 varies massively between people. I would mention this to your union rep.

I can only agree with @VashtiB 's comments about diet being a possible way forward.

Lots of virtual hugs. Hopefully some more informed UK people will be along to give more advice soon.

I am planned to have another Hba1c check done soon and my meter is indicating my average in 7 days is 16mmol. -

I will talk to my union rep Monday.

 

[UsmanMo96]

I am going out i appreciate everyone messages. As far as my symptoms go yes i am peeing a lot - as i said i feel tired and fatigued. My muscles feel tired and thats what is affecting me more, - i do walk a lot, according to my fitbit i get 13-16k steps a day. Actually yesterday i got around 26k steps of course that's because I was at work. Anyway i will post back when i get home