Who is troubled by injecting in public? Just me?

I sometimes feel a bit self-conscious when injecting in public. I know people who get sqeamish watching someone draw blood or injecting themselves. I try to be as accommodating as possible.

doyoutakesugar said:

Determination is a key factor if ever I feel self-conscious about injecting in public---it usually wins out. If it doesn't, my health is at a loss, as you said.

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Any area where you take blood tests or inject should be reasonably sanitary. Diabetes carries a high risk factor for infection.

noblehead said:

Funny thing is, when I did the DAFNE course several years ago it was strange seeing other people inject at the table and I couldn't help but look

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I can relate to that. I've been injecting for 11 years, yet recently I saw someone inject and it caught my attention immediately. He saw me, and said quietly 'diabetic', so I smiled and showed him my diabetes wrist band.

@Scott-C @leslie10152

I've never seen anyone else inject in public, but coincidentally yesterday whilst snacking at my usual cafe, someone came up to me and introduced themselves to me as a "fellow T1".

It turns out, they're also a regular at the same cafe and had seen me inject several time, although I'd never seen them (I'm obviously not so subtle or perhaps I'm less observant!). The reason why they came over was because they saw me scan my arm with my (new) Libre and it's that they wanted to know more about!

So there probably are other diabetics around, but it's just hard to see them inject in the few seconds it takes and (most) people are generally too polite to say anything if they do notice.

leslie10152 said:

Got you on that one. I have bum bag that I carry my stuff in, yet people tend to notice.

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'Bummer'

Hi,

I've completed your survey. Only thing I would mention is you have a question how many times do you inject a day and maximum is 5+ however the next question how many needles do you use a day and maximum is 4+, doesn't add up to me as surely everyone would use a new needle every time they inject? Am I being naive here?

Also hopefully my responses don't come across arrogant at all, I've thankfully not experienced any of the anxiety you mentioned above.

Best of luck, more than happy to help and love a good quiz/survey

HI there,
Have completed the questionnaire as a parent on behalf of my son and would be really interested to see the results - especially in relation to how teens/young adults feel about injecting in public or even letting their peers know they are Type 1 diabetic. Thanks and best wishes.

JacquiMorrison said:

Hi,

I've completed your survey. Only thing I would mention is you have a question how many times do you inject a day and maximum is 5+ however the next question how many needles do you use a day and maximum is 4+, doesn't add up to me as surely everyone would use a new needle every time they inject? Am I being naive here?

Also hopefully my responses don't come across arrogant at all, I've thankfully not experienced any of the anxiety you mentioned above.

Best of luck, more than happy to help and love a good quiz/survey

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My father in law will use needles repeatedly for my mother in law - arggg

Debzz_ said:

My father in law will use needles repeatedly for my mother in law - arggg

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ouch

Hi - Just came across this thread and completed the survey. I too would be interested in the results but I don;t think they will change my outlook - I am usually happy to inject in public (I do in the office whereass another -female- collegue used to do hers in the toilets but then its harder to lift up a dress !) I will usually just pull my waistband own and use my (well padded) posterior.
When I was first diagnosed I went with my parents to India - took myself off to the toilet in a "cafe" to inject. Well never again !
Carrying the required bits and bobs is a bit of a nightmare but I remember the first test kit I had you had to take the strip, place the blood drop on it , blot that then time 30 seconds and finally compare the resultant colour against the pot ! I've definately noticed the advances in 21 years !

I inject in front of people all the time at work (took me 20 years to get comfortable with that concept) but that's not really public - when we eat out at a restaurant I still head to the washroom to give my shot - with all the media reports of drug abuse etc I guess I'm concerned that someone is going to think I'm a drug addict or at the least increase the level of suspicion as to what I'm doing. I must say though, I have injected in restaurants before - I got it down so it's rather inconspicuous but it makes me feel uncomfortable - When you think about it that's a pretty sad comment considering I've been giving myself needles for over 50 years ...

I am a type 1, for the last 40 years, I have always done it in public, now that it is easier to do, I still unzip my jeans to jab, people really don't notice if they do they don't say anything. Please don't hide in the loos, you wouldn't breast feed your baby in the loos, so why jab there, just saying