Juggling jobs and diabetes

[Munjeeta]

Hello all...

I was just wondering how everybody manages juggling everyday stuff, like working, with the day to day management of diabetes? I am a primary school teacher, only in my second year so fairly new to it. I have been diabetic for nearly 14 years so not new to that although feel it on a regular basis! All through school and uni I didn't control my diabetes at all. Now, having reached the grand old age of 25 I'm beginning to realise I need to take the bull by the horns but I'm finding it much harder than I had hoped. On diagnosis I was told not to bother carb counting and (on askin my mum who controlled it when I was younger) I realise that it's always all been done on trial and error. Now, it seems, carb counting is the eay to go but I'm totally lost. I've had some helpful websites given to me (I think by type 1 Sue - thank you!) but I really feel that I simply don't have the time or the head space to spend the time I need to working out ratios and learning to carb count from scratch... School (as I'm sure other jobs!) is very demanding - time wise and energy wise - and when you're teaching the kids don't wait for me to come out of the confusion of a hypo while they're stuck on subtracting negative numbers!! Consequently I fell like my lessons often go down the drain because of my poor control. I'm trying SO hard but it just all feels like there's too many things in my head. I've been trying to read up on carb counting, but nothing goes in, it all just seems like a foreign language the way I'm feeling at the moment... I've asked about DAFNE courses but as with others, the waiting list's a million miles long. Does anybody have any advice on balancing teaching/work with managing diabetes for someone who seems to have forgotten the very basics?!

I haven't posted in a while but have been reading a lot of threads. I feel very much like I always ask for advice and I hope this is ok... I just don't feel in any position to offer any advice to anyone at the moment!!

 

[bev]

Hi,

Obviously i am still new at this (son diagnosed 3 months ago) - but my advice would be - go back to your DSN and explain to her that you want to start from scratch as you have never been taught even the basics because your mum did it mostly for you - but that you want to get good control.
Any DSN worth her weight would be only too happy to run through it all as if your newly diagnosed - its your health after all and if you dont get on top of things it will suffer.
I feel sure they will sympathise and will actively want you go gain better control. Let us know how you get on if you go down this path!🙂Bev

p.s. I have learnt on here that you must forget poor control in the past and not to feel guilty about it - start a new regime from tomorrow!

Do you have a particular problem with carb counting or ratio's?

 

[sofaraway]

Do you think you can get an appoointment with your DSN and dietician jointly or on the same day to go through some basics with you. Not in place of going on a DAFNE course but to give you a start whilst you are waiting.

Have you worked out how to calculate how many grams of carbohydrate you are eating? Even if thats where you start and think about ratios later?

My job is very stressful so sometimes don't really have the time or energy to be doing the things the way i know I should. For example I've made 2 basal changes in past couple of weeks without any basal testing. i've also messed with bolus ratio's at the same time. Sometimes I haven't got the time to do it properly, but it's worked out fairly well luckily.

You will get there and we will be here to support you and answer any questions you might have.

 

[AJL]

Hi Munjeeta

I completely understand what you are saying and how difficult it is for you.

I find balancing working as a lecturer and diabetes difficult and for a number of reasons, health related, changed to a .6 FTE contract. I've found that as a result I can control my diabetes better on my "non-working" days (although obviously there is still a need to prepare classes etc).On my working days I dare not have a hypo in front of my students because I don't think that they will be too impressed if I lose the train of thought during a class. For that reason I keep my sugars slightly higher on working days to avoid the risk of low sugars when I'm with students. Having said my friend who teaches in a school manages to combine it with teaching but frequently disappears into the store cupboard to top up with some Lucozade😛🙂

I do think that when you are involved with teaching your mind is so busy whirring with teaching related info that trying to carb count at the same time is extremely difficult - and there is often the temptation when you have a break (if you get a chance to have a proper break) to just reach something/anything to eat as you try to relax for a few minutes.


Sorry this doesn't provide a solution as such but hope it shows that you are not the only one finding difficulties with combining this type of career with diabetes - but having said that the jobs that we do are so worthwhile in so many ways that, for me, it makes up for the difficulties.

 

[Caroline Wilson]

I found everyone at my work very understanding, so talk to people. Keep your appointments with doctors and nurses, ask all the questions you want answered, keep an eye on how you are feeling and take one day at a time.

 

[grovesy]

My main problem is trying to get meal breaks. It is not always possible in my job.

 

[Munjeeta]

Thank you for your replies...

I actually have an appointment with my diabetic nurse tonight which is a start! I think I always struggle a little to articulate just how much I'm struggling, even though it is reflected in my blood sugar readings. But I think telling her that I need to start from scratch might be the best option and I haven't actually seen a dietician yet. I've only just transferred to the hospital I'm at but I guess that's as good a reason as any to start over! I've seen the nurse a couple of times and she has seemed very willing to help so I will definitely try - thank you.

As for carb counting and ratios I really have no idea where to start, with either. I have bought a couple of guides - 1 just confused me from the outset and the other has a list of amounts of carbohydrate in different food but because a lot of the measurements come from cooked food not from raw food I find that quite difficult!!

I have started talking a lot more about my diabetes to my colleagues and they do seem much more receptive than I could have hoped. Although I'm beginning to risk sounding like a broken record... Thank you for your comments AJL - it's definitely good to know there are others out there! And Bev, yes, I think I am slowly leraning that too, but it is hard sometimes to let go of 14 years of bad habits and control! I'm trying!!

 

[terryg12]

Hi Munjeeta

I know exactly where you're coming from. I was diagnosed at 12 and my mum did all the carb counting etc. I was rubbish at uni too and then when I got to about 25 I was the same as you (I'm 29 now). I didn't even know what an HbA1c was then! Mine was around 8-9 then but it meant nothing to me at the time. I moved house and moved to a new clinic and haven't looked back. Taken up running and got it all under control. Last HbA1 c was 6.5 - it can be done!

Good luck

Swarbs xx

 

[bev]

Well done Swarbs!

That must have taken a huge amount of effort - but you have proved it can be done and its an inspiration to others reading this! Bev

 

[Sugarbum]

I sympathise greatly with what everyone here is saying. I have 2 formats and run different ratios for work (shift work) and days off. My forfiet for this is I run a higher HbAc as I feel I cant compromise my job responsibilities. From what I believe it is a very common theme, in my DAFNE group there was a teacher and a lawyer doing exactly the same thing as me. It was slightly easier to manage after the DAFNE though.

I hope you have some success soon with getting on the DAFNE course. I know that if you are a dafne graduate you can have a log in to their website and download the course materials now it has been developed. Perhaps some of their reading material will help you on your way. Pre-dafne I had no input and no logical explanation to what adjustments I made. My experience of the whole thing it has been really beneficial to me so I hope it becomes available to you soon. Dont give up Munjeeta!

(man, am I jelous of you Swarbs....!) Grovesy what job do you if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Munjeeta]

Yes, my nurse also said that I may need 2 regimes - 1 for the working week and one for lazy weekends! 1 step at a time, however... She also said that there may be a DAFNE course she can squeeze me onto before the end of the year so fingers crossed!

I'm glad to say that since posting this (and partly due to the helpful responses!) I'm starting to feel a little more positive. I think trying to run before I can walk has been my problem for the last few months and I'm finally breaking it down into more manageable chunkc and (trying!) not to get too despondent... My nurse was so helpful on Friday (even after I was 40 mins late for my appointment due to traffic!) and is seeing my again next week. It's nice to feel supported and to have some practical advice to be working on in the meantime. Thank you everyone 🙂

 

[HelenM]

Hi, I used to be a primary school teacher and know just how much hard work it is.
I'm sure a DAFNE course would help but it isn't necessary to do one to learn to carb count. I learnt from info on the net.
There are several little books available with nutritional information. Armed with these and some scales its easy to work out the carbs in your meals. There is also a course from the Bournemouth Diabetes centre for dose adjustment online. http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[grovesy]

I work in the health service.

 

[Sugarbum]

I work in the health service.

ah, sounds familiar. It isnt easy getting breaks when we need them...

 

[grovesy]

No it is not.

 

[sofaraway]

ah, sounds familiar. It isnt easy getting breaks when we need them...

I'm pretty lucky as my colleagues will send me off to break and are understanding if I say that I need to go and treat a hypo (which fortunatley doesn't happen very often at all).

 

[Munjeeta]

yes... I guess that is one perk of teaching - breaks are always at the same time, even if thery're not really breaks!

I was just wondering, some of you have said that due to your jobs you run your blood sugars a bit higher during the week - how high do you mean?