We're all in the same boat, but T1 is not T2!

[eddie1968]

I see this rant appearing quite often now - we're not the same and on and on blah blah. Have you got a dodgy pancreas that doesn't produce normal amounts of insulin ? Well if so you are diabetic. How you got it and how you want to discriminate types of diabetes and put a divide in the diabetes community is not of my concern. I am Type 2 and take insulin, so there's your first rant melted down, secondly I've been prone to ketones and have been admitted to hospital with DKA several times. Thirdly, it's also common to say Type 2 diabetics get it through their own fault, not so. We all have imperfect pancreases with different symptoms and different styles of keeping ourselves in the best health we can. All diabetics need to stick together so that our voice is heard and those who want to create different disease labels and splinter off from the whole community will be a niche voice and will possibly regret it.

 

[Robbity]

Don't be mistaken,
Dont be misled,
We are not scousers!
We are from Birkenhead!

An old Rovers chant!

But yeah totally agree with you!

Oh dear! My grandad and uncle were both great Everton supporters...
My family came from Liverpool and after my parents were married they lived on the other side of the Wirral. I spent much of my childhood abroad with my army father, and I thought that by the time I was grown up I would have lost most of my northern accent. However, after I was working I met someone who as soon as I opened my mouth said - "You're from Birkenhead!"

Robbity

 

[Lamont D]

Oh dear! My grandad and uncle were both great Everton supporters...
My family came from Liverpool and after my parents were married they lived on the other side of the Wirral. I spent much of my childhood abroad with my army father, and I thought that by the time I was grown up I would have lost most of my northern accent. However, after I was working I met someone who as soon as I opened my mouth said - "You're from Birkenhead!"

Robbity

My daughter moved to Yorkshire, and has developed a broad accent from there.
But, whenever, she goes to anywhere in Yorkshire, she has a scouse accent!

When I go on holiday, I'm often asked, blue or red?
I'm white! I reply, leaving them dumb, unless they know about Tranmere!

 

[sd29]

Thank you to all who r plied, it really helped getting it off my chest. Wheth r Scouse, Wirral,wooly back or other, it's always good to know other people have felt the same!

I think my issue comes from being T1 and knowing I'm a T1 for life. Being informed of cures or lifestyle changes will not alter that. As a T2, there is some hope, and I feel a little aggrieved that my future rests on dodgy mathematics and a liquid that smells distinctly of hospitals!

I have had some fun with th diagnosis, like telling a particularly nosey colleague with hypochondria it was sexually transmitted when she asked if I'd eaten too much sugar and if that was the cause.

I was asked today if I could change having diabetes, would I? Well, duh! But then I thought, if I ever ask myself why me, I should also ask why not me? I can deal with it mostly, and if I ever do go into the woods, I'm going to try macrobiotic, raw food, etc. at least then when I slip into DKA, blame the food - not my poor control lol!

 

[donnellysdogs]

Injecting whilst out today prior to eating.. I actually had a strange thought for the 1st time.

Being a 52 year old T1 that is lean. I thought for the first time.. " are people thinking I'm a T1 or a T2?". I've never thiught this before. It shouldn't bother me.'it did bother me though.

I think it bothered me most because I thought "I can't help injecting".

It was a 'middle(??) age' moment I think.

It did make me ponder at the time. Just I think that previously I could have bolused discreetly with the remote control.. Today I had to inject in my arm.

 

[mrspuddleduck]

I have had some fun with th diagnosis, like telling a particularly nosey colleague with hypochondria it was sexually transmitted when she asked if I'd eaten too much sugar and if that was the cause.

So that's how I got it!!!! Sue x

 

[sd29]

Sharing needles is also a fun one! I was accused on a first date of injecting heroin once. I replied it would be preferable to my date's company!

 

[Juicyj]

I saw my dentist on Friday, i'd written on my medical form about being a type 1. We were talking about dental hygiene and she went on to talk about links between gum disease and diabetes, adding but that still won't cure your diabetes.

Lol.. no way !!!

 

[ann34+]

Injecting whilst out today prior to eating.. I actually had a strange thought for the 1st time.

Being a 52 year old T1 that is lean. I thought for the first time.. " are people thinking I'm a T1 or a T2?". I've never thiught this before. It shouldn't bother me.'it did bother me though.

I think it bothered me most because I thought "I can't help injecting".

It was a 'middle(??) age' moment I think.

It did make me ponder at the time. Just I think that previously I could have bolused discreetly with the remote control.. Today I had to inject in my arm.

Regarding the middle age moment, I found that once I was past 60 almost everyone, including the GPs, and the doctors at any hospital first appointments not for Type one, think you are Type two, I dont think weight comes into it at all (i am 9st)......It hardly matters what you say, and quite often, if you read any notes later there is NIDD, and it gets worse the more past 60 you are....even a friend who knew i was type one seemed to have forgotten and was talking as if i was Type 2 - it seemed that with age suddenly i had become Type 2, And when i moved, my last GP just refused to accept i was Type one for weeks, you gradually get used to it......the pump comes in handy as proof in hospitals...

 

[Celeriac]

No one wants diabetes and it isn't just T1s who got it through no fault of their own.

Many T2s develop diabetes via genetics - my mother in law has it, husband doesn't but his daughter from first marriage does.

If Ancel Keys were still alive, I'd be leading the lynch mob, because his bad research and ego, led the U.S. and UK governments to tell us that low fat was good and to eat carbs in preference to fat, to lower cholesterol. This misguided political interference, led to millions of people having and dying from ill-health.

The USDA came out in February with the statement in draft guidelines that 'cholesterol is no longer a nutrient of concern' yet there's a billion dollar industry for statins, which can cause diabetes.

Not every obese person has T2 and not every T2 is obese. There may be a minority of people who really don't care what they chuck in their mouths, but most people don't want to be obese and no-one wants diabetes.

I really hate the attitude from T1s of we didn't do this to ourselves and especially the what if someone thinks I'm T2. T2s make up the majority of people with diabetes, actually. If you read the new NICE guidelines for T1s, there are only 370 000 in the UK.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

No one wants diabetes and it isn't just T1s who got it through no fault of their own.

Many T2s develop diabetes via genetics - my mother in law has it, husband doesn't but his daughter from first marriage does.

If Ancel Keys were still alive, I'd be leading the lynch mob, because his bad research and ego, led the U.S. and UK governments to tell us that low fat was good and to eat carbs in preference to fat, to lower cholesterol. This misguided political interference, led to millions of people having and dying from ill-health.

The USDA came out in February with the statement in draft guidelines that 'cholesterol is no longer a nutrient of concern' yet there's a billion dollar industry for statins, which can cause diabetes.

Not every obese person has T2 and not every T2 is obese. There may be a minority of people who really don't care what they chuck in their mouths, but most people don't want to be obese and no-one wants diabetes.

I really hate the attitude from T1s of we didn't do this to ourselves and especially the what if someone thinks I'm T2. T2s make up the majority of people with diabetes, actually. If you read the new NICE guidelines for T1s, there are only 370 000 in the UK.

I agree with most of your post. I want to clarify that some T1s have that anti-T2 attitude. Most of them are decent towards T2s. I think the number of T1s is irrelevant. Might does not make right.

None of us chose our diabetes, whatever type we have. We're all people with a medical condition. Let's be kind to each other.

 

[azure]

Regarding the middle age moment, I found that once I was past 60 almost everyone, including the GPs, and the doctors at any hospital first appointments not for Type one, think you are Type two, I dont think weight comes into it at all (i am 9st)......It hardly matters what you say, and quite often, if you read any notes later there is NIDD, and it gets worse the more past 60 you are....even a friend who knew i was type one seemed to have forgotten and was talking as if i was Type 2 - it seemed that with age suddenly i had become Type 2, And when i moved, my last GP just refused to accept i was Type one for weeks, you gradually get used to it......the pump comes in handy as proof in hospitals...

A HCP assumed I was Type 2 because I was an adult. When I corrected her, she said "I thought only children get that"!

Apart from the fact that adults can and do get Type 1, children grow up and obviously still have Type 1!

 

[Celeriac]

I think the number of T1s is irrelevant. Might does not make right.

None of us chose our diabetes, whatever type we have. We're all people with a medical condition. Let's be kind to each other.

My point was, given that there are only 370,000 T1s in the UK, for people to assume that someone is T2 is reasonable, since the vast majority of people with diabetes are in fact T2.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

My point was, given that there are only 370,000 T1s in the UK, for people to assume that someone is T2 is reasonable, since the vast majority of people with diabetes are in fact T2.

Oh ok that makes sense now. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Robinredbreast]

A HCP assumed I was Type 2 because I was an adult. When I corrected her, she said "I thought only children get that"!

Apart from the fact that adults can and do get Type 1, children grow up and obviously still have Type 1!

I was asked at A & E last year ( when nurse asked if I had any medical conditions) I said I had diabetes, she said type 2 straight away. The only reason I can think of why she said this was because, we, as type 1's are a small minority, I was taken aback by that, especially from someone in the medical profession

 

[azure]

Yes, surely the obvious thing to do is simply ask the person which type? It's not hard!

It scares me a bit because who knows who else will get it wrong. When I was in hospital I had to tell more than one person I had Type 1. Now that diabetes is so common, you'd think there'd be refresher courses for HCPs or something.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Yes, surely the obvious thing to do is simply ask the person which type? It's not hard!

It scares me a bit because who knows who else will get it wrong. When I was in hospital I had to tell more than one person I had Type 1. Now that diabetes is so common, you'd think there'd be fresher courses for HCPs or something.

You would think so wouldn't you

 

[TooMuchGlucose]

For some reason, in my medical records it had been put that I was type 2 I don't know if this was a simple typo but luckily I had gotten a copy of the appointment I'd had sent by letter so I could tell them of the mistake. Imagine if this had gone unnoticed for years...

 

[mrspuddleduck]

My point was, given that there are only 370,000 T1s in the UK, for people to assume that someone is T2 is reasonable, since the vast majority of people with diabetes are in fact T2.

Sorry @Celeriac its not reasonable its dangerous! I had a dreadful experience over Christmas when I was sent away from my local hospital with a full blown hypo because they presumed I was type 2 and drunk. If it hadn't been for my friend who drove to the petrol station and stuffed me full of God knows what (I still have no memory of it), I might not be here to tell the tale! And BTW, I am certainly not anti type 2, personally I find this rivalry rather pathetic. As @CatLadyNZ said 'let's be kind to each other' Sue xxx

 

[Robinredbreast]

Sorry @Celeriac its not reasonable its dangerous!

I had a dreadful experience over Christmas when I was sent away from my local hospital with a full blown hypo because they presumed I was type 2 and drunk. If it hadn't been for my friend who drove to the petrol station and stuffed me full of God knows what (I still have no memory of it), I might not be here to tell the tale! And BTW, I am certainly not anti type 2, personally I find this rivalry rather pathetic. As @CatLadyNZ said 'let's be kind to each other' Sue xxx

I have to agree ( as highlighted) it could be potentially dangerous (as in your case Sue) education and knowledge is paramount in the NHS, because at the end of the day, our lives are in their hands