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Type A - that's a new one

When I was diagnosed in 1995 I don’t remember any references to Type 1 or 2 - it was IDD (Insulin Dependent Diabetes or NIDD (Non etc etc) Which was pretty nonsensical for a Type 2 on insulin.
 
After reading through some of the lack of knowledge and ill informed comments you have been subjected to, or overheard, I have paraphrased a certain film.
The good, the bad (diabetes) and the ignorant.(other people)
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Might just be a slip. I could imagine anyone who didn't deal regularly with diabetes (or even some who did) making the same slip. It's presumably just chance that it's called Type 1 and Type 2 rather than Type A and Type B.
Click to expand...

It's as simple as that, slip of the tongue by saying type A instead of type 1, it's easy mistake to make as you really know nothing of any health condition unless you live with one or have a friend or relation who does.
 
I was chatting to someone on a course, and he nearly got 10/10 for the 10 things not to say to someone with diabetes. I started laughing when he got to 8/10 and explained why. He found me the next day and said that he thought he was in danger of a full house had we continued talking.

This is one version. There are others.

  1. 1. "You don't look like you have diabetes."
    Diabetes is an invisible illness. This comment trivializes their condition and implies it's not serious.

  2. 2. "Should you be eating that?"
    People with diabetes are usually very aware of their food choices and how they affect their blood sugar. Unless they've specifically asked for your input, don't question their food choices.

  3. 3. "My [relative/friend] has diabetes and they [do this/can't do that]."
    Diabetes affects everyone differently. What works for one person might not work for another.

  4. 4. "It could be worse."
    This minimizes the impact of living with diabetes and can be insensitive.

  5. 5. "You're doing pretty good for a diabetic."
    Don't pass judgment on how someone is managing their diabetes. Focus on their efforts and accomplishments.

  6. 6. "You're just not trying hard enough."
    Managing diabetes is complex and requires ongoing effort. Don't assume someone isn't trying their best.

  7. 7. "Have you tried [insert random, often unproven, cure]?"
    Don't offer unproven or anecdotal "cures." Diabetes management is best left to medical professionals.

  8. 8. "You're so lucky you can eat [insert specific food]!"
    People with diabetes have to carefully manage their food intake, and comments like this can be insensitive and hurtful.

  9. 9. "I didn't know you were diabetic."
    While it's their choice to disclose their condition, this comment can imply that diabetes is something to be ashamed of.

  10. 10. "You're going to get [diabetes complication] if you don't [do this]."
    This is fear-mongering and can be very distressing for someone already managing a chronic illness.
 
To be honest before I was diagnosed, I didn’t know there was more than one type. No one in my family have had it, my dog did and I had to inject her hated injecting her but got used to it. I get what are you allowed to eat, or you can’t eat that, your not fat why have you got diabetes. I am educating my work mates, but one wanted to know where my pen was so he could inject me if I had a hypo, a nearly chocked
 
Good conversation and I have come across many cases where people are quite happy to engage in conversations and even offer advice when it is patently obvious they do not understand the subject and often falsely extrapolate from one persons experience/ situation to another’s.
I am lucky in that I work in an environment where everyone understands diabetes and differences between T1 and 2 so I never have to explain my situation and I am upfront about it.
When folk in other settings make comments I may converse or simply stay quiet depending on whether I feel getting involved will be a productive exercise or not.
 
In my old job, shortly after diagnosis I was told "I'm not surprised you're diabetic" (I used to have a large jar of sweets on my desk for everyone in the office to share - I very nearly inserted it somewhere very unpleasant for him but managed to restrain myself and just emptied the contents of the jar all over his desk)
 
Interestingly (happily 🙂) in my nearly 40 years, I've only tended to get this one:
SB2015 said:
9. "I didn't know you were diabetic."
While it's their choice to disclose their condition, this comment can imply that diabetes is something to be ashamed of.
Click to expand...
Which I was quite happy with, I don't go around telling people, but equally I sit and do blood tests and injections without asking for permission, so sometimes people ask questions (all good I'm more than happy to talk to people about it)

And sometimes shortly afterwards a variation on this one:
SB2015 said:
2. "Should you be eating that?"
People with diabetes are usually very aware of their food choices and how they affect their blood sugar. Unless they've specifically asked for your input, don't question their food choices.
Click to expand...
though less accusatory and more a case of "I didn't think diabetics could/should/were supposed to...", which again I'm never bothered about and more than happy to explain.
 
I really did not know until I came on here that those who were Type 2 may need to take insulin.
My knowledge was from first aid training at work but would have known better what to do when supporting a colleague who often had hypos. In their case the symptoms of being hypo were very specific but they seems unaware and needed a prompt to treat. Then of course no CGM and I never saw them do a finger prick which in hindsight seems odd.
 
I don’t mind answering people’s questions if they are genuinely interested and actually listen to the answer. It’s those people who think they know it all already and think that you don’t know what you’re talking about who are the really annoying ones. I’ve had various arguments with primary school teachers about what my daughter could and couldn’t eat and how to cope with school parties and so on.
And I’ve had most of the daft comments mentioned here. As well as some good people who did listen. At school diabetes was mentioned in a lesson, I think it was more about type 2 and diet control, everyone looked at my daughter, she said “I’m type 1 that’s different” and they all said “yeah that’s your excuse”. So they’d rather pay attention to whatever they’ve seen on TikTok or whatever instead of the person who actually has to live with it every day…

@Leadinglights my mum rarely pricks her fingers either. She was diagnosed in 1967 when there were no home blood testing kits, so she only had urine sticks and her own awareness of how she felt to help her. She got her first blood testing kit some time in the 80s, and has never wanted sensors (she’s a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to technology!). She still seems to think that finger pricking is a luxury rather than a necessity and regularly only tests once a day, if that. When my daughter was first diagnosed, she was often complaining that we tested too much. Actually we didn’t, we were told by the consultant to do every meal time and bedtime, so minimum 4 a day, and then only in between if we thought something was wrong. Which is what we were doing, and is the bare minimum for being on a pump really, you have to be on the ball to notice if anything is going wrong with the pump or cannula, blood sugars will rise very quickly if anything prevents the insulin going in properly. Which doesn’t happen very often, but you have to be alert if it does. I tried explaining this many times to my mum but it went in one ear and out the other. Funnily enough since daughter has had sensors, which mean that we could check every 5 mins if we so wished, and which now automatically display on daughter’s pump and phone, mum doesn’t complain any more :rofl:
 
SimonP said:
Interestingly (happily 🙂) in my nearly 40 years, I've only tended to get this one:

Which I was quite happy with, I don't go around telling people, but equally I sit and do blood tests and injections without asking for permission, so sometimes people ask questions (all good I'm more than happy to talk to people about it)

And sometimes shortly afterwards a variation on this one:

though less accusatory and more a case of "I didn't think diabetics could/should/were supposed to...", which again I'm never bothered about and more than happy to explain.
Click to expand...
Ive had people forcefully tell me that i shouldn’t eat or drink certain things before, going on to tell me i am wrong that they know and I don’t. They didn’t. Anyone with a little bit of knowledge and a belief only they are right is dangerous
 
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