Diabetes as a disability

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Einstein said:
I think the term 'disabled' is a label we as diabetics don't like, however, there are grounds where it is an advantage for us to have the cover of the DDA.

David
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Well said Einstein/David, I can't stand the title disabled. I see myself as being able to do exactly what people my age do. All that I need to do is think a little harder and weigh up the pros and cons of the situation. Ok there are a few scenarios that I don't participate in because of the risk to my health - the large amounts of drinking that I know some of my friends participate in. To drink the quantities they do would be simply stupid. Though I am most definitely not disabled by any stretch of the imagination. Only other people's views and preconceptions of diabetes make us disabled in their eyes. I all would ask for is th chance to prove myself yet I am not even given the chance to do this sometimes.

Tom H
 
I do feel disabled, everything I do is affected by my diabetes. If I exercise too much, if I eat too much, if I don't eat, if I'm stressed, I think this affects every part of my life. This is not even taking into account the actual acceptance and depression that comes with diabetes, the lack of energy, not getting insulin/blood sugars right. The statins with the ever threat of heart problems. Then there is the circulation problems, eyesight problems, how can this not be a disability. Also as my thyroid is affected, again energy levels are affected, I think I am more prone to colds and the flu. I am classed as a vulnerable person to be eligible for the flu jab and yet not given the full benefits of the disability.
 
That's my point exactly Elaine,

It's a badge we can choose to wear or not, depending on how we feel or our physical condition is.

Some of us manage it all most of the time and don't need to wear the badge, others struggle and need the assistance that it can offer.

David
 
Disability

Elaine42 said:
I do feel disabled, everything I do is affected by my diabetes. If I exercise too much, if I eat too much, if I don't eat, if I'm stressed, I think this affects every part of my life. This is not even taking into account the actual acceptance and depression that comes with diabetes, the lack of energy, not getting insulin/blood sugars right. The statins with the ever threat of heart problems. Then there is the circulation problems, eyesight problems, how can this not be a disability. Also as my thyroid is affected, again energy levels are affected, I think I am more prone to colds and the flu. I am classed as a vulnerable person to be eligible for the flu jab and yet not given the full benefits of the disability.
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Well said huni, it does effect you every minute of everyday, you constantly worry and check, when you get ill you check and worry, the complications are life threatening but your not disabled, yeah right, since being diagnosed my life has gone from normal to omg i cant do all this stuff which yes i realise i couldn't do before and this is now a why i couldn't do it but it still doesn't make knowing any easier or make it go away over night and yes i just got full high rate disability care and yes i do have other problems but most are related to undiagnosed diabetes for years and the steroids which put me here in the first place so i think it is down to the individual person and how it affects them and their body as to whether they want to be classed as disabled or not, none of you have the right to judge other people and what they are going through, if you don't want tobe classed as disabled well then good for you but i am in pain every bloody minute of the day and have ketones because of it nearly everday so yes i class myself as DISABLED
 
Diabetes affects people in different ways. Until 3 or 4 years ago I would have never have classed myself as disabled. However I got to the stage when I was working full-time of having absolutely no energy and being off ill. At my request I went back to work on a part-time contract and only had one day off ill until I changed jobs - they wouldn't consider me going part-time in this job as a reasonable adjustment. However I very much wanted the job and as it was a choice of full-time or not getting I went for it and did absolutely everything I could to keep myself well. Except after only a few weeks the problems that this caused me with managing my diabetes, including ketones, exacerbated by extreme fatigue and frequent headaches and migraines (with aura) meant that I was again off ill for several weeks - my GP strongly recommended that I went back to work only on a part-time basis. I did this by returning to my previous job just over a year ago and now the only time that I have major problems is if I don't pace myself and take on too much work. I would absolutely love to work full-time because I completely and totally love my job - but I've had to accept that the disability prevents me from working full-time - and it has also had an effect on my close family and work colleagues who did everything that they can to protect me from taking on too much......but not being able to do everything that I want to do is extremely frustrating.
 
I agree with Elaine. I definitely feel disabled by my diabetes, it stops me leading a normal life. I have to bring a suitcase of supplies every time I go out, I always need to be on top of my repeat prescription since different things run out at different times and there is a 2 day wait for the doctor to sign a bit of paper and even then the chemist might not have the item in stock. Then there is all the testing, counting and checking. You can't just go off somewhere or eat something or get blind drunk, the diabetes always has to be considered. Even after 16 years I struggle to keep my blood sugars in range, I tend to panic and overtreat hypos and hypers. Then there is the worry about complications. I envy those of you who manage to live action-packed lives despite having diabetes. Then there are the emotional problems, rebellion and anger and depression and fury at my own useless body for failing me like this so I have to help it along every day when it should just work properly like normal bodies do.

And yet because people cannot see my diabetes, they don't think I am disabled. To me having a non-functioning pancreas is just as valid as having non-functioning legs or eyes or any other important body part and it is frustrating that when people think of disability they think of people in a wheelchair or with other visible physical disabilities and don't consider non-visible disabilities.
 
Hello everyone.

I have just joined tonight and was interested with your discussion. I am a member of a Disability Tribunal so now have two views. I don't consider myself to be disabled but do feel that my employer should make reasonable adjustments to my working practices ot accommodate my diabetes i.e. appointments.
 
I didn't know diabetics were considered disabled! I presume that must only refer to T1 and not us T2s. What does it mean exactly?
 
ceara- is it reasonable for an employer to give time off for appointments? I have an appointment in a couple of weeks time and to go will be late for work, but work owes me 3 hours from when I stayed late to help out. I was going to take this time so could start later.
 
ive never thought i have a disability and if i ever thought it i wouldnt be doing some of the things i do. saying that i do agree that it takes up so much of your life in the fact we have to be so careful about what we eat etc, but my saying is " i rule my diabetes it doesnt rule me". if you think you cant do something then your mind wont let you complete/do it. this is a big phycological thing and im a firm believer that i can do anything if i set my mind to it. well folks thats my stance on it.
 
ivygirl said:
I didn't know diabetics were considered disabled! I presume that must only refer to T1 and not us T2s. What does it mean exactly?
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The DDA applies to type 1 and type 2 diabetics, however, there is something at the back of my mind relating to type twos needing to be on medication, not sure if just tablets or insulin. Or I could be wrong on that front altogether.

The law states the employer must make reasonable adjustments to cater for your needs, e.g. if your work involves working shifts, the patterns must account for your mealtime and medication regimes. As it must time for snacking etc.

In addition if you have time off sick through diabetes or an effect of it, then they can not readily discipline you, however, if your time from work is due to poor management and is persistant, it is a different matter.

That then leads to employers granting employees time from work to attend appointments, employers don't have a right to grant you free time for hospital or doctors appointments, it is from annual leave or unpaid time off. Some treat hospital appointments differently to GPs. Some don't, some, often small companies don't care as long as its not half a day every day for a couple of weeks.

This is why I have said openly on here before about the idea of twice a year, diabetics being called to a multi-discipline clinic for a day, to have eyes, feet, bloods, diet the whole works tested in one day and then see the consultant at the end of the day to discuss the findings.

It should mean we don't slip through the gaps of appointments etc and we and our employers loose less time through time from work. And the PCT/NHS can then say they have done all clinic assessments on x % of diabetics and know they actually have.

Anyway, getting the NHS to listen to such a daft idea would never work! 🙄
 
Hi

I haven't read all the replies as my daughter is waiting for me to watch Primevil and she is giving me 'stares'.

I don't think of my daughter as disabled at all but if we do things, anything really then there is extra thought and planning than little Jane down the road who isn't diabetic (Jane is a made up person). Jessica doesn't go off to friends houses for tea as the responsibilty for parents is too great, I would have to tell them how to treat a hypo and how to test etc. Jessica has no symptoms at all.

She has been to tea at a friends whose daughter also has diabetes and had her first ever sleepover at this friend's house two weeks ago and she is 9 years old.

So although she isn't 'disabled' as the word describes as we know it ie in the wheelchair etc etc. I believe the statistic is something like only 5% of 'disabled' people are in a wheelchair.

Diabetes is covered under the DDA which classes it as disabled. This is ok and is a good thing really. Jessica could never go anywhere alone due to no symptoms and if she does have a severe hypo (which she can do even on a pump) then she will always need a friend or family with her. This means in effect they are her carer. Someone said what benefits can you get.

You can get Disability Living Allowance. The forms are horrendous but you can get it, when filling them in you have to put worst case scenario. This will then entitle (in certain places when you produce it) a carer either goes in free or they get a discount. At Madam Tuassards the disabled person and carer both go in free.

At Chessington and Thorpe Park etc a carer goes free and if you say you words correctly then you get an exit pass and skip the queues.

There is the Cea card (there is a website) for cinemas where a carer goes free. Also ring the Theatres and anyway and ask if they have carers or diasabled peoples allowances for anything.

This is not cheating in any way, shape or form. Diabetes is covered under the DDA and you are entitled to this sort of thing.

However as Graham's mum has said being covered under the DDA helps a huge amount at school. People including teachers do not think diabetes is serious, it is invisible and just dismissed. For it to be covered under the DDA it means they have to sit up and listen and our children can then be safe at school (although this doesn't happen in loads and loads of places).

That is a very small part of my view on this, if I don't stop the stare will become bigger and more menacing and I'll bore you all!!
 
Hello Sofaraway

Def. your employer is mandated under Disability Discrimination legislation to make reasonable adjustments - and getting time off work for appointments is a reasonable adjustment. So would asking for 30 mins. out of work for a walk to get you BS down. The main point is 'reasonable' this has been tested in court many times. Are you a public servant/civil servant?

Ceara
 
Disability Living Allowance

While it's correct to say that children (up to 16 years) with diabetes can get Disability Living Allowance (usually Low or Medium Rate Care and Lower Rate Mobility), it's very unusual for an adult with any type of diabetes to get DLA at any rate of either Care or Mobility components, unless they also have complications and / or other medical problems giving rise to care and / or mobility needs - it's how the condition affects a person, rather than the diagnosis that is the key point. People aged over 65 years can not apply for DLA for the first time, but can apply for Attendance Allowance, which has only 2 rates of care, and none for mobility.
 
Copepod said:
While it's correct to say that children (up to 16 years) with diabetes can get Disability Living Allowance (usually Low or Medium Rate Care and Lower Rate Mobility), it's very unusual for an adult with any type of diabetes to get DLA at any rate of either Care or Mobility components, unless they also have complications and / or other medical problems giving rise to care and / or mobility needs - it's how the condition affects a person, rather than the diagnosis that is the key point. People aged over 65 years can not apply for DLA for the first time, but can apply for Attendance Allowance, which has only 2 rates of care, and none for mobility.
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Oh ok, may be this will change with the advances being made ie pumps, as pumps require many more tests than the mixed injections etc, who knows.

A few of my friends have DLA still paid for this children over 16 !! Also most have higher rate of care and only some have lower rate of mobility. If anyone on our other email list gets given lower or medium care we recommend they appeal and they generally then get higher rate. The higher rate is about overnight testing and most of us do it.
 
ceara said:
Hello Sofaraway

Def. your employer is mandated under Disability Discrimination legislation to make reasonable adjustments - and getting time off work for appointments is a reasonable adjustment. So would asking for 30 mins. out of work for a walk to get you BS down. The main point is 'reasonable' this has been tested in court many times. Are you a public servant/civil servant?

Ceara
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thanks for that. I would think that they would say a reasonable adjustment though would be to change my day off so that it falls on same day as my appointment and I then work a day at the weekend instead. I am an NHS worker.
 
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