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How Long After Diagnosis Did You Go Back To Work?

I had my appointment today and they've told me I shouldn't go into work next week. If I feel worse over the weekend or ketones rise any further, I need to go back in to hospital (not letting that happen!!). If I stay out of hospital then I have to see my GP Monday or Tuesday in case there is something else going on as apparently my extreme low energy and constant headaches wont be from the diabetes. I then have to see the team again on Thursday. So fed up of this, but I've told work, which is one hurdle out of the way, so now I'm going to try to rest.... and pack (moving house soon!). x
 
Hi Lizzie,

Glad you have been told not to rush back to work.

I just wondered if you had thought about seeing an optician - when I was first diagnosed I had real problems with my vision, couldn't focus on anything and had blurred vision. This caused me terrible headaches for the first 3-4 weeks I was on insulin. I was worried that I'd done some damage to my eyesight with pre-diagnosis high blood sugars, but I saw the optician and he advised that it was probably just my eyes struggling to get used to being in normal blood sugar - it was very reassuring and my sight was fine after a few weeks and the headaches stopped.

Also if you are running at 13 + that might explain why you are so tired. High blood sugar does make you feel weirdly drained. As does stress. Give yourself a break, you've just been told you're diabetic, you're moving house... !
 


Pleased that your employer has given you more time off @lizziewizzie

Do take on board what they have said about going back to the hospital should your bg and ketone levels rise, DKA can be a life-threatening condition and needs immediate treatment, if your unsure what DKA is then have a read of the following:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx
 
I was diagnosed in early September this year. I was only in hospital for 3 days. I stayed off work for 7 weeks as I too had problems with my vision being blurred. I just kept my employers informed on how I was feeling and also going and having a meeting with the bosses and HR to try explain what is happening and they understood i had doctors notes and numbers if they needed more explanations.

Hope everything goes well.
 

I have been thinking about doing this as while at my mums house over Christmas I tried her reading glasses on and it felt heavenly! I could see properly for the first time in a couple of weeks. However I have been advised by people on here not to get tested for the first 3 months as the blurred vision will be down to the elevated BG levels, which should settle down. I'll hang on a week and see if my levels settle now that my regime has changed.

Thank you for the support. xxx
 

That's good that they were so understanding! Seems a lot of people suffered with blurred vision early on. x
 
Like a lot of people are saying it will be different for each individual. My girlfriend was diagnosed 7 weeks after me and she only had blurred vision for a few days I had it for 2-3 weeks.
 
Gunn3rs6 said:
Like a lot of people are saying it will be different for each individual. My girlfriend was diagnosed 7 weeks after me and she only had blurred vision for a few days I had it for 2-3 weeks.
Click to expand...

Now that is bizarre! What are the chances of you both being diagnosed with diabetes! Mind you, since joining this forum, everyday there are new members that are newly diagnosed, so I guess the chances may not be so slim! x
 
Hey Lizzie...I was diagnosed three years ago, it was a quick diagnosis and I was In hospital just one night on the Tuesday and then back to work Friday lunchtime (to break the news as start fresh on Monday)...I had support of my family as my brother has been type 1 since the age of two, that's y I was out of hospital so soon.

However..I understand everyone is different, and whilst my decision to go back to work so soon was primarily based around the need for normality and to learn to cope with diabetes in my normal routine (and of course, not getting sick pay had a part to play)....but I would severely recommend that you don't go back to work whilst you feel like you do. I suffered with chronic fatigue for months after diagnosis, by 2pm I would be sick I was so tired....my levels were great so it was my blood sugars making me that tired...I am convinced if I had taken longer off work I wouldn't have suffered so badly.

Good luck with whatever you decide xx
 
Thanks @Sking89 I've taken next week off, so I'll be due to go back on the 11th Jan. I'm hoping this week will help and I'll have more energy and no headaches. Trouble is, I move house that weekend before, so may be exhausted again! I'm going back then no matter what though. I've never taken 3 weeks off sick and it's really getting to me. I can't let myself take a 4th! x
 
If you need it, take it. Please! I barely had a sick day in my life but really wish I had just given up and taken time off. I ended up using my holidays to take afternoons off to sleep...glad to hear you have another week off. I don't know you, but my tiredness was so bad I literally want to shout at you to take as much time as you need, I feel very strongly about that.

On the good news point. Three years in and the tiredness is a thing of the distant past
 

Ha ha! I need a shouting at every now and then. How long did your tiredness last? I'm tired of being tired
 
I'm not sure ... A year? (Sorry)!!! But I did go back to work after two days so you are already on a better footing than I was....I think exercising regularly helped...probs the last thing u feel like doing, but just gentle exercise, 20 mins or so on a bike in the mornings helped me ....
 
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