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Apparently I don't look diabetic!

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Pumper_Sue

Pumper_Sue

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
This morning I went to the re-launch of our village shop after a major refit, people at the launch were given goodie bags which contained packets of biscuits high energy drinks and a few other unsuitable items.
I handed mine back to the gentleman explaining I had diabetes and also coeliac disease so couldn't use any of the products but thank you any way. His reply .......... Oh you don't look diabetic......... My reply, no worries I will have my forehead tattooed next week so it's more obvious.

Wished afterwards I had asked him what someone with diabetes looked like.
 
People just don't think
 
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Well, looks like you escaped the 'treatment' - perhaps they didn't do this sort of thing when you were diagnosed? 😱 😉

weird-cat-looking-thing1.jpg

It’s confirmed – you’re diabetic, so please join the queue,
The surgeon should be on his way,
It shouldn’t take long, there’s only a few…
What’s that? Do you have something to say?

Oh, didn’t they tell you? It’s really no good!
We must make you stand out in the street!
Some try to disguise it by wearing a hood,
But you can still pick them out by their feet!

Here is the leaflet, I’m sure it’ll explain,
And there’s a picture of what they attach.
It’s free for the ‘standard’, but if you are vain,
You can pay extra for attachments that match!

A moment if you please, you must sign this release
To donate them back when you’re dead…
Now hurry along, you’re next on the list,
Would you like to have green ones or red?

Oh dear! Does it hurt? That’ll soon go away,
And you’ll learn how to sleep on your back.
You’ll be able to walk, but not quite the same way –
I’m sure that you’ll pick up the knack! 😱 :D
 
Northener, you could have waited till I brushed my hair.
 
I got something similar last week. A girl at work (who I've known for 2 years) spotted my Libre sensor. the conversation went along the lines of:
Her: Oh, do you have diabetes?
Me: yes
Her: I thought so because my friend's daughter has diabetes and she has one of those
Me: Yes, I've found it to be very helpful
Her: She's only 6 but has very severe diabetes. But she actually looks very normal.

I was slightly flabbergasted by this and didn't know what to say. Thankfully a colleague changed the subject! It left me wondering if she's been wondering what was wrong with me for the past 2 years and now it fits into place! Somehow the emphasis was on the "she" looks normal implying I didn't! The girl saying this speaks perfect English but it's not her first language so I'm hoping something was lost in translation!
 
In a conversation, one evening after Yoga, I found out that one of my Yoga teachers kids iS T1.... The conversation went on a bit about D & then she asked the question "How do you know so much about Diabetes" to Which I replied that I was T2.... She was shocked & responded with "but you are so slim....". Education opportunity not wasted here....

For the record, I'm not shy about talking about D, if just one conversation helps someone to either help prevent Diabetes or regain control of their Diabetes then it will be time well spent.
 
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I've had similar too. I was told recently that my type of diabetes is the good type though and I should be lucky I didn't "catch" the other type!!! At our next team meeting at work next month I've got to do a little section on diabetes. I'm going to print out a copy of the diabetes etiquette for non diabetics!
 
I recently had an appointment with a specialist, for an arm problem. When I sat down, he asked if I had any health problems, other than diabetes... !! I'd never met him before and we hadn't had a conversation about it - he just assumed, because I'm overweight and had written it on his paperwork, before I had a chance to answer.... Rather rude, I thought....
 
I was diagnosed type 2 about 4 months before my grandson's open heart surgery When he was 15. Now 16. He.s taught me lots about warfarin and suprised me on Friday by asking about my diabetes and telling me lots of facts. Turns out he was researching for school project, so directed him too the site here. . On a wee different note, because I lost weight rapidly pre and post diabetes, I run the gauntlet of people's comments about weight loss and worried looks. How do you say, no it's not sinister, it's ONLY diabetes. I've lost a bit more, and getting comments again, even though I just look a good weight- not skinny Minnie ?
 
Stitch147 said:
I've had similar too. I was told recently that my type of diabetes is the good type though and I should be lucky I didn't "catch" the other type!!! At our next team meeting at work next month I've got to do a little section on diabetes. I'm going to print out a copy of the diabetes etiquette for non diabetics!
Click to expand...
Would like to see that? Does it include politely, mind your own business what's in my packed lunch box? Lol
 
HelenHanfe said:
I recently had an appointment with a specialist, for an arm problem. When I sat down, he asked if I had any health problems, other than diabetes... !! I'd never met him before and we hadn't had a conversation about it - he just assumed, because I'm overweight and had written it on his paperwork, before I had a chance to answer.... Rather rude, I thought....
Click to expand...

The referral forms from a GP include a list of your existing medications, and yours would therefore obviously have listed metformin. Mine lists insulin. In my case, there's only one possible reason for that whereas yours there's possibly two - and I agree, you might have had PCOS, not diabetes. However if you've ever been to the hospital before for anything else - your existing hospital number tells them everything you've ever attended for, and the fact that I'm T1 and you're T2, would be recorded.

So what's rude about what he asked?
 
I had something very similar to Sue happen last week with a medical I had through work. I did the various tests and all was fine. I had to state what exercise I did and then spent about 20 minutes talking about cycling and sport as the person doing it said he was now 16 stone and wanted to get back exercising. He then said 'any other medical conditions?' to which I replied 'I'm a Type 1 diabetic'. He said 'REALLY?...you don't look it' and then mumbled something about 'I suppose anyone can get it.' I don't know what level of medical training he'd had but this person obviously didn't know anything about diabetes after I'd clearly said Type 1 diabetic. However, even if I was overweight the Type 1 wouldn't have had anything to do with that. 🙄 I could have explained about the different types but by that stage I thought what's the point.

Stuff like this really annoys me. If someone like this didn't know about the different types of diabetes and causes then there's not much hope for the average thicko in the general population. 'Errrr, they're all fat cos that's what it says in The Sun.'

At the medical I then had my height and weight checked - 185cm and 66kg, i.e. BMI 19.2. As to the weight, when looking at the scales he said I don't see it down there very often. However, even if I was 5' 1" and 20 stone that would have nothing to do with being Type 1. 🙄

Speaking from a personal point of view as a Type 1 diabetic there can't be any other medical conditions in which you have no control in getting it through 'lifestyle' factors or anything else i.e. it's an autoimmune condition and you just get it, yet we have to put up with sh*t like this. I certainly think DUK could be doing more to educate and inform the population about the causes of the different types of diabetes. @Hannah DUK ?
 
Education of the experts wouldn't go amiss either. The vast majority of medics (in the widest sense) think there are only two sorts of diabetes
 
I had to have a 'work' medical the once. The twat thought I was being totally over obsessive at the levels I wanted my BG to be day to day. "If I were your GP, I'd be telling you it's completely UN healthy to want BGs in single figures and that your HbA1c should be in the low to middle teens. You mark my words - everyone will be agreeing with me in a few years' time!"

I was rendered speechless.

However the Thinks bubble read, "If you were my GP matey - I'd be doing every single possible thing I could, to get YOU struck off, asap !"
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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