How open are you about your diabetes?

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I think as its only quite new to me and I am just getting use to it myself I have only told my family and one close friend.
 
I am open about my diabetes with family and friends and my close work colleagues know and I have shown them how to use the glucagon injection I keep in the fridge (but thankfully they've never had to use it). I am quite happy to do blood tests in public and injections the table in restaurants if I'm with family or close friends and will explain why I'm doing it if asked. I usually go off the toilet when out for work meals though as don't really like doing injections infront of our consultants who don't know about my diabetes as I'd rather not be centre of attention in a large group for that reason!

Mostly though I am happy and confident about it.
 
toby said:
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.
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Perhaps oddly, the one person I told as soon as I started spending time with them outside work (where we met) was the bloke I'm still with over 10 years later - seems my instincts were right!

Never too late to catch up with the activities you missed out on in your youth, by the way, Toby - intriggued to know what they are?
 
I'm very open about being diabetic. work are absolutely fine with it and give me all the support they can (time off for appointments, eating etc).

I travel around different offices and always make sure everyone knows incase there is an emergency (I have a medic alert necklace on at all times)

Andy
 
Well, i'm going to grumble about it, so they might as well know before i start...hehehe. Generally at work, people either didn't know because they were on maternity leave, or have forgotten. I don't think it's a case of "not looking ill" , but i nearly throttled one of my friends the other month when she advised me to "cheer up and have a cake".

Everyone in the tearoom and the Sanofi rep got a mini-groan about it this month. The rep was super sympthatic though.

Rachel
 
Could be another difference between type 1 and type 2 as I tell everyone, whether they want to know or not. Weight loss? since I was diagnosed as diabetic. Taking tabs? Yep, that one is for diabetes. (all the rest are taken first thing in the morning in private.) I see no reason not to mention it. But there again, I am older, not building a career and confident enough in my own skin not to really care if others don't like it.
 
I'm open about it - I don't go out of my way to tell people unless I feel they need to know (ie might affect things in a work situation if I go hypo, so team members, managers etc know) and have generally been open but as discrete as possible about testing & injecting - I take the view that it's life sustaining treatment, if people wouldn't stare at a wheelchair user or someone using an inhaler, they shouldn't stare at me (& if they would stare, who gives a fig for the opinion of people like that anyway 🙄 lol!). People who know me know it generally hasn't stopped me doing much in life, so normally it's not too much of an issue. Where it was an issue was with other new mums, especially in the nct - any time it has come up in those circumstances I have come away feeling bruised & as though they consider me a sub-human & inferior mum - well stuff them, that's their problem & frankly they are a jumped up bunch of hormonal harpies if that's their take on things! 😛

Work needed to know due to sometimes hazardous working conditions, loads of diabetic antenatal appts when preg, probs with eyes post lasering etc. One time I did go hypo whilst presenting to a major airline, which was somewhat embarrassing 😱! They were really great about it though - I had just kind of stopped mid presentation, realising I was going hotter & more wobbly than nerves would warrant, I apologised & explained I just needed to check my sugar levels, did it there & then, (3 point something!) gulped a can of coke down, had a minute & carried on! They were really nice after that, no more pressing questions hehe! (Obviously 'cos of my technical brilliance rather than sympathy lol! 😛 )
 
Like a lot of people I am open about it - don't shout about it.

Work, my levels have never been low enough to have to warm them about hypos, but if they have seen me testing, I will explain what I am doing
 
I'm very open about my diabetes, it's everything else I tend not to disclose to many other than those I can trust, I never want to feel I've burdened anyone with my lot.
 
Im open with people who i think need to know as i suffer with hypo unawareness and people close to me need to be aware 🙂
 
Copepod said:
Perhaps oddly, the one person I told as soon as I started spending time with them outside work (where we met) was the bloke I'm still with over 10 years later - seems my instincts were right!

Never too late to catch up with the activities you missed out on in your youth, by the way, Toby - intriggued to know what they are?
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Just before I was diagnosed I had applied to join the Police, I later informed them of my diabetes and they wrote back stating that there was a policy in place which restricted type 1 diabetics from joining the Police. The other things are quite trivial really, always wanted to backpack across the USA I my twenties, but being diabetic and the problems that this may present in doing so did shatter my confidence, so never got to do this. I have however gone on to do many other things I never thought possible on diagnosis, and feel quite contented with my life overall!🙂 Thanks for asking! Toby.
 
Hi Toby

Only just got back from work - organising a birthday party for 15 x 7 year olds at a country park, where molehills, soil, earthworms, cattle, trees to climb inside, slopes to run up & down were all great fun for kids and me.

So, when are you going to backpack across America?!?

A bit like you, I've been stopped from doing lots of important things by diabetes - eg ban on SCUBA diving & driving minibuses meant end of my career in guiding on seal & dolphin swimming tours in New Zealand, and made my BSc Marine Biology virtually useless. However, although banned from working overwinter in British Antartic Survey bases, I have managed to be a science leader on a youth expedition to Chile, Falklands & South Georgia.

Sometimes a bit (or even a lot) of lateral thinking is required to find a way round obstacles. However, it's always fair to be honest about some careers what are impossible for people with type 1 diabetes to enter, although some people can stay in some careers if they develop T1D.
 
i am very open with it...when appropriate

... for instance this morn my MiL who is nearly 83yrs had a chat cos she's lost a lot of weight and has cystitis...her hairdresser kept saying' oooooo check for sugar diabetes ...(new name ????)'
i tried to reassure her that I felt it was unlikely as she hadn't got the Thirst problem ..her vision was fine ...but shes having it checked tomorrow ....by being very open has helped her talk to me about her worry 's ...
 
I'm really open with mine. Will tell anyone anything they want to know about it and inject in public. Been even more open since being pregnant because I'm kept an even closer eye on my levels which has meant more testing and injecting. I've always been pretty open about my diabetes and the fact I was only born with one hand but that might be because its hard to hide the fact I've only got one hand lol
 
Copepod said:
Hi Toby

Only just got back from work - organising a birthday party for 15 x 7 year olds at a country park, where molehills, soil, earthworms, cattle, trees to climb inside, slopes to run up & down were all great fun for kids and me.

So, when are you going to backpack across America?!?

A bit like you, I've been stopped from doing lots of important things by diabetes - eg ban on SCUBA diving & driving minibuses meant end of my career in guiding on seal & dolphin swimming tours in New Zealand, and made my BSc Marine Biology virtually useless. However, although banned from working overwinter in British Antartic Survey bases, I have managed to be a science leader on a youth expedition to Chile, Falklands & South Georgia.

Sometimes a bit (or even a lot) of lateral thinking is required to find a way round obstacles. However, it's always fair to be honest about some careers what are impossible for people with type 1 diabetes to enter, although some people can stay in some careers if they develop T1D.
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Good positive post Copepod and I can see that diabetes hasn't stopped you in your travels. As to when am I going to backpack?..... well I left that dream behind years ago and no longer have the desire to do so now, although I am sure the wife would be glad of the break if I did!🙄 Toby.
 
Robster65 said:
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
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hi Rob, I am exactly the same as you - I'll tell those at work if I think they'll need to know the same as you so someone knows should anything happen. but I also (like you again) will inject in front of people and blood test - if they want to know more, they're free to ask but I'm not going to go round advertising it.

I don't want to be known for having diabetes....I want to be known as me, and that I happen to have diabetes as well.
 
am64 said:
i am very open with it...when appropriate

... for instance this morn my MiL who is nearly 83yrs had a chat cos she's lost a lot of weight and has cystitis...her hairdresser kept saying' oooooo check for sugar diabetes ...(new name ????)'
i tried to reassure her that I felt it was unlikely as she hadn't got the Thirst problem ..her vision was fine ...but shes having it checked tomorrow ....by being very open has helped her talk to me about her worry 's ...
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"sugar diabetes"???????? that is a new one!

I am slowly learning to laugh at people's ignorance!
 
It depends on the circumstances. It is not a topic for discussion to strangers in the bus queue or at the supermarket checkout.

If I am socialising and I need to explain why I want diet coke/pesi/lemonade I will tell. I get very ceoss with hubby who wants to tell everyone about something that belongs to me personally as I should be the one that tells people.

My family knows, and the people I work with know, and when I was first diagnosed, I made an appointment and asked that it went onto my persoanl file in HR.
 
imtrying said:
"sugar diabetes"???????? that is a new one!

I am slowly learning to laugh at people's ignorance!
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Sugar diabetes is a very old term, but it does distinguish from diabetes insipidus ("without taste" ie not sweet) in the same way as diabetes mellitus ("honey" = sweet [character of urine in uncontrolled DM).
Depending on the age of person using the term, it isn't necesarily ignorance, just recounting a long learned term, without knowing that term has been updated.
 
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