• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Has anyone had this happen?

I understand that you were doing what you HAD to do, not what you WANT to do. It is a shame too many people are niaive and don't want to understand that diabetics NEED to do this even when they DON'T WANT to.
I would be so tempted to start up a conversation advising her of your need as a diabetic NOT a druggie, and apologise is she was offended, but I'm sure you were as discrete as you could be while remaining in probably the most hygienic location.
 
Before I was diagnosed as T2 I deliberately injected in public areas at work and not discreetly either. I couldn't care less what other people say or think but my reasoning was that everyone could see me and then had the opportunity to ask questions and spread the word of (what I thought was) my T1, saving me the bother.

I'm not shy in coming forward and I'd encourage you to do the same, if someone says something have a response prepared, for both positive and negative reactions. Personally I'd have said 'jog the f on' if it bothers you, but that's just me. I won't take **** from anyone and certainly not an ignoramus like that.
 
On a first date, the charmer I was with saw me inject. In the middle of a restaurant I was loudly accused of being a drug addict and royally told off. Boy did I feel the eyes boring into my back! I sat and listened as politely as I could. When my date used the bathroom, I paid the bill and walked out with very sympathetic looks from the waiting staff. He came back to an empty table. I walked off humiliated.

No-one should feel embarrassed or shamed for injecting insulin in public. As an asthmatic, I'm not ashamed if I need to use my inhaler, equally as life saving. I refuse to inject in most toilets for hygiene reasons, and now just shrug my shoulders and inject as discretely as I can. It may be idealistic, but survival triumphs over the etiquette of managing other people's squeamishness. Discretion is the key, I don't just expose my belly and jab in a needle, but nor do I shy away from something which is as necessary as breathing.

Please take heart from the fact that you're very brave. No one has the right to make you feel wrong about being diabetic. Pity the girl as ignorance is an infinitely more painful condition, and sadly usually equally incurable. Diabetes on the other hand, unlike ignorance, is treatable, lucky us!
 
Glucobabu said:
I can understand you trying to be discreet but wouldn't injecting through trousers or shirt compromise sterility of the injection and pose an infection risk?
Click to expand...
Theoretically yes- in practice no- at least not over the 40 yrs I have done so.
In fact when first diagnosed I well remember that my Dr told me that one of his professors (who was himself
a diabetic) injected through his trousers and told his students that he thought the 'sterile site' mantra was OTT..

For myself things like 'medi-swabs' were consigned to the history books at least 3 decades ago.
 
Last edited:
Alex_B said:
When I had my lunch earlier I was waiting for my mum to bring it over and I sorted out my insulin pen and needle and this girl looked at me, gagged and called me disgusting. I was nearly in tears, this hasn't happened to me before, I was only saving my life by injecting myself, now im self-conscious again over it. Has anyone had this happen and what did you do about it?
Click to expand...

sd29 said:
On a first date, the charmer I was with saw me inject. In the middle of a restaurant I was loudly accused of being a drug addict and royally told off. Boy did I feel the eyes boring into my back! I sat and listened as politely as I could. When my date used the bathroom, I paid the bill and walked out with very sympathetic looks from the waiting staff. He came back to an empty table. I walked off humiliated.

No-one should feel embarrassed or shamed for injecting insulin in public. As an asthmatic, I'm not ashamed if I need to use my inhaler, equally as life saving. I refuse to inject in most toilets for hygiene reasons, and now just shrug my shoulders and inject as discretely as I can. It may be idealistic, but survival triumphs over the etiquette of managing other people's squeamishness. Discretion is the key, I don't just expose my belly and jab in a needle, but nor do I shy away from something which is as necessary as breathing.

Please take heart from the fact that you're very brave. No one has the right to make you feel wrong about being diabetic. Pity the girl as ignorance is an infinitely more painful condition, and sadly usually equally incurable. Diabetes on the other hand, unlike ignorance, is treatable, lucky us!
Click to expand...
Alex_B said:
When I had my lunch earlier I was waiting for my mum to bring it over and I sorted out my insulin pen and needle and this girl looked at me, gagged and called me disgusting. I was nearly in tears, this hasn't happened to me before, I was only saving my life by injecting myself, now im self-conscious again over it. Has anyone had this happen and what did you do about it?
Click to expand...

If it was you Re disgusting try ' wait till you see me eat' and stare at her, if was a plain old disgusting loadly state ' oh god is the food really that bad?'
If it's any accusations of being an addict ' yeah, I'm addicted to insulin' shake your head and then add ' what a moron'
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Awful for you but remember that people live in their own little bubbles so if this girl had never encountered diabetes before, so didn't know anything about it or anyone with the condition, she would only relate to the knowledge she did have eg people who take drugs inject & that is wrong. If that happens again just ask if they know what diabetes is & only give only as much info as you need to to educate them. I have had comments such as (at aged 17)--"you have to come off that" me "I need it to live" them "you only think you do, it will kill you" etc etc etc. The chap in question did not know about diabetes &, lets face it, if you look well (due to the insulin injections) & are young the only thing many people will think is that you are taking illegal drugs. I have also had (a couple of years ago) a woman next to me on a long haul flight, who was chatting, but refused to even acknowledge me after I had had a jab--her loss, not mine!! I often have to get trains to get to work and need to leave home @ 6.30 am so my first injection of the day is on the train (otherwise insulin runs out at about 9am so I feel unwell). I always inject in my seat (if I go to the loo on a busy commuter train I will have to stand for the rest of the journey)---no one has as much as commented (most people are too sleepy or busy working to even notice, I must admit)!! I am always discreet whilst injecting eg sit in a chair nearest to a wall, on a train & inject on that side & put the table down; at a restaurant table--do everything under the table & use the tablecloth to cover your actions------I am sure that I speak for most when I say that I really do not want an audience whilst having an injection......Another piece of advice is to develop resilience---you know you need to inject before eating in order to look after yourself so does it really matter what others think? Not at all. You have to do it, you are doing the right thing. If anyone stares you could always just laugh & say "Doctors orders!!". Do not worry about it, you have to do it, you have no choice. Others can simply move tables if injections make them feel "funny." I am sure you will work out your own ways of handling these people who make you feel uncomfortable. Remember that their actions and words simply reflect their own life experiences and are nothing to do with what you are having to do. Look on it as an opportunity to advise them what diabetes is all about.......Good luck!!!
 
maggiestanfield said:
Almost worse I once got sacked for being hypo on the phone and an MP in Westminster for whom I was working told me not to do a bloodtest in front of her!
Click to expand...

A colleague also asked me not to test in front of her - apparently it was "horrible" to see. Too bad - why should I have to go to the toilet to check my BS? I didn't - just told her to look the other way then.

Ann
 
You have to laugh at this: my son's partner developed type 1 & when we went out for meals (they often ate out) there were 2 of us injecting at the same table--synchronised jabbing......!!!!!
 
Sadly as the humans we are we generally thrive on negativity and " bad " things.
How often does the news report on something happy as its main bulletin?
Does anyone slow down on the motorway to observe the traffic on the opposite carriageway that is moving at a safe and steady pace.?
How many programmes on tv show successful aircraft take offs and landings?
@Alex_B step back, look at the bigger picture, be more positive and observe more than just the negative response of one individual.
Who knows, whilst you nearly broke into tears there might have been someone else smiling at you and appreciating your bravery. The worlds a big place, don't live in a small part of it.
 
stonyb said:
Theoretically yes- in practice no- at least not over the 40 yrs I have done so.
In fact when first diagnosed I well remember that my Dr told me that one of his professors (who was himself
a diabetic) injected through his trousers and told his students that he thought the 'sterile site' mantra was OTT..

For myself things like 'medi-swabs' were consigned to the history books at least 3 decades ago.
Click to expand...
Consultant recently told me off for injecting through clothes but, frankly, if you are out & have a dress on you have no choice (it's either that or lift the dress up, which at my age is worse than having an injection in public)!!! Asked doctor re medi swabs but she refused to prescribe them because she said I could buy sterile fluid at the chemist. Frankly there are so many views about what should |& shouldn't be done so you need to do what is best for you....
 
I've had a similar situation with someone I worked with. He said he didn't want to see me stabbing myself with a needle. I then tried to explain that I too didn't like needles which is why I use a NEEDLELESS injector. At the time it was called the SQpen, but is now INSUJET. He still got a huff on and stormed off. Why??? No needle!!! I just thought he was stupid.

I did also have a GREAT response to using my injector in public (always do and don't care!) from a young girl in a restaurant with her family. She was curious as to what I was doing and why. So I explained (to them all) about being diabetic, and how my pen worked.

not everyone is a complete ****!
 
hi
I am also so sorry this happened to you. And if the assumption was that you were taking drugs it is a truly appalling act of ignotance.
I did have just one thought though. Some people are really squeamy about needles and you were in a place where people are eating. I can see that some people might find that 'disgusting'. Maybe like taking a plaster off a cut at the dinner table or something like that. But neither do I think that people should be forced to inject in a toilet. Very unhygienic and unpleasant.
 
I've been type 1 for two years, and have been expecting this to happen, but not yet! Used to check BS in the restrooms, but that was horrible and disgusting, and quite the balancing act. Now I have a Dexcom so that's not an issue. When I inject at the table in a restaurant, I'm usually concentrating pretty hard, injecting usually into my thigh through pants, so I'm not aware of who's watching. Of course, if someone shouted something, I'd perk right up. The only comments I've heard were from very nice servers who recognized my CGM/meter b/c they have experience with other diabetics. I know most people have problems with needles, but they have the option to look away. I don't have experience with addicts, but do they really shoot up in restaurants??? Alex, I'm sorry you had to go through this, and, hopefully, it won't happen again. Sharing you experience has made me think and be prepared for my own reaction, should this happen to me in the future. Think I like, "Sorry my diabetes offends you."
 
I literally have no shame when it comes to taking my insulin or doing a blood test in public and I pity the poor ****** who makes a nasty comment to me about it. As of yet no one has said anything to me and I think it's best to be quite obvious about it, the more people see these things the more normal they will become for non diabetic people and the comments will get less and less! Chin up Alex, just think, it's only your pancreas that doesn't work, for that poor girl it's her brain
 
Sarebear86 said:
I literally have no shame when it comes to taking my insulin or doing a blood test in public and I pity the poor ****** who makes a nasty comment to me about it. As of yet no one has said anything to me and I think it's best to be quite obvious about it, the more people see these things the more normal they will become for non diabetic people and the comments will get less and less! Chin up Alex, just think, it's only your pancreas that doesn't work, for that poor girl it's her brain
Click to expand...
My kinda of lady:):):):)
 
chris0730 said:
hi
I am also so sorry this happened to you. And if the assumption was that you were taking drugs it is a truly appalling act of ignotance.
I did have just one thought though. Some people are really squeamy about needles and you were in a place where people are eating. I can see that some people might find that 'disgusting'. Maybe like taking a plaster off a cut at the dinner table or something like that. But neither do I think that people should be forced to inject in a toilet. Very unhygienic and unpleasant.
Click to expand...

Type 1s inject when they eat. Other people shouldn't be looking. If they do look and see a person injecting, most mature adults (and children) assume it's something they have to do and certainly don't make a public comment about it.

Insulin pens are extremely discreet and the needle is very tiny and thin. You'd have to make a real,effort to notice and see. Also, if someone was "squeamish", I doubt their first thought would be to make an unnecessary, unkind comment.
 
don't worry about any one its your life and you have every right to do
I went to pub and went to toilet to get injection and guy looking at me thinking I am talking drug .
 
Alex_B said:
When I had my lunch earlier I was waiting for my mum to bring it over and I sorted out my insulin pen and needle and this girl looked at me, gagged and called me disgusting. I was nearly in tears, this hasn't happened to me before, I was only saving my life by injecting myself, now im self-conscious again over it. Has anyone had this happen and what did you do about it?
Click to expand...
I once had something similar.. in a restaurant, food arrived, so I prepared my injection. Another customer noticed and said that I should go into the toilets to inject my insulin. I replied, " If a doctor told you you needed an injection, then told you to go into the toilets for him to give it to you, would you object? I cannot think of a more un-hygienic place than a public convenience!" That shut him up. Don't be put off by these bigots, they need to be educated not listened to. You go on and inject as and when you need to, and bigots be shamed.
 
Back
Top