Diabetes 9 to 5: InsulCheck’s Guide to Managing Diabetes at Work (Part 2)

Continuing on from last weeks blog post, here is Part 2 of our Guide.

Diabetes on the Job: To tell or Not to Tell

One of the biggest issues at work faced by those with diabetes is whether or not to tell their boss, or even co-workers, about their condition. Experts believe it is important that at least one person in your workplace knows of your condition, particularly if you are using insulin. That person could be a co-worker, nurse, or supervisor.

You should tell someone who is physically near you at work that you have diabetes, particularly if you take insulin. Give them a description of what happens when blood sugars drop too low and tell them the basic emergency treatment for this.

It is strongly advisable that you should always have glucagon with you - either at your desk or on you. Be sure that someone at work knows how to give it to you in the event of an emergency. Glucagon is an injectable medicine that can raise blood sugar in an emergency.

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Diabetes on the Job: InsulCheck’s 7 ‘At-Work Tips’

Here are seven more suggestions from our team at InsulCheck about how you can make it easier to control your diabetes at work:

1. Do not be embarrassed if you need to eat something at a meeting -- just do it. We suggest that you always carry some glucose-rich food in your clothing or within arms reach and eat it when you need it. Hard sweets are a meeting-friendly glucose booster.

2. If it's just too embarrassing to pull out a snack at a board meeting or client presentation, simply excuse yourself for a bathroom break and start munching the minute you're out the door.

3. Always explain any limitations realistically to your manager. We suggest that if the organization can't work with you, it's better to find out sooner than later.

4. Get enough sleep. Aside from poor food choices, stress has the next greatest negative impact on your blood sugar. Lack of sleep is the greatest stress. So, make sure you get enough.

5. Be sure to stay well hydrated throughout the day. Sometimes we confuse hunger with thirst. So, make sure you know your symptoms.

6. When that office birthday party or holiday celebration rolls around, you can almost always participate by taking just a small sliver of cake. If no one knows you have diabetes, you can still keep your secret.

7. Keep "stress foods" on hand - healthy snacks that can help control your blood sugar during highly stressful workdays and keep your emotions on track. We suggest nuts, protein bars, and nutrition shakes, which are all portable, can be quickly eaten, and won't spoil when kept in a desk drawer or even a locker.