What is the strangest question you have been asked as a diabetic?

[Diabeticliberty]

Someone I knew once offered me so really good advice 'Your diabetic control must be absolutely terrible. What with all the constant testing you do? My brother was diabetic like you and his control was brilliant. I never ever saw him test himself ever. Another thing, all that Lucozade you carry in your car? You shouldn't be drinking that if you're diabetic' I thanked him and asked where his brother was? 'Oh he crashed his car into a lamp post and died. The witnesses thought that he might have been blind drunk as his car was wandering all over the road before he had the fatal accident'


I dd not have the heart to offer any kind of reply. How could I?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Friend of mine was telling me she was inspired by my weight loss and BG control.
She mentioned that she was cutting out all carbs and now was having a banana and or apple and peanutbutter for breakfast every morning.
I think there is a misconception that carbs are only bread, pasta and potatoes.

I wholeheartedly agree with that. It probably comes from people that have been on weight loss diets. They know that potato, bread and pasta are not wise choices (certainly not in quantity) and know they are carbs. They do not know that fructose is just as bad, and do not realise that there are carbs in vegetables too, plus pulses and peas. My friend is 100% certain I am wrong to avoid honey because it is a natural sugar so doesn't count, similarly fruit.

 

[Grateful]

Actually I have just remembered an interesting question I was asked.

A few months ago I got together with a British person with T2D. I had not seen him for many years.

He drinks like a fish. We had a well-irrigated fish lunch with several pints of beer and basked in the sunlight on the pier by the seafront. Life was good, although he was somewhat desperate that smoking was forbidden, including the outdoor patio where we were sitting over our coffees.

"So what's this diet thing you're doing? I find I can eat whatever I like, as long as I take my meds! Nobody ever told me to change my diet. Why did they make it so hard for you?"

"Well, it seems to work for me."

"Poor you."

At this point he stepped over the rope cordon on the edge of the patio and lit up his cigarette. (BTW I am a former smoker, and a former immoderate drinker, so far be it for me to be Holier Than Thou).

Edited to add: In case of confusion. The person in question is not taking insulin (if he had, his comment about being able to eat whatever he likes might make more sense). Worse: He is in an occupation that specifically would entail losing his license to practice, if he became insulin-dependent.

 

[miszu]

Someone I knew once offered me so really good advice 'Your diabetic control must be absolutely terrible. What with all the constant testing you do? My brother was diabetic like you and his control was brilliant. I never ever saw him test himself ever. Another thing, all that Lucozade you carry in your car? You shouldn't be drinking that if you're diabetic' I thanked him and asked where his brother was? 'Oh he crashed his car into a lamp post and died. The witnesses thought that he might have been blind drunk as his car was wandering all over the road before he had the fatal accident'


I dd not have the heart to offer any kind of reply. How could I?

Sometimes I think that just not replying is best... Though I also feel I want to educate people about it.

 

[MikeTurin]

Friend of mine was telling me she was inspired by my weight loss and BG control.
She mentioned that she was cutting out all carbs and now was having a banana and or apple and peanutbutter for breakfast every morning.
I think there is a misconception that carbs are only bread, pasta and potatoes.

You should have been directed to read some good books on the subject:

https://www.carbsandcals.com/books/carb-calorie-counter

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Healt...Heart-Healthy-Cookbook_UCM_468188_Article.jsp

I think that especially the latter could be useful for non-diabetics, I have read an Italian one aimed to diabetes and heart attack prevention, where recipes are more italian style, like using olive oil and not canola oil.
This one, if one reads Italian it's a reaaly good read
https://www.amazon.it/cucina-Diabete-ipertensione-ricette-perdere/dp/8844038390/

 

[TooSweetForMe]

When I was first diagnosed, I was at work one morning and was checking my BG 2 hrs after I had eaten. One of my co-workers came up and asked me "Do you HAVE to do that HERE?". Mind you, we were both in the restroom for employees, which is where I was told by both my immediate supervisor and by HR policy was an acceptable place to test.

 

[pete254]

I had an astonishing piece of advice off the DN at my last review (a week ago).
"your HbA1c is excellent. No need to test until next May so you can really let yourself go at Christmas".
Doh!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I had an astonishing piece of advice off the DN at my last review (a week ago).
"your HbA1c is excellent. No need to test until next May so you can really let yourself go at Christmas".
Doh!

So sad.

 

[dbr10]

When I was first diagnosed, I was at work one morning and was checking my BG 2 hrs after I had eaten. One of my co-workers came up and asked me "Do you HAVE to do that HERE?". Mind you, we were both in the restroom for employees, which is where I was told by both my immediate supervisor and by HR policy was an acceptable place to test.

Idiot. Just say firmly "Yes"; or ignore altogether.

 

[dbr10]

I had an astonishing piece of advice off the DN at my last review (a week ago).
"your HbA1c is excellent. No need to test until next May so you can really let yourself go at Christmas".
Doh!

Well, it is an average after all . How stupid.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

I had an astonishing piece of advice off the DN at my last review (a week ago).
"your HbA1c is excellent. No need to test until next May so you can really let yourself go at Christmas".
Doh!

The scary part of this is though that you and all of us here can see the absolute stupid negligence of a diabetic nurse making such a comment to someone in their care. The thing is though some other diabetics might go out feeling that they can throw caution to the wind, sanctioned by their medical advisor and do themselves some significant harm

 

[dbr10]

So sad.

Agree. Sad, stupid, dangerous advice.

 

[emmay]

I had an astonishing piece of advice off the DN at my last review (a week ago).
"your HbA1c is excellent. No need to test until next May so you can really let yourself go at Christmas".
Doh!

That is so wrong....

A colleague of mine recently told us her husband had been diagnosed with type 2, but she was really worried that it was going to get worse and then he would become type 1..... and his life would be over!!

I felt great after that

 

[Lamont D]

'So you are diabetic?'

After trying to tell the nutritionist in my local football club!

 

[Lamont D]

The same nutritionist.

'You cannot live without carbs!'

'Porridge, pasta and fruit juice is what you need to eat!'

'You can only get energy and play sport by carb loading'

How he still has his job is a mystery to me.

A couple of players were dissuaded from going into ketosis in the close season to reduce body fat during the close season. They gained weight on the diet advice from our nutritionist.

I could go on!

I have stopped trying to wind him up as he can't believe I don't eat the amount of food choices I do!

He still believes in carb loading before and after matches!!!
Supplements everywhere!!!

 

[leahkian]

After my pancreas and kidney transplant at Newcastle I had to go to north Durham hospital as i was unwell. A nurse came in to ask the normal questions. Are you a diabetic, no i said, yes you are she replyed. I said i am not i said again, she looked at me and said you are we have your notes here. I thought am i in a hospital or a mental health ward, so i lifted my top up and showed her the scar that went from under my rib cage to my pubic area, I said see. She did know more than say that could be off any op and walked out and the sister came in and said why are you saying you are not a diabetic when you are. I started to laugh and said hold o a sec and phoned the transplant ward up and told them what was happening and handed the phone over to the sister. After she got off the phone she looked at me and said why did you not phone them up in the first place, to which i started laughing again. At lunch time they gave me a diabetic menu, I thought i will sort this out back on the phone to the transplant ward and said what they were doing. They said there is a doctor on the way to you and we will have a bed for you tomorrow lucky for me it was the doctor i got on great with, he walked in the room and said how can you let us down you only had your transplant 5 weeks ago. I told him i was really sorry he explained to the nurses about my transplant but when they were handing over one nurse said he is a diabetic and another said i had been cured of diabetes. Lucky for me about 9pm i was taken to the transplant ward at Newcastle where they were in fits of laughter and said that i was the only diabetic to have a transplant only then to get diabetes back after 5 weeks and had been cured again, even though i was ill i had to see the funny side off it. Even the consultants who came the next morning were laughing and saying they wanted me to go on TV as i had been cured. Now when i have to go to north Durham and say my name i don't get in a bed before they send me to Newcastle, the staff and consultants at Newcastle told me just to ring there and cut the middle man out.

 

[ickihun]

I had an astonishing piece of advice off the DN at my last review (a week ago).
"your HbA1c is excellent. No need to test until next May so you can really let yourself go at Christmas".
Doh!

Reminds me of the porriage and banana breakfast advice from my dn. She is brilliant with insulin need thou. Gulp!

 

[leahkian]

Not a question as such but every time i am in hospital with my diabetes. My dad would come in and visit but after 5 mins he all ways came out with this "i could do without this" and i always told him funny that i really wanted to be in hospital with drips stuck in me and having my blood done every hour. He always said i know, so i told him you say you do not get out of the house enough. Even now he come to my renal appointments just to get his hair cut!!!