How do you say "NO" to people?

i solve this a different way — i have never told anyone i’m diabetic. not at grade school, high school, college, and in all the places i’ve worked. only my mother, my wife and my two kids know my medical history. i wouldn’t have it any other way. makes life much easier.

Hmm, with my lifestyle, plus living in nyc, I found that almost impossible to do. That’s been to much of a balancing act being insulin dependent. However, I feel that no one should have to hide…

i’ve been t1 for 50 years; i’m a reporter who covers the white house full time, i’ve spent time covering wars in iraq, bosnia and other harsh places plus every presidential campaign for the last 25 years. so … if i can do it any one can.
and to be clear … i’m not ``hiding’’ it. i’m declining to reveal it. there’s a very large difference. the bottom line is, i don’t need to tell anyone. i’ve never had a seizure, i’m complication free, i’ve never been to the hospital for a d-related event and i’ve never been incapacitated by a high or a low. given all that, it would be silly to disclose it and complicate an already
it’s a personal choice. everyone has to figure out what’s best and act accordingly. that’s the beauty of diabetes … there are multiple paths to the place we all want to be.

I decided to reveal my restriction to a few friends. It is hard to specify what I don’t eat without saying no carbs. I felt odd not touching pasta when it was served without warning. Saying no to any desert no matter what it is raises curiosity too.

Understood…

I’ve been in a similar situation… I was at a party once, and the host thought I did not like their food, and was interpreted as ungrateful… Once I broke it down to them, it was an OOooooooooohhhh moment… LOL… You’d be surprised how sensitive people get on the subject of food…

My threshold is very high. I have known people for over 20 years and not told them. But when we were invited over and over to our best friends house it was kind of odd to do the dance.

Doing this TOO long. If they know I have Diabetes and I don’t want what they are offering I say, “No thank you. I have Diabetes. That could kill me”. :smiley: Totally throws them into a stupid state for a while and makes them THINK.

Depends on what they are trying to push, and how they are presenting.

“We are all different and different things work for different people.”
“Well, type 2’s are different than type 1’s, but thank’s for thinking of me.”
“I would love to, but I have already had enough (fat, sugar, whatever) today.”
“I will ask my doctor about that and see what he/she thinks. He/she sometimes knows things I wouldn’t have considered.”

If I can’t figure out a response, I always check out this youtube video “the diabetes police.” If nothing else, it gives me a laugh.

DC there’s a first time for everything…I know you’re familiar with that term. I too have lived over 50 years with D. In my almost 40th year I developed hypounawareness. I had never experienced it and had never even heard of it. Since then there are quite a few new things I’ve learned and experienced…so never say never.

I’m with you Yogirajj hiding is not a good thing never can tell when you’ll need someone’s help.