At TuDiabetes I have heard people say that I am a T1 I am not a FAT betic.
Also that t2’s who suggest that one can do diet and exercise only are harming
Others. What do you think.
I spent YEARS misdiagnosed as T2, and when the meds didn’t work being told to lose weight, exercise, eat better, it’s all my fault, etc. It makes me so angry that people get away with saying stuff like that, because I was a) misdiagnosed and b) overweight, so now I’m a chubby T1. So I still get the ‘lose weight and it will go away’. Ummm, no. And honestly, while being a healthy weight is a good thing for your health, my honest opinion is once a diabetic, always a diabetic (No matter the type). Your body is always going to have diabetic quirks.
One type is no better/worse than the other, we are all just dealing with a stupid disease and should support each other, and dear Lord, not call names. I’ve never seen that happen, but it shouldn’t.
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is there any wonder there is discrimination in general, when even within the diabetics, it’s there.
it’s not body fat, it’s liver and pancreas fat, re taylor and the NC diet study and there are plenty of skinny T2s around
6mth review
I’m not clear what you mean in the last part, but I think low carb diet is 80% and drugs and exercise are 20% for a T2…we are insulin resistant and carb intolerant
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Any T1D that defends themself by unfairly and ignorantly directing blame onto T2Ds is both clueless and ineffective. I think some of this comes from newly diagnosed T1Ds and their closest relatives as a reflexive attempt to educate peripheral members of the public about autoimmunity and insulin resistance in diabetes. They don’t need to blame anyone to defend their situation. No one is to blame for any type of diabetes!
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Although I am the mother of a child with Type 1, I very frequently say the exact sentence in Terry4’s post that I’ve bolded above in order to set people straight whenever someone starts in with the bullcrap about Type 2’s causing their own disease… Really makes me see red!
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The whole t1 a t2 distinction does more harm than good in my opinion. In my estimation the label of type 1 often goes hand in hand with a certain degree of self righteousness that I don’t particularly care for. Whenever the circumstances allow for it I simply refer to myself as a diabetic, or say I have diabetes… The rest is unimportant, that’s how I self identify… I understand that there are different distinctions that need to be made regarding different mechanisms in certain instances, in conversations amongst people coping with subtypes of the very same disease… I just don’t think it’s helpful
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I use to identify myself as a diabetic but not anymore. I’m a PERSON who has a medical condition know as diabetes. I am not a disease process. Nor will that ever be enough of a label to define all of the person I am.
This topic comes up more often than it should. I always hope we can get beyond this. One of my biggest frustration is that whether you are type 1 or type 2, you will probably cross over into the “other side”'s treatment. There are many type 2’s on using insulin, on pumps & CGM. There are also many type 1’s using type 2 meds. I hate that the insurance and medical field just doesn’t get,we are not all cookie cutter types of diabetes. What works today for me may not work tomorrow. How I wish we could just say diabetes, no type, no name calling, just diabetes and find the best treat,EMT for each person with diabetes.
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Agreed, the whole distinction is harmful, not just in terms of financial aspects of securing treatment coverage, but also in social and psychological realms… As a person who is fortunate to thus far have enjoyed a reasonable level of financial security, I’m more bothered by the latter
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In my opinion, the most important reason to know that you have Type 1 is because if you have Type 1 you’re at risk of other autoimmune diseases, and knowing this could become an important point of health history at some point in the future should you ever develop symptoms of another autoimmune condition.
Otherwise, in terms of treatment or misplaced blame, the type shouldn’t matter at all. People with diabetes should have access to whatever treatment they need to keep near-normal blood sugar levels. Although, I think it is important for those who have little to no insulin production to know this, because for them it’s important to know that they need continuous access to insulin at all times to stay alive (i.e., trying to stop insulin is very, very dangerous)
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So interestingly enough, I was first diagnosed in 2001, at the age of 11 with Type 1, right after my kidney transplant, due to renal dysplasia. The diabetes was attributed to two things: Steroids/Transplant meds and genetics. Pretty much every single family member on either side has diabetes. So that dramatically increased my chances. In '03 I lost that first transplant due to BK virus, spent six years on dialysis. When I did my transplant work up, we knew diabetes was a strong possibility. So with that, yes, right after transplant I got diabetes within the same month. This time around, it was diagnosed as Type 2. As apparently the definitions for steroid induced have changed?
I do find there’s a lot of stigma and ickiness. Despite having type 2, I’ve always been on insulin, it’s always “acted” like type 1. But, it does bother me occasionally.
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Here at TuD there has been a sea change of understanding on this issue since 2008…This is an old discussion and in Ye Olden Days, it could get so heated with various biases’ and stereotypes that admin would have to shut it down…Well done Everybody!..Love and hugs…Judith in Portland…
Just goes to show that slow education and advocacy takes a lot of time but does, eventually, result in change, even if it seems there’s no progress happening for a long time. 
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I say something like “Thank you for your informed medical opinion, doctor”. and walk away.
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I was lost, but now I am found…
There is a BIG misconception among the general public (I was among the general public…meaning, those who know absolutely NOTHING about T1 OR T2, only rumor-mill, jailhouse lawyer talk), that T2 is a self-induced disease…I was one who used to believe that, until my son was diagnosed with T1 and I came here doing the blame game myself on T2’s. Then I began listening to T2’s stories, researching the T2 disease and watching/reading Doctor’s viewpoints about T2, and I saw the light.
I know that, from my own perspective, that I will now “try” to educate (because I’m still a babe myself in this world) those who have the misconception that one is somehow caused while the other isn’t. Unfortunately, there is that stereotype that exists and I guess all anyone can do is try to educate one person at a time…as people did for me when I first came here throwing mud.
<3 for all Diabetics…it’s hell no matter what type you have.
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@Jen I remember, I always thought of it as some weird, surreal competition for whose life is most miserable. Not a place one likes to spend too much time!..
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I have so much love for your post.
It’s hard to break down our own misconceptions and to reach out and learn. To hear each other’s experiences and grow. It’s a process and not always easy. So it’s really comforting to see these comments. Especially as someone who shied away from diabetes forums because of said blame on T2’s.
We’re all in this together, doing the best we can. Gotta help each other out. <3
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