Type 1s: What stupid things have people said to you?

Another thing, I ended up on a psychiatric ward due to depression & due to being diagnosed only a few months back, I was prescribed 12 units of novorapid per meal & 14 units of levemir on a night.
The ward nurses wouldn't let me inject less than 12 units but my honeymoon phase had just started and I didn't need 12 units!! That was scary as hell because the food served didn't have enough carbs to require all that insulin.
Despite protesting to the doctor, my choices were no insulin or hypo. They also forced me to inject 14 units of levemir on an evening so my sugars were plummeting all day anyway.
Most terrifying week of my life.

User4 said:

Another thing, I ended up on a psychiatric ward due to depression & due to being diagnosed only a few months back, I was prescribed 12 units of novorapid per meal & 14 units of levemir on a night.
The ward nurses wouldn't let me inject less than 12 units but my honeymoon phase had just started and I didn't need 12 units!! That was scary as hell because the food served didn't have enough carbs to require all that insulin.
Despite protesting to the doctor, my choices were no insulin or hypo. They also forced me to inject 14 units of levemir on an evening so my sugars were plummeting all day anyway.
Most terrifying week of my life.

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Not surprised! What a horrendous experience!

Hooked said:

I just went on a little spending spree there.... well it's almost my birthday!!

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Hahaha! @Hooked - good for you! x

User4 said:

I'm type 1. I was in hospital getting an ulcer on my foot looked at, they gave me food so I checked my sugars. The old man in the bed opposite piped up loudly, "You don't need to worry about what the numbers say on that thing!"

Turns out (from overhearing his consultation) that he was a long time type 2 and by not "worrying about the numbers on that thing" he'd pretty much f*cked up his body.
Yeah, great advice - The more you know.

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Unfortunately, In fairness to your T2 "bed fellow". He was probably passing this gem of advise on from his GP...?!!!

User4 said:

Another thing, I ended up on a psychiatric ward due to depression & due to being diagnosed only a few months back, I was prescribed 12 units of novorapid per meal & 14 units of levemir on a night.
The ward nurses wouldn't let me inject less than 12 units but my honeymoon phase had just started and I didn't need 12 units!! That was scary as hell because the food served didn't have enough carbs to require all that insulin.
Despite protesting to the doctor, my choices were no insulin or hypo. They also forced me to inject 14 units of levemir on an evening so my sugars were plummeting all day anyway.
Most terrifying week of my life.

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This is shocking... I empathise constant hypos would not help phycological well being..
Did they not monitor your blood glucose levels & seek advise from a D specialist to adjust doses accordingly...?

They took my glucose meter off me, I guess they must have been afraid of suicide by lancing device . I basically harassed them constantly to check my sugars with their machine so they gave me mine back.
As for the diabetic specialist, she arrived on the day I was discharged.

@User4 Yep, the cynic in me assumed as much....

So the fact you had a concern about your diabetes control wasn't considered a "positive" by these psychiatric health care "professionals"....

I've had the one about taking insulin for a hypo.
The other day at work someone brought in Doughnuts and a colleague asked if I would explode if I ate one!!
Also on my work Christmas meal I injected after I had eaten, closely observed by all others at the table. I do normally take my insulin at my desk but guess it's normally a little more discreet.

My drummer opening about the 3rd packet of sweets on the way to the Airport the other week..
"Sugar is your Kryptonite."

No mate, my pancreas works the same way your brain don't...

I was struggling with very high blood sugars (was in work), had been off colour. I work alongside nurses. One asked me what my blood sugar was, I said 33, she said it couldn't possibly be that as I'd be flat on the floor unconscious if it was.


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Samanthacxo said:

"Oh, it's best you don't have a biscuit, don't want you going hypo on me!"...hmmm yeah, we wouldn't want that!

"Please don't have a hypo, I don't want to use an epi pen on you!"...I really hope you wouldn't!

And the best one "if you ate this bar of chocolate, would you die?"


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i was in for my checkup in hospital once and they tested my blood sugar at around 6.0 and suggested i eat a biscuit so i wouldnt go hypo... took a while of explaining to them thats what i expected to be at, at that time

When I was younger I was going on a group holiday and my mum was talking through my diabetes with one of the leaders taking me, she seemed to he taking it all in until she said 'I understand it quite well, my nephew is the same, how often does she need to take her inhaler?'


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I always get the 'should you be eating that?' And the 'well my husband is type 2 and he can't'. Yes, because they are completely different.

Oh, and every time I test (I test about 8 times a day) my father in law (who I live with) asks 'are you feel ill then? Are your sugars not good?' And every time I say I should be checking even when I feel fine and they are good. Bless him.


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Oh man! I love this post!
I've got a few to add too!

When I was first diagnosed I was in primary school and after the teacher told the class they all thought they could catch it and stayed away from me, I had a few friendless days after that!

There's a regular at the bar I work in who think she knows everything and tells me that all I have to do is eat something every hour... Yeah, or not!!!

My uncle told my mum that it was all her fault that I'm diabetic... No reasoning as to why it was her fault...

Of course we've all been stated at but one of my favourite staring moments has to be when someone practically shouted that I was doing drugs. I proudly proclaimed that I was in fact doing drugs and walked away smiling!

"I'll stab you if you pass out, you'll be ok!" was what a friend said to reassure me, I think? But stab me with what, I don't know... :s

Telling someone you're diabetic and their reply being "Oh, my mum/brother/friend/husband/ex-boyfriend(!?!) is diabetic. Do you know them?" As if all diabetics know each other, it's s secret superpower I think!

In chemistry in year 10 our teacher was confusing T1 and T2 and mentioned something about not having a pancreas?!? I taught quite a bit of that lesson for her...

And also, "Why don't you just take tablets, it's be a lot easier!" No sh*t Sherlock if only I had thought of that!!!

These should be publishes into a book! Keep them coming guys!!!

Friends watching me eat an entire pizza - no reaction

Friends watching me eat a single biscuit - OMG ARE YOU SURE YOU CAN EAT THAT????

I know this has been mentioned before, but it's seriously makes me want to facepalm everytime I hear it. And a lot of these friends are medics/biomeds *sigh*

I normally what type to which i answer normally "type 5 it's like type 1 and type 2 combine then multiplied by 15!!!" worse bit is some people have believed me

Should mention my best friend James who helped me through the early years so much, he was the only one to never ask me stupid questions. He sometimes asked about the details of my diabetes and what to look out for, but god bless him he has never said "should you be eating that" he turned everything to joke his normal reply was "A whole chocolate bar?!!! someones living life on the edge today" plus all the jokes that i was on illegal drugs from the injections. I remember one time we were in his flat with a friend and they said "what are you doing" and without a blink James replied "he's shooting up obviously" I am still so grateful for him

Well diabetes never killed anyone - friend who knew how to inject the insulin if I went hypo

Optician..... Are you still taking insulin
Me....... I have type 1 diabetes.
Optician......... But are you still taking insulin?
Me.............. Unless you are talking to a corpse then yes I am as type 1 diabetes has no cure.
Optician.............. Well you could be using something else so as a professional I have to ask.

Using something else ? Like what ?