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

Shar67 said:
For all the Brits, The NHS can you imagine how you would cope if you had to pay for treatment.
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I doubt I would have lived much beyond diagnosis... my father would likely have refused to pay for the meds, preferring to spend his income on his hobbies, books and music rather than his children.
 
Thought of another thing I quite like about not so much the diabetes but because I was diagnosed at a young age I have grown up always used to doing injections so whenever I have had immunisations as I've gotten older I have never been bothered by them, that's always been nice as it means I can be in and out within 5 minutes (I'm sure the nurse likes me for that too! )
 
Shar67 said:
For all the Brits, The NHS can you imagine how you would cope if you had to pay for treatment.
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Shar67
I'm in UK. I would be dead now without NHS.
I'm type 2 and I have Ulcerated Colitis and have had many surgery's over the last 7 yrs. including a hip replacement and abdomen hernia op's.
My sugars have been in the high teens for months and may have to start insulin. I hate the thought of that.
Regards Maddy.
 
I was 17 when I was diagnosed, so losing the spontaneity factor before university did suck a lot. Also the guilt, my portion sizes and choice of food (CHOCOLATE CENTRAL) was under a lot of scrutiny at home and by myself and the guilt over what I put in my mouth was and still gets to me. However I was overweight and prediagnosis I lost about 3 stones which thankfully i haven't put back on 3 years later. I know it's stupid but even though my life changed forever, being a healthy weight was a plus and really helped my self esteem at a time when I needed it.
 
What i dislike the most about having Diabetes is that I have diabetes. There is nothing to like. I am not trying to rain on everyones' sunshine parade but its a disease without upside.
 
My thing I like about having diabetes is the person it has made me. It is the reason I am studying what I am at uni and the reason I am persuing the career I am. And I love what I am doing now and it makes my happy almost every day.
I agree it has loads of down falls, there are several things to dislike about it and my main one is the variability of my BMs and that one day is never the same as the next. But I take each day as it comes and am glad I am doing what I am with my life.
 
Eldorado said:
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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yes, it is how it is so sneaky that is one of the worst things - i have had Type one a bit longer than you, i did lots of tests, v good HbA1cs, no sign of any of the usual complications, put in lot of effort, then, some years ago, i slipped at home, and fractured my hip. After the operation i took ages to recover, researchers visited me in hospital, and in my mid 50's, i was referred to what was called the 'geriatric clinic', There may have been other factors involved, but my diabetes consultant told me long term Type one women after 50 plus were at much greater risk of hip fracture than other women of the same age (think he said 8 times or more greater risk), at the time he said the cause was not known.
 
I used to to most dislike non-diabetics telling me what to do (but I learned at last to nod and smile and leave them in their delusions), and I had a complete hypo phobia for years ( which I got over once I got my pump). I disliked the difficulty with spontaneity when I was young, but like Tim I have learned to be prepared/manage most likely situations now. I used to loathe doctors who "ticked me off" rather than examining and addressing MY concerns about how to live my life with this condition. I loathe five-minute consultations with consultants and being expected to have appointments with DNs ( I know people love theirs, but I want to see an actual doctor.)

I like that it made me very food and health conscious from an early age. I like that working through the feelings of social stigma made me more sensitive to the needs of other people who are 'excluded' from society by 'normies' in various ways. I have lots of friends I treasure because if this, and they have also taught me a thing or two. I like that it really did teach me to look for the silver lining in everything ( initially a survival strategy but now a really beneficial habit), and I like the fact that after years of being reactive, passive-aggressive, etc in the face of a feeling of powerlessness, i finally learned to be assertive and calm about my needs and wishes.

Of course, all my positives could have been learned by enduring some other difficulty or difficulties. But finally, on every level, from the biological, to the psychological to the intellectual to the social, there is no development without problems. Only passivity and stasis. So, am I glad I have it? Yes. I embrace it.

Just as long as I can keep my pump.
 
Annietw1493 said:
My thing I like about having diabetes is the person it has made me. It is the reason I am studying what I am at uni and the reason I am persuing the career I am. And I love what I am doing now and it makes my happy almost every day.
I agree it has loads of down falls, there are several things to dislike about it and my main one is the variability of my BMs and that one day is never the same as the next. But I take each day as it comes and am glad I am doing what I am with my life.
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@Annietw1493 I absolutely love your positivity it's how iv always approached diabetes. The way I see it is whether you get down about it or not it will be there so you may as well make it a positive. Yes it makes the little things more hassle but it makes you more aware of your health and portions etc. it's part of who we are :)
 
Spontaneity!!! Omg. So I stupidly thought it was just me that couldn't do random things anymore!! I drop so quickly I have to plan everything. I was diagnosed two years ago and miss being able to just do what I want when I want!!! Also, having to eat when u aren't hungry just because your blood sugars are low!! :(
 
Dislike hypos and lugging testing kit and pens around. Like that it has made me more organised and aware of food. I have a great love of cooking now because of that (something wife and boy benefit from too).

I don't really miss the spontaneity as i have a little boy. That takes enough planning to get out the house :)
 
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