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The things people say when you're having a hypo

Mep

Mep

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,461
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
Today at work I had a hypo in the morning. I went to get a drink in the kitchen and another staff member asked me if I was ok as he could see I was shaking. I said yeh I'm ok, just treated a hypo. He replied oh have you given yourself your insulin shot to treat it. Um no, I treated it with sugar thanks. Then he replies have you heard they discovered a plant that can cure diabetes. I said excuse me I'd say that is quackery and there is no cure to date. I was thinking to myself why do people say dumb things when you're having a hypo and trying to recover. Do they think they're being helpful? What is the dumbest thing anyone has said to you when you're having a hypo?
 
Mep said:
Then he replies have you heard they discovered a plant that can cure diabetes.
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Haha, your co-worker is very good at getting his information from internet spam isn't he. Next time tell him you know about that plant but it's expensive, and you will be able to afford it as soon as the 10 million dollars you've been waiting on is deposited into your account by Nigeria's ex oil minister. ;)
 
Maybe people keep saying stupid things because they are a little shaken (shocked? what's the right word? sorry, I'm Italian and have no dictionary just now): while we are accustomed to having and treating hypo, for them it looks like something unusual and scary.
As for stupid things heard when having a hypo, I get soooo very snappish on such occasions, that either I don't heed anyone talking to me, or I just shout back and then forget everything about it.
What gets on my nerves, though, is when I'm trying to treat my hypo without every-single-body around noticing and making a fuss about it (from «What are you doing? Can you eat that? There's sugar in it, it's poison!» to «What can I do? How do you feel? Better? A little? A lot? Do you still see me? Shall I call an ambulance/doctor/fireguard/whatever?»), AND THEN someone points me out: «Are you having a low?». Yes, and why don't you call the press! Uh, I positively hate that!
 
Mep said:
Today at work I had a hypo in the morning. I went to get a drink in the kitchen and another staff member asked me if I was ok as he could see I was shaking. I said yeh I'm ok, just treated a hypo. He replied oh have you given yourself your insulin shot to treat it. Um no, I treated it with sugar thanks. Then he replies have you heard they discovered a plant that can cure diabetes. I said excuse me I'd say that is quackery and there is no cure to date. I was thinking to myself why do people say dumb things when you're having a hypo and trying to recover. Do they think they're being helpful? What is the dumbest thing anyone has said to you when you're having a hypo?
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I don't know why, but I hate it when the ignorant ask me questions about how I'm managing my diabetes. Aaarrrrrrrrrrt!!!
 
Hello to all, they don't understand about the condition,,,and they just talk to hope fully be helpful to you,,,which as we know it is not any of the above....what about taking pity on them,,give them a little course in diabetes, and hypos,,what happens, why you do what you do, and what you don't want them to do, don't want they to say,,,and the best help they can give you to recover,,,,a cup of tea,,,and a biscuit,,,or something,,,then they feel as though they are showing you the care and understand,,,,take pity on the uneducated,,,,ttfn from Karen.
 
Some while ago I was walking to the shops when a hypo started ( silly me had missed lunch) and was getting worse so i shot into the first sweet shop grabbed a Kit Kat and stuffed into my mouth, the poor shop keeper just looked in amazement after a couple of minutes I recovered enough to pay the poor man HE NEVER UTTERED A WORD but I did explain.
 
Scouser58 said:
Hello to all, they don't understand about the condition,,,and they just talk to hope fully be helpful to you,,,which as we know it is not any of the above....what about taking pity on them,,give them a little course in diabetes, and hypos,,what happens, why you do what you do, and what you don't want them to do, don't want they to say,,,and the best help they can give you to recover,,,,a cup of tea,,,and a biscuit,,,or something,,,then they feel as though they are showing you the care and understand,,,,take pity on the uneducated,,,,ttfn from Karen.
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Yes it would be nice to explain, but I have 2 voice disorders so I don't talk a lot. I get given all sorts of advice about how to treat my conditions including the diabetes. I've had voice disorders since beginning of 2012 and would you believe some of the people I work with and even my own family keep asking me when am I going to get better as I sound awful. I get told I need honey and lemon for my throat or a good salt gargle. I often wonder how people could possibly think I've had a flu for the past 4 years. I just have to tell them thanks but no thanks and walk away. People can be very rude about what they don't understand too.
 
emac99 said:
Some while ago I was walking to the shops when a hypo started ( silly me had missed lunch) and was getting worse so i shot into the first sweet shop grabbed a Kit Kat and stuffed into my mouth, the poor shop keeper just looked in amazement after a couple of minutes I recovered enough to pay the poor man HE NEVER UTTERED A WORD but I did explain.
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I'm sure he would remember what you told him for the next experience. I also seem to get hypos in shops. In fact it is the number one place I get a hypo in public. There was one time I grabbed a soft drink near the checkout and the young man tried to put it in a bag but I grabbed it off him and said I need that now. He gave me a funny look as if to say patience lady. lol. But I was in a panic and was really having all the symptoms at that point. I just don't explain too much other than I'm diabetic and my sugar is too low so must treat it straight away. I usually then start getting stories about their uncle or grandmother who is diabetic, etc.
 
Scouser58 said:
Hello to all, they don't understand about the condition,,,and they just talk to hope fully be helpful to you,,,which as we know it is not any of the above....what about taking pity on them,,give them a little course in diabetes, and hypos,,what happens, why you do what you do, and what you don't want them to do, don't want they to say,,,and the best help they can give you to recover,,,,a cup of tea,,,and a biscuit,,,or something,,,then they feel as though they are showing you the care and understand,,,,take pity on the uneducated,,,,ttfn from Karen.
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I know why I don't educate anymore. They (and I just mean regular people not those who are close to you or love you), they, honestly don't really want to know and unless they have it they won't ever understand.
However, first chance they get, they will throw it in your face.
 
emac99 said:
Some while ago I was walking to the shops when a hypo started ( silly me had missed lunch) and was getting worse so i shot into the first sweet shop grabbed a Kit Kat and stuffed into my mouth, the poor shop keeper just looked in amazement after a couple of minutes I recovered enough to pay the poor man HE NEVER UTTERED A WORD but I did explain.
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Bahahaha!
 
Funnily enough this happened to me in a doctors car park when I was on the way to an asthma check. I had a kit Kat with me so eat that before going in - explained to the doctor and he said he'd never heard of the symptoms I described - but gave me a BG meter, in case it happened again?
 
Hello to all diabetics and @Mellitus Trap, @ Arizona, @ Mep,Where oh where would we be without all the knowledgeable people who know better than us, about the hypos,,they all know everything and nothing,,,,,,now Mellitus Trap,,,you have my international skyline on your picture,,,scouser or liverpudlian ? there is a difference,,,I am from Walton myself,,,and you ?

To all who put up with the help,,? and knowing somebody who is diabetic,,,,let us try for the seasons good will,,,and peace on earth and good will to all diabetics,,who might have a hypo,,,,and worry about the hypers just incase that extra roastie is not a good idea,,, ttfn from Karen.
 
MellitusTrap said:
I know why I don't educate anymore. They (and I just mean regular people not those who are close to you or love you), they, honestly don't really want to know and unless they have it they won't ever understand.
However, first chance they get, they will throw it in your face.
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If you tell a 100 people and only one gets it its one more than before, I tell everyone and anyone, my work colleagues are brilliant, I remember taking a BG reading, without a word a colleague appeared with a packet of digestive biscuits and asked if I wanted them or they could make me some toast.
 
Hello Shar67, one is the best start to enlightenment,,,and the small fact that they approached with digestives, or offered toast,,,showed some understanding,,,ttfn from Karen.
 
I had hypo once in a hospital clinic area (an endocrine one to dealing with mostly diabetic complications etc) . It although it wasn't an actual clinic for my diabetes but I did think we'll this should be simple! I had some glucojuice on me but with it being a village hospital with no shops around I wanted to keep that just in case I hypo'd a bit later on my way home! So I went to the receptionist - as I could see an older nurse at the side of her - and promptly asked if they had any hypo treatment. Sure enough the nurse leaped out of her seat and into action! She asked me to follow her and lead me into a room with a cupboard marked "hypo treat" then she proceeded to pass me a Glucogen injection! I looked a bit baffled and asked if she had anything a bit less invasive like glucotabs or juice and she told me to come over and have a look. Straight away I spotted juice so I asked if I could take that and she said of course. So there I am..in the doorway with my juice, in a dizzy trance, shaking madly..and she gives me a 20 question quiz about how to treat hypos, what symptoms to look out for as a nurse and the reasons you can have a hypo! Apparently they only go on a day course and that's it! And she was a qualified nurse!
 
I once told a friend that I was having a hypo, I said I must have had too much insulin for my meal earlier (I had just flown across europe to visit her so not in my usual environment or able to carb count very easily). she said 'that was stupid of you!'

Yeah cos it's so easy to match insulin to carbs when you're travelling about
 
I'd say that @Bic was spot on with their post. You might be having a hypo, but you are the one who has hypos and they are a fact of life. For a non-diabetic, they never have hypos and are unlikely to ever have hypos. You are displaying symptoms that are clearly an issue and they:

1. Don't know what's going on
2. Don't know what to do
3. Are dealing with someone who is not best positioned to explain in detail what's going on.

Most people in this scenario make some kind of small talk to suggest they recognise that you are having an issue. At least they've seen it, even if they don't know what to do next. When you get out of the hypo, find the person, thank them for noticing and explain a little bit about it when you are not charged with adrenaline and cortisol. That might result in a better bit of education!

Just remember that that less than 1% of the population is likely to have proper hypos so it is way out of most people's experience and not something many will see more than once.
 
With respect, I've never heard of terms like 'proper' hypos and 'false' hypos until I came to this forum. I would think it is not a wise idea to tell people this sort of thing because if they are reacting and having hypo symptoms it is already dangerous for them and they must treat it. My endocrinologist explained a hypo is where your sugar level is under normal range, he also explained that if I'm reacting with hypo symptoms I must never ignore it and treat it immediately. He said I'm not to drive or do anything risky for at least half an hour after treating. If under normal range is considered 'proper' hypos then I've been under normal range and reacting numerous times. So I'm not sure about the 1% of population stat mentioned?.... not unless you are only viewing people being unconscious or in a coma as having a proper hypo... I would think the correct term would be 'severe'. I've always been told that I need to be aware of my 'safe' BGL number and stay above it at all times. The goal is for me to avoid hypos. I wouldn't ever tell someone I'm having a false hypo or a proper hypo... as far as I'm concerned I'm unwell and if I don't treat quickly I'm in trouble. I'm going to say I need sugar.
 
A person with type 2 diabetes who is not treated with insulin can also on rare occasions experience hypos due to Autoimmune Hypoglycaemia. And those hypos can be quite dangerous.
 
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