Should we be more vocal?

[jakejayeden]

I am forever tired of being told I'm a bruden to the NHS, I am forever tired of being asked if I have the good or bad kind of Diabetes, I am forever tired of being the butt of a joke regarding Diabetes, I am forever tired of so called health journalists telling me ways to cure my yet uncurable Diabetes, I am forever tired of the misinformation touted by so called news outlets and by celebrities whom should know better. And I am forever tired of charities such as Diabetes UK, simply not doing enough to help educate the public and when thunderstorms like the one recently go down, we need them to have our back.

And it seems the only way to combat this is to be more vocal as a community. I assume we have all seen the latest story being run by nearly all UK news outlets.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33932930
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/17/diabetes-bring-down-nhs-charity
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/hea...till-the-fat-lady-puts-down-her-biscuits.html - a nice bit of pot kettle black
Yes, here we are all labelled as NHS scrounging, good for nowt, waste of tax payers money... oh wait.. you're talking about Type 2 Diabetic, why didn't you say earlier. But hang on, not all Type 2 are fat. What's with this Diabetic shaming?

It seems to me, the only way we can promote a positive message and help informative and educate others to Diabetes (ALL FORMS) is by being more vocal as a community and sole individuals. Forums are good, but it's just like we are preaching to the choir. We need to get our voices heard.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Whenever the subject of diabetes comes up in casual conversation I make a point of reminding people that 1 in 5 T2 diabetics are normal weight. That usually causes a pause while they think about it.

I think no matter what we say, most people will continue to think all kinds of diabetes = gluttony. They have no idea.

My strategy is to ignore them and go about my day safe in the knowledge that I know more about it than they do, and they are uninformed idiots.

 

[Celeriac]

I don't tell people that I have diabetes unless it's medically necessary.

Diabetes UK accepts funding from cereal manufacturers and pushes carbs so I ignore them.

The NHS attitude to me is that I'm a difficult heretic but when the numbers became good and I lost the weight I was a success story. I did it myself though.

 

[Daibell]

If there was more recognition of LADA there would be fewer slim 'T2s' (they would be diagnosed as T1) and it might be easier to focus on what would then be the majority of T2s who would be overweight. I don't blame many of the overweight T2s for their condition who have been told to have less fat and salt and stuff themselves with carbs. Yes, DUK could do an awful lot more but they are part of the establishment and won't break ranks with their funders and friends.

 

[LucySW]

But Daibell, it's INSULIN that causes T 2. Not getting fat. Fatness is insulin-driven; and then comes the diabetes.

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

I am forever tired of being told I'm a bruden to the NHS, I am forever tired of being asked if I have the good or bad kind of Diabetes, I am forever tired of being the butt of a joke regarding Diabetes, I am forever tired of so called health journalists telling me ways to cure my yet uncurable Diabetes, I am forever tired of the misinformation touted by so called news outlets and by celebrities whom should know better. And I am forever tired of charities such as Diabetes UK, simply not doing enough to help educate the public and when thunderstorms like the one recently go down, we need them to have our back.

And it seems the only way to combat this is to be more vocal as a community. I assume we have all seen the latest story being run by nearly all UK news outlets.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33932930
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/17/diabetes-bring-down-nhs-charity
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/hea...till-the-fat-lady-puts-down-her-biscuits.html - a nice bit of pot kettle black
Yes, here we are all labelled as NHS scrounging, good for nowt, waste of tax payers money... oh wait.. you're talking about Type 2 Diabetic, why didn't you say earlier. But hang on, not all Type 2 are fat. What's with this Diabetic shaming?

It seems to me, the only way we can promote a positive message and help informative and educate others to Diabetes (ALL FORMS) is by being more vocal as a community and sole individuals. Forums are good, but it's just like we are preaching to the choir. We need to get our voices heard.

I had lunch with a friend today, she's T2 (diagnosed about 10 years ago) she's active and slim and angry at being labelled. If one in five T2s are normal weight then four in five are not. I'm overweight (between a stone and a stone and a half) and I've had a rotten diet since birth. Another friend of mine has just lost 14 stone and has never been diagnosed as diabetic. We all have our stories.

Everyone is different.

Diet and weight are such complicated issues and it isn't just knowing what to eat/do and not eat/do - it's about life long habits and addictions, self harming and the obscene amount of food available everywhere we turn.

The trouble with being overweight is that it shows. Habit and appetite are on show for everyone to see and many feel free to comment.

Almost everyone uses ('burdens') the NHS in one way or another.

 

[TooMuchGlucose]

Can't remember who posted this a few days ago, but alcohol related A&E visits cost the NHS (assuming England) £3.5 billion a year, why are these people not talked about more? Drinking that amount of alcohol puts yourself and those around you in significant danger, if anything is irresponsible it is that type of behaviour.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I think it's best not to "blame" anyone for their health status or need to use health services because the facts are usually more complex than they appear.

Overeating, heavy drinking, and smoking can all be addictive behaviours triggered by child abuse and other forms of domestic violence, which can be intergenerational. It can be very hard, if not impossible, for people to deal with the emotional fallout of abuse. Most people are just doing their best to get by.

 

[Spiker]

What I can't believe is that it's Diabetes UK, our own diabetes advocacy charity, that's putting out these stories about bankrupting the NHS. Way to go, DUK.

If we want to spread a positive message maybe it's time we, diabetics, took charge of the charity that bears our name, but never seems to do the right thing to advance our interests?

 

[ButtterflyLady]

What I can't believe is that it's Diabetes UK, our own diabetes advocacy charity, that's putting out these stories about bankrupting the NHS. Way to go, DUK.

If we want to spread a positive message maybe it's time we, diabetics, took charge of the charity that bears our name, but never seems to do the right thing to advance our interests?

I agree. Diabetes NZ is not great, either.

Maybe they think these stories will help in maintaining and increasing the funding for diabetes services, or will educate the public about reducing the risk of diabetes, but they will probably do neither.

 

[SunnyExpat]

It's chicken and egg.
There is some link between type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Maybe one comes first, maybe both are symptoms, but for most who have reported weight loss, diabetes control has got better, Or the other way round.
So, if 80% of the type 2, which is 90% of the diabetic population, could be encouraged to take action, that's 72% of the diabetic population.
And in itself, being obese has it's own, often,similar complications.

And if you do encourage obesity to be tackled head on, that's a lot of people who may not see symptoms, or those who may have symptoms including weight gain that will benefit.

So that leaves a lot more resource for the other 32%.

For the record though, I was overweight, for many years before I developed type 2 diabetes, I am no longer overweight, and so long as I don't go mad now, my diabetes is well controlled.
So maybe I'm not quite so skeptical of the message.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

It's chicken and egg.
There is some link between type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Maybe one comes first, maybe both are symptoms, but for most who have reported weight loss, diabetes control has got better, Or the other way round.
So, if 80% of the type 2, which is 90% of the diabetic population, could be encouraged to take action, that's 72% of the diabetic population.
And in itself, being obese has it's own, often,similar complications.

And if you do encourage obesity to be tackled head on, that's a lot of people who may not see symptoms, or those who may have symptoms including weight gain that will benefit.

So that leaves a lot more resource for the other 32%.

For the record though, I was overweight, for many years before I developed type 2 diabetes, I am no longer overweight, and so long as I don't go mad now, my diabetes is well controlled.
So maybe I'm not quite so skeptical of the message.

I was very overweight for many years too, and lost the weight after diagnosis. So I have mixed feelings about it. At the start I would beat myself up a lot about it but now I am better about it.

 

[SunnyExpat]

I didn't beat myself up, but it I certainly used it as a focus to lose the weight.

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

Whenever the subject of diabetes comes up in casual conversation I make a point of reminding people that 1 in 5 T2 diabetics are normal weight. That usually causes a pause while they think about it.

I think no matter what we say, most people will continue to think all kinds of diabetes = gluttony. They have no idea.

My strategy is to ignore them and go about my day safe in the knowledge that I know more about it than they do, and they are uninformed idiots.

Can't remember who posted this a few days ago, but alcohol related A&E visits cost the NHS (assuming England) £3.5 billion a year, why are these people not talked about more? Drinking that amount of alcohol puts yourself and those around you in significant danger, if anything is irresponsible it is that type of behaviour.

They are talked about but if they drink in an evening no one can tell unless they are there. It's hidden. Drinkers are talked about but they aren't easy to spot - unlike foodaholics like me.

 

[TooMuchGlucose]

What I can't believe is that it's Diabetes UK, our own diabetes advocacy charity, that's putting out these stories about bankrupting the NHS. Way to go, DUK.

If we want to spread a positive message maybe it's time we, diabetics, took charge of the charity that bears our name, but never seems to do the right thing to advance our interests?

I remember when I was diagnosed I was told to "look on Diabetes UK" for recipes and information I went on and saw there was virtually nothing.

 

[Spiker]

I really think we need to avoid implying or saying that T2s have caused their condition. Prof Taylor's ground breaking work shows this is simply not true. Obesity may show itself before frank T2 is detected but that doesn't mean it's the cause. It could be considered a warning sign.

T2 is caused by selective deposition of fat in the liver - and this occurs at culturally normal calorie intake. This liver fat deposition increases insulin resistance. In turn the insulin resistance increases liver fat deposition and creates a runaway spiral. Obesity is often, but not invariably, a consequence.

T2 may well be aggravated or a higher risk with people who have an addictive or bad relationship with food. But we can't conclude that T2 is in some way self inflicted. Particularly when the public health information that people get on the subject is so wrong. People are told to cut fat and eat carbs. Nothing could be more guaranteed to promote T2. Carbs raise insulin and raised insulin causes fat deposition.

Luckily the spiral is reversible, as Prof Taylor has shown. There is absolutely no better way to prove the etiology of a disease than to be able to reverse it. That's worth a hundred prospective population studies or a thousand lab studies.

 

[Brunneria]

An acquaintance has had the following treatments on the NHS within the last 2 years:

One neck operation (for arthritis related neck issues)
2 knee replacement ops (he was a jogger, for decades)
A heart op (his diet has been low fat marg and white toast, twice a day for 20 years. He won't eat vegetables)
6 weeks in hospital for a stroke (he has always refused to take his blood pressure medication).
He is going to take months of convalescence, house alterations, a new bathroom, ramps installed and physio before he can return, or function, at home.
He is currently being fed through a stomach tube (PEG), all food is a prescription prepared liquid formula. This may be needed for the rest of his life.

Now, i have a tremendous sympathy, and compassion, for his plight but if we want to assign the title of 'burden to NHS'...

However, assigning blame is never constructive. Would anyone choose to be in this poor guy's position?

It's the same for T2s. In fact most of them would happily lose weight, given tools that they can use, that are sustainable, and which don't leave them miserable, hungry, craving carbs and endlessly judged.

 

[SunnyExpat]

.....It's the same for T2s. In fact most of them would happily lose weight, given tools that they can use, that are sustainable, and which don't leave them miserable, hungry, craving carbs and endlessly judged.

Not entirely sure I understand that.
I have a tool that worked for me.
I ate less, it wasn't hard to work out.
I don't believe I was miserable, I can actually survive on less food.
Hungry, and craving carbs, again, losing weight was more important, so I had a choice to make really.

Endlessly judged? Not by people that I couldn't ignore.

Possibly, if you say most T2's would happily lose weight, so long as they stayed happy, never felt hungry, never felt any cravings, surgery looks like it would fill the requirement.
But if there is no effort, no change in mindset, it's not going to stick.
The weight will reappear eventually.

 

[Brunneria]

Possibly, if you say most T2's would happily lose weight, so long as they stayed happy, never felt hungry, never felt any cravings, surgery looks like it would fill the requirement.

Nonsense.
Surgery like that comes at tremendous physical and emotional cost.

I am, of course, delighted that you are thick skinned enough to ignore the majority of the human race (fat bashing seems to be one of the last socially acceptable politically incorrect behaviours, and is even found sometimes on this forum).

On the other hand, I consider empathy to be a treasured part of my existence, although it is often a double edged sword.

 

[Spiker]

I have a tool that worked for me.
I ate less, it wasn't hard to work out.

That's great for you, but many other struggle with it because of poor information, social pressure, emotional pressure, and many other things. It would not hurt to be more sympathetic to people who find it more challenging than you do surely?