To specify type 1 or type 2?

[fairynick]

I have a friend with Type 1 Diabetes who has unfortunately been quite poorly with it her whole life and likes to raise awareness about her condition etc. I’m completely supportive of this and appreciate she’s been through a lot.
However, whenever I mention something to do with diabetes, for example my uncle has diabetes, she will say will you please specify between the diabetes types it really upsets and angers me.
She gets annoyed because diabetes is seen generally by society as a disease that fatties get for being lazy and unhealthy but because she’s type 1 she was born with this autoimmune condition and can’t do anything about it and doesn’t wish to be associated with type 2.
I do understand this but at the same time it seems a bit of an overreaction to continually point it out every time I mention says my diabetic uncle or a diabetes screening at the pharmacy.
Then again she’s the one who has the illness, so am I being unreasonable for not making more of an effort?

Not everyone with type 2 is simply lazy and fat. Lots of other conditions can predispose you to developing it so she’s being snobby.

Type 1 requires insulin and is an autoimmune disease so can be hereditary/genetic

Type 2 is not insulin dependent and doesn’t insulin. It is generally associated with weight and diet. As far as I know it is not hereditary or genetic

My mum has type 1 btw and she can be a bit like your friend. I’m afraid there is a tendency for people to not know the difference and assume it’s type 2 because there’s been so much in the media about it. She does clarify that she’s type 1.

It’s easy to say she’s snobby but it does get a bit irritating when people assume you’re not taking care of yourself.

I think if you tried living with Type 1 for a bit you would probably get it. They are really different diseases with different causes, treatments and outlooks. It can be really quite challenging as a Type 1 when people think you could cure yourself with a new diet, or don’t get that insulin is literally life saving, or understand that hypos kill, because you have the same thing their uncle does.

Both are serious and important diseases. But they are not the same. Also - as a general rule I tend to think it’s best to let people who have a condition/disability define their own ways of thinking about it, rather than making convenience and simplicity for the rest of us the watchword.

I can completely understand her reaction. It's the same feeling I guess as the urge I get to scream at someone when I hear for the 1000th time that exercise/yoga/ weight loss/meditation/nutritional drinks etc will cure my lupus. It drives me insane, so I can understand it totally.

I think you're being unreasonable, it's not much to add 2 words if it makes it easier for her. Strikes me as odd though that it covers up as often as it seems to, but still.

I’m with your friend. Type one is a life changing disease, often from childhood. Type two usually needs a life change.

As a Type 1 - she’s being unreasonable and buying in to the narrative that type 2’s are fat/lazy ‘can help it’.

Yes they are different illnesses and it’s annoying when people think you can treat them the same but that doesn’t mean you improve that situation by always specifying type 1 or type 2. You just educate people when you can not to believe in lazy stereotypes

Actually @delineateddelinquent my dad is type 2 and has just gone over to insulin after ten years so type 2 can require insulin.

Type 2 is strongly genetic, and your chance of getting it is also strongly associated with your heritage. Both my parents have type 2 and are on insulin - not because they were fat and inactive when diagnosed either. When my mum was diagnosed she ate a very, very healthy diet, was slim and very active, and it really gets on my wick when people with Type 1 are rude about type 2 sufferers

I appreciate everyones opinions thank you!
I know lots about diabetes and the two types and how different they are, we’ve been friends a long time so she’s educated me!
I understand that she’s the one who has to go through this illness so the least I could do is specify, I would never not specify on purpose but sometimes it obviously does come out. I’ll try harder from now

I'm with your friend, it's similar to "arthritis" (aka oestoarthritis - wear and tear as you get older) and auto-immune arthritis (a variety of immune system disorders that affect your joints)

As a type 2 diabetic @delineateddelinquent can I say you are wrong on all counts in your first post!

Type 2 is sometimes associated with weight/lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetics don't usually need insulin on diagnosis but usually do within 10-15 years, as it cannot be managed with diet and lifestyle changes alone in most cases.

Type 2 diabetes is also hereditary and passed on genetically in some cases...

Yup, T1 here and I would prefer if it was specified, and I do correct people.

I love being told that someone’s uncle has reversed their diabetes and therefore I could too. Not likely...

Also, cinnamon and kiwi fruit also probably aren’t going to cure me.

By the way I also think it’s really important to understand that Type 2 has many causes, only some of them “preventable”. And that people deserve every sympathy and support even if they have some self-caused “risk factors” (don’t we all!!!). But lumping Type 2 in with Type 1 (a different disease) isn’t the solution to that - and causes real practical everyday misunderstandings for Type 1s that make our life even more difficult than it already is (and maybe sometimes causes issues for Type 2s, I don’t know).

I agree with your friend. My DH is T1, it’s not the same as T2 and should be specified. T2 is pretty much always due to lifestyle choices, T1 isn’t

Can’t help thinking that perhaps type 1 and type 2 diabetes should have different names?
As they are so different.

Having said that, the people I expect to specify are my close friends and family, especially if I’ve corrected them before and also the media.

I’ve got both two uncles with T2. One has managed to reverse his condition and one doesn’t manage his at all.

I’m the only known person in my family with T1, and actually with any autoimmune conditions.

My 7 year old even likes it specified that she’s type 1. Especially after friends telling her that she shouldn’t have eaten so much sugar and then she wouldn’t have it. 😢 Lots more education is needed and it’s a horrible disease to have.

Seriously fellow T1’s that are so militant about people knowing about your illness - you need to be less ignorant about T2. It has a very strong genetic component. Please stop reading the daily mail and hating on fellow sick people. It’s embarrassing.

If i had type 1 i would be specifying myself to avoid all the useless diet tips above.
Im not sure id expect other people to specify when talking about 3rd parties. You might not even know.
I had two conditions in pregnancy that raise my risk of developing type 2 diabetes (one by 50%) and belong to an ethnic group with a raised risk. I had gestational diabetes whilst underweight and eating a great diet and bring honest i did look out of place in the clinic.
Maybe it needs a different name completely.

I'm with your friend.

Mainly because of the number of patronising cunts who have informed me that their Nan has had a hip replacement and doesn't make as much fuss as me about being in pain at my age, I'm way too young to be thinking I've got the condition and anyway, if I'd only go jogging and try eliminating whole food groups, drinking vinegar, avoiding acids, or, most of all, LOSING WEIGHT, my arthritic joints would be fine.

No, Kerry, they fucking wouldn't. It's a fucking autoimmune disease. I have to inject myself with something that will reduce my lifespan almost as much as leaving the disease untreated will do and, in the meantime, a simple infection could kill me. I DON'T need to 'Boost my Immune System', as it's already in the process of trying to destroy me from the inside out. This bastarding disease was attacking my joints and tendons when I was five years old and underweight, it was attacking my joints and tendons when I was 12 and underweight, it was attacking my joints when I was 15 and in a fullblown ED due to listening to all the shit about restricting entire food groups and it has attacked my joints and tendons in exactly the same manner all the way from weighing about 22lbs to 260lbs and back down again.

Psoriatic Arthritis is NOT self inflicted. It IS AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE.

So yes, make sure you say your friend has Type 1 Diabetes. Because she's probably sick of being told that it's her fault for eating sweets and cakes all day every day.

I know I fucking am.

Hey Mitzi - mine is psoriatic too!

The NHS website states that 85% of type 2 diabetes is due to obesity. So although it sucks for the 15% who aren't overweight, it must be crap to be lumped in with the type 2 diabetes category when your weight has nothing to do with type 1. Type 1 can't be cured by weight loss, unlike type 2 which can be so I totally get where your friend is coming from.
If I got lung cancer but had never smoked, I would want people to know that it wasn't my poor lifestyle choices that had caused my illness.

My mum is diabetic and I would always say type one. It’s completely different, far more serious and generally type 2 is the result of lifestyle choices.

I have a child with type one and I do think it is important to specify it is type one. Children with diabetes have enough to deal with let alone the silly comments they receive implying it is somehow they are to blame for eating too much sugar. Jamie Oliver anyone.