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Is it too late ?

Jules77

Jules77

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
So I have neglected myself for most of the past 10 years , putting my job before my health... I work in a stressful environment where I can work upto 60 hours a week mostly with no breaks . I haven't looked after myself and now feeling the complications of poor control. Legs and hands burning , a sometimes a little numb. I walk around 25k steps a day but I have been off sick with anxiety for the last week and now my body has stopped I feel more ....I have been sooo good with my eating and no alcohol I have lost 6lb in a week ....but am I too late ...I worry the damage is done ....do u think symptoms could ease if I get better control?? Need some hope as I feel so lonely at the moment and it's not a nice place to be ....
 
Jules77 said:
So I have neglected myself for most of the past 10 years , putting my job before my health... I work in a stressful environment where I can work upto 60 hours a week mostly with no breaks . I haven't looked after myself and now feeling the complications of poor control. Legs and hands burning , a sometimes a little numb. I walk around 25k steps a day but I have been off sick with anxiety for the last week and now my body has stopped I feel more ....I have been sooo good with my eating and no alcohol I have lost 6lb in a week ....but am I too late ...I worry the damage is done ....do u think symptoms could ease if I get better control?? Need some hope as I feel so lonely at the moment and it's not a nice place to be ....
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You may want to ask your GP to refer you to your local NHS psychological therapies service for support with anxiety: as with most things, it's easier to deal with if you can catch it early.

Alternatively, could your work's occupational health department refer you, either to the NHS or to an 'in-house' counselling service, if one exists?
 
its never to late hunny, you can start all over again Be kind to yourself love to you
 
Its NEVER too late, even little things can help. I didn't notice how stressed I was at work, until I stopped working (retired), then it hit me.
You need to do what's best for you.
If you can, just take a step back, and see what it is you need to do to get a better work / life balance and/or reduce some of the stress.
Its all very well working like a slave, pleasing your employer, etc, etc....but if your health is then suffering is it really worth it? No, would be my assessment.
Hope you can find a better balance soon and relieve some of the stress.
Cheers
 
You can turn this around.

Aim to make your control your priority without it overwhelming you. You don't need to obsess about it but you do need to be serious and it's possible that in a reasonably short time you can live with better control as a natural part of your life.

From your description of the way you work you need to find a way to row back from this and the people you work for and with need to know about your needs and accept them.

Nobody can work under that sort of stress and not have their health suffer, diabetes or no diabetes. If you have to find other work and adjust your life then that's something you may need to do. As paultrose said put yourself first.
 
Definitely not too late @Jules77 !

Focussing on your own wellness, and both physical and mental health pays dividends. It may not be an easy journey, but you’ve made a huge first step in terms of realising that things have to change.

If you have begun to get some changes in sensations in your extremities (eg hands, lower legs and feet) these may be due to nerve damage caused by raised glucose levels over an extended period, but those on the forum who have experienced similar often remark on an improvement in their symptoms when their glucose levels are more in range, and aiming to stabilise things with as few big glucose swings as possible can slow or halt any progression in symptoms.

Well done on your weight loss so far, and for the healthier eating you’ve embarked on. Hopefully your anxiety will begin to reduce soon
 
Really have been very good this last week and my bloods have gone from double figures into single figures !! Ate super healthy. Although my legs were on fire last night but like you said it could be my body adjusting. I'm hoping this is the start of a better healthier me . X thanks everyone for your kind words of support. I don't really have anyone else that understands or is supporting... Diabetic nurse is not the friendliest. Thank you
 
Wow! that’s amazing @Jules77 - well done!

Yes a swift drop from high levels into single figures can sometimes cause a bit of a flare-up of symptoms, but maintaining BGs as in-range and steady as you can manage seems to help.
 
Jules77 said:
Really have been very good this last week and my bloods have gone from double figures into single figures !! Ate super healthy. Although my legs were on fire last night but like you said it could be my body adjusting. I'm hoping this is the start of a better healthier me . X thanks everyone for your kind words of support. I don't really have anyone else that understands or is supporting... Diabetic nurse is not the friendliest. Thank you
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Glad to hear that time away from work is helping you get back on an even keel. When you do return to work make an appointment with HR to discuss your hours and work practices. Your company needs to function whether you are there or not. They have a duty of care towards you. Don't get sucked into bad working practices. You will become less and less effective as your stress builds up. It's not too late to improve your diabetes management. You have to live with it for the rest of your life. Work pays the bills and gives you purpose but it's not forever. I retired 3 years ago and don't regret it, even though the company and people were nice.
 
I told my boss that I needed an assistant to do the things I was expected to achieve each week, and I got one - plus a larger budget for equipment, but he had no idea of the amount of work I was expected to do.
Some employers will take advantage where they can - some remain blissfully unaware until the whole system collapses from under them or workers go on strike.
Do let your boss and/or manager know that you are unable to take breaks and the hours you are working - there are rules.
 
Well done with the blood sugar management improvements!
 
When you have been doing a job a long time you become very efficient at doing thing so are perceived not to need any help. When I retired they took on 2 people to do less than what I did.
I suppose I did it because I loved my job until we got a new manager who bullied me and got away with it.
 
Yeah you are all right.... Work has alot of impact on my health. The expectations of putting in the hours , I work as a deputy manger for a large retail company , it's very demanding . I had a break down at work and hence the reason why I'm not there at the moment. I have cut out alcohol completely, reduced my carb intake to the smallest amount and found a wholegrain bread that I really like . My dad has brought me a soup maker so I can make myself meals for when I do return to work. I have diabetic nurse tomorrow so will see if I can add anymore meds to help me .
 
Hi, definitely not too late to lower your blood glucose.
I'm 58 and in October I was diagnosed with type 2, HbA1C similar to yours. I immediately changed my diet (no processed food, less carbs more proteins), started walking more, and a month later it was already 59, now probably lower, hopefully heading towards remission.
Like you I neglected my health for a long time, but you still have plenty of years ahead of you, and can make things right. Diet, lifestyle and medications are all tools at our disposal.
 
Jules77 said:
So I have neglected myself for most of the past 10 years , putting my job before my health... I work in a stressful environment where I can work upto 60 hours a week mostly with no breaks . I haven't looked after myself and now feeling the complications of poor control. Legs and hands burning , a sometimes a little numb. I walk around 25k steps a day but I have been off sick with anxiety for the last week and now my body has stopped I feel more ....I have been sooo good with my eating and no alcohol I have lost 6lb in a week ....but am I too late ...I worry the damage is done ....do u think symptoms could ease if I get better control?? Need some hope as I feel so lonely at the moment and it's not a nice place to be ....
Click to expand...
It is never too late to improve your circumstances.

I too have ignored my health for a prolonged period of time. Many reasons - depression being one of them. However, my recent diagnosis has shaken me and I am now committed to my health. It doesn’t matter if I can’t reverse everything my body has been through. What does matter is that I support it the best I can now and prevent as much future damage as I possibly can.
I’m going to work as hard as I can to put my diabetes in to remission and then to keep it in remission. Why? Because I matter! I owe this to myself and to the people who care about me.
You matter. You owe this to yourself and to the people who love you. It is never too late to start working on your health. Every single good choice you make brings you a little closer to better health xx
 
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