beachbunny
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Carer/Partner
Hi! I've recently started a relationship with a type 1 diabetic and doing all the research I can to be supportive and this seems like a great resource. Thought I'd swing past and say hi!
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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
New to this!
- Thread starter beachbunny
- Start date
- Status
Hi @beachbunny and welcome to the forum.
I'm a Type 2 (in remission) which is very different, but I'm sure a Type 1 will be responding to you soon.
I'm a Type 2 (in remission) which is very different, but I'm sure a Type 1 will be responding to you soon.
nonethewiser
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It will like all things in life be a long learning curve for you, would say most of us here who are in relationships are with partners who don't have type1 but things work out for the good.
Bloden
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi there @beachbunny. Welcome! Do you have any specific questions at the moment?
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome.
It is great that you want to learn more so that you can be supportive.
Is your partner open to talking about their diabetes or do they feel uncomfortable discussing it? How do they manage it? Multiple daily injections or an insulin pump? Do they have a sensor on their arm or other part of their body which they scan to get readings or do they rely on finger pricking? Will you be cooking for your partner as that can be an area where you may need to know a bit more about carb counting?
If you have any questions, do feel free to ask us.
I think @everydayupsanddowns has an etiquette list which helps nearest and dearest to navigate the sometimes tricky subject of how much help and support to offer and how to go about it. Diabetes can be something which people want to hide from others or ignore or keep very private. Sometimes if our Blood Glucose (BG) levels drop low, we can be a bit grouchy and unreasonable and because out brain doesn't function well at low glucose levels we can't always think straight. This can make us concentrate more on what we are trying to do instead of treating our hypo (low glucose level) and a little prompt from nearest and dearest is sometimes helpful to alert us to it but other diabetics resent someone telling them what to do, so how you go about that "prompting" can be important.
Anyway, I hope you are able to glean some useful information from the forum to help you support your partner and please feel free to ask if you think there is something specific we can help you with.
It is great that you want to learn more so that you can be supportive.
Is your partner open to talking about their diabetes or do they feel uncomfortable discussing it? How do they manage it? Multiple daily injections or an insulin pump? Do they have a sensor on their arm or other part of their body which they scan to get readings or do they rely on finger pricking? Will you be cooking for your partner as that can be an area where you may need to know a bit more about carb counting?
If you have any questions, do feel free to ask us.
I think @everydayupsanddowns has an etiquette list which helps nearest and dearest to navigate the sometimes tricky subject of how much help and support to offer and how to go about it. Diabetes can be something which people want to hide from others or ignore or keep very private. Sometimes if our Blood Glucose (BG) levels drop low, we can be a bit grouchy and unreasonable and because out brain doesn't function well at low glucose levels we can't always think straight. This can make us concentrate more on what we are trying to do instead of treating our hypo (low glucose level) and a little prompt from nearest and dearest is sometimes helpful to alert us to it but other diabetics resent someone telling them what to do, so how you go about that "prompting" can be important.
Anyway, I hope you are able to glean some useful information from the forum to help you support your partner and please feel free to ask if you think there is something specific we can help you with.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @beachbunny
Glad you have found us. The forum can be a great space to share frustrations, ask ‘is this right’ questions, compare experiences, or just offload among people who instinctively ‘get it’, and that includes spouses, significant others and partners.
http://behavioraldiabetes.org/xwp/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/BDIAdultEtiquetteCard.pdf
Glad you have found us. The forum can be a great space to share frustrations, ask ‘is this right’ questions, compare experiences, or just offload among people who instinctively ‘get it’, and that includes spouses, significant others and partners.
This is the card that @rebrascora mentioned, which offers some helpful tips about having better conversations around diabetes in someone you are close to:
http://behavioraldiabetes.org/xwp/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/BDIAdultEtiquetteCard.pdf
- Status