Emotional toll of diabetes 'needs more recognition'

I think I contributed to that survey......

It seems to focus a lot on how diabetics are treated at work......fortunately my diabetes doesn't effect my work in any way.....allowed off for clinic appointments no problem.....

I hope this revelation encourages employers to pull the finger out......

Wow, an excellent and informative story about diabetes in the mass media. Fantastic that this issue is getting a broader public airing.

Whatever your politics, I think the current efforts in the UK to talk more about mental-health issues and (apparently) take concrete steps to ameliorate the situation are laudable.

It's about time.

The (Australian) Huff Post version focuses more on family and food.

I am on my way to Parliament to discuss this with our MPs.
Any suggestions what I need to tell them?
(I have to keep it vaguely polite )

I suppose just educating employers that time off for appointments cant be frowned upon......there's the normal clinic, then there could be quarterly visits to an eye clinic if there were some complications there alongside that.....and many others.....

time off for illness is a bit of a different kettle of fish though as unless its a hyper of hypo, what other diabetes related illness could there be...

That we have no choice on appointments.

That being able to actually get hold of a nurse to discuss how to heal with unexpected results would be great.

That maybe putting diabetes on the national curriculum as a disease people should know about and understand the types could help.

helensaramay said:

I am on my way to Parliament to discuss this with our MPs.
Any suggestions what I need to tell them?
(I have to keep it vaguely polite )

Click to expand...

I'd ask them to consider persuading ccgs to be more liberal with funding libre, because (a) in the short term, it gives incredible peace of mind to users being able to actually see and control levels better thus alleviating anxiety, and (b) in the longer term, as a result of users generally becoming more engaged as a result of using libre, there's a chance that better control leads to fewer complications, DKA/hypo emergency admissions, and, consequently less cost.

helensaramay said:

I am on my way to Parliament to discuss this with our MPs.

Click to expand...

If possible, I would try to broaden it a bit, beyond just the workplace (but if that is the "brief" of these meetings, you may not be able to do that).

I can really only talk from my own experience, which is that of a bog-standard T2 without any serious issues or complications. Even for people like me, the emotional toll of the initial diagnosis was devastating. Since coming to this forum, I have come to realise that this reaction, too, is bog-standard.

So if our health-care systems, and employers, were more aware of this issue I would find it encouraging. I received notification of my diagnosis in a one-sentence handwritten letter sent via snail mail, then had nearly two weeks of extreme worry leading up to my first T2D doctor's appointment. I am a British expat in America, but have seen evidence on this forum that similarly offhand practices exist in the UK.

Those for whom the disease has a much wider practical impact than it did on me (some T2s, and all T1s) surely see that reflected in additional mental stress.

@helensaramay - let us know how it goes. Have fun!

helensaramay said:

I am on my way to Parliament to discuss this with our MPs.
Any suggestions what I need to tell them?
(I have to keep it vaguely polite )

Click to expand...

Personally I would like to see more mental health support for those who suffer anxiety/depression, it really is a lottery across the country in regards to care received, most Trusts want to prescribe medication, however there should be more support with 'other means' such as counselling, cognitive therapy, meditation etc.

Well, I'm going to take a different tack here. There are some who have mental health issues and having diabetes can cause real anxiety which needs appropriate counselling but I've seen some posts, mainly on another forum, where people are making a bit of a 'meal' of the condition and triggering the employer to react badly. If you project a positive view of your diabetes i.e. 'yes, it can be a nuisance but I'm able to manage it' rather than 'it's a big problem and affects me in so many ways' etc you will tend to get a positive reaction back from an employer. Personally I've never had a problem anywhere; perhaps I've been lucky

@Daibell in my opinion because everyone is different, everyone will have different reactions when have to deal with diabetes.
Diabetes is serious business and affects the life in many ways, but the attitude helps to manage it correctly. Unfortunately is a condition really misunderstood for everyone so the association with diabetes and "you're a lazy ball of fat so you deserve diabetes" is common place, and if your boss think it's only a lack of willpower and think that boss means be rude and evil it's a surefire way to have problems.

Diakat said:

That we have no choice on appointments.

That being able to actually get hold of a nurse to discuss how to heal with unexpected results would be great.

That maybe putting diabetes on the national curriculum as a disease people should know about and understand the types could help.

Click to expand...

I think our poor children’s curriculum is full enough !

Personally I am outwardly coping well with managing my T2 diagnosis
However internally my mind is foggy and is impacting my concentration levels with constant thought on food , exercise and what if’s
It is noticeable at work but is it Diabetes or is It mental health or are they intrinsically linked ?!

Diakat said:

@helensaramay - let us know how it goes. Have fun!

Click to expand...

Thanks @Diakat.
It was certainly an interesting event. This was the first time I have been to parliament so I was a little in awe of the building - it is certainly the Palace of Westminster.

But that was irrelevant. I was invited by Diabetes UK to help them launch their report "The future of diabetes" based on discussions with more than 9000 people with or affected by diabetes. They distilled all the discussions into six key area of which the "Emotional toll" was the first (now I'm not sure whether the BBC article was lazy reporting by picking up on only the first point). Anyway, the six points are
- More support for emotional and psychological health
- Better access to healthcare professionals who understand diabetes
- Better access to technology and treatments
- Widely available information and education
- More support and understanding at work and school
- Hope for the future .. which is split into Research and prevention of type 2 diabetes

As well as talks from diabetes people, a minister for health (not the Secretary for Health) spoke about some of the commitments the government was making such as a sustained investment until at least 2020/21.

It was an interest event to attend and talk to various people including MPs.

I won't ramble on too much more - in return for my invitation from Diabetes UK, I have been asked to write a blog and I don't want to pre-empt it.

My reaction when I heard the news I had T2 was to shrug my shoulders, tell the nurse that I wasn’t surprised and then came here.

Having diabetes has set me free.

@helensaramay
Sounds good. Send a link to the blog when it's up.
I've been to the commons and Lords a few times for work, it's always interesting. I like the crazy wallpaper.