Are you open about diabetes or embarrassed about it?

My god, I cannot believe that anyone would feel ashamed or embarrassed about having diabetes! There is absolutely no difference from having a high blood pressure or arthritis, for instance, as it is not something contagious that anyone would need to be concerned about.

And I see injecting insulin in public the same as putting your glasses on to help you see better, as both serve to the same purpose—helping you to survive. You are not endangering anyone by doing one or the other, so please, by all means, do what you need to do whenever and wherever you need to do it, and if some ignorant people try to give you a hard time about it, either ignore them or educate them as it's fine time they've learned their lesson.

I'm embarrassed about it. I'm only just starting to accept it, I feel it's personal and no one needs to know about it. I will never share it with anyone I know. I was almost in denial for the first 4 years, I hate having this label and never tell anyone that I've got it. Sorry to be negative but that's how I feel, it's also made me feel depressed, I had this diagnosis after a relationship break up and I believe the stress and upset I was going through catapulted my body into this condition.

KK123 said:

Wow Pam, you must be one of the oldest at diagnosis? I wonder how long it was lurking there, how did you come to be diagnosed if you don't mind me asking. x

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I had an issue with hyperthyroidism and had my thyroid out in December 2018 but didn’t seem to be recovering and had all the symptoms of diabetes. It was my Optician that suggested that I should have a blood test and hey! Bingo I had T1D. My endocrinologist said that thyroid problems and T1D are often linked - both being autoimmune illnesses. I am the oldest person at our medical practice to be diagnosed! What an accolade to have!

zenabubbles said:

I'm embarrassed about it. I'm only just starting to accept it, I feel it's personal and no one needs to know about it. I will never share it with anyone I know. I was almost in denial for the first 4 years, I hate having this label and never tell anyone that I've got it. Sorry to be negative but that's how I feel, it's also made me feel depressed, I had this diagnosis after a relationship break up and I believe the stress and upset I was going through catapulted my body into this condition.

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If you are type 1 then people you know, friends and work colleagues could, potentially, safe your life if you ever had a bad hypo

I don't mind people knowing, I've always told colleagues in case of hypos at work and I do always tell people if I'm somewhere/doing something where a hypo would be dangerous. I inject publicly but warn people in case of needle phobics; that just seems polite. I don't describe myself as diabetic because, as some others have said, that feels to me as if it's what defines me and it isn't. I have diabetes, amongst all the other things I am and can do. I wish people who feel ashamed or embarrassed knew just how many people are walking around out there with equally invisible conditions. We are not alone

Medina27 said:

Thanks for your answers everyone.

Yesterday I did a blood check in front of my work colleuges who promptly asked if I was diabetic. I said I sure am!

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Well done!

Medina27 said:

I still have some trouble telling people that I have diabetes. It's weird because I have many other conditions too which I don't mind mentioning. But I find the word diabetes to be a dirty word. I'm not sure why. It just sounds unhealthy and weak

So how open are you about it?

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I have been open about mine so friends and colleagues are aware when I am having a hypo at work they allow me 1\2 break till I feel better and family are always saying have you got your testing kit, jelly babies etc with you when we go out and to make strangers aware i wear an SOS necklace

I have told all my close friends and family - if I was working right now, I'd probably be quite open about it there too. I actually see my T2 diagnosis as something that was largely my fault, unlike many here (and, to be clear, I'm not saying they're wrong). So, when I got my diagnosis, it was a wake up call for me and I have quite a few equally overweight/obese friends, so I thought it might be useful if my diagnosis served as a warning to them. I wasn't scared or embarrassed when I got my diagnosis - in a way, I was grateful. It explained an ongoing, painful and perplexing issue that I was having with abscesses. As soon as I knew what was causing them, I changed my diet and lifestyle... literally that day. And now I have zero abscess problems, have lost a tonne of weight (long way to go, but I'll get there) and am more than happy to discuss the condition, the potential complications and my diet with anyone who is interested. My mum and two of my close friends are now all dieting, following my advice re low carbs. If I can serve as an example or inspiration to others who are complacent about their weight and encourage them to become more healthy, then it's a win win.