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Who is troubled by injecting in public? Just me?

azure said:
Yes, it does

I felt self-conscious at first, but that gradually went away The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
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Totally agree. I'm not sure if it's just been time or changes in technology but it's less of an issue now. When I was first diagnosed there weren't insulin pens and disposable syringes were VERY hard to get so you used sterilised glass syringes stored in methylated spirits which you then rinsed with freshly boiled water before drawing up the insulin. When I started uses pens my anxiety about injecting in public disappeared. Now I see that my managing my diabetes in public is the public's issue and not mine
 
injecting in public was an issue for me back in the 1970's but as time has gone on -- I just think- to anyone that stares or says anything ---- "get a life "

I don't do this for fun ............

survey completed -- on a pump so a couple answers are irrelevant from me to do with injections per day .......
 
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For the first couple of years I would inject in private so as not to bother anyone.

When I realised that <[!^$@#*nobody*#@$^!]> noticed me "disappearing" before meals, day in day out, unless they were aware I was diabetic, it hit me that nobody was paying me any attention at all. After that I just started injecting discreetly and don't know if anyone noticed either.


Oh, and I filled out the survey. Cheers!
 
Just answered a survey for you! Never had any problems whipping out my pen or blood testing kit in front of anyone, normally people are genuinely just interested in what you are doing. Today for example, I went to a restaurant and had a burger and asked the waiter if he could find out the sugar content of the BBQ sauce that was slathered all over it, he came back with the bottle from the kitchen and asked why I wanted to know and I explained as I dialled up my pen there and then and jabbed it in my tummy! He didn't even blink
 
Now it's pretty easy to be discreet as the pens are compact and easy to set and use. The tiny needles are not easy to see at a distance, either, and the pen box is slim-ish and fairly stylish though not exactly fashionable. I'm really not at all bothered these days and people rarely notice. Mostly in restaurants folks are too busy enjoying company and food to even look at others. But years ago it was a very different thing. That old glass & metal syringe in a tube of alcohol plus a drain pipe sized needle were very difficult to hide. I used an old tobacco tin that was big enough in which to keep the syringe tube, spare needles and the insulin vial plus swabs. I had to pump the syringe dry of alcohol, fix or re-fix the needle then draw up the dose. Hated it and had to plan ahead or panic if I couldn't find somewhere to inject. I rarely went out to eat anywhere and then only with friends or family.

The only incident I can recall when someone really noticed was quite some years ago. I was with a friend in a department store café and needed to inject using, what was then, a new fangled pen. There was a woman sitting opposite with a young girl. Both noticed what I was doing but the woman seemed to realise things were 'legitimate' and reassured the girl that I was not up to no good.
 
Well, I just had the lovely experience of checking my blood sugar with a meter on a plane next to a stranger. Not sure, but had the feeling he was not pleased or entertained. Doing this, of course, is harder than injecting, which I do pretty quickly and, of course, through my clothes in public (thigh is easier for me than stomach). Not even sure if anyone is looking b/c I'm concentrating on getting it over with. The easiest situation is under the table in a restaurant. The worst has been in a public toilet stall. I would not recommend balancing a meter on your lap, seat belt fastened, etc.
 
I am on a pump now but answered your survey from the point of view of an injector. That said, it would be interesting to know if pumpers have similar issues: personally, I like that I have less paraphernalia to carry around but hate the bulge in my clothing all the time. Dialling up a dose is less of an issue.
Regarding injecting, I had little problem once I got used to it. Some people never noticed (I would inject when others were distracted) and those who did, would be interested so I took it as an opportunity to educate them about diabetes as a kind of "diabetes doesn't stop me" advocate.
The only time I was concerned was injecting around small children. My concern was twofold: being knocked as they get a bit boisterous and trying to work out how to explain diabetes to a 3 year old.
 
 
My son in law who is a Scrub Nurse in a well known hospital was told he couldn't inject in the staff room due to complaints from other nursing staff. If hospitals can't accommodate their diabetic staff what hope is there for public venues to do so?
 
Completed the survey

I was diagnosed 11 years ago and I used to find injecting in public really nerve-racking, often going to the toilets to inject if I was out. I'm a lot more confident injecting in public now as I realised that no ones really paying attention and I shouldn't care anyway as I need to do it to live.

The only times I still struggle are meetings/meals with new people as I feel I need to explain what I'm doing, and places where there isn't anywhere convenient to sit down and inject like in a crowded pub.
 
My answer has always been "I don't care if you don't like needles/are scared of injecting/any other excuse you might have for not wanting to watch me inject, you always have the option to look away or move. I have to inject." I take great relish in the fact that for some people in public this can make them uncomfortable. But then, they don't need to look...

And I think, in the context of work, if someone raised an objection, I'd be having an interesting conversation with management about upholding my rights as someone with a disability. You don't ban someone with a wheelchair from entering a staffroom because someone doesn't like it. Is it acceptable that you ban someone from injecting something that keeps them alive for the same reason, when in both cases, it has absolutely no impact on those other people?
 
Its silly i know but i'm more self conscious in Mcdonalds............

I'm coeliacs and type 1 and on the odd time and i mean odd time i visit mcdonalds with family i ask for a quarter pounder meal without the bun.
This is recognized by the coeliacs society as being gluten free.
My meal is on a plastic tray with knife and fork.
The looks i get are far more uncomfortable to me than whipping out my insulin..............

Tony
 
Hi, sorry to hear you get anxious over injecting in public. I've only been injecting for a short time but I've got no issues with doing it in public. If anyone has a problem with it I happily explain it to them what I'm doing and why. I liken it to someone using an asthma inhaler, nobody bats an eyelid at that and this should be no different.
As to anyone who stares, tuts, comments etc if you're injecting in public, their behaviour says volumes about them and absolutely nothing about you.
Stay strong and do whatever you are comfortable with. This condition is enough of a fight without letting small minded people affect you.
Ps Sorry about the long rant but I hate people being made to feel uncomfortable due to others small mindedness!
Pps I've done the survey, good luck with the study
 

Thanks for completing the questionnaire with such rich answers! Re the kids.. they are lucky to have a person like you around!
 

For most people, I think, they don't give a care as to what you are doing when you are injecting. They likely don't even notice, or, as people have said, they make it their business as a polite individual not to notice or draw unnecessary attention.

The people sad enough to comment on what you're doing really have nothing much better to do. I doubt their much concerned with the state of their own lives. What matters is that you keep yourself healthy and do your best to carry on.
 
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PI3.14 said:
Totally agree. I'm not sure if it's just been time or changes in technology but it's less of an issue now. (....) Now I see that my managing my diabetes in public is the public's issue and not mine
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So glad to hear that you experience no issues. I think you are perhaps right in suggesting that your experience is a combined generational/technological effect in the switch from syringes to pens. A syringe, even by today's standards, seems so... medieval. I think many children and young teens, however, still experience public diabetes management as a social issue
 
islelassie said:
My son in law who is a Scrub Nurse in a well known hospital was told he couldn't inject in the staff room due to complaints from other nursing staff. If hospitals can't accommodate their diabetic staff what hope is there for public venues to do so?
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I find the fact that this happened absolutely bemusing and utterly counterproductive
 

PREACH! Thanks for the motivational words. Thank you also for completing the survey!
 
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