Just wondering how people find talking about their diabetes,because with me I can talk non -stop about it but when speaking to a few diabetics I met they dont like talking about it some even to their friends or family.
Me on the other hand talk to friends and family about it esp incase anything goes wrong so that they know what to do or what to tell the ambulance service at least.
How do you feel about it?
I’m like you, it’s my only topic at the moment and all my friends know that (and most are still listening patiently but not sure for how long). I have only been diagnosed last year so it’s still all fresh and new for me, and the more I read, the more I get obsessed about it (in good and bad ways) and the more I have to talk about it.
I think I talk about it so much to see what others think, to get their feedback, but forgetting that nobody knows as much about my diabetes as I do. I have completely changed my way of eating and talk about that a lot, too (especially when I’m going out with friends - of course!).
I know one person who doesn’t seem to want to talk about it and also seems in denial about it in other ways, e.g. still eating the high-carb foods he has always eaten. Me, I feel better about it when everybody knows what I’m going through. It’s a nice way to get some sympathy, although I’m very careful not to overdo it.
for some reason i find myself bringing it up all the time, usually to explain a odd behavior of mine. I’m more shy about my tattoos then i am about my diabetes. Now if you start telling me what to do and i don’t know the person very well or don’t like them, i’ll close down, won’t talk, and glare.
I feel like the more I talk about it, the more people understand and are educated. So many people are ashamed of being diabetic and I feel so bad. I didn’t ask for this, but since I have it, I’m going to deal with it. No sense in bottling it up. I have never really had an issue with talking about it but I can understand why some people don’t feel comfortable. I think it is situational and for some people it is an aspect of their life they may not feel comfortable sharing. I think diabetes still has a stigma attached to it as being something that “we brought on ourselves” even though that is COMPLETELY NOT TRUE. But unfortunately there are a lot of ignorant people (as in uneducated, not mean) that just don’t know, and it can be uncomfortable to discuss. But for me, I don’t have any problems.
I’m not at all uncomfortable talking about it, and in fact, am working on talking about it less. Like Uta, I feel I am somewhat obsessed. I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago, but I was misdiagnosed and with true diagnosis as LADA (and use of insulin) is just a year old. I feel I had to be obsessed and used my friends and family as sounding boards, but now I’m at a point where I’m consciously working on making it a smaller part of my life and of my conversation. I have two Type 2 friends that are at the opposite end of the spectrum, especially one of them who is just beginning to come out of denial. I always want to talk diabetes with them because they are diabetics, and of all my friends they are the most resistent because I am bringing up things they don’t want to think about. All in all my friends and family are very supportive but I think they will be happy wth my resolve to talk about it less.
My friends & family know what to do if I’m low or sick. I don’t know any diabetics to talk with. If people ask questions about diabetes, I’m happy to share what I know. If someone makes an ignorant remark & I’m in the mood, I’ll try to nicely set them straight.
But, I don’t talk about diabetes. I don’t believe other people are interested & who wants to hear about someone else’s disease & their trials & tribulations? Honestly, I feel self-absorbed enough tending to it without talking about it. Someone asks how I’m doing, I reply “fine” & that’s it.
lol i have the same mindset, just really depends on what mood they find me in…
I used to not like talking about my diabetes, but recently I have been talking more. I have found that talking about it actually makes me feel a lot more comfortable with it. I just don’t like recently when someone find out I have diabetes they try to tell me about someone who has diabetes or how they had gestational diabetes. I had one woman tell me that and I was like did you have to take insulin like me? She was like no all she had to do was check her BG levels every day and stay away from sweets. In my mind I was like lady I wish mine was that simple, but it’s not.
I always talked openly about my diabetes since I was diagnosed at the age of 12, 17 years ago. Nowadays I’m really talking a lot about it since I’ve started pumping three weeks ago, so it’s a bunch of new stuff to talk about.
My friends and family, even my coworkers, are very interested and curious about it, and ask me lots of questions about this new therapy (well, in Portugal it’s kind of new since there are not many people using an insulin pump).
But I also met two diabetic persons who doesn’t want to talk about their diabetes to anyone, mostly because they don’t want people feel pity for them. I think it’s a question of how do you face your diabetes. I always believed that I can accomplish whatever I want if I put my mind and heart into it, and I’ve never, not once, thougt that I couldn’t do this or that because I have diabetes. Of course diabetes is a big part of my life, but it’s absolutely not all of my life. So, for me, to be open about my diabetes seems so natural just like everything else.
People hate that I talk about it so much… I’ve been yelled at for talking about it so much… Without you guys on this forum, I just don’t have much of an outlet, but a patient husband… who if it weren’t for me, he’d have basically no control at all of his own Diabetes.
I grew up not talking about it…in fact, the less focus placed on it the better…Until now…I’ve turned a corner and after 40 years of trying to pretend it doesn’t matter I’ve emerged this woman who wants to shout it from the rooftops and find others who feel the same way! (My husband is kind of in a state of shock…!)
As a general rule, I try not to talk about my diabetes for two reasons. one, it tends to stir up the diabetic police and two, i can’t risk scareing an employer. However, there are exceptions. Last month Doc was adjusting my meds and I really wasn’t doing a good job of controling things, so there were a few days my BS fell into the 50’s before I caught it. Seems I have become a little insensitive to lows. I shared the problem with a couple of close coworkers just incase i was unconsioous or dopey to fend for myself. they knew where the glucose was, my meter, etc.
the other reason I don’t talk about it is because I can become obsessive over it which can bore people to death. I don’t want to be excluded when everyone goes out for pizza or feel they are making choices because of my diabetes…
danny w
Im like you! I want everyone to know what to do if something happens to me!
it’s alwas fun to use the diabetic card
it’s kinda like a guy in a wheel chair with no legs, should i open the door for him? or let him open the door for me?