[breezeonby]

I went out to eat today. After eating, I went to the restroom to take my insulin. I decided to stay in the main area instead of going into a stall. As I was injecting my insulin, a young lady came in the restroom and turned around and walked out. I had my shirt pulled up just a little to give myself a shot in the stomach. I didn't know what to think. I felt like I had done something wrong. I wasn't taking crack or an illegal substance. I was just doing what I had to do. I guess in the future I will go into a stall to take my shots. I didn't know that taking insulin in semi-private was a big deal. I guess I was wrong.

 

[Richard157]

Becky, I used to use the stalls but that is very unsanitary. Any part of a rest room is unsanitary. I would look or ask for a table that was kind of private and load my insulin below the table and inject in mt stomach through my shirt. Many diabetics inject through their clothing. My syringe was never visible to people at other tables. With pratice you can be very good at this. If you get a pump someday it will be a breeze. Just push a few buttons. People will not even notice.

 

[iris peleg]

you souldn't feel bad

Hi Becky,

I also inject with my close on but if you feel better to go to the restroom and do it there in the open area, it is OK. Don't feel bad because someone was ignorant enough to think this is illegal. Pasrt of our way to leave with diabetes is to accept this type of reaction and still to be OK.

Iris Peleg

 

[breezeonby]

When to consider a pump?

Becky, I used to use the stalls but that is very unsanitary. Any part of a rest room is unsanitary. I would look or ask for a table that was kind of private and load my insulin below the table and inject in mt stomach through my shirt. Many diabetics inject through their clothing. My syringe was never visible to people at other tables. With pratice you can be very good at this. If you get a pump someday it will be a breeze. Just push a few buttons. People will not even notice.

When is it time to consider a pump? I take 4 shots of novolog per day and and one shot of lantus. Do you know what type of red tape is involved to get your insurance company to pay for a pump? What type of advantages is there to using a pump verses syringes? I don't know that much about a pump. I always thought a pump was used by type 1 diabetics. Do you take long acting insulin in addition to rapid acting insulin? I am going to have to get my diabetes books out and start doing some research. In the meantime, I will try and learn to give myself a shot through my clothing. If it was summer, I would just give myself a shot in the thigh if I was wearing shorts.

 

[Richard157]

There are many Type 2 diabetics who use pumps. It usually happens when there is a lot of highs and lows and using injections and carb counting is no longer doing a good job at keeping in a healthy range, like 70-130. If you have many highs well above 140 and many lows well below 70 then your doctor might agree with a pump. Many health insurance companies insist on a letter of recommendation from an endo, rather that some other kind of doctor. Medicare turned me down but my secondary insurance company accepted and paid for my pump and all the supplies. If you keep records of your daily meter numbers on your computer, that could help. You would have to connect your meter to your computer and it will show all your testing for 30 days, or more, depending on the brand. Not all meters can be connected to a computer.If a lot of bad lows are showing that could lead to bad hypos then that might be convincing to an insurance company.

 

[sami30]

when I used pens, I used to take my insulin in the toilet.
but now, since I have my pump, it's whenever, wherever, the total freedom!
I'm lucky because in france, we have the "sécurité sociale" wich pay all our traitments: pumps, insulins.....

 

[Steph]

I do it in public!

I went out to eat today. After eating, I went to the restroom to take my insulin. I decided to stay in the main area instead of going into a stall. As I was injecting my insulin, a young lady came in the restroom and turned around and walked out. I had my shirt pulled up just a little to give myself a shot in the stomach. I didn't know what to think. I felt like I had done something wrong. I wasn't taking crack or an illegal substance. I was just doing what I had to do. I guess in the future I will go into a stall to take my shots. I didn't know that taking insulin in semi-private was a big deal. I guess I was wrong.

I learnt a long time ago not to be embarrassed by the fact that I inject, and that if someone else is, they can ask me about it. The only time I will "hide" to give myself a shot, is when I am wearing something that does not allow easy access to my stomach - ie a dress. Otherwise I will expose skin and jab - at the table of the restaurant, at my desk at work, at a friends home - where-ever. Same goes with blood testing. In 30 plus years the only reaction I have had is from a woman at work who has a needle phobia, and she just turns away now.

 

[onaughmae]

I learnt a long time ago not to be embarrassed by the fact that I inject, and that if someone else is, they can ask me about it. The only time I will "hide" to give myself a shot, is when I am wearing something that does not allow easy access to my stomach - ie a dress. Otherwise I will expose skin and jab - at the table of the restaurant, at my desk at work, at a friends home - where-ever. Same goes with blood testing. In 30 plus years the only reaction I have had is from a woman at work who has a needle phobia, and she just turns away now.

When I was still taking injections i did it right at the table. The idea of going into a bathroom to do it seems so unsanitary to me. Now that I have the pump its way easier...just pull it out of my pocket, push a few buttons and its done.

 

[misha09]

It's OK to take your shot where ever you need to. I go to a stall if I can't do it fairly hidden at the table. Yes, there's no need to be embarrassed but I try and avoid any embarrassment for others. I have taken it through my clothes if necessary. Or try and get a booth. It's amazing how well it can be hidden. A rest room shouldn't be unsanitary if nothing touches anything! I assume you wash your hands and your needles don't touch anything.

 

[Shanny]

Hey misha09 . . . welcome aboard! Happy to have you join us!

 

[kas77]

I went out to eat today. After eating, I went to the restroom to take my insulin. I decided to stay in the main area instead of going into a stall. As I was injecting my insulin, a young lady came in the restroom and turned around and walked out. I had my shirt pulled up just a little to give myself a shot in the stomach. I didn't know what to think. I felt like I had done something wrong. I wasn't taking crack or an illegal substance. I was just doing what I had to do. I guess in the future I will go into a stall to take my shots. I didn't know that taking insulin in semi-private was a big deal. I guess I was wrong.

I don't know if this would work for anyone else, but I used to take my insulin in my arm. There is a spot between the muscle from the shoulder and the muscle from the top part of the arm that it dips in a little. I found that it never hurt to inject it there. Also if I was wearing a blouse or a v-neck top I would inject it into the top part of my breast. Most times I wouldn't even feel it here. Either way, no shirt lifting required.

 

[jsntay]

I was actually surprised to see sharps containers in the restrooms at the Atlanta Airport.

 

[onaughmae]

I was actually surprised to see sharps containers in the restrooms at the Atlanta Airport.

wow....I have never seen that an airport before.