Advice on injecting in public

dazzeur said:

I'd like some advice please. In the last month or so, my diagnosis changed from type 2 and taking pills to type 1 and injecting insulin. Since injecting I've had no problems in public or at restaurants or at work to inject. The weekend just gone was the first time I was around my family as we all live in different countries. Anyways at dinner I sat at the table and discreetly tested and injected. As I did, one sister made a scene to look away as she has an aversion to needles, which I wasn't aware of. My other sister asked me 100 times if I was allowed to eat dessert and had I allocated for it, not in a concerning way, more sarcastic and irritating way.
On discussing this with my mother, she had told me of my dad being somewhat horrified a few years ago when they were out for dinner with a friend who was type and he injected at the table. She suggested that I should have gone to the toilet to do it, or away from the table. Additionally she suggested that around the older kids in my family (ages 8 to 17) I shouldn't inject in front of them at all.

So the advice I need is, are they living in the stone ages? How can I educate them more? Should I not inject around them?

I'll admit I am quite upset with all of this, especially from my family, who normally support anything and everything I do.

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Have injected in public for many years.I have just returned from our 18th cruise and at mealtimes I just get my pen out and place it by my plate an inject once my meal is served.Dinner jackets and people wearing excessive jewellery don't bother me , I've had it for far too long.Ignore other people it's your life not theirs.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 in 1995 and was on tablets until 2003 when I was put onto insulin so have been injecting for 15 years. I went through various insulins and the one I found most awkward to inject in public was the one where you had to mix it before injecting and this is rather noticeable when in a restaurant! I now inject with Novorapid, a clear insulin so no mixing but as you have to do an air shot before every injection to make sure the needle isn't blocked it sometimes shows when the insulin shoots out. I do the injection without making a fuss but for anyone to object as they have a needle phobia would be rather ridiculous if they saw my needles as they are only 5mm long, about a quarter of an inch and are hard to see even at close range. If someone said to me that they had a needle phobia I would hold a needle in my fingers while chatting to them and after a few minutes, when I knew that they hadn't noticed it, I would tell them I'd been holding one all the while we were talking and see what they said. I think it's probably the thought of sticking the needle in that they really object to.

It's not easy and I still don't think there is an answer for everyone.

I have been T1D for 17 years, for the majority of that I have excused myself to go and inject in the toilets when ever in public. In recent years I have said to myself why should I it's their problem not mine, why should I have to hide it away.

But I still find myself hiding it. On Friday I was riding my motorbike home from my Dads. I stopped at McDonald's to have a coffee and warm up, the coffee had about 30 grams of sugar in it so I needed an injection, but there were no quiet tables and lots of small children around. So I talked myself out of injecting in public as I was scared I would scare children and ended up riding back home and then doing the injection 30mins later.

That's not good for my health and when I think about it I have never had a stranger react to me injecting in sight. But it's hard to change my mindset when I am thinking if it's socially acceptable to inject in this situation/environment.

dazzeur said:

I'd like some advice please. In the last month or so, my diagnosis changed from type 2 and taking pills to type 1 and injecting insulin. Since injecting I've had no problems in public or at restaurants or at work to inject. The weekend just gone was the first time I was around my family as we all live in different countries. Anyways at dinner I sat at the table and discreetly tested and injected. As I did, one sister made a scene to look away as she has an aversion to needles, which I wasn't aware of. My other sister asked me 100 times if I was allowed to eat dessert and had I allocated for it, not in a concerning way, more sarcastic and irritating way.
On discussing this with my mother, she had told me of my dad being somewhat horrified a few years ago when they were out for dinner with a friend who was type and he injected at the table. She suggested that I should have gone to the toilet to do it, or away from the table. Additionally she suggested that around the older kids in my family (ages 8 to 17) I shouldn't inject in front of them at all.

So the advice I need is, are they living in the stone ages? How can I educate them more? Should I not inject around them?

I'll admit I am quite upset with all of this, especially from my family, who normally support anything and everything I do.

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I inject in public all the time, but discreetly, and no one has ever complained or probably even noticed. Going to a public toilet to inject is more likely to make people comment plus they aren't the cleanest places. Try getting family members together and explaining to them what diabetes is all about and injections are part of your life.
I recently did a blood test on front of my grandchildren and explained, simply, what I was doing and they were fine. They're 4 and 7 so give it a go with your family, maybe get some pamphlets for them to read.
Good luck

dazzeur said:

I'd like some advice please. In the last month or so, my diagnosis changed from type 2 and taking pills to type 1 and injecting insulin. Since injecting I've had no problems in public or at restaurants or at work to inject. The weekend just gone was the first time I was around my family as we all live in different countries. Anyways at dinner I sat at the table and discreetly tested and injected. As I did, one sister made a scene to look away as she has an aversion to needles, which I wasn't aware of. My other sister asked me 100 times if I was allowed to eat dessert and had I allocated for it, not in a concerning way, more sarcastic and irritating way.
On discussing this with my mother, she had told me of my dad being somewhat horrified a few years ago when they were out for dinner with a friend who was type and he injected at the table. She suggested that I should have gone to the toilet to do it, or away from the table. Additionally she suggested that around the older kids in my family (ages 8 to 17) I shouldn't inject in front of them at all.

So the advice I need is, are they living in the stone ages? How can I educate them more? Should I not inject around them?

I'll admit I am quite upset with all of this, especially from my family, who normally support anything and everything I do.

Click to expand...

I'm type 2 and injecting insulin so I guess I'm not a lot different in that respect. I try to test and inject in a more quiet surrounding, though I do object to using public or restaurant toilets (disgusting). If I use a recent example I went to dinner at a friends house and as it was about 20 minutes from home I did my test at home before I left, I arrived at the appointed time and knew that my hosts would have dinner on the table within the next 10-15 minutes so I injected before I left my car. Other times I excuse myself at a friends house and use their bathroom, bedroom or another room, but as a last resort if you need to do it you need to do it, I would only suggest being as discrete as possible. Yes some people have an aversion to needles (I suspect fewer people rather than lots of people) but I think it is the testing part that probably gets to more people as you are 'drawing blood' and that's not so nice for other people, especially at the dinner table. But hey this is just me and my opinion, my life doesn't depend on whether or not I inject now or in 2 hours time.

I’ve always thought, that if someone spotted you injecting secretly in the loo, than there would be far more suspicion than doing it in public.

In my opinion I believe you should be able to do what you need to do to stay alive, at the table!!
I have 3 children and I have always involved them in my diabetes care! I always tried to shield them from seeing the horror of a severe hypo but I failed in that!
I understand that people can have a fear of needles as I used to in my pre diabetic life, but that was needles that were coming for ME not someone else!!!

I have also done the sneaking off to the toilet to be discreet at a night club and a bouncer came in doing his checks and wanted to know what I was doing! Fortunately he was familiar with the insulin pen I was using so knew it wasn't drugs I was injecting!
Ultimately its your family and you know if they are being different with you because you are 'different'!! I know personally I don't like being made to feel that I should be ashamed just because I have an illness!!

Sorry rant over!

novo pens are still made
as for the frogs must be a french thing hah ah ah
vic

becca59 said:

I’ve always thought, that if someone spotted you injecting secretly in the loo, than there would be far more suspicion than doing it in public.

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Us guys tend to stare at the tiling on the walls with regards to "interaction" in venue bogs...
We may talk footy or the band that's playing. But there is no eye contact util we've found the gent's door & are through it in mixed company..
One could be doing a "line" on the sink counter & no one saw nuffin'.

... Unless they are security. Security have seen it all.!

helensaramay said:

Thankfully, I have never had to hide away to inject.
I always try to be discrete and there are times when I try to be more discrete than others. But this is mostly around small children, partially because of the fear of being nudged and partially because I would feel uncomfortable explaining why I am doing it to a youngster.
On the other hand, maybe explaining it to the older children would be great for their education and may help to get the grown ups on board when they realise the kids are cool with it.

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I’ve never wanted to, or felt the need to hide the fact that I was injecting when in public.
My daughter and I did have a very scary moment when we found younger grandson trying to copy his grandmother though, it still sends scary shivers down my spine. Children learn through mimicry and so there was a lot of educating through words and facial expressions that we hope will deter him in the future. Very scary!
In streets, restaurants, family gatherings (as long as the youngest won’t want to copy), cinemas, etc I see no reason to hide. If others are close, on a train or in a plane, it’s only kind to warn them and ask if they mind. So far not one person has said they do.
If a family of mine made such a fuss about it I’d be hurt and angry!

Jaylee said:

Us guys tend to stare at the tiling on the walls with regards to "interaction" in venue bogs...
We may talk footy or the band that's playing. But there is no eye contact util we've found the gent's door & are through it in mixed company..
One could be doing a "line" on the sink counter & no one saw nuffin'.

... Unless they are security. Security have seen it all.!

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That made me laugh far more than it should. Really accurate thou

Ignore them.

I was diagnosed T2 originally - when I was about 62 - and changed to T1 within a year. Been testing and injecting ever since. As time has passed I've become more hard-nosed about injecting, discreetly, in public. If I'm in a crowded restaurant, say, I'll try to find a quiet corner (personally I don't object to using a clean toilet cubicle); but generally I don't bother nowadays. I mostly use my stomach for daytime injections anyway - it's a bit difficult to be discreet about injecting into the thigh! I'm really sorry you had such a negative reaction from your family; it sounds as though they don't really understand how important it is for you. I suggest you try to talk to them about it, quietly and calmly, and accept they may need a bit of time to get used to the idea. But ultimately you have nothing to apologise for. Like others I have found younger people the most accepting - the grandchildren are fascinated!

With Family, or Eating Out, I do not hide to inject or test. I learned a long time ago, that if you make a mystery of this then the recriminations of those around you become much harder to deal with. Familiarity breeds contempt is an old saying, but it is true, as people become familiar with the act of testing and injecting, it ceases to remain a problem. As far as children are concerned, my 7yr old grandson told one objector " Leave Grandad alone, he has to do that because he's diabolic". Well he was close. I have also spent many years as a Scout Leader, my scouts all knew and witnessed me test and inject. They were told why, and accepted the neccessity for doing so.

Jessitalia said:

I once sat at dinner with an ex’s family, listening to them complain about someone who had injected in a restaurant (they didn’t know I was diabetic). I always thought: nobody would complain about it if you were injecting a cancer treatment, would they? They’d be celebrating your bravery. Now I tell people I’ve been advised to inject at the table as 1) it’s quicker and 2) (somewhat theoretically!) it’s more hygienic than in the loo. I’m sure you can be as open with your opinion as they have been, and tell them to shove it

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Unfortunately the same prejudices apply to cancer injections in public, in my experience. That’s after they’ve had a good stare and talk amongst themselves about my bad hair day (for that read “no hair” day). Strangers would rather I wore a wig or hat in public, even on a 30deg summers day, and do everything medical out of sight. My family are very supportive and I only retreat to the bathroom if I need to inject in my thigh.

dazzeur said:

I'd like some advice please. In the last month or so, my diagnosis changed from type 2 and taking pills to type 1 and injecting insulin. Since injecting I've had no problems in public or at restaurants or at work to inject. The weekend just gone was the first time I was around my family as we all live in different countries. Anyways at dinner I sat at the table and discreetly tested and injected. As I did, one sister made a scene to look away as she has an aversion to needles, which I wasn't aware of. My other sister asked me 100 times if I was allowed to eat dessert and had I allocated for it, not in a concerning way, more sarcastic and irritating way.
On discussing this with my mother, she had told me of my dad being somewhat horrified a few years ago when they were out for dinner with a friend who was type and he injected at the table. She suggested that I should have gone to the toilet to do it, or away from the table. Additionally she suggested that around the older kids in my family (ages 8 to 17) I shouldn't inject in front of them at all.

So the advice I need is, are they living in the stone ages? How can I educate them more? Should I not inject around them?

I'll admit I am quite upset with all of this, especially from my family, who normally support anything and everything I do.

Click to expand...

They are utter neanderthals. They need someone to sit down and seriously educate them about Diabetes. We all need sugar, we just have to control our intake. Many of us need insulin, whether T1 or T2. Someone needs to sit down with them and explain how it all works, and the best person is yourself, especially if you have read up on your condition and fully understand how it all works. If not, get family members to talk to your Diabetes professionals, so that they may learn something, rather than sticking their heads in the sand.
I refuse to sneak off to the toilets when having an injection, if asked, I explain that I have a medical condition and am not a junkie. If they don't like it, I leave and they lose a sale.
The best tale I can tell you was when my late mother was seriously ill, with a condition that threatened her life, nearly 30 years ago. I went to the hospital in the ambulance with her. I called my brother to bring my insulin bottles, and my syringe, along with food (this was in the days before pens and I was using a bespoke mixture of two different insulins. As I was waiting in the A&E area, three lads came in, one of whom had broken his wrist. My brother arrived with my insulins. I began to draw up the insulins out of their various bottles, so that I could eat my food. I was aware that these lads were staring intently at me. I just pulled up my shirt and rammed the syringe home and injected. The next thing I noticed was two of them wetting themselves lughing, while the chap with the broken wrist had passed out whilst watching me and was now an unconscious heap on the floor. Serves you right was my thought before I tucked in to the meal my brother had brought me. My mum made a full recovery and live on for another 25 yrs, until her death of old age!
Be strong!

I have been injecting for over 40 years. I have learned by now that it makes people uncomfortable if I inject publicly. So obviously, I do it inconspicuously in as afar as is possible. Non-diabetics and us are not all on the same page; through no fault of theirs.

Tickledpinknot said:

Unfortunately the same prejudices apply to cancer injections in public, in my experience. That’s after they’ve had a good stare and talk amongst themselves about my bad hair day (for that read “no hair” day). Strangers would rather I wore a wig or hat in public, even on a 30deg summers day, and do everything medical out of sight. My family are very supportive and I only retreat to the bathroom if I need to inject in my thigh.

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But why not do it in the bathroom - or some other inconspicuous location, ie in a situation where you do not attract attention?

Aidan said:

But why not do it in the bathroom - or some other inconspicuous location, ie in a situation where you do not attract attention?

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Well, I can’t speak for everybody here, but I’m not making holes in my skin in a room where people defaecate.

There are many people out there that don't like needles and they can't help it either. I think that it is more polite to keep it unseen if you are not familiar with the people around you. If you want to ask the people seating next to you and it's okay or you know the people that can see you then fine. But I had a friend that would feel faint at the site of needles and I know she's not the only one out there. It is being considerate, a needle phobia is very common.