How open are you about your diabetes?

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Northerner

Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just wondering how people are about revealing their diabetes to others, possibly strangers, work colleagues, family and friends? I've always been very open about mine and happy to explain anything to people willing to listen. Personally, I'm not bothered if it alters their perception of me in any way, but that may be something to do with my age, character, personal experience etc.
 
Im preety open with it when i need to be, ive not told many people apart from family and a small circle of mates.. unless it would possibly be mentioned in a conversation then i wont personally bring it up but thats not because im ashamed.Like you Northey if anyone thinks any less of me thats there problem.
 
i always tell the other parents about grahams diabetes because he look healthy does not mean that he is and i am always aware that sometimes i am to protective so the other parents (understand )why
 
All depends if your job might be at risk if people found out.... And, yes, I know all about Equality Act etc, but in some cases, self preservation works best. Perhaps having lost my rights to drive minibuses, serve in armed forces, SCUBA dive professionally, and never having needed any intervention from anyone else etc makes me a bit more secretive than is appropriate for others.

I prefer to wait until people have seen me deal with some difficult situations eg very bad weather, tough physical work, irregular meal times etc without help from anyone else, before letting them know. It's particularly fun to see the reactions of people with medical qualifications eg a work colleague know me as the only person ever to have skiied to work, but after leaving, I told him about T1D - he admitted to surprise, but said he reckoned I was the sort of person who could cope, which seemed a wholly appropriate reaction.
 
I don't keep it a secret but only mention it if it is necessary such as if I really need to stop to eat.
 
I tend to tell people who I will be spending a lot of time with or if it crops up in conversation. I've had to emphasise it much more at work in the past 3 or 4 years because of health problems which now mean that I work a half contract. I make sure that I don't need diabetic help at work and to be honest don't think that anyone would know what to do if I collapsed but touch lots of wood I haven't collapsed on anyone because of a hypo for 26 years
 
When I was at college (16-20), I didn't want to tell anyone and always regretted it, because it meant I had to make excuses to not do certain things, that at the time were basically impossible as the regime was very different to what it is now.

At various work places I tell those who I think need to know for emergencies, etc. I feel it's only respectful to tell them rather than suddenly keel over and leave them to cope. 🙄

I never shouted about it but if I test/inject in front of anyone, I don't try to hide it, but will explain if they look interested. Otherwise, it's just a part of me and I don't feel embarrassed or ashamed of it. Things are a whole lot more discreet now than they used to be, so I suppose not having to draw up from a phile with a syringe makes it a bit less 'scary' for all concerned. And blood testing is more socially acceptable than urine 😱

But each to their own. 🙂

Rob
 
Im totally open about it. If people have issues with it thats their problem not mine
 
I'm very open about it. I don't scream it from the rooftops, but if I'm fiddling with my pump in the staff room and people see, I'm happy to explain what it is, why I have it, etc. People are usually very curious.

I'd rather have the chance to educate/inform than have people sat there wondering what I'm doing etc.
 
I don't hide the blood tests/injections which means occasionaly someone asks. I am quite happy with this. Also if it comes up in conversation I am happy to discuss it.

At work (a school) my close colleagues only know because they have seen me doing tests etc. and the school nurse because she stores spare insulin for me. I have also told her I am happy for her to let any pupils know in case they want to discuss their own diabetes. (Occasionally I have given her jelly babies when a child has run out).

I must admit I never used to be so open about it, but have no problems letting folk know now. 🙂
 
Used to hide it quite alot, but realised it doesn't help. I now inject/test in public so if someone asks what it is I usually say "Insulin, I'm Diabetic" and that's it really!
 
Carol won't tell unless absolutely necessary. The worst thing is, that she won't wear her bracelet!!

If in a restaurant, unfortunatley she goes to the toilet to inject. I'm not allowed to say out loudly to do a blood test in public. A test has to be done under the table! If I didn't nag, she wouldn't even do one.

All in all, she doesn't want anyone to know she's diabetic.
 
I dont have a problem telling people, however i dont rush to tell them like they need to know. Unless of course they do need to know.

I always tell work colleagues (can never spell that), as i believe they need to know, i dont expect them to be able to assist if it were necessary unless, they knew what they were doing or felt comfatable doing so. But at least they would know to tell someone professional that i am diabetic treated with insulin. should that occasion arise.

However, if i need to go off to treat a hypo then i just tell them thats what im doing. I find people rarely want to know the ins and outs but if they do i gladly tell them.
 
Monica said:
Carol won't tell unless absolutely necessary. The worst thing is, that she won't wear her bracelet!!

If in a restaurant, unfortunatley she goes to the toilet to inject. I'm not allowed to say out loudly to do a blood test in public. A test has to be done under the table! If I didn't nag, she wouldn't even do one.

All in all, she doesn't want anyone to know she's diabetic.
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I would have thought this is common in children, as they have a need to appear normal to others. Not that they are not normal but you get what I mean.

I think when you are older you gain the confidence to test/inject in public without fear or worry of what others are thinking. True for me anyway.
 
i'm so open about it i think everyone based in my work building knows...

i think strangers in the street know

i think even barack obama knows i have t1 :D
 
tracey w said:
I would have thought this is common in children, as they have a need to appear normal to others. Not that they are not normal but you get what I mean.

I think when you are older you gain the confidence to test/inject in public without fear or worry of what others are thinking. True for me anyway.
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So true, especially teenagers! She's pretty pleased though that at school she can jump queue at dinnertime. As she's mostly taking packed lunch, she goes and gets dinner for her friend.
 
SilentAssassin1642 said:
i'm so open about it i think everyone based in my work building knows...

i think strangers in the street know

i think even barack obama knows i have t1
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Hasn't he brought in a healthcare program just in case you become a citizen?

I am open about with the people I work alongside just to make sure that if I appear to be behaving (more than unusually) abnormal they might want to give me something sweet rather than just sitting back and enjoying the spectacle. Mind you before I was on the pump I would not inject in front of them but then I never liked injecting in sight of anyone. Have to say that it is one big advantage of the pump that I can now deliver some insulin using the bluetooth handset without feeling at all self-conscious about doing it. Testing in front of people on the other hand has never been a problem for me.
 
Not long after I was diagnosed I went out with a girl for 2 years before parting, but the first six month I didn't even let on I had diabetes and kept it to myself. Very few people I worked and socialised with had any idea, and it was only in the last 8-10 years I have been up-front and honest about it. I never want to make a song and dance about my diabetes and much prefer to get on with life, but that said it has held me back in certain activities I had wished to do in my youth...........but hey that's life!🙂 Toby.
 
I'm fairly open about it, I have let my colleagues know, just incase. My family all know, well why shouldn't they. Some, but not all of my friends know. If I were to apply for another job, I would be inclined to keep my diabetes to myself unless it became neccessary for them to know, have recently had a bad experience from one colleague who thinks she knows how my body works better than me.
 
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