[Miss Crystal]

What response do you usually get from friends, family, coworkers when you tell them you have diabetes?

Outside of those who really don't know much about out and therefore want to tell me that if I eat right and exercise I can be cured I find that people are very interested.they want to know how to check blood sugar in case they ever have to do it for me and what they should do for me if I ever hit an extreme low or high and can't care for myself.

I prefer the latter person. They don't approach me as if they know more about my body and disease than I do and are very much open to being educated.

What do you usually experience?

I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

 

[jwags]

When I first told my friends, they didn't believe me. When I was dx'd I was pretty healthy, not skinny, but not overweight and I ate all the healthy fruit and whole grains you were supposed to eat. I think most people have a sterotype of what a diabetic looks like . Now I am very thin and no one believes me. I find most people don't want to hear about diabetes, so I have basically stopped talking about it. Even some of my diabetic friends don't want to hear how you can normalise bgs.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

What response do you usually get from friends, family, coworkers when you tell them you have diabetes?

Outside of those who really don't know much about out and therefore want to tell me that if I eat right and exercise I can be cured I find that people are very interested.they want to know how to check blood sugar in case they ever have to do it for me and what they should do for me if I ever hit an extreme low or high and can't care for myself.

I prefer the latter person. They don't approach me as if they know more about my body and disease than I do and are very much open to being educated.

What do you usually experience?

I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

My despicable relatives told me it was my fault for eating too much junk food. Lovely people, huh?

Oh, and then there was the guy I was fixed up with who told me he'd never get involved with a woman who refuses to eat greasy pizza with him.

 

[Shanny]

Oh, and then there was the guy I was fixed up with who told me he'd never get involved with a woman who refuses to eat greasy pizza with him.

Oh that's maturity personified! lol! Did you tell him 'don't let the door hit you . . . yadda yadda'?

 

[moon]

My friends have been very supportive, and interested even (or else I have very polite friends!) One of my CA neighbors started eating low-carb when I did because what happened w/ me scared the be-whatsits out of her. Another has asked for some links and info to gently give to someone else who was recently dx'ed but continues to eat pasta, potatoes, etc. This second friend read Jenny's site and picked up a Walmart meter just to monitor herself periodically. Friends here in NC have asked what I can eat and deferred to me for restaurant choices.

I do have a diabetic friend here in NC who stopped talking about diabetes because she doesn't like what I'm saying - she follows ADA guidelines. Another here in NC sought my advice w/ his uncontrolled diabetes and is following my low-carb lead.

All in all, I've found people wonderfully open and supportive. Has been nice.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

Oh that's maturity personified! lol! Did you tell him 'don't let the door hit you . . . yadda yadda'?

Actually, my response to him was that I'm more the type of woman who would THROW a greasy pizza at him!

 

[moon]

Actually, my response to him was that I'm more the type of woman who would THROW a greasy pizza at him!

And I woulda said, "But ... I eat the grease!"

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Thankfully, I do not deal with many people off-line.

The ones that I do, have come to terms with me eating what I want, when I want, and as little as I want. They no longer tell me to eat more.

They also have no clue what it's like to have this awful disease.

 

[Miss Crystal]

When I first told my friends, they didn't believe me. When I was dx'd I was pretty healthy, not skinny, but not overweight and I ate all the healthy fruit and whole grains you were supposed to eat. I think most people have a sterotype of what a diabetic looks like . Now I am very thin and no one believes me. I find most people don't want to hear about diabetes, so I have basically stopped talking about it. Even some of my diabetic friends don't want to hear how you can normalise bgs.

I get a similar response in regard to the fact that I am very petite, love vegetables and fruit and I'm very active. Initially I found that response very frustrating but more often than not now I see it as a teachable moment. It gives me a chance to educate them and show them that diabetes doesn't have a "look"

I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

 

[Miss Crystal]

My despicable relatives told me it was my fault for eating too much junk food. Lovely people, huh?

Oh, and then there was the guy I was fixed up with who told me he'd never get involved with a woman who refuses to eat greasy pizza with him.

I am so sorry that you didn't have supportive relatives. This disease is hard enough to come to terms with and manage without having people tell you it's your fault and being unsupportive. I have been lucky in that many people in my family have type 2 so they somewhat know what I am going through. They too like the general public had a misconception about who gets diabetes because they all commented they could not believe I of all people have it. It has helped them get more serious about taking care of themselves as well.

As for the guy......what a jerk!

I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

 

[Miss Crystal]

My friends have been very supportive, and interested even (or else I have very polite friends!) One of my CA neighbors started eating low-carb when I did because what happened w/ me scared the be-whatsits out of her. Another has asked for some links and info to gently give to someone else who was recently dx'ed but continues to eat pasta, potatoes, etc. This second friend read Jenny's site and picked up a Walmart meter just to monitor herself periodically. Friends here in NC have asked what I can eat and deferred to me for restaurant choices.

I do have a diabetic friend here in NC who stopped talking about diabetes because she doesn't like what I'm saying - she follows ADA guidelines. Another here in NC sought my advice w/ his uncontrolled diabetes and is following my low-carb lead.

All in all, I've found people wonderfully open and supportive. Has been nice.

I think it's awesome that your friends have taken interest and take your needs into consideration. Many of my coworkers have done the same for me and I really appreciate it

I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

 

[Miss Crystal]

Thankfully, I do not deal with many people off-line.

The ones that I do, have come to terms with me eating what I want, when I want, and as little as I want. They no longer tell me to eat more.

They also have no clue what it's like to have this awful disease.

I too hear the "you need to eat more comments". I just ignore it because I know that when my bgl levels reach a certain point and I'm feeling crappy, they'll be nowhere to be found

I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

 

[onlymep]

well my experience to date is that not many people understand or accept you have diabetes. When I was first diagnosed I was 25yo. I got told by family and friends that it's impossible for me to have type 2 as I'm too young... back then it was known as "mature onset diabetes". I've also had my fair share of people telling me what to eat and to "go natural and stop taking so much drugs.. no wonder you're unwell". To this day I still have people telling me that I should switch to natural alternatives and try herbal therapy, etc. I'm still trying to educate people around me about hypos. When it does happen... I literally run for sugar and people around me start panicking usually. By the time they have done anything I've already got some sort of sugar shoved down my throat... and all they can do is "are you Ok?". The most recent occurence is trying to explain to my family that I can't just eat roast vegetables... well I did that and had a hypo in front of them. They are addicted to roasts I think... now they know to serve something low GI for me. I'm sure you all agree that it is hard sometimes as our family and friends don't always understand... although sometimes they try. My work colleagues are the same... they've been learning from me though which is good. They are horrified that I now have to inject though... along with my other health issues the recent comment I received this week was "I'm surprised you even make it into work" (I was explaining I was having hypos at night).

 

[canadiandude]

I am living as an expat Canadian in Stockholm, Sweden so my family is all back in Canada. While both my mother and my sister also have Type 2, they don't know much about managing it well with diet or they just don't care to. I was diagnosed after my move to Sweden and we al do a poor job of staying in touch. My friends here in Sweden were shocked to hear of my heart attack when it happened but when told that I also have Type 2 diabetes, they immediately started telling me that I need to lose weight and eat healthier. They all believe in the Plate Model" as suggested by the Swedish Diabetes Association and were skeptical when I told them about my decision to eat low carb. They don't ask about my diabetes whenever we meet up except two friends who will only eat at a place where they know I can also get something low carb.

 

[Shalynne]

I'm of That Certain Age where all of the gossip turns toward ailments. Many of my friends are several years/decades older than I am, so I joined that cohort quicker, perhaps, than I would have otherwise.

In my circle, therefore, my diabetes is juuuust above colds and allergies in the ailments department. (Wish it weren't so; they all deserve to be far better off!)

It's my treatment regimen (Insulin?! Horrors!) and strict diet, not the diagnosis, that makes things awkward. Especially since several are diabetics themselves who follow something like the ADA diet (with results I would not accept for myself), or no diet at all. Most of 'em are content with glucose levels under 200, whereas I strive for normal. We talk about politics and weather, not diabetes.

I don't ask for specific support and really can't respond much to offers, largely 'cause I'm still feeling my way around and have little helpful to tell them. Things still change a lot, and it's my responsibility, anyway. But I appreciate all offers, and I let 'em know that!