TV cr*p about diabetes

[Robinredbreast]

Doc Martin had an episode when a lady was acting a bit perculiar, drinking a lot, slurring her words, unsteady on her feet (I think she was radio presenter?) word went around she was getting to be an alcoholic) then at the end, she collapsed ( diabetic coma) smell of pear drops/nail varnish aroma on her breath and Doc Martin and Louisa saved the ladies life.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Well I liked it lol ! And on a serious note, you make a fair point. Why would anyone think it strange that TV and films over exaggerate ? Have you ever seen any of the CPR techniques on Baywatch ? Shocking. There are elements of truth but ultimately, entertainment.

I work in a village and a notice on the Parish council door (the bus stop is just in front, I have a read of the notices ) it says :-

Defibrillator located at the Co-op, on a green background.

 

[Robinredbreast]

well, the stories may sound dramatic, and possibly were not explained well, but the effects of ketones, if you are type one, are dramatic, and fast - years ago i met a fellow patient waiting in the hospital queue, she had had D1 for 64 years and was discussing her early years as a child, and how one little boy she knew from clinic had gone downstairs xmas morning and found a hidden box of dates and had eaten a lot. He became ill very quickly and he died despite great efforts to save him. Pre diagnosis I had lots of symptoms the GP did not pick up on, then i went into a life threatening coma, with no symptoms anyone would recognise, no palpitations or anything like that, after a mild infection - if i had been on my own i would have died. DKA still kills a number of people every year.

Children die because of a misdiagnosis, symptoms of diabetes should be put into the red medical book, it could save lives.

 

[Robinredbreast]

And that's the T1 plotlines - when it's T2 folk there's a lot of moralising about how they brought this disease on themselves from overeating. And you know - don't really deserve to live, or be respected as normal human beings. I'm re-watching 'House' episodes, now as a T2 diabetic, and I am appalled by how often that line comes up (they particularly had Chase the cute Aussie doctor coming out with these lines - too cruel to Australians!). But this idea often seems to pop up in medical and crime shows from the US. Especially disturbing when you consider the high levels of overweight/obesity in the US itself, and ditto T2.

I'm fairly immune to the idea that T2 is punishment for breaking two deadly sins - gluttony and sloth - but I do have a very nice cousin who was diagnosed with insulin resistance/prediabetes last year, and she is quite different to me and religious - and she had taken on the whole 'I have been slothful and gluttonous, and I am bad, I need to be a better person in order not to be prediabetic' thing, that has totally been supported in popular culture from what I can see, sadly.

No - it doesn't help anyone, indeed. Diabetes is an easy plot device - what scriptwriter can resist death by biscuits?! And gluttonous slothful folk getting the wrath of God upon us? Not enough, it seems.

Quote :- And that's the T1 plotlines -
Unfortunately with type 1's (being type 1 myself and my granddaughter was eventually diagnosed at 2 1/2 years old) hypo's and hyper's can and do kill.

The good google box viewer will probably advise/help if diabetes was mentioned and if the person was close to a diabetic coma, to give Insulin = We know shows need the dramatic affect to keep viewers watching and interested, but they really must get their facts right with the correct medical information for the story line, it's not rocket science, just some research with a little common sense thrown in would be appreciated

 

[Mike d]

Doc Martin had an episode when a lady was acting a bit perculiar, drinking a lot, slurring her words, unsteady on her feet (I think she was radio presenter?) word went around she was getting to be an alcoholic) then at the end, she collapsed ( diabetic coma) smell of pear drops/nail varnish aroma on her breath and Doc Martin and Louisa saved the ladies life.

Remember that episode well RRB Great series

 

[AloeSvea]

Doc Martin had an episode when a lady was acting a bit perculiar, drinking a lot, slurring her words, unsteady on her feet (I think she was radio presenter?) word went around she was getting to be an alcoholic) then at the end, she collapsed ( diabetic coma) smell of pear drops/nail varnish aroma on her breath and Doc Martin and Louisa saved the ladies life.

Yeah - the 'acting a bit peculiar' was high irritability and 'personality change' - I was very pleased a TV show actually dealt with that. True drama, alas. (And more 'true to life' than the Julia Roberts scene in the hair dressers in Steel Magnolias - but this is a movie digression......)

 

[Diakat]

Ah, Steel Magnolias. Saw it astern, my dad had kidney failure so I was aghast!

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

This is my favourite. Apparently, if a diabetic takes unwell, firing a random amount of insulin into him will have him as right as rain in seconds...

Also, Americans call "bum bags" "***** packs". That's the funniest bit about this comedy scene!

 

[AloeSvea]

Ah, Steel Magnolias. Saw it astern, my dad had kidney failure so I was aghast!

Yes - my daughter got quite freaked out watching that scene with me, post my diagnosis. The julia roberts character's body had rejected an organ transplant from her mother? Wasn't it? I was kept busy reassuring my daughter at the time I remember after looking it up online.

As for now, I had a quick read online about kidney disease and diabetes.

https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/diabetes

"How many diabetic patients will develop kidney disease?
About 30 percent of patients with Type 1 (juvenile onset) diabetes and 10 to 40 percent of those with Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes eventually will suffer from kidney failure."

Well, that's depressing.

I poured myself a stiff cup of tea and kept reading:

"Your kidneys will work better and last longer if you:

• Control your diabetes
• Control high blood pressure
• Get treatment for urinary tract infections
• Correct any problems in your urinary system
• Avoid any medicines that may damage the kidneys (especially over-the-counter pain medications)

If no other problems are found, your doctor will try to keep your kidneys working as long as possible. The use of high blood pressure medicines called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors has been shown to help slow the loss of kidney function."

And no wonder we can get a bit, ah, sensitive to how diabetes and diabetics are portrayed in TV (and in movies).

 

[AloeSvea]

This is my favourite. Apparently, if a diabetic takes unwell, firing a random amount of insulin into him will have him as right as rain in seconds...

Also, Americans call "bum bags" "***** packs". That's the funniest bit about this comedy scene!

Way cool! "Just put it anywhere in my hot bod" re the insulin injection. Really cheered me up. I can see why it's your favourite, lol. The way he just popped up right as rain after deliberately getting unwell so the woman would inject him! Wo ho!

Yeah, the '*****' difference between British English and American English caused me much initial confusion when I first hit the US many moons ago. My own dialect doesn't use '*****' at all, thank goodness. (The word I mean!)

Big ty for that Avocado...

 

[dannyw]

I work in a village and a notice on the Parish council door (the bus stop is just in front, I have a read of the notices ) it says :-

Defibrillator located at the Co-op, on a green background.

At least the people in the village know if they are having serious, crushing chest pain to get along to the Co-op quickly lol

 

[YorkshireAli]

At least the people in the village know if they are having serious, crushing chest pain to get along to the Co-op quickly lol

In our (very small) village, the defibrillator is on the wall of the pub. So whatever the outcome, you don't have far to go for a drink...

 

[get2rog]

Is it just me? I have just watched a US drama where a diabetic man is killed by eating a packet of biscuits. Killed.

I also recently watched a British show where the plot revolved around a race against time to get a diabetic child her insulin before she, yes - you guessed it - died.

Honestly. Does this help anyone?

I can see your point but on the flip side maybe this sort of "overly dramatised" scripting will help to dispel some of the myths and stigma associated with diabetes and help to highlight the severity of the condition. As we all know diabetes is generally seen as a self-inflicted condition associated with obesity and overeating. It may not be very positive for those of us diagnosed with T1 or T2 but it could have a positive impact on general ignorance.

 

[AloeSvea]

I can see your point but on the flip side maybe this sort of "overly dramatised" scripting will help to dispel some of the myths and stigma associated with diabetes and help to highlight the severity of the condition. As we all know diabetes is generally seen as a self-inflicted condition associated with obesity and overeating. It may not be very positive for those of us diagnosed with T1 or T2 but it could have a positive impact on general ignorance.

I hope you are right!

But, I had been generally happy with Doc Martin, and how they were dealing with diabetes, and EVEN T2! When along came the episode where a middle-aged, recently qualified, weighty, doctor comes along to replace him, believing she has T2D and other conditions - to discover she really has Cushings! Wo ho! She was not a good doctor, although they did have her being kind. Because I essentially like Doc Martin, I am choosing to think they were not saying her qualifying later in life was a sign of her incompetence (failing exams all over the place apparently!), but due to her being ill, and undiagnosed. Her being fat was due to her being ill, and not an outward sign of her incompetence. A doctor misdiagnosing herself? Hmmm. Must have been because she was so ill....

 

[Shar67]

When I was very very young the village GP was an alcoholic, if you needed him he would be in the pub, when I was diagnosed my dad said it shouldn't be a problem dr ****** was type 1 and he just drunk and injected all day long, he died of heart failure couldn't have been 40, so you will be ok you don't drink. Thanks dad, I think I could write a book about our village doctors it would be a sad funny read

 

[AloeSvea]

When I was very very young the village GP was an alcoholic, if you needed him he would be in the pub, when I was diagnosed my dad said it shouldn't be a problem dr ****** was type 1 and he just drunk and injected all day long, he died of heart failure couldn't have been 40, so you will be ok you don't drink. Thanks dad, I think I could write a book about our village doctors it would be a sad funny read

As Mr Svea and I have binge-watched Heartbeat, House, and now Doc Martin over the past year - we would most certainly read/watch your village doctors story! .

 

[PatsyB]

I think more programe's about diabetes should be shown on TV... I love to watch Doc Martin but missed that episode I fear

 

[Prem51]

I think more programe's about diabetes should be shown on TV...

I watched a BBC World program about diabetes in Tonga yesterday. Tonga has the highest diabetes rates in the world apparently. Partly due to genetics and partly due to changes in diet leading to increase rates of obesity, which are also the highest in the world. They have moved from eating mainly fish to eating imported foods which are cheaper.
The Tongan Government is trying to educate the people about healthier eating, but the Tongan Health Minister said they were also considering introducing charges for medical treatment which are currently free (I guess that means tax funded). He thinks this would be a deterrent to people to becoming overweight and developing diabetes.
I wonder if our Government might do this too? I wouldn't be surprised if they did at some point, unfortunately.

 

[Robinredbreast]

I watched Vera last night and it involved a young guy with type 1 diabetes who was murdered. The thing I liked most was that Vera, (the North East detective) actually asked what type ? I was very impressed.

 

[BeccyB]

I'm currently working my way through the House boxset and haven't heard diabetes mentioned in the first couple of series. There was an episode where someone commented on a patients breath being 'sweet' and they referred to DKA as a symptom of the pancreas failing. All the organs were failing in turn I think (caused by something suitably bizarre for House to be called in!) as I remember shouting "her pancreas is failing!" as soon as the sweet smell was mentioned - felt good to out-diagnose House

Generally I'd rather tv over-dramatized the issues we face than played it down - it all helps to educate people that this is a serious condition etc, but I agree that sometimes they do get it a bit wrong. And there are plenty of us they could ask if they want a more accurate account!