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Diabetics and stressful careers

M

mutango

Member
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Hi

I am a reasonably recently (well, 2years) diagnosed type 2 diabetic. Of those 2 years I've spent one managing my condition fairly aggressively with diet and exercise, and one basically ignoring it which obviously cannot continue.

I am 33, 31 when I was diagnosed. I have a fairly high pressure career which is entering its make-or-break stages over the next few years, although it won't get any less stressful after that. Basically I expect (and want) to be doing a high pressure, exciting, rewarding but sometimes exhausting job till I'm somewhere the other side of 50.

Now what I would love to know is whether anyone else out there is running a high pressure career alongside diabetes - particularly if they're Type 2 and particularly if diagnosed youngish, but anyone really! :)

Right now my attitude to this thing is as it was when I first got diagnosed - I will beat this. I read so many stories about managing diabetes being a full time job and they just exhaust me. It may help that I have type 2 which comes with fewer jabs and checks, and fewer risks of acute incident. I want to nix this thing, put it to one side and then cane the hell out of life. If I have to exercise discipline about diet and exercise then fine but I don't want to choose my career or tone down my ambitions to suit some disease I didn't ask for.

Am I mad? :)

Right now my plan is to cane four stones off my weight with a supercharged exercise regime and then dare my body to show elevated blood glucose. I fairly firmly believe my T2 is a transient symptom of moderate obesity (I have a BMI of about 31)).

Stories from others who have maintained a challenging career alongside diabetes would be very welcome. Or just to hear another voice! Helloooo out there...
 
I was in a highly stressful job, this actually caused my diabetes because the stress elevated my blood sugars and blood pressure.

After losing weight it certainly helped control my diabetes but I still have to watch what i eat etc.

Good luck with your dreams, I hope you achieve them.
 
Thanks Sue. I think my diabetes may have been partially caused by stress - I was in a particularly unpleasant situation at work in the three months before I was diagnosed. But I was also much more overweight back then.
 
Hi Mutango,

I have a pretty stressful career and I refuse to let diabetes ruin it - I've worked hard to get my job and I'm not about to throw it away because of this illness. It is difficult though, especially now I'm on insulin. I don't keep my diabetes a secret - it's just part of me and I'm lucky because my employer has been good about hospital appointments and colleagues understand I have to eat at pretty consistent times and can't have meetings right through lunch. I'm about 10 years older than you, so I understand what you mean about the next few years being make or break for you. However, make sure you don't put too much pressure on yourself - your colleagues and managers will probably give you a break when they know you've got diabetes, so make sure you give yourself a break too! And don't forget that what seems so important now might not do in 10 years time - your priorities change as you get older! Good luck.

Smidge
 
Interesting thread. My job can be very damanding, and is even more so than ever.
My levels are slightly higher than usual (I am normally between 6 and 10, getting between 7 and 12 at the mo. Due for HB1AC this month, so we shall see.
 
Hi Mutango.

I too have a stresfull job, i'm 41. I spent my 30's working my socks off to the detriment off my health.

I ended up in a Directorship with the largest construction contractor in Europe, working 16 hour days and shovelling anti depressants down like they were going out of fashion. My working days from start to finish were like an episode of the apprentice. Don't get me wrong it was exciting stuff but I had burnt myself out i think.

I was very Ill this time last year and ended up on in hospital with my BG at 26, I have now taken a backward step to Senior Manager position, accepted that the extra few grand the directorship brought was not worth killing myself for and feel much happier for it.

I feel very competant at what I do and am now happy to take a back seat and let the younger ones work from dawn to dusk with no breaks whilst I can relax a little more having learned from my experience.

Its easier said than done I suppose. Its something we all have to go through. But you are very young and have many working years ahead.

I have put my health 1st and decided that my job is just that - a job! Doesn't mean I can't enjoy it and enjoy being under pressure but I know when enough is enough and at 5pm, I get in my car and go home - tomorrow is another day.

Good luck with things, enjoy the stress but remember your health is important too
 
Hi,
I've just been diagnosed and thinking about Why ME!

I'm 47, not had much in the way of health problems and this only came to light when I went in for gynae surgery. So was a real shock. I've always eaten well (I love cooking too much really) and healthily, drink less than a woman's allowance over a week, but did not get much exercise.

Reading some of your responses really struck a cord. I've had a stressful job for the last 15-20 years, the last 5 having been getting increasingly worse. Over the last 6 months I've been saying NO a lot more and feel so much better. Not taking work home, having evenings and weekends free of work.

Taking time to exercise and managing my health are now much more important than any job position I have or could have. You can't beat T2 but you can manage it effectively if you are willing to go with it and use it as a friend; a reminder to take stock of life, to enjoy other things that reduce your stress, that unless we look after ourselves the no one else can or will and the potential complications of not doing so are horrendous in terms of quality of life. I only wish I had taken this approach to life 5 or more years ago. Perhaps I would not now have T2.

Good luck and put the whole of your life into perspective, not just the short term.
Remember life goals change and that is normal.

:D
 
Hi,

I am in a very different position, as I have been T1 since I was 4. I do hold down a stressful full time job, and have 2 children under 5...and manage to control my diabetes OK. No job is so stressful that you can't take a minute or so throughout the day to manage your control...However, if the stress impacts your control, that is a different story.

unless the longed for cure arrives, we are all diabetic for life, and as it is teh only one we are going to get, I intend to do everything within my powers to do what I like with it, and fight so that my diabetes does not stop me doing so. It would be niave (I think) to pretend that it doesn't impact your life and career a little, but would encourage anyone, that if they can do what they have worked hard to achieve...do it, but never at the expense of your health.
 
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