Do you assume diabetics with horrible complications are to blame?

[BlueberryIsMyFavourite]

I'm just curious about this. And as this is an anonymous forum I thought people would answer truthfully, whereas in person I think people at least sometimes want to be more gentle.

I have type 1 diabetes for a long time now, 28 years, since childhood. I have always been incredibly sensitive to insulin and for a long time in old fashioned terms would have been called "brittle" but doctors don't tend to use that term anymore.

I have very good diabetes management now thanks to new technology. However, plenty of damage was done early on.

There just seems to be a general sense that people think diabetes is quite simple to control, and if you are struggling it's because you aren't doing something right.

Whereas, there are so, so many factors that can cause blood sugar to rise or drop apart from food - as an example, brushing my teeth can cause me to start dropping quickly, which then needs some glucose or juice to treat and stabilise it, and try brushing teeth again later. Because of course, diabetes also can destroy oral health, so good oral hygiene is very important. This is obviously a small, mundane example.

It is relentless and there are no days off.

Do you just assume diabetics with complications are essentially irresponsible?

Just hope you never develop it then.

Nope. I had a DKA while pregnant this year and had to be admitted to hospital as I had a gastric bleed and my heart rate and blood pressure rocketed.

My diabetic team think the extremely hot weather was a contributing factor. I couldn’t have done anything differently and avoided it. I was already doing everything ‘right’.

I’ve got my post pregnancy blood test next week and really hope it’s not permanent. I’m being extremely focused on losing weight, which hopefully will prevent it, but I’ve got close relatives with diabetes and weight isn’t necessarily a factor with them. Even if I saw them eat a cake though I wouldn’t blame that event, there are too many other factors.

No of course not

No, diabetes is awful x

Thank you for your opinions, it's interesting to read them all. I'm glad to see lots of people realising it's a complex disease. Maybe attitudes are changing in a broader sense.

I dont, no, for the selfish reason that strangers' health doesn't make me think too much but if I were obese and I heard I had diabetes, I would receive that as a message to lose weight and get in to the normal range. But I have ahigh bar for myself

No, I have always assumed that it's quite complex, and that there must be so much more to it than simply taking insulin when you should and avoiding certain foods and 'being good'.

Just like with other health issues I think it is down to really bad luck, the roll of the dice in life.

I'd imagine it is very hard to live with, and to have to manage day in, day out, your whole life. To know that you depend on insulin, and to have to always plan and think about what you're eating and carry emergency juice or sweets with you. Also I'd probably hate having to explain it to people, especially if they're being kind and showing a genuine interest but it must be a ballache if you're not in the mood to explain or discuss it at that moment.

I have a friend with type 1 who takes it really seriously. She watches what she eats, really looks after herself, monitors continuously. Simple things can cause big problems for her, but she's on the ball.

I have a friend with a husband with type 2. He developed it when he got to 20 stone about ten years ago. He's now about 25 stone. Carries on eating junk food and chocolate. Takes no exercise and is about to have another toe amputated. He's had so much support over the year. I feel really sorry for,his poor wife and frustrated with him.

I feel like I don't know very much about diabetes, T1 or T2 apart from some very basic stuff, so things like the toothpaste example would surprise me. I do know two people who have lowered their diabetes scores so they are not classified as diabetic any more, one was pre-diabetic and one was diabetic on metformin, so not at the more extreme end, both T2. I don't think I know anyone with T1 diabetes off the top of my head, but it would not surprise me to learn that it's a very complex illness. I do know genetically T2 diabetes is complex and that's why sometimes people get a surprise when they are diagnosed with it because it isn't always related to weight, but rather an interaction of factors like familial risk and then weight plays a small part.

I didn't really think about it untill.my 16 year old son collapsed last February in DKA ( we had no idea he had diabetes) he's been diagnosed with type 3c diabetes which most people haven't heard of his pancreas was found to.be inflamed and necrotic,hence the type 3c diagnosis he's treated as type 1 and is insulin dependent but also has to take creon ,to digest his food as his pancreas isn't functioning at all.
It was an awful.experience and Diabetes can be very complicated. Ime.

You don't know whether someone is T1 or T2 unless they tell you. T2 can also be caused by other conditions such as PCOS, endocrine disorders and it can also be caused by some medications. Risk factors include genetics, ethnicity and having gestational diabetes.

Diabetes is no one's fault and to blame people for their medical condition is cuntish in the extreme - would you tell a cancer patient that it's their own fault?

My family member is what would have been called brittle years ago. It's a terrible disease.

If you had type 1weight wouldn't come into.it

Insulin dependent diabetes is a very misunderstood disease. One of the hidden disabilities.A lot of people think you just have an injection every day and you are fine. If only that was the case. My son has been insulin dependent since he was 13. He is now 46. It has ruined his life. He is constantly having to go to A&E because he has gone into a hypo coma. Libra doesn't always work and is often faulty and unreliable. He can't live on his own because of this. Unable to work . He has neuropathy which has led to a Charcot foot that may require amputation. He has to have regular injections in his eyes because of glaucoma caused by the diabetes.He does everything right with his diet and regime and always has done and yet still has all these problems. None of this is his fault. I suppose you have to live with it to know what an insidious disease diabetes is.

Nope my father has been a diabetic for 18 years and he is incredibly insulin resistant, which is nothing to do with weight as he is stick thin. His control needs to be super tight due to the resistance and getting the dexcom monitor has really helped tighten up his control but I presume a lot of damage has already been done. It's not as simple as do all the things and you'll be fine. Sometimes the things don't work

I was a little judgemental about type 2 diabetes, but I currently have gestational diabetes which means I have a 50% chance of developing type 2 in 5 years.

Ive never smoked, never been overweight, I’m a member of a running club and gym a couple of times a week.

The thought now that people would judge something I would have little control over is depressing. I have a much greater understanding of what people go through (and that’s very much as a ‘newbie’ to the disease).

Im type 1 too, though late onset (41 while pregnant). What I resent is people thinking it's like type 2 and lifestyle related. As if I caused it (not that people with type 2 are at fault, but it is more associated with lifestyle). But I haven't come across what you describe. My diabetes is relatively well controlled, and I'm sure when you were first diagnosed it wasn't nearly as easy as now, with hand held glucose monitors and injection pens.
People are just ignorant if it. I guess it's partly our job to educate, but must say most of my friends have been very understanding.

@x2boys how frightening for you and your son, I hope he stabilizes and that his treatment helps, I have not heard of that type of diabetes, it sounds terrible that he got so ill at that age. I hope now you know what it is a better path lies ahead.

This is untrue , even with type ones if thwy carry a lot of weight around their middle it can increase their insulin resistance. Even to the injectable insulin. Not all type 2 is caused by weight either.

No, I have a T1 dc though. Even when people are "not managing it properly" it is very easy to underestimate the psychological impact of having to manage diabetes. Burn out is very common, especially amongst teens and young adults. My own dc has had suicidal thoughts thanks to it. There's a reason why there is a psychologist on the paediatric diabetes team. Sadly, in our area at least, the support for adults is woeful.

Technology has been life changing. It really should be available to everyone.

OMG yes, I resent this so much too.
I am type 1 and have been since I was 3 years old. My 7 year old daughter is also now T1

OP - absolutely no way do I think diabetics are to blame.for complications. Type 1 diabetes is quite honestly a nightmare.

I have two health conditions which have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. 1 of which at least is due to a congenital abnormalty that formed when I was a foetus. The other may be linked to that.

What exactly would you be judging me for if I do develop type 2 diabetes? Being born wrong? That sounds familiar..

This is untrue , even with type ones if thwy carry a lot of weight around their middle it can increase their insulin resistance. Even to the injectable insulin.

Type 1s, over a long time, can often develop lipohypertrophy on the stomach - swollen scar tissue from injecting insulin, where each fat cell can double in size - which is quite different to 'normal' fat on the middle from eating.

So unless you are looking at their bare abdomen and seeng the distinctive soft swellings, you wouldn't really know which it is.

Thankfully, I don't have this myself, but who knows in future.

Would you blame someone for having anorexia? Or having an addiction problem? Would you say the anorexic should just eat or the addict should just stop?

Type 2 diabetes can certainly be a result of lifestyle factors and very often is. But people are different. Very different. People have extraordinarily different drives to eat, people have very different personalities - addictive type for example, people have different circumstances - depression and shit things happening to them which drives them to comfort eat or whatever. And let's not underestimate the genetics - I know a bloke in his 60s, very lean and exercises every day. He has really bad type 2 diabetes that he struggles to control.

You shouldn't blame anyone for illnesses, or complications resulting from illnesses.

I don't have diabetes btw.

Type 1 diabetes is generally a genetic condition which tends to be diagnosed when people are teenagers.
Teenage years are tricky for all ,but then having diabetes thrown into the mix is horrifying.
Teenagers with diabetes are quite often in denial and self destruct .
A close friend used to eat bags of sugar as a teenager..she is ok now.
Generally they do start taking diabetes seriously and definitely do not deserve to have medical problems when they are older.