Injections at work?

Commotion

Member
Messages
6
Sorry if this has been asked before but this is my 1st post here.

I have an insulin pen and take a shot just before each meal, in my stomach. I've been in a new job for 2 months and today at lunch my colleague turned to me and asked that I take my injection in the toilet as it made her feel uncomfortable to see me take my jab.

I've been type 1 since I was 4, and I am now 38 and no-one has ever said a thing like that to me. Like an idiot I skulked off to the toilets (with my lunch cooling on the plate) and felt really awful and sordid.

It upset me a lot.

Is this allowed?

What should I do (if anything?)
 

noblehead

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
23,618
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Disrespectful people
That's a shame, she could do one of two things....either look away when you inject or she could sit at another table.

Hope the job works out for you :)
 

Elc1112

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
One of the girls I work with has an awful phobia of needles. I never inject in front of her. Other colleagues, however, I inject whenever I need to. I'm discrete about it but, at the end of the day, I need it if I want to stay on good health!

As for whether it is allowed, I honestly have no idea. I just try and be subtle about it. Personally I would much ether inject at my desk than in a toilet!

Sorry I cant be of more help.

Em
 

Commotion

Member
Messages
6
The thing is that I don't want to ignore it as otherwise I'll be sneaking off to the toilets like a fool before each lunch, like I did today.

I sort of want to bring it up with my boss to basically say that vile colleague can either look away or eat lunch at a different table.

I don't suppose there's any sort of workplace rules about it?

I have no idea.
 

jopar

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,222
If she's got a problem, tell her to look the other way!

If she requests that you remove yourself to the toilet to inject, I would totally refuse, ask her if she would eat her dinner of the toilet seat! If she won't then ask her why she expected you to carry out an injection in an high risk area where there's know germs!

If she's uncomfortable, just tell her don't look! pretty easy...

If work kick up a stink, then they must provide you with a suitable place, clean etc with consideration to distance ect, to where you are going to be eating....
 

Fraddycat

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
Hi Commotion, welcome to the forum! Sorry you have had this experience, I don't think you should be skulking to the toilets, but maybe she is a bit squeamish with needles. I had a colleague who injected at the lunch table and we hardly saw anything so there is not much to get squeamish about. If you are close to her or need to make a good impression maybe its worth taking some time to educate her that your insulin is keeping you alive and without it you probably wouldn't have made it to double digits. If you don't care about her oppinion, I would just carry on - just maybe sit with different people with your back to her.

I will investigate workplace rules for you, but tolerance is universal if it was my place of work I would tell her to GET OVER IT!!
 

Sanober

Well-Known Member
Messages
393
Dislikes
Not really knowing what's going on inside my Endocrine system!!!
What a hideous thing for her to say. I wouldn't have been so polite as you but then am sure you were totally thrown off guard.

It isn't against the law to self administer medicine.

I tend to turn my chair away to the side or try to do it under my desk, or flip over a cardi or jacket.

That was then, now I don't bother at all and no one has said a word about it. The other day a senior manager came over to congratulate me for bringing in a big investment and talk about awkward moment when I had the insulin pen in my tummy, however he was great and just carried on talking and didn't look down. :lol:

Why should you be ostracised for adminstering medicine? It's not as if you do a human trumpet and create a fanfare and announce to the room and draw attention to it...and what if you're going a bit too low just before you eat...is this not safety issue for you to be sent to the loo on your own? Why is she gawking in the first place?

What next, is she also going to tell an Asthmatic to use their inhaler in the loo?

If you end up unconcious and need a glucagon injection is this person going to tell others to do this in hiding? Imagine if it was her mother or child, how would she feel knowing that other people are telling them to go do it away somewhere private.

She sounds horrible, is she going to get annoyed with how loudly you type on your keyboard or the tomatoes on your salad? Where does it end and why is she taking it so personally? That's what I would ask her. You're not intentionally making her feel uncomfortable, you're priority is to adminster medicine, and sometimes it's not practical to walk away and do it.

Will I have to then take my handbag/kit etc and do all that on the loo? Also you need to look at your food to know how much to put in. Sometimes I forget and have to refer back to the internet or my Carb & Cals pictures and sometimes need to use a calculator...

Some people are unbelievable, if you're unable to talk to this stupid woman then talk to your boss first or in confidence to HR if you have one?

I hope she hasn't upset you too much, she's not worth it.
 

smidge

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,761
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey commotion!

What a terrible thing to happen in your new job! Just stand your ground. At lunch tomorrow, say to her very loudly 'I'm about to jab and I know it makes you uncomfortable, so you might want to go to the toilets until I've finished.' I bet she doesn't leave her lunch and skulk away :lol:

Take care

Smidge
 

Commotion

Member
Messages
6
I'm planning to have a word with my boss. No type of accusation - I'll simply tell her what happened and that I'm not planning to take my injections in the jacks.
 

ill3st

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Personally I inject in a disabled toilet in work, personal preference but I do my testing at my desk with no queries. If there was they'd be told where to go!

Don't let it affect you Commotion.
 

Commotion

Member
Messages
6
Well I spoke to my boss who replied that my injecting myself made her uncomfortable as well. I replied 'Well that's fine but that is your issue and at least you've never mentioned it.'

I told her that I had no intention of taking my injections in the toilets.

She said that I should have a chat to vile colleague to explain why I do them, or alternatively choose a different lunch partner.

I've said nothing so far, but I am off till next Monday so I'll have a little ponder over the next few days to see what I will do.
 

Dillinger

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,207
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Celery.
Can you inject at your desk before going to lunch?

I think we can get on our high horses about this being essential medication and all that, but a while ago I saw someone at a party injecting themselves in the stomach and I thought it was all a bit much and I'm a Type 1 myself...

We need to meet people half way really; I find I can pretty much always inject underneath a table without other people knowing if I have to, and there are many other strategies so that we don't rub people's noses in it.

We all have to pee after all and yet I don't think it's acceptable to have a **** in the road...

Best

Dillinger
 

the_anticarb

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,045
Dislikes
Spiders, winter, bills, ignorance, prejudice
If this happened to me I would totally ignore her and make a point of just doing my injection, not over emphatically or anything, just normally, and then perhaps look up after wards and flash her a nice big smile and say 'lovely day isn't it?'.

Its hard enough being diabetic without idiots like this coming along and making people feel bad.
 
C

chris lowe

Guest
I know it's not right, but at only 2 months in the job I would try and be a bit more accommodating until I was sure I "had my feet under the table" as it were. Until you've been there a year your employment rights are pretty much non existent, disability discrimination act or not. Did they know you were Type 1 and would be injecting before you started? If they've not got a first aid room you can use the only thing I can suggest is that you find a quiet corner to inject.
 

smidge

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,761
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey Commotion!

Given your manager's attitude, I'd make sure you keep a record of this if I were you. In my experience, people who are intolerant of diabetics injecting in public are generally intolerant of people's differences. Just in case you have any issues with your employer due to being diabetic, it would be wise to note the attitude and words of both the colleague and manager and how it made you feel. Hopefully you won't need it, but best to keep notes just in case!

Smidge
 

Commotion

Member
Messages
6
Well I never thought it was a big deal before, I've been working for years and it's never been any type of problem in any of my previous jobs, so I just assumed it would not be an issue. (In my last job where I was for 5 years, every now and then I'd get asked 'What is that for?' to which I explained, and the response was a general 'Ah OK, I was wondering.'

My contract in this new place is only temporary, so it's better not to rock the boat.

I will simply go on lunch with other people (or eat lunch at my desk while feverishly applying for other jobs.)
 

Tumble

Well-Known Member
Messages
48
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Negativity
Someone tutted and walked away from me yesterday when I was testing my sugar levels in the opticians! I was trying to be discreet by doing it in my handbag. Seems that whatever you do someone is always going to be upset. I just laugh at how small minded some people are and wonder how they would cope in my situation.
 

Rob99

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
In my view your employers are obliged to ensure that you can take your jabs wherever you want because Diabetes is a long term illness and is therefore covered by Disability Discrimation Law: its up to them to educate theior employees - similar to other discrimation education and orientation.

I have being injecting at work and in public for the last 10 years and the one time somebody made a comment I suggested they look away. I would not stand for this sort of treatment.

Rob