Telling People You're Diabetic

[Deleted member 308541]

I tell people that I am a T2 diabetic, I have nothing to be ashamed of.

It's not as if it's a STD...

 

[alphabeta]

I am type one and I tell everyone. I am generally a super confident person so if someone would throw a hurtful comment they will get burned at once. Anyway, I have never encountered anyone such but I think it is important that people around me to know my condition as they can do something if I go unconscious due to a hypo which is really 1 in a quadrillion

 

[JohnEGreen]

I tell people that I am a T2 diabetic, I have nothing to be ashamed of.

It's not as if it's a STD...

Would that be sexually transmitted diabetes

 

[porl69]

Would that be sexually transmitted diabetes

I just spat my tea out over the computer in work lmao.......

Everyone I know knows I am type 1 diabetic. It is important they know just in case I go hypo. Everyone knows what they have to do in case of emergency

 

[Moggely]

I told a few family members, don't think they cared one way or another.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Would that be sexually transmitted diabetes

Probanly John, that's why I always kangaroo the toilet seat just to stay clear of nasties.

 

[Terrytiddy]

Its amazing how many of us that are out there!! When people comment on my weight loss I just say "Had my diabetes check and my HbA1c was very high, my blood glucose was off scale and my weight was a problem and the Dr wanted me to go on insulin. They either look shocked or say "I'm diabetic as well" what did you do? " I just said to Dr/Dn "Give me 3 months and I will sort it". Dr Fung, Fasting, Keto and LCHF all the way! Spread the word!!

 

[Terrytiddy]

Probanly John, that's why I always kangaroo the toilet seat just to stay clear of nasties.

Kangeroo the toilet seat? Please explain @Tipetoo

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Kangeroo the toilet seat? Please explain @Tipetoo

If I did, I will upset people...

 

[AloeSvea]

I tell anyone who will listen, and probably lots of people who didn't want to! . As in casual contacts - Lots of cafe workers, to explain why I was asking about ingredients, or ordering with everything condiment-y 'on the side' in order to do a sugar test (I have found cafe feedback about sugar content to be horribly unreliable). Bar tenders - absolutely! ("No - a real lime, that lime concentrate will kill me!" - that kind of thing.)

In my personal life - absolutely! I eat so differently to everyone, I can't imagine them not knowing why I am doing what I do food and drink wise. And close family - even more so, especially re possible health outcomes. I was diagnosed at a very high level - 93, and my life went into 'siren time', so I can't imagine not talking about it to close friends and family. And they all know I have gotten a lot better, and why. I have had setbacks too, and again, I can't imagine not talking about those to nearest and dearest. (Obviously my favourite cafe workers don't want to know my latest HBA1c results! And what my theory on it is etc etc. My poor partner and daughter are the ones who really get that kind of nitty gritty.)

And by being so open I have had wonderful bonding moments in face to face life with others who had diabetes, but had not said. Almost as good as in here! Almost. .

 

[JohnEGreen]

If I did, I will upset people...

Well I'm not quite so delicate, it simply means or so I believe sitting on the toilet backwards also known as the reverse kanga I think. Which leaves a rather unpleasant mark on the front inside of the bowl.

 

[Crocodile]

I don't give a toss who knows. Just for a bit of fun when declining carbs sometimes I tell them I have Dippydoodlitis. Last time I ticked the menu box under 'special dietary requirements' I was served a diabetic friendly capsicum stuffed with rice and potatoes then a coffee made on low fat milk. Sometime you've just got to shout it from the rooftops.

 

[Deb69]

Well, 'disclosure' may not be such a big deal for a type 2 diabetic as it is for people with some other illnesses, but the question still arises: who do you tell? Who do you not tell? How do you tell people?

I've told my wife, of course, but not my mum or my siblings. I've told a couple of trusted colleagues who wanted to know the secret of my weight loss. I suspect some others may guess or suspect based on my new eating habits, especially if they are diabetic themselves (''if you've got it, you spot it"). But I can hardly think of a case where anybody I know socially or at work has told me that they are Type 2. I hesitate to tell my mother or certain siblings because they are rather puritanical about eating and drinking, and probably regard type 2 diabetes as a well-deserved punishment for being overweight. I eat keto, so I think they think I've gone on a fad diet for weight loss. I may tell them when I've lost another stone or so and have non-diabetic bloods.

I wondered what experiences others have had?

I told my siblings ASAP, mainly so they could get tested for type 2 as well. It turns out one of my brothers was also type2 and didn’t even realise....

 

[Billone]

Tell anybody. Tell everybody. First of all it will help explain your eating habits and avoid unecessary pressures from other people in social eating and drinking situations. Secondly, you never know that you may be helping the confidence of someone else who is struggling. Reassure them that they are not alone, It is not their fault. Finally, if some one chooses to look down on you for having diabetes, you need to consider how important that relationship is.

 

[Ela_H_]

Well, 'disclosure' may not be such a big deal for a type 2 diabetic as it is for people with some other illnesses, but the question still arises: who do you tell? Who do you not tell? How do you tell people?

I've told my wife, of course, but not my mum or my siblings. I've told a couple of trusted colleagues who wanted to know the secret of my weight loss. I suspect some others may guess or suspect based on my new eating habits, especially if they are diabetic themselves (''if you've got it, you spot it"). But I can hardly think of a case where anybody I know socially or at work has told me that they are Type 2. I hesitate to tell my mother or certain siblings because they are rather puritanical about eating and drinking, and probably regard type 2 diabetes as a well-deserved punishment for being overweight. I eat keto, so I think they think I've gone on a fad diet for weight loss. I may tell them when I've lost another stone or so and have non-diabetic bloods.

I wondered what experiences others have had?

 

[Ela_H_]

I told my siblings ASAP, mainly so they could get tested for type 2 as well. It turns out one of my brothers was also type2 and didn’t even realise....

I’m slim so people gasp if I tell them then dismiss it as if it’s nothing

 

[Freema]

actually the most stupid comments I have heard was comming form other type 2 diabetics, the kind that do think they need only to eat low fat and less sugar, when I tell I eat only a little grams of carbs daily , their first respons is that ; " you do need to have some sugar sometimes ..." I am sure their life will be much shorter than most low carbers as their control is really bad in most cases.... but well how would they know all they have been taught form diabetic nurses and their GP is that damaging as it actually is

 

[Freema]

I tell people that I am a T2 diabetic, I have nothing to be ashamed of.

It's not as if it's a STD...

are you sure

 

[Bittern]

Why tell anyone, there's no need to "come out"

 

[Guzzler]

Why tell anyone, there's no need to "come out"

To 'come out' implies a note of embarrassment or shame or quandry. I felt none of those things. I do not feel the need to 'divulge something previously hidden' either.