The office trailblazer!

KittyKatty

Well-Known Member
Messages
79
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I've just temporarily moved offices for a 2 month project and one of my new colleagues is a Type 2 like me. She's fairly pleasant although she has made a couple of throwaway remarks pertaining to my management of my diabetes. She thinks I go "too far" with turning down the myriad of cakes and chocolate that float around workplaces at Christmas. She certainly likes to tuck into the "naughty" food which is of course her business. I have found out her hba1c is nearly double mine and although that is often through no fault of the individual, her continued love of pizza,chips and cake has made me wonder if her continued diet doesn't help. However I must stress that I would never mention this to her, I'm not her food jailer!

Now the thing is I've written on here before about certain people unable to cope with my turning down carb laden food. And in this new office, I've had one or two colleagues say to me in the past couple of weeks: "Sue's type 2 and she's had some of this cake" or "Sue has chips all the time." It's got to the point where I feel like saying "I don't give a **** what Sue does or doesn't eat." Or even "just because Sue is going over a cliff it doesn't mean I have to follow her." But I don't want to sound aggressive. But the point is, it's almost as though to the three other non-diabetics in the office, Sue is the trailblazer and template for how all Type 2's should behave.

Anyway, why is the world so full of half-educated diabetic gurus? Why do some people think they have a right to remonstrate with someone over their food choices? If I ate a square of chocolate every time someone had patronised me since my diagnosis, I'd have a hba1c of 1000 by now. :hungover:
 
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IanD

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,429
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Carbohydrates
Sadly some of us have to learn the hard way, not always for want of trying. I followed the DUK/NHS starchy carb diet to the point of becoming seriously immobile. That's when I joined the forum & got advice from folk who had gained control of their diabetes.

An Indian diabetic friend said, a few years ago something like, "We have to die of something. Enjoy life [food] while we can." He rejected my diet advice [low carb, increased fat] & now has a range of serious conditions & he's not 50.
 
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A

Avocado Sevenfold

Guest
@KittyKatty Your 31 hba1c is terrific! You are very obviously doing everything right. Just keep telling them, "I'm not Sue" and keep your eye on the ball.

We have so much cake ALL year round at work. I have said no so often that I no longer get offered (and they don't know I have D) We have a steady stream of interns and whenever one leave, s/he brings in cake. We had a girl yesterday who (to the menfolks' horror) brought in a cheese platter and a selection of nuts. I was in hog heaven! :woot:
 
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Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Yep, it goes like that.. I worked with a couple of "girl scout" types a couple of years ago who's credential was "mum worked in a care home".. They knew it all.. They didn't know i was a D. I would just let em prattle on, safe in the knowledge these people would be screwed if they ever got diagnosed! ;)

Just go your own way.. Though i may look "antisocial" passing up on these "treats". I make up for it by making the tea.. :)
 
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Patricia21

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Messages
1,764
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Animal crualty
I dont tell anyone,only family know,and even they say it wont harm you for once,that once could be every day.
I was in hospital in October for 4 days,take the carbs of the plate nothing left,no plain yogurt,I was given a banana?
A young nurse told me she was type2 and said she could eat anything.and told me if I was on Insulin I could eat anything.
 
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Pollylocks

Well-Known Member
Messages
525
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Not many.
I'm so pleased you have started this thread KittyKatty, as I can empathise. In my Department at work there are only three of us, two of us are diabetic...I've completely changed my eating habits since I joined this forum, lowish carbing, exercising etc. and I feel so much better for it.

My colleague eats an amazing amount of chocolate bars, crisps etc. and wonders why she is on so many tablets to control her diabetes whereas I'm on a couple of SR Metformin a day even though I've been diabetic for ten years more than her.. She even says she would like to be on insulin so she can 'eat whatever I like'. Honestly it makes me want to scream! I did mention this forum to her but she said 'you have to die of something' . I thought Yes but its all the nasty complications that may come along inbetween times. But there's no point, I'm not a preacher and if she doesn't want to hear what I've learned on this forum then unfortunately I can't do anything about it. Terribly frustrating and I just bite my tongue now.
 
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Mud Island Dweller

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,161
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
An awful lot.
l have a good friend like that he wont eat sensible refuses to believe my hbaic is so low. We ate round there and huge lasagne l ate the meat part he ate all my pasta. Loves his beer and wine cakes bread etc etc.
l tried to tell him about lchf as l do all diabetics l know ... not sure why l bother but 2 have been interested and taken details so l figure 2 is better than none.
 
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Mud Island Dweller

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,161
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
An awful lot.
At work the other day l had a chocolate ecclair wrote my name on the box and kept testing till l went to 5.6 and then ate it. No one believed l was serious as they know l am a strict T2 at least 2 boxes of chocolates and a tin of biscuits and a cake come through to us in the back from clients every week in the last 5 weeks l have been there and this is the first thing l have eaten.

It was 12.5g/carbs/ecclair (marks and sparks) and l just decided l wanted it... and after all that it tasted like cardboard :(
 
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Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I'm so pleased you have started this thread KittyKatty, as I can empathise. In my Department at work there are only three of us, two of us are diabetic...I've completely changed my eating habits since I joined this forum, lowish carbing, exercising etc. and I feel so much better for it.

My colleague eats an amazing amount of chocolate bars, crisps etc. and wonders why she is on so many tablets to control her diabetes whereas I'm on a couple of SR Metformin a day even though I've been diabetic for ten years more than her.. She even says she would like to be on insulin so she can 'eat whatever I like'. Honestly it makes me want to scream! I did mention this forum to her but she said 'you have to die of something' . I thought Yes but its all the nasty complications that may come along inbetween times. But there's no point, I'm not a preacher and if she doesn't want to hear what I've learned on this forum then unfortunately I can't do anything about it. Terribly frustrating and I just bite my tongue now.

I have the same conversation with the senior phlebotomist at my local hospital every time I have a blood test. It goes something like this.....
phlebotomist " sorry to keep you waiting, was just having a break, I have T2 diabetes, felt sleepy, so needed to have something sweet, a Mars bar".
Me " ok, I have T2, but controlled by diet".
Phleb: "hope you have some chocolate with you"
Me: "No, don't eat it".
Phleb: "but you should be able to if you have medication for T2, you can eat anything then".
Me: "Not on medication".
Phleb: "ask your GP for a prescription".


You couldn't make it up!
 
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))Denise((

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,580
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I prefer not to tell the world and his wife at work that I'm a Type 2. I'm wheat intolerant too, this is a great get out clause for cake in the office - I just wish them happy birthday and say sorry I can't eat wheat. My problem is with my colleagues who know who go out of their way to cook flapjack.
 
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Pollylocks

Well-Known Member
Messages
525
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Not many.
At work the other day l had a chocolate ecclair wrote my name on the box and kept testing till l went to 5.6 and then ate it. No one believed l was serious as they know l am a strict T2 at least 2 boxes of chocolates and a tin of biscuits and a cake come through to us in the back from clients every week in the last 5 weeks l have been there and this is the first thing l have eaten.

It was 12.5g/carbs/ecclair (marks and sparks) and l just decided l wanted it... and after all that it tasted like cardboard :(

That's the trouble isn't it MID, we really think we want something then it turns out not to be the big deal we thought it was...:arghh:
 
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Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Personally. the idea that the "injections" or the "pills" as a solution to the problem is totally the wrong mindset.. As good as these medications are, they cant keep up with the carb intake that polite society dictates no matter how tight you might bolus for it. We are all different metabolisms too..Some foods spike & drop off before the insulin does. & visa versa. Then there is trouble... Its a personal balancing act keeping the BS levels within healthy parameters..

I was actually shocked at what they were feeding my elderly T2 dad during his brief stays in hospital..
His sugar levels were in the teens which the "professionals" thought OK..

Even my own D team think my current HbA1c at 6.5 is too low. What chance has the man on the street got getting a grip on the reality of it...

Until they find an outright cure.. Keep the carb count down. i'd rather they think i have an "eating disorder" Weight watcher thing going on with my T1 control & back off the advice than them blunder in with "diabetic wisdom".... ;)
 
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Mud Island Dweller

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,161
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
An awful lot.
Spoke to a lady on the weekend with t2 and out of control sugar she has just been in hospital admitted with BS 23 and on the DIABETIC ward they gave out jam roly polys, apple pie and custard etc etc. She is keen on LCHF and taken lots of info away to read up on it.
 
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G

graj0

Guest
Now the thing is I've written on here before about certain people unable to cope with my turning down carb laden food. And in this new office, I've had one or two colleagues say to me in the past couple of weeks: "Sue's type 2 and she's had some of this cake" or "Sue has chips all the time." It's got to the point where I feel like saying "I don't give a **** what Sue does or doesn't eat." Or even "just because Sue is going over a cliff it doesn't mean I have to follow her." But I don't want to sound aggressive. But the point is, it's almost as though to the three other non-diabetics in the office, Sue is the trailblazer and template for how all Type 2's should behave.

You could just say that you like to keep control of your BG by watching what you eat rather than taking more and more medication which will eventually lead to your condition worsening.

I see that you were diagnosed in June this year, so well done on getting with the program as they say somewhere. Don't worry about Sue, just look after yourself and keep up the good work. You certainly don't want to listen to the so called experts.
 
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poshtotty

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,012
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi @KittyKatty

I'd say you are the office trailblazer here, not Sue. Its wrong that you are being compared to someone who is such a poor example. I think if it was me I would quite simply say "yes, but my T2 is under control":p

As for the "we all have to die sometime" comments, I think I'd reply that I'd like to die with all my limbs and eyesight working and my aim is to be fit and active to the end....

You could also throw in that Sue's attitude to her condition is outdated and latest studies show that low carb/diet control are now recommended by many in the medical profession and quote the Stockport GP...

Stay strong. May you be the one who makes a difference in that office.

Happy Christmas!
 
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Dave Brierley

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was only diagnosed a fortnight ago so I know only a little about the subject, the point I wish to make is about "you have to die of something"' someone once said to me "I could be run over by a bus tomorrow", which I guess is true, but I feel you don't need to wander into a busy bus lane without looking, in other words it's better to be safe than sorry.

Dave
 
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sanguine

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,340
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Intolerance, career politicians, reality TV and so-called celebrity culture, mobile phones in the quiet carriage.
Brilliant thread @KittyKatty :)

I told people at work about it (well those who needed to know) early on, then I kept getting told how well I was looking and how did I lose the weight (by some of the women especially) and I have passed on details of LCHF to several and tell people more detail at the (many) birthday cakes and meeting buffets we have where I pass up on most of it. The company are very proactive about health and setting yourself health-related targets anyway so my contribution is easy!

Most seem to know at least one other diabetic, although I think I'm the only employee in the office who is.

Spectacular HbA1c improvement btw!
 
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Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You could just say that you like to keep control of your BG by watching what you eat rather than taking more and more medication which will eventually lead to your condition worsening.

I see that you were diagnosed in June this year, so well done on getting with the program as they say somewhere. Don't worry about Sue, just look after yourself and keep up the good work. You certainly don't want to listen to the so called experts.

Alternatively you could tell them all to go get stuffed!
 
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G

graj0

Guest
Alternatively you could tell them all to go get stuffed!
So much more satisfying, but sadly likely to alienate you more than you might be already. We need to make "carb intolerant" more trendy, if you said that you were lactose intolerant (lactose is a carbohydrate) they'd be more interested in your condition and probably only too happy to help.
 
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C

catherinecherub

Guest
I would just smile sweetly and say something like, "I am surprised that you know more about diabetes than my Endocrinologist".

My family and friends know I am a diabetic but why would I need to tell anyone else? There are plenty of people who refuse sweet treats without having to explain themselves. There are plenty of people who do not drink alcohol who seem to bring out the worst in people too. I suppose some see it as not socially acceptable to refuse food and drink that you do not want. It takes all sorts.........