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Myths concerning Diabetes still prevail.

  • Thread starter Thread starter catherinecherub
  • Start Date Start Date
Some great stories there... TV and whatnot don't help either. When I tell people I meet some are clued up - those who have relatives with it for ex - others are maybe just indifferent on a need to know basis.

BTW how come your 'news' is in this section? I used to put mine in here but then was asked to put them in the GC forum... no big deal but... 8)
 
I'll be impressed if Diabetes Uk are finally going to pull their finger out. I remember a recent campaign of theirs'-the poster showed a measuring tape and stated if your waist measurement was above a certain size (might have been 36", not sure), you were at risk of diabetes! :evil:
Is it any wonder the general public get the wrong idea?
Jus
 
Best (or most weird) one I had was, in regards to insulin;

Other person, "Ugh, I don't know how you can put that stuff in yourself!"

Me, "Um, well I sort of have to."

OP, "Yeah, but it's rat poison, isn't it?"

??????????

This person, who works loosely in the health profession, also claimed that it's pointless to help a diabetic who has collapsed because, by that point, they'd be dead :shock:

I've also had, "Wow, you're only young to get it because only elderly people get diabetes." Again, this was someone who works in the caring/health field.

Oh and the usual, "Ohhh, you're on insulin. You must have it bad. You must have it really, really bad to be on insulin."

These were from people who you would except to at least have some basic clue. But, you know, I've spoken to an extrodinary amount of people who know someone with T1, or have a relative, and it's pretty amazing how little they do know because often the person with diabetes is not that well educated themselves.

One workmate has a 41yr old son who has been T1 for 10yrs and some of the hypos she's described that he's had are truly terrifying. At one point, when they were at a concert venue, she had to rummage through people's pockets in the cloakroom searching for chocolate because he was quite literally going beserk; trying to dive onstage, karate kicking the emergency exit open, had to be wrestled by security who just thought he was some loon.

But, she told me he never carries any form of glucose with him, he got that bad because he had nothing to treat himself with; she kept emphasisng about not having any chocolate. I said that choc really wasn't the best thing to use (explained why) and asked why he doesn't just carry a bottle of coke or lucozade, but it was like, "Oh... does that work better? Never thought of that."

Also, know someone whose dad is T2 and uses insulin but she was under the impression that diabetics could not have any sugar whatsoever under any circustances.
 
I have come across, the T2 it's your own fault attitude - people don't understand that while it is true that a most T2 diabetics might be fat, it is not true that most fat people are diabetic.

The heriditory factor is unknown to the general public. People are always suprised when I mention that my mum was diabetic, my brother is, my mother's brothers where, female gestationl diabetes has affected several members of the family.

Even people with relatives who are T2 don't seem to know that it might be a risk factor for them. In my own family even with this disaterous record for T2, when I tell relatives to go and get tested, they look at me blankly - I stress that it can be symptomless and tell them the problems of non diagnosis, but I think they are fed up with me droning on about it.

Mum used insulin, and while usually well controlled there were times when she had Hypos. We found there were several times out in social gatherings that people didn't understand her need to eat something NOW, or the need for regular food. "Well food will be served in about 20 minutes" was a reply we got more than once. We even had moans and one (non family) gathering about her 'special treatment' at getting a bread roll before anybody else got food.

Though she never got any complaints about injecting herself in public - though she did have it down to a fine art and even those of us who knew what she was doing could miss it.
 
victry77 said:
Best (or most weird) one I had was, in regards to insulin;

Other person, "Ugh, I don't know how you can put that stuff in yourself!"

Me, "Um, well I sort of have to."

OP, "Yeah, but it's rat poison, isn't it?"

??????????
Click to expand...

I think they were confusing insulin with Warfarin... it kills rats, but in humans it stops the blood from clotting... it's given to people who've had blood clots, often by injection...

Even after only 2 months since diagnosis, I'm suprised at the number of peopel who expect me to be fainting/having hypos all the time, even tho, as I'm diet only, it's unlikely to happen at all...
 
I am somewhat surprised at the 25% who object with injecting insulin in public.

I have been on Byetta injections for over two years now. When out, I use to excuse myself to the bathroom to 'shoot up', but more recently, due to an increasing personal 'why should I' attitude (!), I just sit where I am and do it discretely.

I reckon if women have the right to breastfeed in public (which of course they should), I certainly have the right to give myself a quick medical injection!
 
Surely those 25% just shouldn't look? There are far more offensive things that we see every day, like people spitting in the street or boys who wear their jeans below their bums. I have to put up with that so they can put up with my injecting!

I still get asked "can you eat doughnuts?" (yeah but I hate them) or "do you want a cake? Oh sorry, you can't can you". By people I've known for ages and I've explained it's not true we can't eat sugar. And my personal favourite us "have you got bad diabetes?" Is that like being 'a bit oregnant'?!

I'm still surprised by relatives of T2s who don't know anything about it. Lots of people still think it's all about no chocolate, but chips are fine. Or that their relative has injections and so must be T1.

I was diagnosed when I was 8 and my best friend started to eat spoons of sugar so that she could be diabetic too! But that was an 8 year old. You'd think grown ups might have more sensible thoughts...
 
I have to admit untill my dx in Nov/crash course in what diabetes was I was pretty darn ignorant.
I thought T2 was what the elderly got and never needed insulin and T1 needed insulin and was because of low blood sugar. I suppose, like many people, diabetes was something I was breifly taught about in human biology and then forgot all about untill i was diagnosed. In fact i remember looking at the blood test form thinking I wasn't old enough for diabetes, I was thirsty because I allways had been and peed lot cos I drink so much water. Oh, and tiredness down to having a young child and a sressful job. Me diabetic?????? Never!
 
I was not totally ignorant before I was diagnosed as I have a cousin with T1 but my awareness extended only to him needing to eat to avoid hypos – whatever they were?! It never occurred to me that I might ever have diabetes. Most people take no notice of anything which does not immediately concern them.

As for the public education, I think the reason that such rubbish information is dished out is because it is put out by non-diabetics who really do not understand enough about it. Book learning can never adequately replace experience. Perhaps we need to push for more involvement by 'patients'.
 
I wonder if the 25 per cent that object to injecting in public think it means a hyperdermic in the arm. I am right in thinking that insulin users use epi pens and inject in the stomach arn't I?
 
I still use syringes. They look cooler. That's not really why I use them though.
But I think lots of people think we inject into a vein. I've had some odd comments to that effect. Good job we don't cos my veins are useless - the blood lady at the walk in centre wasted half an hour torturing me then told me never to come back!
 
Dippy3103 said:
I wonder if the 25 per cent that object to injecting in public think it means a hyperdermic in the arm. I am right in thinking that insulin users use epi pens and inject in the stomach arn't I?
Click to expand...

You know I think that's a really good point. I've injected umpteen times in cafes/restaurants and have never been noticed doing it, even by the people whose company I'm in. I even had a friends say to me, "Oh do you need to take your insulin now?" and I've already done it 5mins earlier.

Yeah, so that's a good point. I can imagine some people visualising us wrapping a tourniquet around our arms and pulling it tight with our teeth; then tapping our veins to bring up a nice juicy one and then bringing out the big 'ole hyperdermic :D
 
victry77 said:
Dippy3103 said:
Yeah, so that's a good point. I can imagine some people visualising us wrapping a tourniquet around our arms and pulling it tight with our teeth; then tapping our veins to bring up a nice juicy one and then bringing out the big 'ole hyperdermic :D
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
If one cant inject in public !then where?in the loo yuk germs,outside? injecting outside would look sinister plus you need to wait until food is ready so that if delayed you dont go hypo (on rapid insulin) and I need to assess the carb content of that food as size and quantity can vary so much between eating places,then you need to inject quickly before food goes cold. Am not bothered re folk looking but always hope that a needle phobia person isnt nearby
 
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