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

How open are you about your T2 diabetes?

L

Lupf

Well-Known Member
Messages
260
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
While my closest family and very few friends know about my diabetes, so far I have been very selective about whom to disclose it. Thus I've not told my employer, my work colleagues, my other circles. There are several reason for this: my health is my business; I don't want pity or to be judged; I also don't really see a need to disclose my T2. I've observed if you have an illness X, you are often reduced to it and people refer to you as him who has X. I had to tell off my Mum that when I call her, she should not greet me with "how is your blood sugar". When people ask me to do something I don't want them to take my condition into consideration. When I lost weight, a few of my colleagues asked me if am well or why I did it and I said I did not want to take any more medication. This answer is usually accepted. I am open about intermittent fasting and work colleagues know that there are days when I have a bottle of water for lunch. We sometimes discuss that fasting has benefits. I am also open about my diet, that I watch carbs and decline politely sweets. I assume that one or two of my closer colleagues have figured it out, and if they would ask me I would tell them.

How about others on this forum? Are you completely open? or keep it to yourself like me?
Given that between 5% and 10% of adults in Western countries have diabetes and I know so few people who have it, I suspect that I am not the only one who doesn't tell their work colleagues or other circles.

PS: I was diagnosed as a 54 year old male, and have no other health conditions. I assume if you are T1 since youth or struggling with other health issues, the situation would be different.
 
Thanks for the post @Lupf . I am quite open about my diabetes. I'm thin and athletic so everyone assumes I'm a T1. Which is daft really as T1's come in all shapes and sizes. I find a lot of people have bought into the 'it must be your lifestyle ' discussions in the media. I just tell them I do not produce enough insulin, which is true, and leave it at that.
 
I’ll talk about it if I see an opportunity to educate or quash bad information quoted from the press. I wear a Libre most of the time so especially at this time of year wearing short sleeves, that sometimes prompts questions, even from complete strangers! I’m always happy to talk about my diabetes.
 
I’m like @ianf0ster - anyone & everyone, though my family & friends aren’t that interested, in a good way, I’ve bored them to death years ago with it, they never comment or question my food choices etc, they leave me to do my own thing. I never mention in in restaurants etc though, I just say, I’m awkward customer can I have this without this & have this instead, I usually get the are you gluten free question & I just say no I don’t eat carbs. It’s my business not theirs.

Had quite a refreshing thing happen on Saturday in a steak house, I ordered a Diet Coke, when a different server brought it to me he said coke? I said is it diet, “oh I’m not sure, held it up to the light and he must have had some sort of ninja skills because he said “no I think it’s full sugar I’ll get it changed for you, we don’t want any unhappy accidents” so he didn’t assume that I was just on a “diet” I wondered if his ninja skills worked on me too, lol, never got to ask him how he could tell just by looking at it as he never came back to out table. Someone else brought the drink.Now if he had I would have told him yes I’m diabetic.

If a stranger asks outright or seems interested in my food choices etc I’ll gladly tell them but I don’t broadcast it either
 
If any ask me I am open about it, Do you have to jab yourself ? ................. Yes 5 times a day
oh you must be type one, no mate that's what my usual conversation is.
 
My family and close friends know that I have T2 and I’m always happy to discuss how I’ve managed to get into remission. My brother is also T2 and one of my nieces has just been diagnosed as pre diabetic and will ask for advice re food choices.
 
Given the many food-centric social situations in the family, and me being too miffed about being diagnosed a T2 to not say anything, I just about shouted it from the rooftops. (a.k.a. Facebook). It helped me explain why I was being so "rude" as to not partake in birthday cake and the like in one fell swoop. Also managed to educate a few people about diabetes in the meantime. Not some of my closest family members, alas, as they think I'm quite nuts. (I am, so fair enough). But they have neuropathy now, and I don't. I'll not say "I told you so", but I wish they'd listened when they were still relatively well, and not in pain all the time. Not that they'll listen now.
 
People close to me, know. That is people who might be cooking for me. I just explain that I restrict carbs in my diet. Having had T2 for 20+ years, friends and family are respectful of my choices, and some seem to think I am unique, in that I haven’t had all of the progressive symptoms that were predicted as was usual for many with T2 on diagnosis. I think they ‘spread the low carb word’ by telling others with diabetes about how I manage mine. Thinking seems to be that I am unique.

I am cautious about ‘preaching’ as not everyone wants to hear, but if someone wants to know, I tell them my story. I have reached the age and stage of life where some at similar stage seem to have conversations about nothing but their ailments and impairments. Then they wonder why people avoid them. I don’t want to be in that category. So I try to be a bit more discerning about when, where and to whom, I discuss what could be a topic that bores others to tears.
 
I don't really worry about it. I dont remember not being a type 1 diabetic as i've had it since i was 12 and im 62 now. If i'm out somewhere and need to enter my carbs into my pump I just wip it out and do what I need to do.
Why worry.
 
Last edited:
I don't make a secret of it and I don't shout about it. I'm secretary to a local low-carb group which has diabetes in its blurb, so anyone who looks would find out.

Unfortunately I've discovered that some extended family and friends believe I'm "cured" because I don't fit the media stereotype for a T2. This probably causes most friction, as does the denial from other people who are clearly struggling with controlling weight and blood glucose, but are looking for any reason that means they don't have to give up carbs. I've been told to my face that if I think low carb helped high blood glucose, I'm wrong. It must have been something else, because low carb doesn't work. They read it in the Daily Mail.
 
It's not really come up as I don't talk to new people much. My immediate family all know but not wider family as communication is pretty much limited to Happy Birthday and Merry Xmas messages now. My mum has Type2 and will talk about medical issues all day long so that's not a problem!

I often talk about it with professional carers but it's not the same as friends or colleagues. Beyond a certain level of politeness I don't care what they think of me, and it's part of their job to chat with clients.

I'm not embarrassed about it but I haven't yet brought it up in conversation except with an old friend who's now a GP.
 
I guess, I could have expected that most of you who have answered are more or less open about your diabetes. It appears that people on this forum are a self-selecting group. However 4.6 million people in the UK have a diagnosis of diabetes of which over 90% are T2. This is over 6% of the population thus every time you take a bus or sit in a restaurant it is likely that you are not the only person with T2. But it rarely comes up in a random discussion that someone says: actually I am diabetic, too. Thus I claim that most T2 are not talking about it openly. I would like to hear from you if you are in this forum.
And lots of thanks and kudos to those of you who proudly try to educate the people whom you talk to. This takes courage as the wrong stereotypes still persist, not only in the Daily Mail.
 
One thing I will do is correct any misconceptions I hear, such as, for example, someone scoffing a load of junk food once laughingly said “ wow, that was risking diabetes” . It is that underlying belief that people with T2 are to blame for their condition that needs to be challenged.
 
I was at a buffet lunch and was selecting the low carb food inc meat, cheese, eggs, salad and quiche (I removed the crust) and a friend who knew I was T2, albeit in remission, told me in a very condescending way ‘you shouldn’t be eating that’ as he sat there with his sausage rolls, pork pie, sandwiches etc. I then proceeded to tell him that my BS was now at normal levels probably because of what I was eating!
 
5.5 at 0700 this morning. After a 6.0 at bedtime last night.
 
I was diagnosed t2 January 2024. Nobody I work with knows about my diagnosis. The only people that I have told are immediate family and my oldest friend.
At first I was hugely embarrassed by the diagnosis and I still struggle day to day knowing that I have this. Also I feel that it has nothing to do with anyone I work with. I don’t want to be known as the person with diabetes and everyone judging me.
 
That might not go so well if you fall over and head kiss the floor when(and you will) you have a hypo. You need to tell at least the first aiders on site what to do if tthat happens.
 
Phaid said:
That might not go so well if you fall over and head kiss the floor when(and you will) you have a hypo. You need to tell at least the first aiders on site what to do if tthat happens.
Click to expand...
@Phaid it's rare T2's hypo unless they are on medications that can cause low blood sugars, or they are in insulin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…