Jobs Diabetics Can Not Have

[lilbrat1528]

My question is, who has the right to say an insulin dependent diabetic will have poor control of their diabetes? Question is because I have recently found out my Type 1 diabetic son will not be able to join the military, become an astronaut, drive a tractor trailer, fly an airplane or become a police officer. My son may have 60 plus years of great control. He may have 60 years of poor control. But no one will know this until it happens. In every single job I listed above, you have drug addicts working in them positions. But they are disciplined when they have a positive drug test. So why can't the same be done with an insulin dependent diabetic. Who is to say they may have a low while on duty or while driving or flying? How can that be an assumption? Do these people truly believe every single insulin diabetic will have one or many lows in their diabetic lifetime while working? I can totally understand their reasoning, but who is to say they will have a low while on duty?

[cymru81]

As long as your diabetes type I is under good control, there is no reason why you cannot get a pilot's license (with physician sign-off), a scuba diving permit, or become a police officer. There have actually been a few recent lawsuits over type I diabetics who were disqualified from becoming a police officer due to their illness. The candidates sued, and the US Supreme Court stated that the departments had to review the candidates medical history and prove that they were not under good control before they could legally disqualify them. As far as I know, the only jobs off limits are the military and commercial aviation.

[FellowT1]

If you can prove your control (good records, good A1c's, and no hospitalization due to hypoglycemic events - you should be able to find a medical flight examiner that will sign off on a medical flight certificate waiver.  I don't know if the airlines will hire your son, but he will be able to fly.  He can also obtain a scuba license, become a police officer, a firefighter, etc.  Will he be able to join the military?  Read the ADA website about the soldier that just returned from Iraq with T1 diabetes.

[triskit82]

These are the restrictions I heard when I was a child. But things are changing. It's all on a case by case basis.

Also with the technology available now, such as highly sophisticated insulin pumps and 24hr blood sugar monitors type 1 diabetics can have better control then ever before!

If you really want to do something, you find a way.

[Alexx671]

uhh I dont know who told you your son cant be a police officer....but they are DEAD wrong.

My cousin john has been a police officer for 7 years and he has been type 1 diabetic for 9 years.....you most certainly can. not just a police officer either he is a swat officer, one of the the most demanding positions...please stop going around spreading your false information, a kid could read your information and come to the conclusion that he cant be a police officer...unbenounced to him the person supplying the information is not in the position to do so....you may dash someones hopes and dreams....

DO NOT POST DUMB THINGS LIKE THIS PLEASE!

this is worse than the person who said type 1 diabetics cant work the night shift....complete bull, where these people get these wild rumors from I will never know...

[DiabeticViking]

any information on if a diabetic can be a firefighter?  was in the army once upon a time, but am now Type 1 diabetic and can't do that dream anymore.  just curious about firefigher

[swarizonaone]

The saddest part too, is that I have a diabetic type 1 diagnosed at age 4, who is now 19, and can't seem to find his way in life...thinks he's the only one with it, (tried educating him, counseling, everything..., still trying) but we applied for disability at age 5 and was denied because they said, "not a disease, it can be controlled with medication."  Very frustrating!  yet, he can't join military, and every job he wants to pursue gets shot down.  He feels he'll be stuck at Walmart forever.  And his walmart manager told him recently that it is not her concern if he misses work because of his diabetes.  Same rules apply to him as everyone else!