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What do you dislike most about diabetes? Is there anything you like?

Eldorado

Eldorado

Well-Known Member
Following on from the 'would you take a cure' thread, I started thinking what are the things I dislike most about being diabetic?
Number 1 has to be the lack of spontaneity. It's just impossible to do almost anything without first considering 'what state am I in? Should I do a test first?' Definitely with driving and probably with almost everything else.
I'm used, after 35 long gruelling years of it, to the finger pricking and injections. That doesn't bother me although I still can't watch anyone else being given an injection. But what does make me cross about diabetes is that it's so sneaky. It can do much of its damage undetected. Working away on the quiet in the background causing mayhem.
Last but not least (and I've shortened my list considerably) is that I just know one day could be exactly like the previous ie I could eat exactly the same as yesterday and do exactly the same exercise, feel the same blah blah. But guess what? Would my BG tests be the same? No they wouldn't. So we never, ever ever just get a break from the watchfulness.
Is there anything I like? Ooooh I'd need a nano-frazzle to think about that.... Nope!
 
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The Spontaneity is certainly one of my big hates, my friend group and even my wife get at me for not wanting to do things super short notice, or just wake up and go on a road trip or somthing, i like to plan my day come up with worst case senarios and bring everything i need, i dont like feeling rushed.

Even just comming out of tesco the other day shortly before lunch my BS was 4.2 and i ended up having to wait half an hour to get it back up again and leave the car park.
 
Definitely, the spontaneity. I remember when I was first diagnosed the loss of that really, really got me down as I'd been quite a happy go lucky, spontaneous person before. Actually, I agree with all the points in the previous posts. The sneaky way it damages your body is pretty depressing.

But I think what I dislike the most is the constantness of it. Spending every day having to think about my blood sugar, food, exercise, my schedule, etc is so wearing mentally. The other day I was dreaming that there was some way to have a week's break from it every so often. That would be great - and like having a huge weight off my mind.

Anything I like about it? NO! Not a single thing! It's at best tedious and at worst frightening.
 
It's funny really. Having had it from a young age, I wouldn't have said that there was no spontaneity. As long as I have my kit with me (which i carry around at all times) then if I make a decision to do something, I tend to just do it. I think the worst thing about it is that it is insidious.
 
Sadly there's nothing I like about my diabetes, at first when I was diagnosed it was a novelty and I felt special, but that wore off very quickly.

It has made me more health concious but like today I have some days when I struggle massively with it, had a curry last night and can't get below 10 today :banghead: I have also changed my work because of it, used to be a field sales rep but got caught out with having hypos in meetings that ran on for longer than i'd anticipated, it happened quite a few times which was depressing. I wouldn't wish type 1 anyone and that's why if I can ever give useful advice I try to, if I can at least do something useful for others then that makes me happy :)
 
Hi. I agree with much in the posts so far. Yes, I've got in the car and found I'm in the low 4s and had to have some glucose tablets and wait a while. I can cope usually with spontaneity as long as I remember to take my Rapid with me. Injections and lancets don't worry me. I think the good side is understanding now how my metabolism works (and doesn't). I understand foods much better and also understand that many medics and especially dieiticians haven't a clue about diabetes which makes me wary of any advice from the NHS or government websites.
 
I'm super aware of healthy eating and that's thanks to my diabetes. It taught me from a young age what an awful impact bad food can have on the body, and that's also influenced the people around me. When I met my boyfriend he was so unhealthy, lived on frozen chicken burgers and garlic bread and kit kats (typical uni student..). As a diabetic, I hated it. In the two years we've been together I have transformed him! Last week he begged me to make more vegetable soup cause he'd eaten all of my last batch! Thank you, diabetes!

What do I hate most... I have a severe phobia of blood tests due to an incident with a brainless nurse when I was 13 - a year after I was diagnosed. So my annuals aren't much fun. I hate hospitals. Never used to.
 
azure said:
Definitely, the spontaneity. I remember when I was first diagnosed the loss of that really, really got me down as I'd been quite a happy go lucky, spontaneous person before. Actually, I agree with all the points in the previous posts. The sneaky way it damages your body is pretty depressing.

But I think what I dislike the most is the constantness of it. Spending every day having to think about my blood sugar, food, exercise, my schedule, etc is so wearing mentally. The other day I was dreaming that there was some way to have a week's break from it every so often. That would be great - and like having a huge weight off my mind.

Anything I like about it? NO! Not a single thing! It's at best tedious and at worst frightening.
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A few years ago I needed to go into hospital for a hysterectomy. Naively I was looking forward to it because I thought the nurses would look after the diabetes stuff and I'd get a mini holiday. Yay! But they made a real mess of it all and I think I was discharged early because if that. So no break from it. Boooo. Maybe that's a business opportunity? Diabetic holiday breaks? You check in, hand over the kit and someone else takes control. I think I'd go for that!
 
Eldorado said:
A few years ago I needed to go into hospital for a hysterectomy. Naively I was looking forward to it because I thought the nurses would look after the diabetes stuff and I'd get a mini holiday. Yay! But they made a real mess of it all and I think I was discharged early because if that. So no break from it. Boooo. Maybe that's a business opportunity? Diabetic holiday breaks? You check in, hand over the kit and someone else takes control. I think I'd go for that!
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Great idea - do you think we could have an 'all you can eat' buffet too ?!
 
Dislike - No two days are the same with diabetes, one minute you can be struggling with a low blood sugar then the next you have a high blood sugar. That can get on my nerves sometimes and the worry that comes with it is horrible for family/friends.

Like - This is a bit of a weird one but I like that I have to limit what sugary things I can have especially sugar filled drinks like coca cola because now days you see kids with bottles of the stuff and I'm glad I never got the chance to be like that :)
 
Nicola M said:
Dislike - No two days are the same with diabetes, one minute you can be struggling with a low blood sugar then the next you have a high blood sugar. That can get on my nerves sometimes and the worry that comes with it is horrible for family/friends.

Like - This is a bit of a weird one but I like that I have to limit what sugary things I can have especially sugar filled drinks like coca cola because now days you see kids with bottles of the stuff and I'm glad I never got the chance to be like that :)
Click to expand...

I am exactly the same! When I see people drinking coke I just think to myself, I wonder if they know how much sugar and calories are in that! Makes me shudder.
 
I'm fine with spontaneity as mentioned upthread, I tend to just do things as life is too short. I do have a phobia of the NHS though, doctors waiting rooms, hospitals, blood tests (which require myself, my other half to hold me down and a good hour of recovery following bad experiences as an 11 year old) no wonder they always think my blood pressure is above what it should be, but bordering on low at home. The places bring me out in panic and the shakes. Testing is annoying as it hurts but I don't mind it or the injections really.

My biggest diabetes hate was that I would never get to work in air traffic control which was what I always wanted to do as a child.

There aren't many pluses to be honest. I'd like to have something in return for all the hidden costs nobody mentions when you get diagnosed.
 
There is NOTHING to like about T1 diabetes, it affects pretty much every part of our bodies and minds! Never are 2 days the same, governing bodies and some medical people are unaware of the depths of the condition, and unless you have a good medical team.... There is very little help around for people with T1.
I have been COPING with this disease for over 20 years and have pretty good control, but it can catch anybody out at any given time!
The only thing I look forward to is A CURE
 
I have to agree on the spontaneity issue, find that really tedious. Also I cant regulate my temperature now so I can be boiling hot and sweaty one minute, then cold and clammy the next, but the insides of my toes now are always icy cold and that's really unpleasant. Only good thing is that it forced me to look really hard at my nutrition and lose some weight. But I guess I'm lucky, I think I have it easier than a lot.
 
I hate almost everything about my diabetes the only thing I like about it is that it ruined my life but then fixed for me by letting me meet the perfect women 8 years later .... who now will be my wife this time next yeah :)
 
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