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I am NOT a diabetic ...

I thought this thread had died.

When I made the original post I was refering to in a medical environment.

Sure people use labels for themselves. Judge, Professor, Reverend, Doctor generally to emphasise their social standing. Even sailor emphasises your special abilities.

But 'diabetic' implies that who you are is less important than your disease.
"These are generally the rules for people, but they don't apply to you because you are a 'diabetic'".

"I have diabetes", at least to me, says I (a person) have a condition that anybody could develop no matter who they are.

Sure changing the language won't change the attitudes, but it might just remind people that they are dealing with a person and not just a disease.
 
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mattrix said:
But 'diabetic' lowers your status, who you are is less important than your disease.
"These are generally the rules for people, but they don't apply to you because you are a 'diabetic'".
Click to expand...
These are your perception of the label. Not everyone’s. I have never felt it lowers my status or makes me less of a person. I’ve never been treated that way. I’m genuinely mystified how the word would lower my status, make me less important or that rules for people don’t apply.
Sure some people are ignorant, uneducated on diabetes and sometimes rude but that’s their issue. Not mine.
 
mattrix said:
When I made the original post I was refering to in a medical environment.
Click to expand...
in a medical environment its essential to be recognised as diabetic. They talk about words in a different way eg 'compains' meaning reports.
 
I have "incompetent veins" in my legs, am I offended with that?, not in the least, but I know some people who would get uptight over it if the they were told this.

To much "touchy feely" stuff has crept in over years with the younger people, I have always called a spade a spade and not a soil removal appliance.
 
I understand why you may feel that being labeled can lower your status. However, my thoughts are that if we act in a way that makes it clear that this is just part of a person's identity that attitudes will follow. My daughter had a breakdown and was involuntarily held in a mental health hospital. I have told people and have not kept it secret as I also wouldn't keep it secret if she broke her leg and was hospitalised. I don't and never have consider it shameful. She obviously had a health condition. I then contrast that to my behaviour why diagnosed as having diabetes. I acted like it was shameful. I am part of the problem. I judged myself and bought in to the perception that it is okay to judge someone for a health condition. So I am part of the problem.

I am trying to change my behaviour as it was not okay. I still struggle with the perception. So I do get it. I now do refer to myself as a diabetic in the same way that I refer to myself as a lawyer, a mother, a wife, a Catholic. All of them are true and all of them are not the sum total of who I am.

In a medical situation I agree that the fact that I have diabetes is obviously important. I don't care whether the medical professional says I have diabetes or I am a diabetic as long as they remember that not all my symptoms are as a result of diabetes.

Anyway I I already said I will try to remember peoples preferences but I will also ask that people start off by presuming people mean well and want to help. I find that if I make that presumption it can sometimes avoid me feeling slighted when the other person did not mean to slight me. On this site I have found that the vast majority of time people are here to help and support. So I assume that that is what their intention is. I remember that we are from all over the world and that we have language and cultural differences. However, we are all people, and we all have some similarities in the midst of differences.
 
@HSS,
[in response to I have never been treated different]
You have never been told that "diabetes is a progressive disease, and that that your health will suffer the longer you have had diabetes".
I have developed a number of other conditions since/in conjunction with developing diabetes.
My GP has been known to say,
"You are a diabetic so this is only to be expected, it would be taken more seriously in a 'normal' person"

It is only my perception, but this says to me that my expectations should be less than a 'normal' person.
And that my GP sees me as lower than 'normal'.

In hospital here, you are given a standard diabetic meal, not low carb but low calorie because people with diabetes are all fat boombas. As it turns out I am a fat boomba and always lose weight in hospital, though I'm not sure if that is because I am ill or because my meals have diabetes.
 
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Hi @mattrix ,

A fellow Australian I see

It is really up to us to show the medical profession that they don't know as much as they think they know about diabetes. My doctor hasn't shown any interest as to why my levels havre gone down. She is definitely not a fan of low carb.

The thing is if we followed the standard medical advice we would probably find that it does become progressive. And, if you don't have your blood sugars under control then other medical conditions would probably impact you more than someone with the blood sugars in the normal range.

So I don't see it as expecting something lesser as such but just speaking with huge generalisations.

I have for years suffered from a similar problem with my weight. Yes I am very overweight. That doesn't mean every symptom is caused by my excess weight. It also doesn't mean I can't count calories or that I lie about my weight. Yet these are the assumptions that doctors have made about me for years. It's almost funny how much more believable my very slim husband is- almost funny. Yes it has impacted me- I am much less likely to seek medical attention for anything. I'd really rather suffer.

So I really want this to change- I want others to know that having diabetes doesn't have to mean lesser in any way. I want them to know that having type 2 diabetes doesn't have to be progressive at least not in the way it is currently viewed. I want us not to be ashamed of having a medical condition that has often been exacerbated by following the medical advice about 'healthy carbs'. I want my children to have a different experience.
 
This is my experience too. It has impacted me greatly. Just before Easter I noticed my bowel habits had been different for about 3 weeks. I made a telephone appointment with my doctor for a couple of days after Easter. Then, scared of yet another lecture about my weight, I self diagnosed a blocked bile duct and did an apple juice and water fast for 2 days. By the time I spoke to the doctor I had flushed out the offending gallstones. He agreed that was the right thing to do, so much better than waiting for another telling off.
 
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Your GPs attitude is dreadful, and yes I can see what you mean now. He should be saying that we need to take better care of you because you are a person with diabetes and therefore more prone to extra problems.

I agree about hospital food, it's the same here in the UK. I tend to put on weight in hospital because of the carb laden food and the low fat spreads.
 
The first statement about progression being expected is a dr saying what he considers fact, based on what he has been taught. That’s not being treated less or any judgement of you. It’s a statement about the disease not you. I happen to believe it’s outdated and misleading and unambitious but that’s not the point here. Same goes for “You are a diabetic so this is only to be expected”. It’s wrong it needs changing but it’s about the disease not you.

However “it would be taken more seriously in a 'normal' person" is quite frankly appalling from this dr and a reflection of him and his attitude and lack of appropriate communication skills. Not the medical profession as a whole. I’m not saying it’s never true but it is not taught, acceptable or good practice for a dr to dismiss other issues simply because of diabetes.

I do think it’s your perception to assume “lower”. I see “expected” because historically and medically complications were expected. You assign judgement and ranking. I see stated “facts”.

Low calorie is provided because that is what the historic accepted option is for all diabetes and in fact all people unless undernourished. Low carb is rarely accepted let alone provided sadly. Have you asked for it? The fact that you say you need to lose weight and in fact do lose weight on the hospital food kind of shows it is not completely inappropriate though doesn’t it? so why are you offended by it?
 
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