Managing LADA at Work

Most of managing LADA at work is logistics, and logistics get easier once you have decided a few things in advance.

Testing and injecting need somewhere workable. A desk drawer or a locker for supplies, and a private spot for injections if you prefer — though many people inject discreetly at their desk once they are used to it. A meeting room or a first-aid room is usually easier than a bathroom, which is not a clean place for either.

Meals are the harder part. Canteen food is often carbohydrate-heavy, and meeting times move. Practical responses: eat at roughly the same times where you can, keep something in your bag for when a meal is delayed, and — if you are on mealtime insulin — never inject before you can see the food.

Shift work needs specific advice rather than improvisation. Rotating shifts disrupt meal times, sleep and medication timing all at once. If you work nights, ask your doctor how to shift your regimen rather than working it out alone.

On telling people, there is no obligation to disclose a medical condition to colleagues. But there is a practical argument for telling one or two people you work near, once you are on insulin or a sulfonylurea: someone should recognise a low and know that sugar is the answer, not water or rest.

Keep glucose within reach at your desk, not only in your bag, and not in a car parked in the sun.