injecting in a public place

I have had it all too:
In a restaurant with colleagues a woman to the left of me suggested that I go elsewhere to inject (I was shooting up levemir and novorapid at the time).

When I asked here where, she suggested the toilets.

I asked her "When you next have an injection, ask the Doctor if he'd like to do it in a public s*** house".

It went quiet and conversation around the table stopped. She had no answer, for there was none. Come to think of it, she ignored me when I asked if she'd mind if I took my Metformin....

LOL :lol:

I am 33 and was diagnosed with Type 1 4 months ago. I have to say I am very surprised to hear some of the intolerance. I inject everywhere - in the school lunch hall, at the cinema, on the train, and in a lot of restaurants, some rather nice ones. I have never had so much as an inquisitive glance. My advice to everyone would be to go for it. Diabetes is enough of an imposition on your life already. Often I will go out for dinner and sit with my insulin on the table and inject for each course!

I have been injecting for many years now and have had some strange looks, but never been told I am not allowed. I am now on a pump and find this much easier, it just looks like you are using a pager or something and no one can be offended. I even do it the classroom when I am teaching if I need to. I have a hypo alert dog with me 24/7 and if he says my blood sugars are rising then I have to react or he will not stop alerting me. I do get told often that the dog is not allowed to go into plavces though, which makes me mad.

As people have said we would rather not be Diabetic.

I always inject in public - I used to go and 'hide' in the bathroom but have since thought 'why on Earth am I doing this? It's nothing to be ashamed of!'.
If I am with others I warn them of what I am doing in case they are needle-phobic but no-one to date has had any issue with it.

Crazy World we live in!


xx

Few years ago not long after diagnosis I was injecting (hypodermic not pen) in a railway station. Reasonably discreetly, facing away from crowd, in a corner. An arm suddenly grabbed me around the neck from behind, with an incoherent shout. In agony from a needle ripped across my stomach, I punched wildly behind me at where the head responsible for the arm would be. I turned round to find a transport copper with a busted lip and nose.

Served the **** right for listening to someone mumble 'junkie'.

I just inject where and when I need to, surprised that anyone ever doesn't. My only caveats are 1. Small kids - don't want to be jostled, don't want to prong one with a needle

2. genuine needle phobics. That was a nasty experience for both of us, I check now.

Although I have been diabetic for 30 years and have been pumping insulin since May 2012. when I was on injections I would frequently inject in public. FortunatIy I have never had any issues with other people’s reactions. However, when I was working at the local hospital in the operating theatres as a circulating nurse I had some issues with a member of staff who had been a nurse for many years who objected to me injecting insulin in the coffee room. She said it was something that other people did not want to see whilst they were eating their lunch, although believe me we were all used to seeing some sights, which you will be glad to know I shall keep details to myself! So I told her that an injection should only be done in a socially clean area (something she should be aware of) and that I refuse to inject in the toilet. I could have gone into an empty theatre but I just wanted to prove a point. In the end, after I reported her to a more senior member of staff, she left with her tail between her legs and took early retirement.

Nowadays, in the workplace we have DDA legislation to fall back on, so I would be telling them to find themselves a lawyer if I was ever subjected to any **** like that again.

I am genuinely amazed and shocked at the experiences some of you have had with injecting insulin in public. We inject insulin just to keep ourselves alive and living with diabetes is hard enough without the pure stupidity of a few ignorant losers out there.

I haven't come across any really nasty incidents, I inject in the canteen at work in front of workmates who all know I inject and have done at many restaurants, although I do try to do it as discretely as possible as what we must all remember is that there are people out there who are needle phobic. I recently saw a woman openly inject herself in her arm with a lilly pen and no one even noticed, the waiter didn't say anything either and he was watching.

we do need to be mindful of others feelings on seeing someone inject, but it shouldn't come directly from the staff. If someone complains then fair enough as far as I'm concerned, some people have severe needle phobias. I used to be one of them and I can tell you now, if i saw someone inject while eating I wouldn't have been able to finish my meal. I had to learn to get over it, as its only a small needle I'm pretty much OK with it now but it still makes me feel queasy from time to time.

Some people have a phobia of hair and some of feet. These are in a small minority, as are people who are genuinely phobic of needles and not just a bit wimpy. These people have phobias towards things that are part of living in a community of people and have to get over them. So don't shave your head before going to a restaurant and don't worry about injecting.

Mhcrawford0 said:

Some people have a phobia of hair and some of feet. These are in a small minority, as are people who are genuinely phobic of needles and not just a bit wimpy. These people have phobias towards things that are part of living in a community of people and have to get over them. So don't shave your head before going to a restaurant and don't worry about injecting.

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My Mum isn't needle phobic and she winces and goes all queasy when I inject, so now I don't do in in front of her.
And if you would care to read my post again, I never said that you shouldn't inject, I said if someone complains then I see that as fair enough.

read this for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_of_needles , I don't call 10% of Americans a small minority and as you can see, there is more than one type. just because we are diabetic theres no need to be selfish. If someone really has a problem with it which is enough to make them complain, and I'm not talking about some snooty woman who thinks we are all leppers then we have to be considerate of their feelings.

Cool. I don't.

Anyone claiming that they are needle phobic and that you therefore shouldn't be injecting in public in front of them is talking rubbish. Unless they are sat on your lap as you are using the insulin pen there is no way they can even see that there is a needle on the end of the pen from across the opposite side of the table or room. All they can see is that it's a funny type of pen that you are holding on your arm/ belly/ wherever and they are then deciding to create a fuss over nothing. Same goes for people claiming to be scared of blood as you do a BG test using a tiny drop from the tip of your finger, they either have superman class eye sight, or should just mind their own business.

As for anyone thinking that you might have some class A drugs in such a fancy pen delivery system. :lol:

I never had any issues when injecting with pens in public. Now I'm on the pump though I do make the concession of covering up the screen showing the countdown as it gives me a bolus when on a plane. Someone spotting a gadget going 10...9...8... from the opposite side of the plane aisle would have good reason to be freaked out. :shock:

My daughter does not like injecting in public at the best of times but we were once asked to go to a toilet to inject. I politely asked if they wanted to serve us our food in there as well. They said of course not. So we got up and walked out.

I recently used some refurbished public toilets in a nearby town and was 'delighted' to see a needle disposal point built into the wall. On another occasion I had to go into the disabled toilet in the same block and was a bit confused as there was no needle disposal point in this loo.

Many years ago I was in rented accommodation and a man came in to service the boiler. He gave me a funny look when he spotted the sharps box in the kitchen. I explained that my daughter was diabetic and he carried on with his work. The following week I had three "heavies" from the landlord turn up accusing me of being a drug user. I was really hurt and shocked. I had to show them the insulin, the prescription and so forth. I think they were disappointed not to be able to throw me out. They did not apologise or anything just left.

Hi, I'm new to the art of posting but i'd like to say that by the time anybody realises what I'm doing i'm putting the pen away. Secondly there was one extremely silly person who admitted to injecting through clothing. Don't they realise how susceptible we are to infection etc. and how many germs are carried on the clothing AND the state of the needles or lancet after use even going straight ino the skin. This may seem OTT but it is very relavent and I would feel guilty if I had not reminded everyone of these dangers.
Please enjoy your life regardless of others, 1dudleyw

I have to experienced this on many occasions..

One I was on the train and it was lunch time and my journey was delayed and I ended up sitting on the train for half an hour without going anywhere due to some accident on the line a head of us.. An I still had another 45 minute journey to my destination.. Anyway it was time for me to eat so I had my lunch and injected my normal units with my lunch.. Some lady turned around and spoke loud enough that everybody heard.. She said to me "you are a risk to me and these passengers on this train because of your needles and I do not want to see you druging yourself up with illegal drugs" I stated that I was type 1 diabetic and that this is insulin not some type of illegal drug.. And that I need to take it. She then started saying that it wasn't insulin and embarrassing me infront of all the passengers..

I ended up just leaving her to it and ignoring her being the bigger person.. However she got the conductor involved who demanded to search my bag as I was a threat to the passengers still!!! I said no that is my personal belongings and I got out my diabetes box and showed him. (I keep all my needles and tablets and pens and my blood sugar meter in a klip-fresh box) I showed them my medi-necklace which still seemed not to be enough for them I was so embarrassed and I became so upset I started crying I was asked to leave at the next stop which luckily was my stop but I was treated like some abnormal person and it really knocked my confidence..

I complained to the train company and got some free tickets for my next few journeys to work but still I was so annoyed at them especially the woman who started it all.. But I still inject in public it hasn't stopped me.. If I don't inject then I'm risking myself..

Sorry for the long winded story... :/

Kerry x

1dudleyw said:

Hi, I'm new to the art of posting but i'd like to say that by the time anybody realises what I'm doing i'm putting the pen away. Secondly there was one extremely silly person who admitted to injecting through clothing. Don't they realise how susceptible we are to infection etc. and how many germs are carried on the clothing AND the state of the needles or lancet after use even going straight ino the skin. This may seem OTT but it is very relavent and I would feel guilty if I had not reminded everyone of these dangers.
Please enjoy your life regardless of others, 1dudleyw

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Isn't that the point of this thread showing the stigma against diabetics.. People would moan and kick up a fuss even more is one of us had to pull down one side of our trousers just to inject into our thighs or wherever.. We would get done for indecent exposure or something silly like that.. I can see your point but I refuse to go to the toilet just to inject where there is way more germs.. Also I've been told by others including nurses it's perfectly fine to inject through items of clothing.. This just make it more of a pain injecting in public right???

Sorry if I've offended anyone but it's just an opinion...

Kerry x

I have to say I don't wait or ask to inject. I inject we're and when it's necessary, their is plenty of places on your body you can inject without annoying anyone and if they are to bad, we have to do this to live.

Yes it seems people have narrow minds and jump to the wrong conclusion when a diabetic has to inject why should we hide away to help us stay alive.
I have no objections to any woman breast feeding as this is also a need(for the infant) lets come into the 21st century, if people don't understand then ask I have no problem in explaining the reason for Inulin use,as I never have a problem explaining "Charcotte" foot when people stare when I manage to swim

Hi my names Darren,I often check my blood and inject in public if i have nowhere else to go,I recently had an argument in public with a p.c.s.o officer who didn't seem to understand,I'm never afraid or scared to do it in public and think the more i do it the easier it makes it for others

I inject where and when I like and frankly no one will ever stop me, when I'm out I'm not going into an unhygienic toilet to inject everytime I eat. People can like it or lump it.

i Hve probably had a few funny looks over the years but never any major problems. We can be a very discreet diabetic - although there are some people out there who give us all a bad name. Oh Look at me etc
I just check over my shoulder - warn the people i am with not to hit me etc and then out of site under the table i do my injection.
Novopens are not obvious what they are until you take the cap of the needle - kind of looks like a tampon holder actually, can set the amount of insulin and everything in light and then move behind table etc.

I have even done it stood in a queue without anyone seeing. Al lot of it is about your confidence. if you are staring at what you are doing and looking suspicious - people will look. We should be able to do it by feel etc.
Hope this helps anyone concerned.