Diabetics and stigma

[BRSBRI]

I've only been formally diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic for 2 months give or take, although in retrospect the warning signs were there for a while before...

In this list, I've already heard 3 of these reactions - what's the best you've had?

 

[Lamont D]

So you are diabetic!


You are weird!


Never heard of it!


I haven't got a clue!


Eat less and lose weight!


All these were my GPs.

And a specialist endocrinologist told me;
To stop drinking alcohol, and I don't think you need another appointment.

And the specialist endocrinologist who saved my life,
Yes you are weird!

Also
Get on your computer and have a look at diabetes.co.uk!

You definitely do not have diabetes!

Stay safe.

P.S..
My specialist endocrinologist told me, that because of the lack of hypos and the weight loss, full control. That he wouldn't need for any more appointments, because I have a better understanding of my condition.

 

[Andydragon]

I've only been formally diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic for 2 months give or take, although in retrospect the warning signs were there for a while before...

In this list, I've already heard 3 of these reactions - what's the best you've had?

View attachment 47473

Since 2008 the reactions I have got are pretty much, "Oh, okay"

Maybe I'm just lucky?

 

[KK123]

Yep, quite a few! My favourite was 'Hey, you can cure that with low carb'......and then proceeded to tell me how even when I explained it was type 1. I suppose at least the 'low carb' option is getting out there.

 

[zand]

I have had them all except numbers 1 and 3 ...because I do and I am

 

[lucylocket61]

Can I add:

"I'm not surprised, look at the size of you" from an overweight DN.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, being a drain on the NHS by eating too much"

From now- estranged family member.

And........

"If I did that to myself I would commit suicide"

From another now-estranged family member.

Both of the above drink like fish, and smoke.

 

[MrsA2]

I had no.1 "You don't look diabetic" from an endocrinologist we met on holiday! He then proceeded to point out all the body shapes around the pool that were, or were heading for diabetes.
I was then diagnosed just 2 weeks later

 

[lovinglife]

I’m very lucky I haven’t had any of those - not to my face anyway, and if they are saying it behind my back well at least whilst they’re talking about me they are leaving someone else alone, as my mam used to say

 

[Flora123]

I got “oh, you aren’t a rolly polly” from an endo!!!!

 

[Andydragon]

I got “oh, you aren’t a rolly polly” from an endo!!!!

Seriously?
Someone says something like that who is supposed to be a professional... shocking

 

[Lainie71]

Yes I have had most of those reactions.... the one that made me laugh was "Oh just have a sweet, here you go.." To which I explained it doesn't work like that for me being a type 2. My personal feeling is that I have to laugh within all this madness, otherwise I really will go mad as there its soooooooo much more that just having a "sweet".

 

[Lainie71]

Can I add:

"I'm not surprised, look at the size of you" from an overweight DN.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, being a drain on the NHS by eating too much"

From now- estranged family member.

And........

"If I did that to myself I would commit suicide"

From another now-estranged family member.

Both of the above drink like fish, and smoke.

Blilmey thats really harsh

 

[Lainie71]

My DN is not nice and scared the life out of me, she explained that she had never and I emphasize the "never" had anyone lower their BG through diet and exercise. To which I thought well I will show you then and stuff your medication, its my diabetes and I will take control of it my way.

 

[Andydragon]

My DN is not nice and scared the life out of me, she explained that she had never and I emphasize the "never" had anyone lower their BG through diet and exercise. To which I thought well I will show you then and stuff your medication, its my diabetes and I will take control of it my way.

Guessing this wasn’t reverse psychology?

I’ve had mostly nice DNs although one in the surgery I don’t like. To be fair she was only saying the truth to me, that if I did lose weight and did better I could gain control. It’s just the way she says it

I guess compared to the way some have treated y’all I got off really lucky

I’m oddly excited about my nurse visit on Tuesday cause for the first time ever, I can show and tell that I made a real effort

I do get that it must be hard when all they see day in day out are people who don’t make a change. I kind of think there are many who don’t want to change. But you’d think there are some who make the effort to make it all worthwhile. But still, putting fear into people for the right reasons doesn’t need rudeness

 

[sleepster]

I had a teacher accuse me of lying about having diabetes when I was a child

Mostly I get "oh my family member has diabetes" so I ask what type, they don't know, do they take insulin? They don't know, how long have they had it? They don't know

Or "do you have the one with too much insulin or not enough insulin?" I honestly don't even know what that means, type 2/type 1 maybe?

 

[EllieM]

Or "do you have the one with too much insulin or not enough insulin?" I honestly don't even know what that means, type 2/type 1 maybe?

That's actually quite an informed question

T2: insulin resistant, so produce too much insulin, at least at the start.
T1: no insulin at all eventually

Of course it doesn't account for all the people who don't quite fit into the stereotypes, but it's a lot better than "do you have the fat kind or the thin kind?"

 

[EllieM]

All I ever got was "Geez, you've lost weight". 20 kg in 5 weeks will do that to you.

And the stereotype response to that would be
"Are you sure you are T2 and not T1?"

Hopefully that was desired and a result of low carbing and not weight loss due to out of control diabetes before diagnosis.

 

[zand]

My DN is not nice and scared the life out of me, she explained that she had never and I emphasize the "never" had anyone lower their BG through diet and exercise. To which I thought well I will show you then and stuff your medication, its my diabetes and I will take control of it my way.

My GP was kinder than that, but he did mention drugs for life. I had the same reaction as you, I thought 'We'll see about that...'

 

[Robbity]

Can I add:

"I'm not surprised, look at the size of you" from an overweight DN.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, being a drain on the NHS by eating too much"

Years before I was diabetic, and just very slightly overweight, I had similar comments from a practice nurse - I was absolutely furious but at that time didn't have the courage to either call her on her rudeness or just get up and walk out. I've never seen her since.

But since I've been T2, apart from being told I needed to lose weight by GP and DN, I've never had any such insults. The worst I've had have been some really daft comments from much closer to home and generally regarding my diet - apparently I don 't understand low carbing (in spite of it working in my favour), all sugar comes from sugar cane, and my all time favourite stupid comment - apparently it's perfectly OK for me to eat food with added sugar because there's less of it - go figure!

 

[Andydragon]

And the stereotype response to that would be
"Are you sure you are T2 and not T1?"

Hopefully that was desired and a result of low carbing and not weight loss due to out of control diabetes before diagnosis.

Yeah... T2 has this as a starter symptom too, just seems a lot less common maybe? I know I lost loads when chained to the sink drinking like my life depended on it back in the day