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Shift working

wiflib

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,966
Location
Bristol
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Very newly diagnosed and even newer to this forum and wondering if there are any other shift workers here. I work a full range of earlies (7:15 start), lates (21:30 finish) and nights. I'm also working in the NHS in the acute sector so often don't get any breaks at all. I think I'm more concerned with this than all the other life style changes I'll have to make. Regular meals have not been part of my life for 20 years! How do others cope?

I'm also concerned about the hunger aspect. A natural grazer, I now I have to reduce my calorie intake but should I ignore hunger or will that be more damaging?

TIA
 
Hi Wiflib and welcome to the forum,
I believe there are a number of other regular contributors to the forum who work similar patterns to you so hopefully they will be able to offer some advice.

I see that you are Type-2 and diet controlled, so are you sure that it is calories you need to reduce? Is your aim to lose weight or to reduce your blood sugar level?
 
Hi Dennis.
I'm very newly diagnosed with two fasting levels of 7.5 and 7.9 found very coincendentally when I offered to be part of a drugs trial. I have an appointment with my GP next week to get the ball rolling. Im having a GTT this week.

My BMI is in the 35 region and my normal reticence to curb my calorie intake has been overcome with the desire to avoid becoming an IDD. My life has absolutly no routine to it whatsoever and the changes I'll need to make are daunting.
I am a carb junkie and don't see how I can work a 13 hour night shift with no breaks and no carbs! I also don't want the misery of retinopathy or neuropthy either; unless that bus sees me off early, I'm planning on living a long time.

I'm slowly getting my head around the glycemic index but languages aren't my srong point.

I've already been very impressed and blessed with this forum and hope to be a help to someone some day.
 
Sounds like you need to reduce both your weight and blood sugars, but the BS by not a great deal. Getting some weight off will help you with both. A 10% reduction in your body weight will also reduce your HBA1C by 1% point. Incidentally, when you see your GP next week you will need to get an HBA1C blood test done. This is not a fasting test as it measures your blood sugar over the previous 90 days and it gives an average which is shown as a percentage. The HBA1C is what your control of your BS is measured against, so it is important to know what your starting point is!

As far as diet is concerned, you can certainly help things by reducing your carb intake, but not drastically. Just start with a little less bread and compensate with more protein instead. The extra protein will also help you feel less hungry between meals.

You mention working 13 hours without a break - you do know that this is illegal? Under the provisions of the Working Time Regulations 1998, adult workers whose daily working time is more than six hours are entitled to a meal break. The break must be for an uninterrupted period of not less than 20 minutes. Young workers (under age 18) whose daily working time is more than four and a half hours are entitled to a rest break of not less than 30 minutes. Although slightly different conditions apply to ambulance drivers and paramedics, the requirement for breaks is the same.

Let us know how you get on with the GTT and at the docs next week.
 
Thanks Dennis.
I did wonder about having an HBA1C done and forgot to mention it to the GP. I'm a Midwife.The working time directive is fine and dandy if there are actually staff to relive for breaks, but I can't simply walk out of a labouring or birthing womans room to have a break. I won't go into details, there may be a few pregnant women here and scaring them wouldn't be very helpful! I'm seeing occupational health for advice and I may be able to suspend nights for a while until I get a handle on things.

And thanks for the reminder about taking it slowly. I was a rabbit in the headlights until you quite sensibly suggested I take baby steps. My basic diet is very good, it's the rubbish I eat outside of it I can get rid of. Increasing my protein sounds great, I'm a real carnivore but don't eat a lot of animal protein.

Can I further brain pick?

I am now aware that a low fat diet can be high in carbs. Does increasing fat and reducing carbs cause other problems such as raised blood lipids? (although mine are good at 3.4)
My fat intake is mainly from EVOO and butter. I'm not a fast food or ready meal eater.

Thanks for the support.
 
I am a UNISON shop steward ,have you let management know you are diabetic?You need your breaks more than ever now and they need to comply or they are not fulfilling their duty of care speak to your local shop steward.
Margaret
 

I work an 11 hour night shift,technically I have a half hour break.I've worked there 17 years and I don't think I've had that half hour yet!!However, I do find time to sit and scoff a sandwich and some fruit and that keeps me going through the night,BS is generally about 5.6 when I get home in the morning.The trouble is there is no one to take over from me for a break so if I am needed I just have to go.
 
Its about time some of these employers where held to book, And for the NHS to not alow a diabetic a food break is beond a joke, do they want you on the reciving end of there service.
I`m a delivery driver and when i get the hunger pain I STOP. I dont give a dam about customers food deliverys they should have orderd for delivery the day before they wanted to use it, it`s not my fault they dont know there job, mine is to be safe when driving, then deliver there food.
I`M T2. Was asked to say that somewhere hear .
 

Well I know what you mean, my daughter work in the NHS, what do you do when you have to go to the toilet, You Have To Go, could you possibly have a low sugar snack bar in your pocket for a quick bite
 
I am a shift worker working in the police and like yourself i had the same problem. Not having the time to eat because you're either dealing with a big case or you've had to be called to an incident where its taken up the whole of your shift and you're starving. I've had this many times in my policing career. I was diagnosed type 2 in November 2013 which changed my lifestyle completely. Shift work or not. I have breakfast in the morning and take my packed lunch to work. I make sure that around midday i have that pack lunch regardless. If i have to take a call knowing that i probably won't get back to the station to have my lunch then i take my packed lunch with me in the car. Its hard i know but even having an apple in between helps.

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Hey I do shift work too and at first I found it hard because I'm a bit of a wimp and wouldn't put my foot down about breaks. But now I just say to whoever I'm working with that I have to eat whether I sit down in the dining room or stay in the lounge (I work in a care home). Like you, I can't just walk out and take a break without someone to take over whatever I'm doing at the time. Even if I do go on a break it's never uninterrupted lol. Sometimes I eat when I'm walking in between places and it may take half an hour to eat a sandwich sometimes but I make sure I do it. I'm lucky that the people I work with are very good and help make sure I make time to eat. Luckily I haven't had to do a night shift since I was diagnosed in November, I think that would really throw me off. Best go get ready now as I'm working a 13 hour shift today (and I've packed a ridiculous amount of food lol)


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