I'm often saying that the overall ignorance about diabetes allows people to feel superior: I.E. "I behave, I eat tight blah blah b;ah so I won't get diabetes." Too bad they're wrong. Type 1 strikes out of the blue (no D of any kind in my family) and type 2 comes from jumping into the wrong gene pool.
Its so funny, my husband and I were just having this argument... I am an omnipod user and try to hide the pod as much as possible, not because I am ashamed of it but because i get so aggravated at every ones comments and questions. and YES everyone does think they are experts. I bartend part time and having the pod on my back and stomach was irritating me so I had to put it on my arm (in the middle of a hot NYC summer) .. and I was having my own version of a panic attack when I was walking to work. I worked my shift, and had to answer a gazillion questions about "whats that thing on your arm". If I answered honestly one of 2 things would happen.. would get the "oh my god I could never do that face", or "my grandfather had his leg cut off because of that". Its bad enough thinking about my Blood sugars 24/7 but to have to answer all these dumb questions by mainly drunks until 4:00am is unbearable :-(
Btw, the best answer I gave all night was "its Apples new iPod listening device... I can hear the music through my skin. And they believed me.
I really think a movie should be made with a hero wearing an insulin pump! Why hasn't that ever been done? After all, we can be heros.
Oh jolleygirl that does sound annoying! Thanks for sharing. I totally know that “face” you’re referring to. And sometimes it’s not just a face, they actually say “I could never do that.” That is not only frustrating but also kind of offensive. Bc it makes it seem like we chose to do it. Well guess what, whether you think you can do it or not, it’s not your choice! When your health and life is on the line, you learn how to do it. In all honesty, I’m sure I was also guilty of this prior to diagnosis. You learn a lot living with t1d 
I haven't heard very many people say things about all of this so I don't really have a reaction. I guess they just look at it from their own experience of how they feel if they eat too many carbs and have reactive hypos and or higher insulin levels- not sure how you know if that is the case.
I did have hypoglycemia(non reactive) about 15 years before my D though. I did test for it and I had two readings of 39/40. I felt quite dizzy and weak with palpitations etc. Eating some bread and tuna got me back to normal. It was nothing like an insulin hypo however and I never felt in any danger. I knew something was wrong though and I had been thinking about getting a glucose tolerance test at that time because of the hypos and feeling ill when I ate a lot of carbs, but when the hypo responded to eating I figured it was just hypoglycemia due to not eating enough when I was more active. One of my nurses in hospital said she had pretty bad hypoglycemia- she didn't mention the cause but she told me she was afraid to do finger sticks and had to get someone else to do them I think.
Yes Deb, I agree! That would be fantastic.
I agree totally, I was just reading about this last week I think and obviously both of those aren't good(hyperinsulinemia/gobs of carbs).
great idea!
I am glad you brought this subject up! I have been a D since 2005. Since that time I have not come across anyone that has really acted "stupid" toward me or over my condition. I have talked openly to people that I am a diabetic and they very understanding. Some say that their mother, father or someone they know also suffered with diabetes. I am avid Mt. Bike rider. I have talk to other riders about my condition, must of the time some would say "You don't like a diabetic!" Like, what should a diabetic look like! I've learned to take things like a grain of salt, and move on.
Right now I do cable service work. Must my job requires me to go into people's homes. I do wear a medic bracelet. I was on one job, where I was sweating profusely gallons of water. The customer saw how I looked and noted my bracelet. Without asking, she poured me glass orange juice. I told her thank you, and that I was starting to feel my legs drop out from under me. She replied, I know that look very well. To this day I don't know if she was a nurse or being around diabetics.
Hopefully soon I will be getting my insulin pump. I can't wait to hear what people would say then!
You see, I am the complete opposite. I wore my pump proudly, and I also inject in public so that I can help educate the non-informed. It opens the door for a lot of dialogue and help spread my message. Which is Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are two completely different conditions. And although my body can not process "sugars" like a non-type 1, I can still indulge, it just costs me more financially to consume it.
I think many misinformed non-diabetics also think a PWD would go into "diabetic shock" or a coma if they ate a cookie or something sweet.
I actually saw this on a TV show once (a drama series) where a group of guys wanted to rob/harrass this morbidly obese man, so one of them went to his office pretending to sell cupcakes. He couldn't resist, ate it, and then went into a several-hour coma while they robbed him. Ugh.
This is exactly why I haven't told anyone at work. Just a few friends & family members who I can have proper conversations with about it... but I couldn't be arsed to deal with most other people's ignorance.
Yet another wa…wa…wa…post,
What should a none PWD know about the D life.
Really!..They’re not a member of the club…they really can’t show empathy, they
will truly never feel our particular pain they just cannot relate.
Just give me some good tools, some insulin, and stay out of my way
Re "Yet another wa...wa...wa...post"
John, are you referring to this thread as a whole - meaning this is a whiney annoying discussion? That's how this came across to me, and if so...
It's stuff like this that shuts off communication, makes people (especially new members) hesitate to post their thoughts, and makes a forum slow down. Wouldn't you rather see a lively, active forum where everyone feels free to contribute (even if opinions differ)?
If I misinterpreted, my apologies.
This is the best answer I've ever seen anywhere! Insulin shock.
Thank you (tongue in cheek she says "I can be clever" or snarky). I know that insulin is a recumbent creation, but something that keeps people alive is so much more expensive per dose than ...say...the little blue pill?
My mother in law inevitably walked in the front door and demanded food--"I think my blood sugar is low and I need to eat." And always on a diet, but lost no weight. One time I suggested we check her BG level and it was 120.
She has since developed T2, and tests sometimes. When she feels weird to 100, she calls. She is 82.
There is no real answer. When people feel weird, they need a reason. low BG works, even when it is not real.
Kind of harsh.
I am glad this topic was presented and do not see it as trivial or as making others not post their thoughts.