Diabetes is a serious condition where your blood glucose level is too high. There are two main types, Type 1 and Type 2. They’re different conditions, but they’re both serious. It can happen when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin it produces isn’t effective. Or, when your body can’t produce any insulin at all.
What all types of diabetes have in common is that they cause people to have too much glucose (sugar) in their blood. But we all need some glucose. It’s what gives us energy. We get glucose when our bodies break down the carbohydrates that we eat or drink, that glucose is then released into our blood. We also need a hormone called insulin. It’s made by our pancreas, and it’s insulin that allows the glucose in our blood to enter our cells and fuel our bodies. If you don’t have diabetes, your pancreas senses when glucose has entered your bloodstream and releases the right amount of insulin, so the glucose can get into your cells. But if you have diabetes, this system doesn’t work.
This serious condition can have a huge impact on your working life. One in six working people with diabetes feel they’ve been discriminated against by their employer because of their diabetes. If you feel you’ve been mistreated, remember you have rights.
The diabetes.org.uk website gives lots of useful information with regards to your rights at works.
The diabetes self-management website has useful information to help you manage the condition.