Why So Few?

[Jenny15]

Sue, would you like this thread locked?

Darn, I am about to make some replies. All nice, of course.

 

[Jenny15]

I wonder if there's also less interaction between T1 and T2 (and T3c etc) members than there could be? Knowing when and where to interact is not always easy.

If a thread is of a social / humorous nature then I'll sometimes take part regardless, but if a thread is someone asking for advice, which they often are, and the OP's profile says they are T1, I'll normally move on rather than responding. Even though there is a bit of overlap between dealing with T1 and T2, I feel they are such different things that I worry I'd be annoying someone with T1 if I presumed to offer advice.

Even if say a thread is about someone suffering from depression or diabetes burnout. I've experienced those things, but if a thread on that subject is started by someone with T1, I still don't feel very comfortable responding. The thought of dying 10 years early or losing limbs due to poor management is not the same as the constant threat of dying immediately due to a brief lapse in management, so the sources of depression and burnout won't be quite the same.

A thread where people compare fasting levels is a particularly good example. Imagine starting that thread yourself. How do you pitch it? Do you say "this thread is for T1 / T2 / T3C people only" and risk alienating people? Or do you say "This thread is for everyone" and risk annoying people by not recognising that the whole concept of ideal fasting levels is different depending on what condition you are managing and how you are managing it.

Anyway I think we'll all muddling through pretty well considering, possibly bound by the common experience of all wishing we could eat food without having to think about our own blood, life expectancy and numbers. That bit gets really old for all of us, I'm sure.

I am T2 but my worries about life threatening complications are not all far off in the distance. An infection could put me in the ICU. There are a lot of commonalities between T2 of a sufficient severity, and the other types incl T1, IMHO.

 

[therower]

@therower what do you think the thread should be titled? I'm getting a bit fed up with everything I'm reading. It's not about them and us is it everyone, it was a very simple observation that made me start

Hi SueJB. I think has this thread has proven, the title bears little relevance it's the content that counts.
You asked a perfectly good question. How it managed to get here? Well I'm sure we will all have opinions on that one.
I just hope that you actually got some relevant answers to your question.
The fact the thread got derailed is no fault of yours and you should not be feeling sad.

 

[Jenny15]

This thread isn't about a them against us. The question is why type 1's don't post as much. I have noticed derailing by both type's, 1 and 2, even threads, regarding type 1 from the DCUK News Bot has caused type 2's to post that this and that happens to type 2's and not just type 1's when the article is actually about type 1. Lots of things on here are exasperating at times and the smaller groups, type 1, Lada, Type 3 etc are quite small, so we are out numbered, I used to have a laugh and banter with other's on the forum, but don't post much anymore, as some have gone and I have noticed lost of changes over the years. Most of the threads are regarding type 2 and diet, either low carb, keto, Newcastle, because the forum has a very high % of type 2's. A couple of years ago I mistakingly posted my fasting BS on the type 2 thread, I realised my mistake. apologised and everyone was fine about it, no one batted an eyelid
I think the main reason I don't post my BS, is because when I have posted a low on waking, eg 3.4, I received 'likes' which to me wasn't really appropriate, but when I asked about the 'likes' I was told it was just an acknowledgement, but being that low isn't good. Also seeing some member's who, for example, have gone to bed on a 4.6 and woken on a 5.0 and are so concerned and upset about it, makes me feel rather inadequate ( even after 29 years) and I think to myself, you really don't know how lucky you are. This is just my perspective on the Thread's title.

I only post my FBGs occasionally, when there is a reason to. I don't want to be part of treating it as a competition as we are all different. I hope by posting my FBGs at 7-9 I can show that as T2s we're not always running at 4-5 and thats OK.

An additional minority group is T2s on insulin - we need ideas from both T1s and T2s. Our insulin use is different to T1s, also.

 

[SueJB]

Sue, would you like this thread locked?

@Jaylee, no thanks, I believe everyone should be able to say what they want to. I believe totally in that freedom. I'm sure that everyone would agree.

 

[Robbity]

@Robbity my intention is to move the discussion forward and I think what you've written implies something not nice. My reason for making the thread in the first place was I saw more posts from T2 than T1 and I just wondered why

I simply thought I 'd give you a bit of a bit of jokey encouragement to start the tthread, Sometimes people want something done but don't alway beleive that it it's up to them to do something about it, is all......I'll go and retreat back into my lirttle T2 corner now.

Robbity

 

[Jenny15]

That is a great idea but .................. some would misuse it and it could become abusive by people saying "I'm only joking".

Sometimes when we are joking, some people take it seriously/literally, even after we point it out. One can't win either way, so I try to be cautious, hope for the best, and remember it's just words on a screen. Intent matters, and asking questions to clarify is usually better than making assumptions and worse, sticking by them no matter what.

 

[SueJB]

Hi SueJB. I think has this thread has proven, the title bears little relevance it's the content that counts.
You asked a perfectly good question. How it managed to get here? Well I'm sure we will all have opinions on that one.
I just hope that you actually got some relevant answers to your question.
The fact the thread got derailed is no fault of yours and you should not be feeling sad.

@therower, it got side-tracked a bit but it raised some interesting stuff. I did get some useful ideas at the start and some insights later. The title was relevant and it was good to hear from more than a few

 

[SueJB]

I simply thought I 'd give you a bit of a bit of jokey encouragement to start the tthread, Sometimes people want something done but don't alway beleive that it it's up to them to do something about it, is all......I'll go and retreat back into my lirttle T2 corner now.

Robbity

@Robbity thanks for the encouragement but............................!!

 

[SueJB]

I am T2 but my worries about life threatening complications are not all far off in the distance. An infection could put me in the ICU. There are a lot of commonalities between T2 of a sufficient severity, and the other types incl T1, IMHO.

I agree but that wasn't the question I posed at the start

 

[Jenny15]

So how about a thread entitled 'T1 life'? - similar to the T2 life one? I just feel that T1s would benefit from a chat thread of their own, maybe some newbies would stay around the forum after they have gotten themselves on track if there was something specifically for them to chat on and build relationships with other T1s. Some of you T1 guys are great, but I feel we do need more regular T1 posters.

I agree with this. IMO there are about 10 different subgroups here. The two largest are T2s using diet only or diet and 1st/2nd line meds only, and T1s who are at least reasonably established in their management of the disorder. The other groups are all small.

In no particular order:

LADA, MODY, 1.5, T3, RH are known groups.

T2s on insulin are a bit overlooked, but I am getting more comfortable with that and doing what I can to help. (There are two types within the group - those who ended up in insulin according to the status quo medical guidelines, and those who read widely and are carefully using it for a specific reason, knowing the pitfalls of being in the other group).

T2s on 3rd line medications and more, such as Byetta, Victoza, mixed insulins where basal/bolus may be better etc

Diabetes with multiple serious comorbidities is another group and can include T2, T1 or any type.

"Type unknown as yet" is a tough group to be in.

Given the great diversity of the groups, I find that the best approach for me is:

>Always keep in mind the specific forum rules about crossposting, and check which subforum a thread is in before replying.

>State which type I am and that I try not to crosspost but "issue X appears to affect us all so here is my experience."

>Always be ready to back away if people say they are finding my posts problematic.

>Keep trying to reach out to those who feel they don't fit anywhere.

>Keep positive and remember most of us are here to seek help and help others in good faith.

>Report posts that appear truly beyond the pale and let mods deal with them.

I would support a thread for people who feel they don't yet fit anywhere. Happy to start it if asked to.

 

[Jenny15]

I agree but that wasn't the question I posed at the start

But that is normal on forums, for other questions to arise. It's only when its deliberate negative thread hijacking that IMO it's worth trying to control.

 

[Jenny15]

I agree but that wasn't the question I posed at the start

Also, it responded directly to another post, and it relates to your post #1 because my underlying point is:

I want T1s to post more than they do, because I'm in a group that benefits from their insulin use experience. It's possible they don't realise how valuable that is to me.

 

[SueJB]

I agree with this. IMO there are about 10 different subgroups here. The two largest are T2s using diet only or diet and 1st/2nd line meds only, and T1s who are at least reasonably established in their management of the disorder. The other groups are all small.

In no particular order:

LADA, MODY, 1.5, T3, RH are known groups.

T2s on insulin are a bit overlooked, but I am getting more comfortable with that and doing what I can to help. (There are two types within the group - those who ended up in insulin according to the status quo medical guidelines, and those who read widely and are carefully using it for a specific reason, knowing the pitfalls of being in the other group).

T2s on 3rd line medications and more, such as Byetta, Victoza, mixed insulins where basal/bolus may be better etc

Diabetes with multiple serious comorbidities is another group and can include T2, T1 or any type.

"Type unknown as yet" is a tough group to be in.

Given the great diversity of the groups, I find that the best approach for me is:

>Always keep in mind the specific forum rules about crossposting, and check which subforum a thread is in before replying.

>State which type I am and that I try not to crosspost but "issue X appears to affect us all so here is my experience."

>Always be ready to back away if people say they are finding my posts problematic.

>Keep trying to reach out to those who feel they don't fit anywhere.

>Keep positive and remember most of us are here to seek help and help others in good faith.

>Report posts that appear truly beyond the pale and let mods deal with them.

I would support a thread for people who feel they don't yet fit anywhere. Happy to start it if asked to.

@Jenny15, all good and very positive, thanks but way off the original question and perhaps slightly repetitive of the forum's own code of conduct

 

[Jenny15]

@Jenny15, all good and very positive, thanks but way off the original question and perhaps slightly repetitive of the forum's own code of conduct

You've already said that about a post of mine just now and I have responded to that. If you think I've broken the rules you should report the post. I really think the best approach is to ignore a post you don't like. I do it all the time.

 

[Jaylee]

You've already said that about a post of mine just now and I have responded to that. If you think I've broken the rules you should report the post. I really think the best approach is to ignore a post you don't like. I do it all the time.

You may have overlooked "thread hijacking.?"

 

[Jenny15]

You may have overlooked "thread hijacking.?"

I don't believe I did, but perhaps because posts crossed at the same time, my earlier posts were not read. Accidental not deliberate. Bowing out of this thread unless things change in here.

 

[Jaylee]

I don't believe I did, but perhaps because posts crossed at the same time, my earlier posts were not read. Accidental not deliberate. Bowing out of this thread unless things change in here.

Thanks for your compliance & understanding..

 

[EllieM]

To answer the original question, I've never had a FBG test requested by my GP or endocrinologist, so don't think the result is particularly relevant to my control. (Lets face it, if I happen to do a test in the middle of the night and it's in the teens, I'll bolus to correct, so I could easily manipulate a FBG test to look perfect just by injecting a couple of hours before the test.)

I do feel that T2s on insulin have a hard time here, as most of the T2 threads seem to assume that you can attain normal blood sugars if you just low carb your T2 into submission, and I really don't think that's the case for all. And it seems that once you're on insulin you've got all the disadvantages of T1 and T2 at the same time, and relatively little advice to help? As for those with RH, LADA, T3 etc, I thank the medical gods that I have a relatively common type of diabetes, the thought of having uncontrollable hypos (yes, I know some T1s have this but it seems more common in RH and T3) fills me with fear and trepidation.

Where medical science is concerned, the last thing you want is a rare illness, (worst case is one named after a doctor or pair of doctors ).

And finally, to finish going completely off topic (sorry mods), does anyone remember the TV series "Being human".
http://beinghuman.wikia.com/wiki/Types_0-5
Depending on which anti-supernatural organisation you belong to, I'm either a ghost or a vampire.

 

[EllieM]

To answer the original question, I've never had a FBG test requested by my GP or endocrinologist, so don't think the result is particularly relevant to my control. (Lets face it, if I happen to do a test in the middle of the night and it's in the teens, I'll bolus to correct, so I could easily manipulate a FBG test to look perfect just by injecting a couple of hours before the test.)

I do feel that T2s on insulin have a hard time here, as most of the T2 threads seem to assume that you can attain normal blood sugars if you just low carb your T2 into submission, and I really don't think that's the case for all. And it seems that once you're on insulin you've got all the disadvantages of T1 and T2 at the same time, and relatively little advice to help? As for those with RH, LADA, T3 etc, I thank the medical gods that I have a relatively common type of diabetes, the thought of having uncontrollable hypos (yes, I know some T1s have this but it seems more common in RH and T3) fills me with fear and trepidation.

Where medical science is concerned, the last thing you want is a rare illness, (worst case is one named after a doctor or pair of doctors ).

And finally, to finish going completely off topic (sorry mods), does anyone remember the TV series "Being human".
http://beinghuman.wikia.com/wiki/Types_0-5
Depending on which anti-supernatural organisation you belong to, I'm either a ghost or a vampire.

And my FBG was 14 this morning!