Help Yourself

Part of being supported is knowing how to help yourself sometimes.  As we all know, diabetes is a largely self managed condition, where I'd wager most of us get to spend maybe an hour or two with a professional over the course of an entire year.

How do we make sure we get the best out of that fleeting time we spend with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs)?

I think there's a couple of simple things we can all do to make those appointments more productive.

Firstly, in the days or weeks leading up to them, write down a list of questions you want to ask or make a note of anything that's been troubling you about your diabetes.  Remember that this doesn't have to be limited to just high or low blood glucose levels.  Diabetes is as much about psychological and emotional support as it is physical or medical help.

You can read a good blog about asking for help on Ninjabetic's blog.  

The second thing we can all do is demand the care we are entitled to.  The National Diabetes Audit published last week gave some startling revelations about the standard of care for people with diabetes, particularly highlighting the lower standard of care given to adults under 40.

Whilst the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends 9 key care processes everyone with diabetes should be given, Diabetes UK goes further, covering 15 things.  You can find that list on the DUK website.

Make sure you know what you want to talk to your HCP about and don't be afraid to demand that standard of care you should be receiving.  It's not always easy but it will definitely help you in both the long and short term.

As always, if you want to talk to someone about diabetes, whether something's worrying you or you just want some advice, you can contact us through the blog, via Twitter (@AndyPeerSupport) or by e-mailing andydiabetespsn@gmail.com.  Everything remains completely confidential.

You never forget your first

There are a lot of things we learn to live with as a result of having diabetes.  Hypos are just one of many things that we people with diabetes have to face.

 

I remember when I was diagnosed that the specialist nurse I saw at the time tried to explain to me what it would feel like when I had a hypo.  (There’s no “if” in these cases – you’re bound to have a hypo eventually).  I don’t remember how she described it at the time, although in fairness I was too busy trying to work out how to carry all the stuff I’d been given and desperately trying to remember what doses of insulin I needed to take.

 

What I do vividly remember is having my first hypo.

 

I was working in a pub kitchen when that feeling we’re all familiar with started to wash over me.  I could feel my heart pounding and my hands were starting to shake.  I remember feeling quite disoriented – it was as if thinking had become something to concentrate on rather than being a reflex action.  I think the best analogy you can give someone who isn’t diabetic is that it’s like being in an induced state of panic.  I’m not sure it’s possible to convey to someone who doesn’t get hypos how it actually feels.  Of course your close friends and family will learn the signs and can see what it looks like (reports of me being grumpy in such situations are wide of the mark), but you can’t articulate the way it feels.

 

I’d been given a number to call the first time I went low so that a nurse could make sure I was OK.  I remember stepping outside and making that call, trying to explain what was happening as if I was the first person that this had ever happened to.  Of course that’s not true, but when it’s happening to you for the first time, you’re convinced that you’re the only person in the world that feels that way.

 

Of course the nurse talked me through what I needed to do.  I’m fairly sure I actually carried proper Dextrose tablets back then so having had a couple of those and a sit down I felt ready to go back to work.  The added bonus of working in a kitchen meant a free sandwich was fairly easy to come by.

 

There are so many hurdles we have to jump with this condition and whilst they get easier with time, the first time you go over one, it feels like a mountain.

 

Remember that you’re not on your own with your diabetes – there are a lot of people out there who understand what you’re going through and will help if you need it.  You can always contact us as peer supporters and we’ll help in whatever way possible.

 

Until next time, take care

 

Andy

@AndyPeerSupport

Working with diabetes

Managing your diabetes is a very personal thing and how (and with whom) you choose to share that with can also be a very individual thing.  Some people choose to be very open about it whilst others can be more reserved – and whatever works best for you is obviously the best thing.

 

But is there a certain amount we should disclose about our condition regardless of how much we might want to?

 

I recently started a new job (actually my third different workplace in the last 12 months – the price of being a contract worker) and I haven’t really talked a lot about diabetes since I began.  I have my tester and diary out on my desk all the time, I openly use my pump in the lunch room but I haven’t really explained any of this to my new colleagues.  I’ve told them I have type 1 diabetes but I’ve not elaborated any further than that.

 

I think the main reason is that I don’t want to make other people feel uncomfortable because of it.  Or that I don’t want people to feel any sort of responsibility towards me because of it.  That said, in a previous job, I ended up explaining to two of my co-workers all about type 1 diabetes in great detail when we had an overnight stop in London for some meetings.  It turned out that they were very curious and felt a lot more informed as a result.

 

I’ve always been very independent with my diabetes and whilst my immediate family and close friends know what they need to know I’ve never felt at ease automatically giving that same information to colleagues – partly because I’ve never felt like I needed to. 

 

But is it being responsible for your own health to tell people what might happen, how to treat a hypo and what signs to look out for?

 

I suppose the answer is always a pretty personal thing too.  If you’re going through a phase where your control isn’t as good as you’d like, or you don’t get hypo warning signs then maybe it’s more prudent to be open with your colleagues than if you’re a lot more confident in how your daily routine affects your diabetes.

 

What we should always remember is that there should be no stigma attached to having diabetes and you should always be able to speak openly about what it means for you and what it might mean for your colleagues too.

 

If you’re not sure about how you should broach the subject or want someone to talk to, don’t forget you can contact us in confidence to talk things through.

 

Andy

@AndyPeerSupport

andydiabetespsn@gmail.com