A thought on misinformation about diabetes

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Donald said:
Right what I would like to know is are May and Abbot subject to the same restriction's as us mere mortals or do they get what they want when they want to manage their Diabetes because of who they are I.e restriction of test strips(told no need to test) if not why not .
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Probably a case of the latter - why not?
 
Bubbsie said:
Bill why not start your own separate thread for views on type 1's if you feel that is appropriate...this thread has provoked interesting comment...discussion... diversity of opinion on the perception of type 2's...an issue many here feel is germane to dispelling the myth of greed...sloth...idleness...culpability...others in ignorance wrongly attach to the cause of type 2 diabetes...I have no wish to dilute that important message...divert or diminish it...hopefully that will be reciprocated...I cannot offer any comment on type 1 diabetes...how it is managed...insulin use...the complexities involved in trying to control/manage it...I believe unless I'd lived with the condition...my trying to offer any meaningful input from my type 2 perspective would expose my complete ignorance ...likely considered egotistical...of little value...potentially arrogant.
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If I felt it was appt to start a T1 perception thread I would do just that, or any of the other types actually.

I am not convinced that most members of the public recognise the differences in types of D. So therefore the same misinformation and I'll informed views about Ds apply to all. Based upon that I see all Ds as being relevant to any discussions about such things.

Thankyou for the suggestion though. I will carry on regarding all Ds as being in the same slowly sinking boat.
 
Bill Stewardson said:
I am not convinced that most members of the public recognise the differences in types of D. So therefore the same misinformation and I'll informed views about Ds apply to all. Based upon that I see all Ds as being relevant to any discussions about such things.
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I was actually going to say this myself - there is little distinction in type and causes amongst the general public, not least because they often fail to specify what type they are talking about on TV etc. when they discuss 'causes'. When I was diagnosed I was given diet/weight loss advice by a well-meaning friend (via email, she hadn't actually seen me for years), despite the fact I told her I weighed 8st 4lbs at diagnosis, which is a BMI of 17.1 😱 Children are bullied in school because other children have absorbed the message that it's all about weight and lifestyle - parents have even been told that they shouldn't have given their child so many sweets, even when the child is less than a year old! 🙄 Doctors and nurses assume that if you're over 40 you can't have Type 1 because that's what children get - what they think happens to children when they grow up, I've no idea! Well, I do actually - they think children 'grow out of it' 🙄

Type 2s do get a raw deal, but I think that's partly due to the sheer difference in numbers - something like 90/95% of people with diabetes have Type 2, and as I have found from following people's stories here, it can be far more complicated to manage than Type 1 and there simply aren't the resources or specialist knowledge to cope adequately, so people get largely left to their own devices or fobbed off with minimal attention :(
 
Northerner said:
I was actually going to say this myself - there is little distinction in type and causes amongst the general public, not least because they often fail to specify what type they are talking about on TV etc. when they discuss 'causes'. When I was diagnosed I was given diet/weight loss advice by a well-meaning friend (via email, she hadn't actually seen me for years), despite the fact I told her I weighed 8st 4lbs at diagnosis, which is a BMI of 17.1 😱 Children are bullied in school because other children have absorbed the message that it's all about weight and lifestyle - parents have even been told that they shouldn't have given their child so many sweets, even when the child is less than a year old! 🙄 Doctors and nurses assume that if you're over 40 you can't have Type 1 because that's what children get - what they think happens to children when they grow up, I've no idea! Well, I do actually - they think children 'grow out of it' 🙄

Type 2s do get a raw deal, but I think that's partly due to the sheer difference in numbers - something like 90/95% of people with diabetes have Type 2, and as I have found from following people's stories here, it can be far more complicated to manage than Type 1 and there simply aren't the resources or specialist knowledge to cope adequately, so people get largely left to their own devices or fobbed off with minimal attention :(
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I am absolutely convinced that misinformation ( which is what this thread is about) is not limited to T2s, and as such all Ds have a stake in being involved in any ideas going forward. I also believe that, unfortunately, that very same misinformation exists where it very definitely should not, as in amongst our clinical teams via DNs. It should be quite straight forward really, regardless of Type, obese does not have to mean D and D does not have to mean obese.

Having said that, Ds being shown pounding away in gyms or on running tracks etc can only be good for public perception. However, what about all those who cannot exercise ? This brings us to another fundamental question, one which is a cornerstone principle of modern healthcare, are we really edging towards some sort of "treatment based on blame" direction ?
 
Bill Stewardson said:
I am absolutely convinced that misinformation ( which is what this thread is about) is not limited to T2s, and as such all Ds have a stake in being involved in any ideas going forward. I also believe that, unfortunately, that very same misinformation exists where it very definitely should not, as in amongst our clinical teams via DNs. It should be quite straight forward really, regardless of Type, obese does not have to mean D and D does not have to mean obese.

Having said that, Ds being shown pounding away in gyms or on running tracks etc can only be good for public perception. However, what about all those who cannot exercise ? This brings us to another fundamental question, one which is a cornerstone principle of modern healthcare, are we really edging towards some sort of "treatment based on blame" direction ?
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Some of the new researchers are coming to the conclusion that it is not one condition but a spectrum of conditions and there is no standard treatment to all .
 
Donald said:
Right what I would like to know is are May and Abbot subject to the same restriction's as us mere mortals or do they get what they want when they want to manage their Diabetes because of who they are I.e restriction of test strips(told no need to test) if not why not .
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Not sure how to answer that Donald...on a point of principle I feel strongly that those who would not qualify according to the CCG restrictions for the provision of testing strips on prescription face two difficulties...those can afford to self fund may see it as an easier option to just get on with it...buy the necessaries to do that...rather than challenge the refusal...then the issue of whether to test against advice raises it's ugly head...when funding my own strips/meter the opposition to testing was not so prevalent...the GP was happy with my results...he knew I was testing...raised no objections...however once I asked for strips on prescription...then I was advised no need to test...given the same vacuous excuses...those that cannot afford to self fund their own monitoring unless they challenge (successfully ) have little choice in the matter...if refused they cannot test...I very much doubt the two ladies in question would have experienced the same problems...firstly financially...secondly I would imagine (a sheer presumption on my part).they have access to medical resources the general public do not have...would love to canvass their opinion on that.
 
Bill Stewardson said:
I am absolutely convinced that misinformation ( which is what this thread is about) is not limited to T2s, and as such all Ds have a stake in being involved in any ideas going forward. I also believe that, unfortunately, that very same misinformation exists where it very definitely should not, as in amongst our clinical teams via DNs. It should be quite straight forward really, regardless of Type, obese does not have to mean D and D does not have to mean obese.

Having said that, Ds being shown pounding away in gyms or on running tracks etc can only be good for public perception. However, what about all those who cannot exercise ? This brings us to another fundamental question, one which is a cornerstone principle of modern healthcare, are we really edging towards some sort of "treatment based on blame" direction ?
Click to expand...

It's not just diabetes where blame is assumed. I have chronic pancreatitis. Heavy drinking is assumed to be the cause, though only 30% of cases are due to that. Mine wasn't, but it is tedious when everyone knows that it's a drinkers disease. I'm sure the other Creonistas have found the same thing.
 
grovesy said:
Some of the new researchers are coming to the conclusion that it is not one condition but a spectrum of conditions and there is no standard treatment to all .
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Seems a logical conclusion grovesy...as evidenced by the different approaches we apply to our respective conditions...manage our diabetes...whilst we have common ground...medication...management are entirely separate individual matters.
 
Donald said:
So would I But you would never get a straight answer.
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Donald I suspect you're absolutely right...but...every time I acknowledge that disappointing fact...makes me feel strongly one of us...possibly more of us should take up the challenge.
 
mikeyB said:
It's not just diabetes where blame is assumed. I have chronic pancreatitis. Heavy drinking is assumed to be the cause, though only 30% of cases are due to that. Mine wasn't, but it is tedious when everyone knows that it's a drinkers disease. I'm sure the other Creonistas have found the same thing.
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I also have a serious Pancreatic condition and yes, all I heard about at first was heavy drinking. They don't go there now and they finally got the message that Ive not been one for doing that.
It is another good illustration that it's not just Ds who get tarred with one brush.
 
grovesy said:
Some of the new researchers are coming to the conclusion that it is not one condition but a spectrum of conditions and there is no standard treatment to all .
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grovesy just an afterthought...do you have a link to that research...would love to give it a glance.
 
Bubbsie said:
grovesy just an afterthought...do you have a link to that research...would love to give it a glance.
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No I have not but I believe it is the team at Exter I think. They were on the programme the BBC aired late last year but they showed slightly different versions of the programme in the different regions. I watched all versions via catch up TV.
 
grovesy said:
No I have not but I believe it is the team at Exter I think. They were on the programme the BBC aired late last year but they showed slightly different versions of the programme in the different regions. I watched all versions via catch up TV.
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Thanks grovesy...I'll have a look see if I can find it.
 
For T1 it's not a standard treatment it's the only treatment and that's insulin - always has been and until they find a cure always will be. Without it you die, fairly quickly.
 
Yeah, like liver. The nurse said to me "Are you sure you don't drink?" 🙄 I told her usually birthday, Christmas and special occasions only.
 
Matt Cycle said:
For T1 it's not a standard treatment it's the only treatment and that's insulin - always has been and until they find a cure always will be. Without it you die, fairly quickly.
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Yes, in a broader sense is true. What kind of insulin? Pump or not? Test stripes, flash glucose meter or CGM?

I've talked with a nice granny that is T1. Due a change of the guidelines had the insulin plan and type change, ended with some bad hypos and a quck revert on the previous plan...
 
Bill Stewardson said:
I also have a serious Pancreatic condition and yes, all I heard about at first was heavy drinking. They don't go there now and they finally got the message that Ive not been one for doing that.
It is another good illustration that it's not just Ds who get tarred with one brush.
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A friend of mine Bill has had recurrent pancreatitis and, every time she went into hospital, the doctors asked her husband if she was a drinker. She is not apart from sometimes when she goes out for a meal. It is known as a "drinker's disease" but in her case it is not. She did eventually have a stent put in and now she has the pancreatic less frequently. They never did find out what caused it.
 
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