Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jim on October 6, 2011 at 7:20pm

I went to see a Gastroenterologist a few years ago and he asked me how long I had diabetes. I told him 28 years and he gave me a weird concerned look and said "ohhh" very slowly. Was like he had no clue that someone could have diabetes for nearly 30 years and still be alive.

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Permalink Reply by newtoheaven on October 7, 2011 at 3:03pm

If I ever move to your area, give me the name of your gastroenterologist so that I NEVER see him. You would think that especially specialists would have experience dealing with diabetes.

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Permalink Reply by Kim on October 11, 2011 at 4:18am

I was diagnosed with Type 1 at 49. Even my Walgreens pharmacist who had known me for a few years told me I don't look diabetic when I went to get my first round of supplies.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on October 11, 2011 at 4:35am

You look kinda young for 32. Are you sure you don't have diabetes?

I have told people that I have type 2 diabetes and they have responded "well I guess you do look kinda fat."

ps. I am at a good weight and I didn't "look" fat before you knew I had diabetes.

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Permalink Reply by Aimee on October 11, 2011 at 1:49pm

My daughter was diagnosed at age 3 (she is 7 years old now). Idiotic people will either comment about how young she is or how thin she is. Then when I explain to them the difference between type 1 diabetes and type 2 many times I will get negative comments about 'those' type 2 diabetics. The whole time they do not realize that I am a type 2 diabetic.

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Permalink Reply by newtoheaven on October 13, 2011 at 9:48pm

Oooh, burn! Love how people assume things. Maybe they didn't think you were diabetic because you were actually educated about it. I think some medical professionals automatically assume that I'm clueless or lazy about my diabetes because they encounter too many diabetics that do not take care of themselves, which gives us healthy diabetics a bad name. I've experienced being talked down to because I was judged by my disease. I've encountered one too many diabetics who don't take the disease seriously, sad to say.

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Permalink Reply by Anna Banana on October 11, 2011 at 2:42pm

I was diagnosed when i was 4 and when people find out they blame me for eating too much sugar or they saw AWWWW you poor thing. some think im still too young to know how to manage my diabetes

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Permalink Reply by Toshiba19 on October 11, 2011 at 7:33pm

i guess usually because they just link diabetes with youngsters or elderly but never think that the youngsters will eventually grow up.

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Permalink Reply by SuFu, Ph.D. on October 11, 2011 at 8:46pm

I get this all the time. Also since I'm a bodybuilder, people look at me and say you don't look diabetic. I've given up trying to explain the differences because the majority of people just don't care and they really don't understand the science/physiology/etiology behind the two diseases. I could sit there and explain it to them and make their eyes bleed with boredom, or just move on. Kind of like a party when people try to explain the differences between two types of apples or topoisomerases. I just change the subject and move on since 90+% of the diabetes are T2, it's a losing battle to get the majority of people to understand.

The problem in healthcare with people not understanding the difference is pretty pervasive. Again, since 90+% of the people they deal with are T2, they're going to assume that all diabetics are T2. Even the media has given up on differentiating. If they reference diabetes, it's T2. For better or worse we're all lumped together. Is this annoying? YES! Is it going to change? Not a chance.

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Permalink Reply by Zoe on October 12, 2011 at 6:45am

Actually Type 2's are more like only 75% now that they have recognized all the misdiagnosed ones!

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Permalink Reply by newtoheaven on October 13, 2011 at 9:43pm

I'm glad I don't "look" diabetic. That way, I don't have to explain my diabetes as much. However, it is pretty annoying to get such a comment.

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Permalink Reply by 870allamerican on October 12, 2011 at 6:43am

newtoheaven, I used to get the same thing. I feel your pain. I used to keep it a secret when I was in school all the way thru college. Now it is just water rolling off my back. I am now 56 almost 57. I was dx'd July 5,1958. I was 3. My daughter was dx'd May 4,2006 at the age of 23. She gets that all of the time. Still going strong and will not stop for anything. Keep a stiff upper lip and march on young lady!!!

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