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Time off work for pump start

fairylights

Well-Known Member
Messages
185
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I'm just interested in how much time people generally take off work when they are starting on a pump. My hospital letter says a minimum of one week, but wondering if this is enough for most folk, and thinking of taking two weeks.
 
Depends on what arrangement you and your employer Comes to, and, personal preference. I just had the afternoon off for pump training, back to work next day. I did that so I could get my levels adjusted to my working pattern. If I had 1-2 weeks off to adjust, then, when I went back to work All my profiles would of been wrong. I do have to use temp basal alot on weekends.
 
I had a week off but i think its very personal. You need some time to learn how to operate the pump and get used to it. Basal testing took me about 3 weeks and to be honest you should do that around 'normal' daily activities so any holidays will create false environment. You may adjust your basal during time off only to learn it doesnt work when you are back to your routine
 
I took a week off so I could get the basal rates right, but if you feel more comfortable taking 2 weeks off @fairylights then take it, at least you'll be quite use to using the pump by then and be familiar with the pump settings. Good luck.
 
I went for my training, put it on and actually went to work the same day, didn't see the point in taking time off as others have said because it wasn't my normal routine, I do understand that some people would feel more comfortable having time off to adjust, I'm lucky to have a very understanding team at work so they didn't mind all the testing and phoning my DSN
 
That's awesome. I might be different we had to have 2qeels off because had to test every two hours through the night and day. All family were quite tired by the end of it but I believe that is a unique method now
 
fairylights said:
I'm just interested in how much time people generally take off work when they are starting on a pump. My hospital letter says a minimum of one week, but wondering if this is enough for most folk, and thinking of taking two weeks.
Click to expand...
Pump arrived in the post I read the manual and set the pump up, put plenty of glucose tabs in pocket and carried on with my day.
Having anything between 6 and 15 horses on the premises plus sheep and cattle to look after, there is no time off as they all needed feeding and cleaning out.
 
Wow house full!!
 
I will have to take my blood every two hours or maybe more often during the first week, day and night, and my DSN says I will be exhausted. There is no way I can do my job if I'm getting no sleep. I have to spend the first and third days at the hospital and then be in phone contact with the DSN several times a day for the first week. Also I'm not going to my usual hospital as it links together with the other two hospitals in the area and it's the one that's furthest away, my usual hospital is five minutes from my house and work whereas this one is an hour away, or more. There is a DSN there who is on a pump and she said take two weeks off, but maybe i will just play it by ear and see how I feel after the first week.
 
Dsn never gave any advice on this so i booked the morning off work and went in after. Training itself took 2 1/2 hrs then another 30 mins sorting out gp letter for different strips etc. The night testing was a pain but i have waking children so am not unused to disturbed sleep.
 
This strikes me as a time when hospitals ought to lend CGMs. Would make acclimatising much easier.
 
fairylights said:
I'm just interested in how much time people generally take off work when they are starting on a pump. My hospital letter says a minimum of one week, but wondering if this is enough for most folk, and thinking of taking two weeks.
Click to expand...

I had half a day, was back at work the next day As long as your trained properly, have telephone access to help and work in an environment that's flexible with you there should be no problem.
 
I went in for my training, turned it on, connected it up, put it on a TBR and rode back to Cambridge railway station and then home from my local station. At work the next morning but in my office at home
 
I think I'll be going straight back to work once I'm attached to my pump, don't have enough leave left to take anyway. :-/
 
I had about 10 days off (I took a week of leave and because I work shifts I had the first few days of the following week off.) Things still needed tweaking when I went back to work though. It was a great reason to have a week off in the summer whereas normally you can't get leave where I work for love nor money during the school holidays (their hand was forced a little on this though!)
 
I took a week off at the start. My employer did advise I could call in sick and they would accept it but I just took it off as Annual Leave.
 
I had a week off work but during that period had to attend an interview for a new job. Had very high blood sugars that day. Stress plays a bit part in my control
At least I got the new job and a year and a half later still there.
I never hide the fact I'm a diabetic a lot easier to do blood testing in the street than injecting in some door way.
 
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