Would you go off sick with this?

[sugarkillingme]

Am type 2 diabetes and my own worst enemy.

Can't control it even though it's going to kill me at this rate.

Just had off the chart blood sugar reading . GP really told me off. I keep forgetting to take my medication.

I'm lethargic, eyes affected, foot pain, all of it.

I need to get control of myself. It's a poor excuse but work is so stressful I'm comfort eating, forgetting to take medication, not self caring enough/at all. My mental health is shot.

I'm thinking a few weeks off work to get myself straight, plan healthy eating and get the meds sorted as well as access some counselling. I can't think straight as my head is so full of work and money is so tight I'm working a second job.

Is this reasonable? I'm really quite unwell but it's not anything obvious to others.

I think you do need to put yourself first so yes I would.

i have a piss poor memory so I wud set an alarm for each time I needed to take medication.

is there a support group you could access?

I'm trying to organise it all into a dispenser thingy. I've tried alarms and they always go off when I can't get to the meds then I forget so I need a better system.

It's embarrassing really, I have full mental capacity but cannot get this embedded.

Will try to find a support group. Just don't have much time... maybe a day time one if so take a few weeks off might be a thing.

Shame the school holidays are imminent as that closes things down plus will have kids at home which won't be peaceful.

It sounds like you’re over doing it with two jobs. What are your work like? Will they be supportive? Or do they know you are working elsewhere too and are burning yourself out. It’s a shit situation to be in and I doubt you are alone.

Do you annual leave booked for the summer?

Are you doing a job that restricts you taking the medication? You mention the alarm goes off but you can’t take them straight away, why is that?

I just need to get organised so that the medication is same place I am when it's needed.

My day job involves visiting people at home which is difficult.

Ok, so you can carry a day’s worth with you.

Is it the same time every day?

Second job is waiting staff in a restaurant and actually the only exercise I get in the week other than walking the dog.

I don't think the second job is making me more tired. I feel more energised when I have one of those shifts.

Of course if I went sick from day job I can hardly go into my other job can I? ☹️ In an ideal world at the moment I'd quit day job and take more hours in the restaurant as although it's more physical I'm not taking stress home with me like I do now.

Ask your GP to refer you to the DESMOND programme.
Consists of 2 half day sessions. Provides support and information for people living with type 2 diabetes to enable self management.

www.desmond.nhs.uk/

Have just bought some little pull box things so I plan to try that.

It's the comfort eating - eat when happy, eat when sad - that I need to work on and that's the hardest thing of all.

Nearest one is in Wales!

Wonder if they do online.

Is there anything you do do by habit each day? For example, if the first thing you always do each morning is boil the kettle, then leave a pack of meds there.

If you always end the day with a shower, leave a pack in the bathroom.

Re the meds, download an app called Medisave and put it on your first Home Screen. Set it up with times etc and it will come up with a notification, but also it has a little red circle badge which won't go until you go into it and tell it you've had your tablets. Keep a strip of them in your car with you. Hope that helps!

Hi @sugarkillingme yes you should take time off sick.
Your health comes first. Take a few weeks off sick and rest. Hope you get better soon xx

No you'd likely be in trouble if someone from your day job saw you working in a restaurant in the evening unless it's very clear cut that you can do one job but not the other which would need to have very specific details on a sick note from your GP.

I've also had a good talking off for my blood sugars this morning and a disgusting hba1c result & know exactly how you feel.

I'm unwell I know I am and I know why but everyone else comes before me an my illness and remembering to take pills.

Take some time off for sure or you'll end up really really ill. The thought if losing my sight has terrified me today amongst other stuff also have other things going on suspected lupus never felt anything like this fatigue. I've told my husband and kidd today no more, not doing it I am comkng first now until it becomes a lifestyle and I just put myself forst without thinking. Please do the same you need to. Xx

Yanbu to think you need some time off for mental health reasons.

You are self harming/ engaging in life threatening behaviour because your mental health is so poor - that you are diabetic is kind of irrelevant. Stop thinking of yourself as a lazy diabetic. It's okay to not be okay sometimes x

it Does sound like you need to get yourself sorted but you’d probably get into trouble if you were caught doing your second job while off from your main job so you’d have to be prepared for a drop in income.

Have you spoken to your doctor about wanting the time off? Think you’d need a doctors note for that long. It’s not unreasonable to need to take some time off, but go down the proper route.

Take them when you do something else regular e.g if you have to take them twice a day, take them when you clean your teeth in the morning and evening

Thank you everyone.

I'm so ashamed that I've sunk to this.