Diabetic themed tattoos ???

jammer

Active Member
Messages
26
Hi all, been a diabetic for bout 16 years (i'm a 20 year old male) I currently have two small tattoos and had no problems with them. I would like to get a tattoo that has something to do with my diabetes but need some ideas does anybody have any cool diabetes tattoos or have any ace ideas ????

Please feel free to leave your ideas (and pictures if you have)

:D Thanks Jamie (Jammer) :D
 

Hobs

Master
Messages
11,797
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Dislikes
Argumenative barstifferous (new word *lol*) types who think that they know everything *wink*
I consider tattos to be self abuse, so you would not like to read my views on the complications of wounds to the long term diabetic patient.

When I go into hospital I have no option but agree to be admitted to the High Dependancy Unit just because any wound could present complications and often in times of stress BG's can go alarmingly high.
 

Patch

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,981
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I've given this a lot of thought in the past. I've been looking into getting a tattoo on my ribs - an ambigram of the word DAIBETIC (an ambigram is a wood that reads the same when rotated 90 degrees). This looks really good - but you wouldn't necessarily be able to read it unless the word was pointed out to you.

You'll just have to decide why you want a diabetic tattoo. Is it for yourself? (In which case, it doesn't really matter if it's not instantly recognisable as a diabetic tattoo), or is for the case of an emergency (ie - to notify someone that you are diabetic), in which case, it should be obvious (and readable!).

Keep us up to date. Always interested in th ecase of new tattoos!!!
 

Patch

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,981
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
No. You definitely don't want that.

Also, you don't want spelling errors on your post, or on your Christmas cards... Oh, and can you imagine the difficulty you'd have if a spelling error got onto your shopping list?!?

Panick time.
 

jammer

Active Member
Messages
26
Cheers for the replys, Everyone has ther own opinions Hobs so thanks for yours as well. Like i said i have had 2 tattoos already and had no problems at all and i've been diabetic for 16 years :D
 

Celtic.Piskie

Well-Known Member
Messages
288
Dislikes
Whole-wheat past and rice, tastes horrible. Cats, spiders, and people who think nick jonas is a musician.
Oooh... the ambigram thing sounds fabulous !

The molecular structure of insulin is very pretty.... could do a lot with it.
I've had three tattoo's, one on my ribs three hours so far, two more for colouring, and i've been diabetic for 16 years.... and i've not had any problems, nor have most people.
Being diabetic doesn't mean you have healing problems. I heal fine, the one on my ribs was completely healed within 11 days. No scabbing at all.

What's the sentiment behind the tattoo? Why do you want it to be about diabetes in particular? The permenance of it, the life changing effects?

Good luck :)
 

Patch

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,981
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Celtic.Piskie said:
The molecular structure of insulin is very pretty.... could do a lot with it.

THAT is an AWESOME idea...

P.S - I'll show you mine if you show me yours... :wink:
 

naillig

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Have had diabetes for nearly 42 years, And lately been thinking about getting a tattoo on my wrist, with the words type 1 diabetic included, I am really fed up of having to wear a bracelet, and this would cure the problem. Only thing is I am too much of a coward, Its the needles you know . :D :D
Gill
 

Celtic.Piskie

Well-Known Member
Messages
288
Dislikes
Whole-wheat past and rice, tastes horrible. Cats, spiders, and people who think nick jonas is a musician.
Haha....

I have exactly that done about 4 months ago. Took less than 1/2 an hour.

The inside of the wrist is one of the more painful places, but it's totally bearable. 3 weeks after i had that one done, i went for a three hour session on my ribs, which was worse, so honestly it's not that bad.
You know what stinging nettles feel like? The actual sensation of the needles without the nasty burning / stinging part.... imagine that sensation, with added heat, that's the sort of pain. It's perfectly bearable, but on occasion it may make your fingers randomly twitch on the wrist lol.

If it was that bad, no-one would get any more would they.
 

redrevis

Well-Known Member
Messages
108
I was recently diagnosed type 1 a few months ago and I've been contemplating getting a wrist tattoo instead of wearing the bracelets. I've been researching a design and I'm nearly there. I've seen quite a few out there, on the wrist, which are far too small and the ink in the writing has spread a little making them hard to read. If you're going to get one try and make sure you allow room for a little ink spread over the years. Wearing 100% sun block really helps with keeping tattoos looking crisp and reducing ink spread. I've got 1 tattoo on my right inner forearm but had that done a few years ago before the big 'D' occured. The only problem right now for me is, I've seen a few people that have been diagnosed type 1 and then being re-diagnosed with type two upto a year and a half down the line. One of them even said they were in the process of putting a type 1 design together and now are really glad they didn't. Is there a way to know 100% that tyou are type 1 and will never be re-diagnosed as type 2? I didn't realise it was even possible until i read of a few people it's happened to.
Regarding pain of getting one done, the best way I explain it to people is, imagine having sunburn and then running your fingernail over it, that's the closest I can explain it. And that pain is only really for the deeper outline, once they start the shading i found it actually quite a pleasant feeling. I went in a nervous wreck but once I chatted with my tattoist and they started the outline I completely relaxed as it was no way as bad as I was expecting.
This is my non-diabetic related tattoo anyway, fresh after it was done, in case you wanted to see :) if not don't click on the link :wink:
It's a memorial tattoo to my brother who died in a car crash. The writing is his nickname and the dates are birth and death. He had his nickname tattooed in Old English the same on his inner forearm, so I've kind of carried it on for him. Just noticed It even looks a little like sunburn round the writing :p

On the spelling issue, always triple check spellings and dates as you don't want to be like these people:
funny-facebook-loyality-tat.png

funny-facebook-tattoo-spell.png

funny-facebook-date-tattoo.png
 

Snodger

Well-Known Member
Messages
787
Patch said:
Celtic.Piskie said:
The molecular structure of insulin is very pretty.... could do a lot with it.

THAT is an AWESOME idea...

I agree, I love this idea. I really like the idea that's it's positive about the whole insulin/diabetes thing but avoids the labelling issue. Almost tempts me to get one... but I'm a piercings sort of gal not tattoos.

agree about the healing, if you look after yourself it should be fine. I had microdermals (piercings partly under the skin) for a couple of years with no probs. Tatts heal even faster.
 

ags1983

Member
Messages
15
Hi, got this one done about 3 or 4 years ago now. Think it cost about £60 which you could end up spending on lots of bracelets/necklaces if you have a tendency to miss place things!
Got it on the inside of my right arm, and the most common question i get asked when folk see it is "Are you really a diabetic?" which normally gets the reply (loaded with sarcasim) "No i got it for a laugh!"

5032955872_02dd30ac57.jpg
 

redrevis

Well-Known Member
Messages
108
Hey ags1983,

That looks like a good size. £60 sound quite reasonable for that, I think it's just crying out for the Star of Life to have some kind of outline, either black or some other colour, but that's just my personal opinion. Did you consider having your 'type' on it, as i'm guessing it's a medical alert one rather than just a decorative one for yourself. Maybe having the type on it would help paramedics etc with the treatment they would give you.
I can't believe people actually ask you that. It must be out of pure shock that they would say that. Depending on how you say "I got it for a laugh" I bet you get some strange reactions to that :p
 

ags1983

Member
Messages
15
I was going to get it done with a black outline but the tattooist suggested i have it without one and see what i thought. I could always add an outline at a later date, but personally am happy with it, prob get it recoloured in a few years. I was actually thinking about adding 'Type 1' to it, either above the image or below the diabetic wording.

The actual design i came up with with the artist had block caps as the font, but he changed it and showed me the redesign and thought his choice of font was better :)

Ha ha, yeah the reaction to just got it for a laugh is normally "What?! Really?" to which the normal response is "don't be so bl**dy daft, of course im diabetic!"
 

Lezzles

Well-Known Member
Messages
82
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Diabetes
CJ from the Egg heads
Shellfish
Leaving home without an umbrella
I have a few tattoos on my neck, shoulder and forearm and i've never had any problems at all with them.

i plan to get a diabetic themed one once i have finalised my design.

And here's my tattoo i have on my forearm :) i love it!
 

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ham79

Well-Known Member
Messages
252
Dislikes
diabetes and cbeebies
I got heaps of tattoo's and rather than an I.d tag I was thinking of getting a sleeve piece to celebrate diabetes (ish)
 

jaideeh

Member
Messages
5
Dislikes
banana's, lots of coursework, mean people +storms
hi, i'm only 16 but i think i would really like a tattoo saying diabetic, this ones slightly girly
but its still nice! :)
 

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