Non-diabetics telling me how easy it is!

[ElenaP]

I need to share my frustration.
The recent TV programme with the "glucose goddess" on Channel 4, seemed to have made blood sugar experts of non-diabetic people! Today I had lunch with nine other people. Although none of the others were either Type1 or Type2 diabetics, two of them were wearing blood glucose monitors, and they told me how easy it is to keep blood glucose in range: "All you need to do is to have vegetables or salads before a meal". I think it will be marvellous if advice in that program will prevent some people from becoming Type2 diabetics, but not so good if it gave the impression that all diabetes is the same.

I have learned previously that friends do not understand how difficult living with Type1 is, and how every illness or viral infection brings challenges. However, being told that being Type1 is easy makes me unhappy.

 

[lovinglife]

I can appreciate how this kind of thing would affect you @ElenaP - I actually despair when people like the Glucose Goddess become “mainstream” like you say everyone becomes an “expert”. Not totally dismissing some of her ideas but I hate the term Goddess - a self given title that makes people think she’s some kind of guru.

I know you are T1 but it’s the same (but different) for T2 sometimes. No one appreciates how anyone with diabetes how hard we work just to stay healthy. (and alive on a daily basis in the case of those of you with T1) What will be a passing fad for your friends is a crucial lifestyle for us and that’s what they don’t get

 

[Marikev]

I need to share my frustration.

understand and feel your frustration.

Although none of the others were either Type1 or Type2 diabetics, two of them were wearing blood glucose monitors, and they told me how easy it is to keep blood glucose in range:

yep sure is if you have a fully functioning pancreas!!
I first read about non diabetics wearing CGMs a couple of years ago, still not sure it’s a good idea, except as you say to make people potentially headed for type 2 be more aware of food intake and exercise.
am struggling at the moment to replace my smart phone to work with my CGM and when searching the Abbott site for up to date lists of compatible phones I seem to be bombarded with adverts trying to promote their products.

I have learned previously that friends do not understand how difficult living with Type1 is, and how every illness or viral infection brings challenges.

On diagnosis I felt bad for how little I had appreciated the struggle of colleagues with Type 1 over the years. But sorry that my diagnosis had not come a couple of years early that I might have been able to support a newly diagnosed student at college who was struggling and dropped out of college.
But did manage to help another newly diagnosed student who was struggling and literally staggered into the staff room one day having a hypo around a 2. The supply of emergency juice in the staff room fridge had not been replanned a Shia tutor was off on compassionate leave… grateful I knew what to do.
wishing you well.

 

[zand]

I'm frustrated for you @ElenaP . Can't believe people can be so ignorant. Would they tell a blind person that reading an ordinary, non-braille menu was easy... 'just open the menu first and then read it '?

 

[Jaylee]

I need to share my frustration.
The recent TV programme with the "glucose goddess" on Channel 4, seemed to have made blood sugar experts of non-diabetic people! Today I had lunch with nine other people. Although none of the others were either Type1 or Type2 diabetics, two of them were wearing blood glucose monitors, and they told me how easy it is to keep blood glucose in range: "All you need to do is to have vegetables or salads before a meal". I think it will be marvellous if advice in that program will prevent some people from becoming Type2 diabetics, but not so good if it gave the impression that all diabetes is the same.

I have learned previously that friends do not understand how difficult living with Type1 is, and how every illness or viral infection brings challenges. However, being told that being Type1 is easy makes me unhappy.

Hi,

I’m sorry you had to put up such BS when It could/should have been a pleasant lunch date.
If I’d been in the same position as yourself?
I would have (mis) informed the non Ds that a non invasive 30 quid smart watch would suffice regarding what they need to know about BG managment…. & let the cogs turn..

 

[Outlier]

I am often regaled with opinions from tuppenny overnight "experts" who have read something in the papers/seen it on TV or other media, not just for diabetes but in any number of other areas where I have actual knowledge and long-time experience. It's human nature and unfortunately "you can't fix stupid". It isn't personal - such people visit all sorts of subjects in the happy assumption that they know all there is to know. It can be incredibly annoying at times, especially if they catch us on a vulnerable day. I have every empathy with you, but people don't change and so it's down to us on the receiving end to rise above it all. It has taken me most of my life to understand that stupid people can't actually help being stupid, and I still struggle with the concept at times. After all, they could still be empathetic, courteous and thoughtful, but it's easier to big themselves up by trying to put someone else down. As the Scots say, "more to be pitied than scorned".

 

[becca59]

As a type I would say, “Ok then, how much insulin should you take if you do that?” That should soon shut them up.

 

[MG426]

There is no ( one size fits all ) rules for managing Type 2 or type 1...everything one eats is a potential spike..!...

 

[saucequery]

"All you need to do is to have vegetables or salads before a meal".

That's what an nhs dietician told me too.
I gave up on appointments with her when she gave me diet leaflets suggesting things like jam on toast, or a glass of wine with my evening meal to increase appetite / stop losing weight, and when I asked how many carbs a day I was 'supposed' to be eating she said if I wasn't diabetic it would be about 300, but wouldn't tell me what it should be seeing as I *am* diabetic..

 

[Lainie71]

As a type I would say, “Ok then, how much insulin should you take if you do that?” That should soon shut them up.

"It has taken me most of my life to understand that stupid people can't actually help being stupid" this is going to be my mantra for a while lol xxx

 

[Lainie71]

That's what an nhs dietician told me too.
I gave up on appointments with her when she gave me diet leaflets suggesting things like jam on toast, or a glass of wine with my evening meal to increase appetite / stop losing weight, and when I asked how many carbs a day I was 'supposed' to be eating she said if I wasn't diabetic it would be about 300, but wouldn't tell me what it should be seeing as I *am* diabetic..

I was told that I must eat every 2 hours, but when I said I am not always hungry every 2 hours and what do I do then, she went all quiet on me! I wonder why ....................

 

[Jaylee]

Oddly. My wife’s friend stayed over last Friday night.

She mixes it up with the biohacker types & mentioned the glucose goddess as their inspiration after spotting my sensor.
To be fair to her she couldn’t understand the trend..

We ate lunch. & during the progressing evening I managed to demonstrate & bolster her belief why her non D running mates with working metabolisms & pancreases have been duped into spending money on a device they don’t need..
Basically agreeing it as an “accessory” for the worried well?

 

[Ushthetaff]

T1 for 44 years and I’m use to being T1 its a “ normal “ way of life for me now, but it has made me realise I really wouldn’t like to be T 2 yes I have to inject blah blah blah , but now I can virtually eat what I like it’s taken a good few years to work out what works for me but now I’ve just about sorted it , not and it never will be 100. % but so much easier than years gone by, I know there are a percentage whose lifestyle habits might contribute to T2 but definetly not all, I don’t think I could be disciplined enough at least with T1 my sugar goes high I take insulin blood sugar comes down but it does come down doesn’t seem that easy with T2

 

[Resurgam]

I was told that I must eat every 2 hours, but when I said I am not always hungry every 2 hours and what do I do then, she went all quiet on me! I wonder why ....................

Wow - (it is no wonder I get into trouble rather a lot) now would that be 6 or 7 meals a day? I mean - honestly?
As a type 2 on no medication for it, I try to eat twice a day, but my routine got disrupted and now I struggle to eat a snack and a meal - usually 30 to 35gm of carbs a day. I seems to be dealing with day to day living just fine.
A type 2 diabetic seems to deal with carbs like a diesel engine deals with petrol.

 

[Jaylee]

I was told that I must eat every 2 hours, but when I said I am not always hungry every 2 hours and what do I do then, she went all quiet on me! I wonder why ....................

My ex brother in law had a similar view? He came out with a comment 4 decades back..
probably based on someone else always treating hypos. Thought it was a “thing.”

I alway try to chop sense into the nonsense..

 

[Lainie71]

My ex brother in law had a similar view? He came out with a comment 4 decades back..
probably based on someone else always treating hypos. Thought it was a “thing.”

I alway try to chop sense into the nonsense..

I am sure I would have remained the size of my house if I had followed the DN advice!

 

[KennyA]

It annoys me that a lot of this misinformation comes from TV and movies getting diabetes (usually T1) totally wrong... "he ate a cake, and because he's diabetic he collapsed, and had to have an insulin injection to bring him round".

Recently, it's been the "you can't be diabetic if you're not fat" line that winds me up.

It's a great example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect - the less people know about a subject, the more they overestimate their knowledge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunni...ding to the better-than,think their IQ is 115.

 

[Jaylee]

It annoys me that a lot of this misinformation comes from TV and movies getting diabetes (usually T1) totally wrong... "he ate a cake, and because he's diabetic he collapsed, and had to have an insulin injection to bring him round".

Recently, it's been the "you can't be diabetic if you're not fat" line that winds me up.

It's a great example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect - the less people know about a subject, the more they overestimate their knowledge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning–Kruger_effect#:~:text=According to the better-than,think their IQ is 115.

I was told by a nurse just looking me over. “Oh! You don’t look type 2.”
I told her, “neither did my dad..”
she responded, “was he type one??”

Start the car…

 

[SimonP78]

My ex brother in law had a similar view? He came out with a comment 4 decades back..
probably based on someone else always treating hypos. Thought it was a “thing.”

I alway try to chop sense into the nonsense..

Interestingly 4 decades back this was the way to treat T1 diabetes (well I'm not quite 40 years in, but only 1 off) - 3 meals with snacks in-between, which probably works out at roughly every 2h. Not sure how a dietician managed to come up with it these days though (even for a T1 on MDI and especially not for a T2 and diet only!), but then dieticians have their own special circle in my Inferno....

 

[Jaylee]

Interestingly 4 decades back this was the way to treat T1 diabetes (well I'm not quite 40 years in, but only 1 off) - 3 meals with snacks in-between, which probably works out at roughly every 2h. Not sure how a dietician managed to come up with it these days though (even for a T1 on MDI and especially not for a T2 and diet only!), but then dieticians have their own special circle in my Inferno....

Yep,

I was diagnosed in 1976 on fixed porcine doses…

It took years for my mum to get over the fact even after leaving home & dropping by to check in. I couldn’t leave the the house for 5 minutes without carrying a a packed lunch?
Even with Alzheimers now she still has this nagging feeling I can’t move without “something..” to eat.

Even when I was put on MDI also getting my first meter I was advised just over twice the amount of basal I actually required & told to “chase the dragon” with hypos by snacking??

lol, it never occurred to anyone to tailor the dose.. Took me a few years to work this out for myself…

I wouldn’t disagree with you with dieticians. I love my meat. But I also love a salad. (Especially Greek style.)
As a kid they considered salad “hippy food” back in the day.