Hey guys, wondering if you feel pretty private about being diabetic or if its something you’re fine with people knowing about. I guess just wondering if anyone else tries to conceal checking bloodsugar in public or giving self injections/pumping in front of others?
Nope I don’t hide it…I don’t flaunt it either. If out to dinner with my family I usually inject right at the table discreetly. I use the pens so no one really knows what they are anyway.
I don’t “hide it” unless in an uncomfortable situation. But I don’t flaunt it either. I use a pen too so it is easy to be discrete. With a pump I can see it being more crowd friendly. I did have one person give a friend of mine grief when he gave himself a shot in “fast food Disney” restaurant. She went on and on and told us we shouldn’t be doing THAT there. Even when I explained it was insulin she was still nasty and told us to go to the bathroom to do that. My friend left the table and gave himself a shot and I made the comment to the lady that when she goes into the Dr to get her flu shot ask the Dr. to give it to her in a public bathroom please. I think more attitudes are changing now but people still freak when they see a diabetic with needle.
I test in public in the restaurant, McD’s. But when it came to google repeating everything I said, THAT was too public! So I had to come face to face with the fact that I had a wall. I gave myself injections in public, anyone could join the family in our celebrations and I would test myself in front of them - but there was a point! And it was google!
I only test/ take shots in public as long as there’s someone that I know there who knows that I have diabetes. I do use the pens so it’s a little bit less “hey look at what I’m doing.” I have been known to check while driving, if there’s a reason to, but I’m hoping that with a little more control, that won’t be an issue anymore… never tried walking and testing… lol
Only time I actually test my BG is before and after my cheat meals. So more then likely it would be done in my car but if I had to do it at the restaurant I really wouldn’t mind or care what other people think.
Am I open about my diabetes?..
I keep everyone on the need to know basis. Only people that know are some family members and my really close friends.
Testing & injecting in public doesn’t bother me. If I have to do it, I do it. I use restrooms in restaurants if the dining room is too dark to fill a syringe.
I don’t care who knows:) Nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about. Most people are too self-involved to even notice what someone else is doing.
I test anywhere anytime. It is my right and it is not like I go out of my way to do it. But when I need to I do it. Eating out or at a friends or anywhere else. I am on a pump so I use my meter to bolus.
I like to think I am discreet, but I don’t go to great lengths to hide anything I am doing. I check will anywhere, whenever I need to. When I was on MDI I would inject anywhere and everywhere too… it didn’t bother me, but I never made a big production out of it as I have seen some people do.
I’m very public. I’m not in anyone’s face, but I don’t make any effort to hide my diabetes. I check my blood where I am, nobody notices. If they did and they said something I’d tell them to mind their own business. When I was on MDI I injected in the restroom but only to avoid being accused of using illicit drugs.
Terry
I used to be more private about my diabetes but it is so much a part of me now that although I don’t flaunt it or throw it in people’s faces, nor do I hide it. If I need to check my BG level then I do so wherever I happen to be. I also make whatever correction may be needed at that time whether it is insulin or food. Having a pump makes taking insulin much more discreet than a syringe.
I honestly prefer to be public about it, just in case something happens and no one has a clue whats going on. For example, in church last year, the woman behind me passed out. I know she’s a type 1, so I got on my cell phone in church, called 911 and asked 2 men to carry her outside. When the ambulance arrived, I was able to tell them her name and the fact she’s a type 1 diabetic. She was not wearing any medical alert bracelet to let them know this. Knowing she was a diabetic helped them, as one of the first things they did was take her blood sugar.
My thought is this is part of my life and who I am. Although it doesn’t define me, it would be like hiding the fact I have brown eyes to everyone. While I don’t make a big deal out of it, I do test my blood sugar at the table, I just take out my meter, do the test and put it away, typically continuing my conversation without missing a beat. In 13 years of living with diabetes, I’ve never had anyone complain, and in fact, I’ve had several conversations begin when people see me doing it, esp. fellow diabetics.
It sounds like you hide your diabetes. May I ask why?
Everyone knows i have diabetes but i feel weird about like checking and bolusing sometimes . But i usually just check whenever where ever i am and people are intrested!
i check all the time in class and everyone is into it!
Iused to be extremely public with it. now that I got a spibelt I can kinda hide my pump, which made me feel so non-d it was a weird feeling. I still test in public and i talk about it when people ask. im proud 
I don’t hide it. I would give injections under the table or through my clothes if I thought there might be a problem. Much easier now with a pump. I am open about my diabetes. I don’t try to hide it, but I don’t go out of my way to announce it either. It is part of who I am now. Too me, not a real big deal.
I would say…Im discrete about it and do not flaunt it. But if routine calls and schedule necessitates it, I do not mind testing in public either.
I think it’s unfortunate that the original question about being open about being diabetic has become another thread about testing/injecting in public or private.I would like to hear more answers to the general question. I don’t see the two things as the same. Everyone who knows me knows I have diabetes. Most know I was misdiagnosed Type 2 and figured out on my own I’m LADA/Type 1, and what that means. They know about my food and meal requirements. Truth be told they probably get more detail than they are interested in. Since I figured out my diagnosis and got on Insulin just this February it has been a big part of my world. Hopefully that will decrease somewhat as I think there is a limit to the interest of non-diabetics.
I watched the Army Wives people have been talking about on here (never watched it before because I am not interested in military things), but I found the part about the diabetic “coming out” to her friends interesting. I could understand her feelings and initial desire to hide her diagnosis, but never had those feelings myself. Maybe the fact I’m older has something to do with that.
But I’m in the minority on the public/private testing/injecting thing. I don’t test in public. I don’t criticize anyone who does, but to me it would feel too personal. I love sunbathing and swimming nude, but understand people who prefer not to be naked in public; I guess it is a similar thing. I am not, however, ashamed of being a diabetic, or trying to hide it as some would say, I just prefer not to do those things in front of strangers. Oh, yes, and I do have one non-subjective opinion: As far as testing in public: having provided AIDS/HCV education for years, I believe in Universal Precautions which means not exposing others (or being exposed to) blood products. the Hep C virus can live in a drop of dried blood for up to 14 days.
I never said it was “inappropriate to discuss testing;injecting in public” or even that it was irrelevant. I merely said I was disappointed that people only responded to that aspect of the OP’s post, not the more general topic of being open about one’s diabetes diagnosis which I would have found more interesting. And that for me the two were not the same (I’m open about having diabetes, but don’t test in public.)As always, YMMV.
Since the discussion posed the question about “concealing” testing, pumping, injections, people responded appropriately.
Wondering if this is touched a nerve with you since you’re not comfortable doing this. I wouldn’t be comfortable sunbathing naked. That feels far more personal to me than discretely testing or injecting insulin. No one pays attention to what I’m doing compared to being on display naked for everyone to notice. I don’t care if anyone wants to prance about nude, but I’d feel like an exhibitionist doing this.
I’m sure others are respectful about not leaving test strips or used syringes behind in public places. I take mine with me & dispose of them properly at home.
Everyone I know is aware that I’m a PWD. I don’t tell them of my meal/food requirements unless they ask. Most don’t & I’m sure it’s a pretty boring topic to anyone but another diabetic.
You’re welcome:) I enjoyed your rebuttal.
Really, don’t understand that nude swimming/sunbathing has anything to do with this topic. Guess it’s not enough to do it, but you have tell everyone about it, too:) Definitely TMI.