Attitude of people around me

[doctorqwerty]

I have been diagnosed with type 2 for approx 2 months now. I am on metformin and have drastically changed my diet. The weight is going down.
My problem is the attitude of some people around me.
One of my collegues at work sees it as something i have blown out of all proportion.
I was having very bad down days even before being diagnosed, not to mention the other now obvious signs.
I am very careful about what i eat at the minute as i want to get my readings down. When diagnosed i was at 15.8, and now average around 8.5.
I am also on tablets for high blood pressure, and because there is nothing wrong with me that is blindingly apparent when i go about my life i feel people think i am over reacting to the situation.
Can someone please reassure me i am not going mad, as some days i feel i am.

 

[jopar]

no you not going mad...

There will always be well meaning people who think that they know best, and ther will always be the perosn who knows a friend who knows a friend or my aunty or uncle so and so... And they did or di to this that and the other.. Then you get the complete plonker who just dosen't understand and with all the training in the world would never be able to comprehend...Diabetes is a medical condition that needs to be taken seriously other wise you would end up in all sorts of troubles in the long run...

As times goes on you will learn not to take notice on what others say, and rebuff as necessary. When some one says well my uncle bert never done that with his diabetes just reply that I'm not your uncle Bert!

What is more important is achieving your goals with control, there are many ways to achieve good control, what works for one may not always work for another... So it is a case of looking at inforamtion see if and how it might fit with you, try it and see if it works for you... There is no right or wrong way, The only right way is the what works for you...

good luck with your control

 

[jacquirs]

doc tell them to get knotted, this is your body!

for those who think offering me a pudding (aw just the once...) i say would you give an alcoholic a glass of wine?

you have done fabulously well to reduce your BG as you have

the one thing i do agree with in respect of DUK is that Diabetes is "silent" and because you don't have barnacles growing out of your head or an obvious disability does not mean that you should not be treated with respect Diabetes is a chronic condition and though we try not to be too serious on here we all recognise that if we don't look after ourselves we could end up in a bad way

keep up the good work and just treat the imbeciles with the contempt they deserve i think Eddie calls it Cretinopathy!

good luck Jacqui

 

[totsy]

hya doctor,
just to say welcome to the forum,
ditto whats been said already, most without knowledge of diabetes do think its nothing, im always told - ooohh if i had it i wouldnt change my ways - but we have to,
well done so far and keep up the hard work and keep asking the questions

 

[Bubsy Malone]

Hi doc, ditto what everyone else said. It's your life, you're obviously intelligent enough to deal with cretins like this. You know how to deal with your own health, so make sure you always have a smart put-down for them! Don't let the ****ers grind you down! Take care,

Bubsy

 

[sugarless sue]

Comments like that are bad enough from lay-people but it seems even worse when the comments like that come from fellow colleague HCP's who should know differently!

 

[caitycakes1]

Hiya Doc,

Know exactly how you feel. I was diagnosed 5 months ago Type 1. Got quite an ear bashing from my sister last night over the phone re my low carbing. Have to say I didn't see it coming and it came as quite a shock. Work colleagues are more bloody understanding than my own sister. She knows absolutely nothing about diabetes but acted like such a bloody know it all. Telling me I don't eat a well balanced diet if I am not eating bread, spuds etc. Well excuse me, but I am never ill and she gets every virus going. It's very disappointing when it's your own family trying to shoot you down in flames. However, I told her that I am a shoe-aholic. I have over 30 pairs of shoes and boots and I am **** well keeping my feet on to wear them thank you very much :evil:

Caitycakes x

 

[lilibet]

Caity/Doc

I used to get the low carb lecture, along with the you dont eat enough lecture from my sisters too. Doesnt help that Im the size I was when I was 20 and in fact people go on about weight so much they are starting to make me paranoid (ie am I too thin, is there something else going on!!).

Im not long back at work and seeing people for the first time in months. Funny how they all see fit to pass some comment so doc Ive kind of got the opposite in that people overplay it!
Yesterdays stoater from someone who knows me only through work marginally was that I was pale, drawn, and had no bust (now). Unbelievable.

Theres another type 1 in my work who is really unwell at times. She lacks hypo awarness though the whole office can tell when she is getting there ironically. She is quite belligerent and hard to manage during this and sails pretty close to the wind. She shoots Levemir and Novo - 18u, 5x daily!!! Granted though, she has other health probs.
She doesnt take too kindly too my managed carb twitterings. I must be having some effect though cause one of my close friends made a comment about how many carbs were in said Type 1's yoghurt recently, which made me laugh.

Saying that, I do get the 'why are you leaving half your sandwich but not the filling 'looks when we have lunch. Its exhausting being diabetic...............

L

 

[suzi]

Hi Doc,
I can only imagine what it is like when surrounded by the ignorance of others in an adult world. My problems stem from the ignorance towards a child. You would think people would be more sympathetic/patient/understanding, but unbelievably some or not. Here's an example; standing in Asda queue, took longer to shop than i'd realized and lost tack of time, 10yr old T1 son went hypo in the checkout queue, only realized when the lady behind complained he'd been taking stuff out of her trolley and throwing them in my mine. Just one look at him and i knew he was low, but he was being so uncoperative, wouldn't do his blood, but managed to drink the lucozade. By this time i was getting fraught and she was sooo annoyed ( why she said could i not control my child!!) i shouted because he's diabetic and he's having a hypo!! Well is'nt ignorance bliss :roll: , she kept saying disgusting behaviour to those behind her, So i threw (not too gently her items back into her trolley :evil: ) told her to F**k off and put my shopping threw, whilst having a loud conversation (about diabetes) with the very nice understanding checkout girl :wink: . By this stage Andrew had drank the lucozade and sat down on the floor leaning up against her trolley oblivious to it all! bless him.
Suzi x

 

[sugarless sue]

My lovely family keep feeding me carbs anytime I eat with them!!They are slowly beginning to get the hang of mothers low carb 'thing' but it's hard work.My brother is a low carber as well,has been for two or three years ,and he has no problem understanding.

 

[doctorqwerty]

Hi thank you all for the replys. Im new to this site, but its reassuring to know that im not imagining my concerns.
Suzi you are a star, keep battling girl.
Whilst i realise in the big wide world we can feel pretty alone, having others on here to discuss things with, can make everything so much easier to cope with.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Just to put things in perspective, I "met" a local diabetic over the internet.

Her verdict? I was being "totally neurotic" and testing too much, after all her doctor had told her she could run 10 or higher after her meals.

She didn't appear to have made any connection between this advice and her angina, or her stroke.

Nuff said?

 

[blackbird]

I've been told that I 'don't look like a diabetic', more than once, lol.
What does a diabetic look like then I wonder.

 

[doctorqwerty]

it seems to me that as has been said, if we dont have an obvious visual problem then we must be making it up. Quote....."Aaaahh what are you on about, you look ok to me. Theres nothing wrong with you!!"
Just because some people are casual about diabetes, doesnt make it the right thing to be doing.
In such a short a short time, i have come to realise that the more attention i give it, the less attention it gives me.

 

[hanadr]

Try telling anyone who says you don't have a problem, that the reason you don't is because you're treating it right.
I'm lucky, the people round me ar supportive and the only thing I get is " you do it all right, so you are always well"

 

[jacquirs]

the best comments i have had have come from those who have shall we say more senior friends/rellies who don;t manage their diabetes (i only had two turns last week says my colleagues mum)

all the compliments i have had have been from those who can see that i am working hard at keeping well and take the time to understand that i am not eating certain things to keep on top of it

for the ignorant...no hope!

 

[gillyh]

I don't like the way that some people look at you as though you should be eating nothing but lettuce leaves and the odd piece of fruit. Whenever I eat the odd biscuit at work it's 'but I thought you were diabetic....put that back'. Others completely pass me by whenever anything 'bad for diabetics' is shared. Tried explaining that I can eat anything within reason but have to monitor bs. Reply? 'Yes, sure' :evil:

 

[Trinkwasser]

I've been told that I 'don't look like a diabetic', more than once, lol.
What does a diabetic look like then I wonder.

Fat and lazy. It must be true, it says so in the Daily Mail

 

[Trinkwasser]

all the compliments i have had have been from those who can see that i am working hard at keeping well and take the time to understand that i am not eating certain things to keep on top of it

for the ignorant...no hope!

Isn't it a refreshing change when you meet a fellow diabetic who "gets it"?

 

[petes307]

Sympathise with all who are having trouble with it.

My problem is that I am simply never unwell - not for years (decades), although I have been T2 for over 10 yrs now. I'm laid back about the condition, and happily tell all & sundry that it will not affect my life or how I enjoy it. I'm a hypocrite though, as I have made minor adjustments over the years to accomodate my well being.........

Due to my opinions being aired, I now find myself the Agony Uncle for fellow diabetics at work, of which there are quite a few now. They ask if I think that they're improving with their treatment - well yes of course if you were 26 at diagnosis and then after a months dieting were hitting 7s and 8s you're bound to have improved !! or.... " I'm a bit tingly and my count is 2.7 .......... " Chuffing Heck! you're way too low...... I've even had to demonstrate blood testing and how to use the equipment etc., what the tests indicate etc.

But maybe the "attitude" issue is human nature - what is it that makes people want to tell others their opinions anyway ? as if their opinions will make a difference ?
My published opinion is tell them all to sod off - I'm much too busy being healthy !!

Pete