I've just started at a new job and I'm not sure how to break the ice about my diabetes to the people around me and my bosses. I cannot feel highs or lows at all and so I frequently require help or become sick/pass out rather suddenly. I've been working there for about a week and no one knows yet because I'm not sure how to bring it up naturally...but today I started getting sick and wasn't able to do as much work as I would've liked for an afternoon. I'm worried I might have a really severe low and no one would understand what's going on.
I would like people to know, but I'm still new and I don't want anyone to think it was a mistake hiring the "sick girl". I also don't want to scare the people sitting around me by telling them I might pass out at any second or need help! Is there a tactful way of doing this? Should I tell just my bosses or just the people around me or both? Tell them differently or the same way or how? I've got a meeting coming up with my manager this Friday where he checks up on my progress and I figure I could tell him then, but I'm not sure how to do it without sounding like "woops I forgot to mention this while we were interviewing!"
I have the same fears, but I would not mention any of that to my manager. I never come right out and tell anyone that I am diabetic. My meter is at my desk and I test constantly and fight off my severe highs and lows in silence. Don't hide your testing but certainly don't tell your manager the worse right now.
Test, test, test. Glucose tablets and snacks. Today I went sky high after lunch and felt like I was gonna die. I bolused big time, got up from my desk and walked up and down six flight of stairs and nobody knew.
Today has been a roller coaster for me, in fact the last four days have been awful, but no one knows, but me and my husband. I don't talk about it because no one can truly understand.
Are you on the pump and CGM? If not, I highly recommend them both. They both help avoid the highs and lows, and the CGM warns you when your blood sugar is getting out of range.
I realize you are probably feeling like you're walking on thin ice right now, but due to your hypo unawareness, I would mention to someone that you have type 1 diabetes and are on insulin. That way if you lose control, they can call the medics instead of assuming you are drunk or on illegal drugs. Also make sure you wear some kind of medical alert bracelet or necklace that says you're a type 1 diabetic.
Yep, I'm on both the pump and also use the dexcom. It helps a lot, but it often doesn't catch my sharp swings in time. I wear a medic alert bracelet at all times too, as well as a card in my wallet. I'm also on the waiting list for a service dog which I'll get within the next 6-12 months. Obviously once I get the dog my "secret" will be out regardless of whether I tell people or not! But until then I'd definitely feel safer with someone knowing.
Unfortunately it’s not so much about suffering through lows for me as it is not knowing about them and then passing out in front of everyone! No matter how often I test they still manage to sneak up on me, so either I tell them or eventually my diabetes will tell them for me.
I work in a retail store as a sales associate, i move around the store a lot.My boss and co-workers know I am diabetic. When my boss doesn't see me around, she has my co-workers look for me to see if i'm alright. It has been to my advantage for them to know i am diabetic. Hope everything works out alright for you.
This question is often discussed in some form or another. It seems as if everyone has an opinion. None are really wrong.
To identify yourself as one who has diabetes can alert your co-workers to look out for you. It can, as you say, identify you as the sick girl. It is hard to know who to trust or what to say.
I hope you will keep a close eye on your Blood Sugar levels, test often and keep a constant diet for lunches and snacks so that you have a good handle on how your body will react on a given day. Test often, say once an hour, or so, so that you keep track of your levels.
In my life, I wear my pump on my belt and don't hide it. I don't talk about diabetes unless it comes up and then I am candid, but don't give a lot of information. There is a lot of testing that I do to keep on track so that I don't have a low at work. Nobody says much.
That sounds really great. It was like that at my old job, everyone knew and knew how to help. I had a really great manager who noticed that I was walking kind of crookedly on the way to a meeting once and was able to get me some help- apparently my bg was in the teens!
First, you’re under no obligation to mention your diabetes
during an interview. Second, you have to do what will make
you feel the most comfortable in the end. Assuming you’re in the
US, there are laws to protect your job.
That said, I would personally wait a bit. Be really careful during this waiting period.
Eat consistent meals and be as regimented as you can with your
schedule. Then, once you’ve proven yourself, let someone know.
If possible, wait until you’ve had a review and, assuming it’s a good review, you’ll
then have documentation that your performance is adequate.
I didn’t tell people at my current job for a long time (like 7 years!) I just didn’t
want to be viewed as sick or unable to do something. Only in the last year or so have
I slowly started to let people know and even then only when it
comes up naturally in conversation.
I don't keep it a secret but for a long time I always let a close associate know that I had T1 just in case something did happen at work. But about 2 years ago I was hospitalized for it (BG >700) and was in intensive care for 3 days and after that the whole company knew. Actually it was kind of a relief because now I don't have to worry when checking sugars, etc.
I think you've gotten great advice here already and I agree with all that has been said.
Everybody at my workplace knows I am Type 1 but I did not tell anyone until after I had been in my position long enough to prove myself. If you have a "probationary" period where you work, I would not tell anyone until after that time period if you are worried about losing your job. I know the law is supposed to protect us but I have seen employers "find" or "create" reasons to terminate people they felt just weren't working out - especially in this economy..."reorganizing" is frequently heard. Of course, you have to do what *you* are comfortable with.
I'm glad that you already have a medical alert id and Dexcom. That's a little peace of mind because if you were to pass out, coworkers will call EMS and the medics will know how to help you because of your med alert.
You haven't said what your diet is like but I would suggest that you consider eating low carb or lower carb on work days. Carbs often put me on a bg roller coaster and I can avoid much of those issues at work if I just eat lower carb on work days. I also bring my lunch and bring things that are known carb counts that I know I can trust. I don't eat take out or things I have to SWAG on carb counts when at work. I don't want any bg surprises so I choose my food for lunch carefully.
I empathize too with rapid drops. Low carb and adequate protein during the day help keep me more stable. I bring cheese sticks to work and try to nibble on cheese and nuts during the day. I keep my meter and my Dexcom on my desk so I can check both frequently. If someone walks in while I'm testing or doing something on my pump, I keep going and ask them to wait just a sec..then on to business and it's not a big deal. I keep sweetarts or glucose tabs on me at all times even if I'm just walking down the hall to the bathroom. Again, I don't want to get caught off guard...being prepared means fewer surprises.
The way I brought my diabetes up when I was comfortable and ready to do it was usually when offered carby or sweet food by coworkers - many of them would ask questions and I'd take that opportunity to educate. But I did it when I was ready.
Best of luck to you with the new job and it sounds like you're working hard to keep yourself safe so good for you. :)
I like to chime in with an unpopular response: Don't drive faster than your driving skills allow. Would I drive 200 mph if my car went that fast? Not likely. This is why I am still alive. The same applies to insulin. When I eat low carb, life is easy. My BG does not move fast. When I got my pump and the dexcom I felt like superman. All of the sudden I ate an entire personal pizza and injected 25 units of insulin. What a joy ride!!! I definitely could not keep my BG in range. I am always up for a challenge. I practiced and practiced and now I can eat the personal pizza and keep my BG with 70-120 mg/dl. I recommend that you start at a slow speed (=low carb, low insulin) until you have mastered this level and are up for a challenge. A wipeout (=severe low) means that you need to dial back. I am sure that you will have few wipeouts if you match your carb intake to your abilities. I cannot promise you that you will ever pass Mario Andretti. But at least wipeouts will not be a frequent occurrence.
On a more somber note: I have not told anybody @ work about my D in 40 years. It is my responsiblity to conduct myself professionally. This includes not driving too fast.
Well, there are, of course, many different ways to approach this. I tend not to advertise the fact that I am T1. I would never send out an email like Jackie did. But, I also don't try to hide it. However, I do have the luxury of not being overly sensitive to highs and lows (i.e. I have never passed out *KNOCK ON WOOD*... that's not to say I don't feel sick with highs and shaky/disoriented with lows), so perhaps I have never felt that I *had* to tell anyone. I have a test kit at work and don't try to hide when I use it. I also have a jar of glucose tablets and snacks there. Also, because it is better to be safe than sorry, I did tell my boss but I did it in a very off-hand way. I was out for lunch with my boss and a co-worker. I gave myself a bolus and just mentioned to them that I wasn't being rude - I wasn't checking my cell phone or anything - but that I was giving myself insulin. Because I didn't make a big deal out of it, they didn't either.
T2 is much more common than T1. There are, in fact, 2 t2's in my office, but they actually have very little understanding of what T1 is (I'm not saying that that applies to all T2s of course).
I find taking a shot, testing, or bolusing in front of everyone is a good way to break the ice. We T1's have no right to complain about ignorant comments from non Ds if we spend our lives keeping it a secret.
It can also work to your advantage. They may be afraid to fire you after you tell them, for fear of appearing discriminatory.
Very few know that I’m diabetic at work! Not dependent upon insulin, still hard at times to get the testing done when I need too. I had to laugh, one of the employees who took the first aid training, now the official medic… “ooh! U a diabetic!” after seeing my test kit, told her, “with your attitude, I’ll take my chances with a roll of duct tape and the local firehall!”
New job wise, maybe the first responder at work, I might tell until you get settled in.
