Are you disabled?

[Guzzler]

Can I come at this from a different angle? I am a disabled wheelchair user and have multiple conditions one of which is T2. The T2, to me, at this stage is not imo a disability but if I were in the position of a Diabetic facing dialysis, amputation or a chronic heart condition then of course my views might change.

 

[ally1]

I am type2 and Don, t class being diabetic as being disabled or a disability.
I know very little about type1, I know they have to take insulin.
I used to work with a lady who is type1, and she had no problems working full time and openly injected in front of everyone. She is now a social worker with the nhs, full time and no problems. She travels all over the place to far flung places and never any problems.
My nephew is type1. He works full time and no problems. Though when in a group of people, he will say poor me, he loves to get attention.

 

[phdiabetic]

No, I don't mean are you in a wheelchair but do you regard your diabetes as a disability?

I recall a news item a few months ago where a person with T1D gave up work because they regarded diabetes management as a full time job. A similar news article cropped up yesterday where a young woman with a stoma (external bag for collection of bowel contents) was complaining that people wouldn't give up disabled seats on public transport for her.

So my question is: do you regard diabetes as a disability that restricts your life or makes you eligible for special treatment.

When I was first diagnosed (in my 60s) several medical professionals were solicitous about my mental health. Does your condition make you depressed, anxious or cause other mental health problems?

YES I am disabled. I cannot do any of the following things without my blood sugar plummeting: have a shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, walk 5 minutes to go between classrooms, clean my room, go shopping, hang out laundry. I totally agree with T1D being a full time job...it is much more than that, it is a 24/7 job with no holidays or breaks where one mistake can kill you. And believe me I have tried just about everything to make exercise easier for myself (-100% temp basal on my pump, eating more than 2 hours beforehand so there's no IOB, having a small snack before exercise) and it just won't work. I start to go low, eat to correct, and either keep going down (requiring a large amount of sugar to stabilise) or shoot up and get stuck sky high. I wish I had a handicap parking permit since the walk between a parking spot and the destination is enough to make me drop by the time I've arrived (yes 5 min walking will do that for me).

 

[JohnEGreen]

Being able to work does not mean you are not disabled that is why employers have to make reasonable adjustments.

 

[Cobia]

No, I don't mean are you in a wheelchair but do you regard your diabetes as a disability?

I recall a news item a few months ago where a person with T1D gave up work because they regarded diabetes management as a full time job. A similar news article cropped up yesterday where a young woman with a stoma (external bag for collection of bowel contents) was complaining that people wouldn't give up disabled seats on public transport for her.

So my question is: do you regard diabetes as a disability that restricts your life or makes you eligible for special treatment.

When I was first diagnosed (in my 60s) several medical professionals were solicitous about my mental health. Does your condition make you depressed, anxious or cause other mental health problems?

My 2 cents worth.

I dont know bout anyone else. The mere thought of calling diabetes a disability it is controlling you... i like to think im in control of it.....
No point in quiting now.

Paradox here being perfect control is an illusion.

So i manage it the best i can.....

Guess its my kids that is driving me to be better.... i still do everthing i did before diagnosis.

 

[Cobia]

How stringent are we talking..?...

It sounds like that may be a disability in itself.....

Just getting off a stint of 4 week heavy vehicle driving while doing it never under 5 not over 9 in 37 deg days trucks ac is questionable its cold when out of the truck...... hours 8 am thru to 9:30 pm...

Still not a disability. Just cant do it with finger pricks alone a moment in time issnt enough to do it.

 

[Fairygodmother]

I only consider myself disabled when things go wrong with the T1 elf that landed on my doorstep. On the whole people have been accommodating and I’ve tried to make up for any lapses caused by hypos. T1’s not really held me back from travelling and enjoying things though back in 1990 the local scuba club said it couldn’t accept me because of it (I did the training outside the U.K.).
However, I had a battle, despite the Equality Act, to fit in with the frankly discriminating demands of my final employment. I retired - older than the statutory retirement age as I loved the key parts of my job. The ethos of the institution’s management was appalling: it was dissolved a short while later so I suppose in that case T1 was a blessing that forced me to abandon ship early. I wasn’t the only person who left because they’d had enough but I may have been the only one who found it hard to manage BS in that situation.

 

[Cobia]

of course you are allowed to say that without fear of being shouted at !!!
all of us are different and view our "cup of life" differently -- mine is pretty full and I try my best to minimise setbacks

others are not the same in their views........and the cup can soon drain....

I would suggest @NoKindOfSusie that you try and have a look at this website
https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief/
when i was diagnosed over 45 years ago -- I was given this as a guide to dealing with a lifelong chronic ilness.
I can honestly say it has been a good companion and helps me through any low points in my life i may encounter.

All we can do is give it our best shot..

You can see ths cup as half empty i like the thought of the cup is half full......


Ive cheated at everything in life always found a shortcut somewhere and looking for the next one.

Last is for me.

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

phdiabetic that sounds like my life.

As for the work stuff I am self employed, the gig economy has no rules (they don't even really have to pay you, if they don't you can't really do anything about it.) People keep telling me, oh, you're protected. No, I'm not. All they have to do is hire someone else. I have to be 100% perfect all the time or I will be replaced in a heartbeat and no, there is no way to make any sort of claim or comeback or anything like that. Nobody is going to give me a day off for a hospital appointment, I just don't book work that day and I don't get paid. That's life.

 

[ickihun]

When I watch my partner eat anything he likes and doesn't have to test or inject or remember none of the other meds I'm on. I feel disadvantaged.
Hoping to reduce that with bariatric surgery and hoping for less meds.

 

[murrayjohn]

Hi, I suppose my answer has to be that as individuals, every ones experiences differ as do their abilities. I have physical disabilities that prevent me from doing such a lot of things. Does being diabetic mean you are disabled?, not on its own ( in my case ), although it certainly doesn't help. I have fingers and toes I have no feeling in, and my kidneys don't work anywhere near enough. My eyesight is deteriorating faster than it should. All this due apparently to uncontrolled diabetes for decades. I absolutely detest having to inject over 200 units a day, as I get very sore, and run out of places that aren't showing signs of over-use. I actually started diabetes while weight training and power cycling in my twenties when at a peak of fitness. So back to your original question, no I don't consider diabetes to be a disability in itself, but as for the long term complications, definitely.

 

[ickihun]

Hi, I suppose my answer has to be that as individuals, every ones experiences differ as do their abilities. I have physical disabilities that prevent me from doing such a lot of things. Does being diabetic mean you are disabled?, not on its own ( in my case ), although it certainly doesn't help. I have fingers and toes I have no feeling in, and my kidneys don't work anywhere near enough. My eyesight is deteriorating faster than it should. All this due apparently to uncontrolled diabetes for decades. I absolutely detest having to inject over 200 units a day, as I get very sore, and run out of places that aren't showing signs of over-use. I actually started diabetes while weight training and power cycling in my twenties when at a peak of fitness. So back to your original question, no I don't consider diabetes to be a disability in itself, but as for the long term complications, definitely.

Ask your team for Toujeo300 basal. Far less units per strength of insulin. Nearly triple the strength of other basals.
I was on just under 300units but now 51units of toujeo300 basal and 60 total novarapid spread through the day. Far less uncomfortable. When are you seeing your team next?

 

[ickihun]

@murrayjohn have you tried low carb food to reduce your similiar heavy need for large amount of injected insulin as me?
It can help and gives you some authority back with naughty bgs. Also I swear by supplement r-ala for nerve damage, better than just painkillers.
Don't write your body off yet. The nhs is limited but you aren't.
Have a read on here about neuropathy. Search forum and have a read. A few swear by it too, it can be affordable if no takeaways or bits of luxury til things settle down.
Would you join us on 'friday weigh-in' thread in the new year? You'll be surprised what difference you can make with easy food swops. Not nasty lettuce leafs either or rabbit food breakfasts. I've lost nearly 4st on insulin and doing low carb food rather than potato, pasta, rice or bread based meals.
Worth a try?
Definitely if your still ranging in double figures, its ideal time to change so no hypos until you lose weight and need to reduce units.
What do you think?

 

[Bertyboy]

No, I don't consider myself to be disabled. For that, I would have to lose an ability, and it could be argued I never any in the first place!
When I told my brother I had diabetes, he took the **** and said I would now get an invalid car (that's what big brothers are there for, right?).

 

[JohnEGreen]

Some people are born with disabilities others acquire them.

 

[leahkian]

Diabetes can make you disabled by all the parts of the body it effects but like most people it depends on the person who has it and how it effects them as no one is the same. A few years back i was sent for a medical by the ESA at the time i was at end stage renal failure, was sleeping 18 hours a day, had serve mental health problems and my diabetes on top. I was in 30 mins and a week later got a letter saying i was fit for work, so i contacted them to ask how i was fit for work and they replied because the doctor said so and i could appeal but there was not much hope of getting it overturned. I got in contact with my renal and transplant team, i also contacted my diabetes doctor who is one of the top diabetic doctors in Europe, my GP and the mental health team. I told them that i was to appeal and would like the doctor who said i was fit for work to be there as we went in front of 3 people who would say if he was right. On the day my transplant nurse came and also a mental health nurse. The doctor went in first to explain how i was fit for work and we followed after we waited for 2 mins before being called back in. I was told that i was not fit for work and asked to wait outside why they explained why i was not fit after 5 mins my 2 nurses came out and the doctor shot off. I asked what had happened and they said all we can tell you is that he won't be doing anymore assesments again, i never claimed that i was disabled because of diabetes but if the doctor had bothered to contact my medical care team it would not have come to that. I have about a month ago got a letter off PIP asking for any new info even though my claim is till Dec 18, they say this will speed up when i reapply. I got it just after my SPK transplant and on the new form i got you had a choice off three answers which were better, worse or no change, since my last award i have nerve damage all over my body causing serve pain, an enlarged bladder which can hol over 2 litres of fliud and have to self catheterize 4 times a day, bowel problems which means i can't go or i need to go very fast and am also tired and have no energy also some other ongoing medical problems. Before i sent the letter back i had to see my transplant doctor and told him and he said that they are to right to him for a consultants view and i asked him when would i be able to work and he replied not for a very long time yet if ever. So am i disabled i don't no that is my answer my dad is as he has polio but says i am more disabled than him, so i just don't have a clue anymore!!!!

 

[ickihun]

I know the none diabetic ickihun wouldnt have half my problems. Sometimes that annoys me and sometimes I accept that I have diabetes and all it entails (mdi and tablets for high blood pressure) due to obesity from very very high insulin resistance.

 

[Nicoledeex]

Im to proud to class my diabetes as a disability however the reality is slighty different.

My adventures in life need to be planned adjusted and sometimes i fail. I sometimes struggle to do things due to tiredness from erratic sugar levels, going low often i need to stop doing what im doing. Going high im sick and dizzy. i feel i need to rest often. I try so hard with my diabetes but it does get me very down at points in my life.

I work in care dealing with vulnerale adults doing 12 hour shifts and at times i do struggle badly.

I gave up my fave hobby which was the gym due to hypos... i ended up gaining weight at the gym instead of losing due to hypos. I took up walking instead but it isnt the same. So yes id say its a disabilit but doesn't stop me working but can have a huge affect on sickness days.

 

[paula121s]

I am disabled, but think that my diabetes is the least disabling part of my life. I know that with careful management it is controllable, unlike other aspects of my health/disability. I also do not like the word disabled, I am less able. Diabetes wouldn’t stop me from working.

 

[yingtong]

I am type1 and I am absolutely not disabled