Places should cater more for diabetics!

[jessicahall94]

Okay so I'm a type 1 diabetic and I find it really hard on a day-to-day basis because hardly anywhere caters for me.

If you're a diabetic too and this is something you feel strongly about please could you comment saying your opinion on the matter.

Here is a podcast I created for some radio work at University and I would really appreciate all the comments I could get to help me with my project...

Please click the link below to hear my podcast or type it into your web-browser:

http://mhm.hud.ac.uk/newsroom/story/no- ... hey-should

Thank-you fellow diabetics!

 

[noblehead]

Hi Jessica and welcome to the forum

A few comments...

First, don't feel nervous or anxious about injecting in public, your not doing anything wrong and we need insulin to stay alive, if people don't like what they see they have the option of looking away.

The desert option in restaurants might be helpful for those who have a sweet tooth, perhaps taking this up with the establishments where you eat might persuade them to offer a desert more suitable to yourself.

I don't personally have any problems shopping for food in supermarkets, the days of the likes of Boots selling over-priced diabetic goods are thankfully nearly all behind us now and I wouldn't wish to see aisles especially dedicated to diabetics.

As for the problems with your University, ask the student union to get involved and raise your concerns, student services is also another good place to bring up issues that are effecting your well-being whilst studying.

Good luck and I hope you get some answers to the concerns you have raised!

 

[AlexMBrennan]

No offence but that is overly general; you keep saying that you want place to "cater more for diabetics" but what does that actually mean? I agree with it but unless you can be a bit more specific I don't think it will do much good - e.g. Food labels, for example, always list calories (and fat?) on the front but working out the cards requires you to work them out based on per-100g numbers on the back possibly without knowing the portion size.

If you have to wait ages for your prescription then you might want to talk to your GP practise or pharmacies because it shouldn't be that complicated - I just have to drop off the repeat forms at my GP which the pharmacy automatically collects and can pick up my stuff 48h later.

As for public injections, I have only ever been asked about it once (a T2 saw me taking my insulin at the gym and was going to tell the manger that they need sharps bins if I hadn't told him that I dispose of my needles at home) and people will not assume that you are taking illegal drugs.

Diabetic desserts... Well, desserts are no different from your sandwich as far as having to inject insulin for them is concerned so I don't see the big deal. Plus, the stuff that is used to replace sugar with (for sweetness, texture and bulk) isn't that great as mentioned above.

About the food isle thing, there is the issue that there is no agreement on what diabetics should or shouldn't eat - some people think that low-carb is the way to go, others think that a healthy balanced diet is the way to go and so on. With appropriate education, a T1 diabetic should be able to eat anything you'd find in a supermarket. By contrast, e.g. gluten intolerance is much easier - they need gluten-free food.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I also don't understand the issue. As a T1 in many ways you are in a better position than a T2 as to a large extent you can eat what you want having injected the right level of insulin. I inject at the table in most restaurants. The supermarkets could do a better job with less carby food but you get used to knowing where to find the better things. Most of the time you don't need a fridge for the insulin on holiday as I try to time my cartridges to last up to 4 weeks in the pen when away on holiday. So, in summary what problems do you find?

 

[imalittlefishy]

I have one (in the grand theme of things very small) problem in that very few pubs and local shops sell any kind of diet drinks other than diet coke - I like diet coke but it gets very boring when it's all that's on offer! Other than that I agree with the others, takes a bit more planning but it's not difficult to work around most issues that come with being a diabetic. Re injecting in public, it took me a few years but these days I will literally inject anywhere - buses, trains, gigs, festivals, university - on the rare occasion that someone comments I take it as a chance to educate them which usually makes them leave me alone pretty quickly! :lol:

 

[jessicahall94]

Appreciate the comments but Im 19 years old and have only had type 1 diabetes for 3 years.

Diabetes is different for everyone in every area so the harsh comments you have given me some of you, you should take note that some people find it hard in their own way to control their diabetes.

There are many different routines, plans, insulins, etc so not all of us will have the easy option of injecting twice a day unlike me and being able to stay away from sugary foods.

When i talk about supermarkets not being diabetic friendly I mean not everyone has access to stores such as boots for their diabetic range so maybe supermarkets could sell a diabetic range- and even the diabetic range still has carbs, so maybe completely sugar free food could be sold e.g. sugar free sweets/cakes so us diabetics can actually enjoy a treat every now and again.

And with bars- yes diet coke makes me angry too, its boring, what about diet orange or diet lemonade?

Thanks for the feedback but you could have been a little less harsh as i did have to do this for a university piece of work and everyone could have understood how hard it is for me with you all having the same life changing condition as i do have.

 

[donnellysdogs]

You do not need diabetic foods or sugar free ranges of sweets to enjoy as treats.

As a type 1 diabetic you should be able to have anything in moderation providing you can carb count and have your bolus doses correct.

All diabetic ranges of foods do is load you up with sweeteners and aspartames etc.. ( which are worse for you than pure sugar). They just act as laxatives.

Eating diabetic ranges of foods went out with the Ark....

You should be able to cope and live with type 1 diabetes pretty much as anybody that is non diabetic as long as you choose well and can carb count and bolus correctly.

Type 1 is not a hold back to eating and drinking if you do it in moderation... I feel more sorry for people that are coeliacs.....they really do have limited ranges of food....

 

[donnellysdogs]

You do not have to stay away from sugary food... Its just making the right choice of when and where and have your bolus's correct.

The vast majority of foods have sugar in.. Whether its natural sugar from fruits or sugars in bread or in baked beans or adding up your carbs in a salad or a roast dinner....

You cannot hide from sugar in todays foods unless you want to live on a pre insulin diet of lettuce and whiskey..

Its all about right choices. Right qty of meds and everything in moderation... But apart from the meds people nowadays without diabetes have forgotten this....

You are not special because you have diabetes. You are special because you are capable of making good choices of food....thats what normal people nowadays without diabetes rately can do for themselves.....

 

[nmr1991]

I'm currently at university and the way I budget for food is by going to Iceland which has all the stuff I need, especially the cheap soft drinks which I usually get the 2 litres bottles of diet coke, cherryade, orangeade and lemonade (all sugar free).

To make sure that I am not one of that minority of people who claim to eat as less carbohydrates as possible, I spend my money on chocolate fingers, multipack crisps, mr.kiplings cakes (usually country slices), jelly babies/haribo (usually for hypo's) and mince pies which I have eaten quite recently. Whenever I go out to eat, I look on the menu and choose whatever I want regardless of me being diabetic or not, especially when it comes to desserts - I can always enjoy a triple chocolate sundae or waffles. You might think i'm crazy but it's how I roll.

My temptations towards chocolate and sugar will never go away, even when I tried going off them for good for about a week or so.

 

[Engineer88]

I think the issue here is more about your treatment not fitting your life rather than everywhere not catering for diabetics. What insulins are you on? If its not a basal bolus why not? that would give you loads of flexability about what you eat cutting out the need for sugar free stuff (loaded with sweeteners!).

Have you spoken to your heathcare team about a pump?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Agree with Engineer88, you are young and need to live a good life with diabetes...and you should be able to do this so well nowadays with using the right regime of insulin(s).

Theo lythi g that should be restrictive with diabetes... Is flying a plane!!

Please consider our thoughts... Aspartame and sweeteners are not natural goodies... Youshould be able to live with moderating food rather than restricting it...

 

[iHs]

In the 50 years nearly that I have been type 1, my happiest days were when I was using once daily Lente insulin and then went on to use twice daily in my 20's. I was able to get up every day do my morning jab, eat breakfast, get off to work, eat a snack with my other work colleagues mid morning, eat lunch, eat a biscuit mid afternoon when someone made the tea at work, and then home again and do evening meal jab which I was able to vary a tiny bit according to the quantity of carb in my meal.

I hated bolus/basal due to all the hypos and only started to get better control with it when I found out through the internet about using a ratio and testing bg levels a lot more often. That's when things got ok until I was urged to get my control tighter which then came with the expense of hypos again so then I got a pump.

The only thing that I wish more food eating places had was a list of the carb in what was being served on the menus but McD's now do it, so do KFC and Weatherspoons so most diabetics can now be ok...

 

[donnellysdogs]

I'm working with a local cafe to put carbs on their menu's. Taling a bit of working through tho before the new menu can be used...this again is to help other diabetics and for this cafe to be able to get diabetic trade....

Ways around everything.. Instead of moaning that places dont display carbs on menu's.. Why not get together with the owner and work with them... Being positive, that this can generate better trade for them is great, not going in with an attitude of 'why can't they list carbs'

Menu for carb counters will be displayed prominently in this cafe, but not replacing all their recently printed n laminated ones.

It has taken time to work out.. But will so be worth it...

 

[Yorksman]

The situation you find yourself in is probably magnified as you step out of the family home and familiar support networks into an environment where you are more or less anonymous. It is a little daunting for most people, especially for someone who is a little unsure about how to cope with a condition like diabetes. You will get used to it and, when you graduate and move on again, you will get used to getting used to it. Changing and adapting is something everyone has to do. Admittedly, they do things better in some places than in others, something else you will discover.

 

[Jenn1f3r]

I am currently studying for my PhD at university so am probably facing similar day- to- day situations as you are. if ever there is somewhere i want to eat am am unsure about the carbs - i email the restaurant. (Jamies italian are particularly good at getting back to you quickly). i would also tend to agree with some of the other posts supermarkets could be more helpful - by putting portion weights on packaging so i dont have to carry round my scientific calculator.

there is a really good book useful for both eating out and eating in - carbs and cals, it has pictures of meals on plates so you can gt an idea of what insulin corresponds to portion sizes.

as for bars - a good cosmopolitan with light cranberry is a good low sugar choice and i would vote for more places to serve diet irn bru . additionally the only time ive really had a problem with injecting was at my grad ball - its not so flattering to hoist a floor length dress to inject with your dinner....

oh and donellysdogs - my phd concerns aircraft and UAV's so even the plane flying part is being worked on

 

[elaine77]

I think a few comments on here are actually harsh and il tell u why.

I'm LADA.
Im not on insulin so I can't carb count or "adjust accordingly".
I can't really go overboard with the exercise either as I've already lost enough weight due to the diabetes.
I can NEVER eat anything on the go that is suitable because no matter where you go, from fast food places to cafés, it's all carb carb carb. Pasta, sandwiches, pasties, pies, cakes, fruit... The best I could manage to find is a salad, who wants to eat salad everyday??

And what about when I want a night out with friends? The only diet mixer served is most places is coke.... Why not diet lemonade or diet orange juice or other sugar free options?? It's not fair and something should be done. Not just for diabetics but for the general public and the obesity problem we already have! And as for aspartame being worse than sugar... Sorry but I'm a LADA diabetic who can't compensate with insulin so I beg to differ, aspartame is definitely NOT as bad for me as sugar is!! I agree with the OP on this and because LADA is becoming more and more common it needs to be considered a bit more!


Diagnosed with GD in 2010, Completely disappeared postpartum. Re-diagnosed December 2012 with type 1.5 diabetes, age 26, BMI 22 currently controlled by only Metformin, 500mg twice a day.

 

[sue cope]

I have to agree with most of the comments. Being a diabetic on Insulin is not that difficult to deal with (I'm not saying we have to LIKE it!), for example - injecting in public. As stated we don't eat 'diabetic foods' any more, and if carb counting can eat just about anything. My only grouse is that some food products list calories, fat, etc. but not carbs per 100 gms, which makes Insulin calculations much more difficult, and that there are very few low carb non fizzy drinks. I am Type 2 but on Novorapid (3 injections a day), carb counted, plus 1 Metformin tablet at breakfast, and 86 units of Lantus at night. I eat what I want, just take the right amount of Insulin.

 

[donnellysdogs]

If you have a local pub that you frequent, what is wrong with asking them to stock something like diet lemonade for you? Not so good if you are a pub roamer or night clubber admittedly...
But why dont people ask to speak to Manager and ask them to stock diet lemonades etc... I have a local pub that I frequent probably once a fortnight, but they have fallen over backwards to have diet drinks that I like in stock.. ( and the red wine-lol!!)

It only takes one person to make a difference... If there was a particular brand of pubs ie say Whitbread for example, it would only take a few of us diabetics to write to the CEO and they would soon change their attitudes....

Its no good just mithering about it, if theres certain chains of restaurants or pubs that need to change then lets hear who they are.. I'll find out the CEO Names and addresses and we could all send in letters....

 

[emmaclaire06]

I agree to some point places do treat diabetics badly some time a friend of mine was asked to leave a large burger chain as they thought they were doing drugs even after they explained it was insulin I was in the same chain just last night and I knew they do a list of carbs in there food apart from the special ones like the 1955 burger when I asked a member of staff she was very helpfull went to ask her manager some mins later returned telling me the cal content and said the manager was l trying to find the info this didn't happen now as I'm type 1 on an insulin pump I need this info for my bolus advice meter and pump .. I guessed the carb content but over estimated and had a hypo a little later that will teach me I guess ... One last point the pump is so much better for eating out as one quick blood test good carb counting and no injection it's a lot more discreet worth looking into I feel any one type I should be allowed the pump if they want one

 

[emmaclaire06]

Why do we drink diet drinks they are so full of chemicals one even has a chemical in it used for embalming dead body's why ???????