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Time management and diabetes

qijun6699

qijun6699

Member
Messages
6
Location
SINGAPORE
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
hi, i got a few questions regarding time management and diabetes meal times.

1. If you know you are having a long day ahead how do you go about managing it, ensuring your meal times and insulin are taken care off

2. The anxiety and stress in a long day... Do your readings go off the rail?

3. Do diabetes affect your decision making?
 
I usually try to allot extra time in case something expected happens, and I usually try to prepare for the "What if?" scenarios.

I was diagnosed last year so I'll share a few things I do differently now:
-leave for work 5-10 minutes earlier in case I need to test or correct a hypo.
-I keep protein bars in my briefcase and in my office desk drawer that way I always have something to eat. I do the same with glucose tablets just in case.

Managing stress isn't always easy, but I think that's a life skill more than its something specific to diabetes. The nature of my profession involves the stress of sales and hitting sales quotas combined with the stress of managing people's life savings, literally (I'm a financial advisor). I find having hobbies outside of work and heavy exercise makes this much easier to manage.
-Yes, diabetes does affect my decision making, but only to a point. It's an additional aspect of our lives we need to take seriously and it should affect our decision making, but it's not the ONLY aspect of our lives and we shouldn't treat it that way.
 
As I tend to, I'd agree with @TorqPenderloin with most of that. The only other comment I'd make is that I get on with life and fit diabetes in with it, rather than fitting life in with diabetes. It isn't and shouldn't be all consuming. You should just account for it as you would remembering to put in contact lenses or taking your glasses with you when you are going to a concert.
 
The first thing I do if I have an extra long day ahead or something different happening is to check I've got all my diabetes kit and enough of it - in particular test strips and glucose tablets and extra snacks with me.

If I'm going to be out and about, I often think about where/when I could eat. Having a few ideas in mind ahead of time makes it less stressful, I find.

No, my readings don't usually go high with stress. They sometimes go low though, probably because I'm extra busy, so that's why I take plenty of snacks.

I suppose diabetes does affect my decison making as I always have to keep it in mind, but I try to think about decision first and then just consider the diabetes as an 'add on'.

I try not to let diabetes dictate my route in life. It's just an unwelcome passenger in my car, so to speak!
 
1) If it's a long day then don't stick to fixed meal times, if your on a basal/bolus insulin regime or a pump you can be more flexible around when you eat.

2) Both stress and anxiety can effect bg levels, but you must try and develop strategies to deal with both and managing your bg levels, the book Think Like a Pancreas has a chapter on this very subject.

3) No, but you do have to have to plan ahead and take into consideration that you have to carry supplies so that you can mange your diabetes effectively, but diabetes shouldn't stop you from doing the things you want to do.
 
Always remember there are different levels of stress, so some days are more stressful than others and our bodies are conditioned to experience to it to some degree, I can some days get stressed and it have little impact on blood glucose. There could also be other factors contributing to rising blood glucose levels, so start with the obvious, are you taking enough insulin, correct doses for carbs etc.

Diabetes shouldnt affect your decisions unless you run low, being mindful of it and ensuring you are monitoring and taking care of yourself should always be a priority ;)
 
Thanks for your replies! I find they are valuable and practical.


tim2000s said:
As I tend to, I'd agree with @TorqPenderloin with most of that. The only other comment I'd make is that I get on with life and fit diabetes in with it, rather than fitting life in with diabetes. It isn't and shouldn't be all consuming. You should just account for it as you would remembering to put in contact lenses or taking your glasses with you when you are going to a concert.
Click to expand...

I really like about this part: "I get on with life and fit diabetes in with it, rather than fitting life in with diabetes."
 
I always have supplies with me should i need them! Hypo treatment and snack bars! Sometimes things do happen, but I feel more comfortable should I have something with me for emergencies!
 
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