Type 1 Diabetes is NOT the same of Type 2!! It is a SERIOUS medical condition and is NOT caused by lifestyle!

[TIDMum]

Just had the Sky guy here to upgrade internet speed and he asked about DS's glucose monitor alarm going off so I said he's a Type 1 diabetic. He was asking if it was a care alarm then said 'oh so not that serious, just for the blood sugar reading'.

He then said that his wife was Type 1 and we had a little discussion about her GM and what type of insulin pump she's on (which she doesn't actually have!) and he then said 'I blame diet and alcopops really'.

It then became clear his wife was Type 2.

I said 'oh right, I blame COVID actually because you know it's an autoimmune disorder?' He said 'oh right' then was quiet while he finished his work.

DS (age 16) heard this as he was walking past.

DS said he's an idiot but this really annoys me.

I can't count how many times over the last 4 years since his diagnosis, people have started talking to me about their sister, aunt or neighbour having 'Type 1' when it's actually Type 2 they're talking about. He had the teasing at school about too much sugar as well.

I really think if you don't know what Type 1 diabetes, shut up and don't talk about it tbh.

AIBU to get pissed off about this? I can't think of any other serious medical conditions that are mistaken like this.

You are quite easily pissed off aren't you...

It’s not a competition though

And yes a lot of diagnosis are misunderstood this way.
It's not all about diabetes.

Most people would know that there are 2 types of diabetes and one is not caused by lifestyle. Unless directly affected by it, most people won't remember which one is which. Not something to get worked up about.

Well you missed the chance to educate someone.

They both can be serious health conditions. Lots of things can be caused by lifestyle and be a serious health condition...

As a Mum of a type 1 it is annoying. I hear people talking about ‘diabetes’ and the majority of the time they’re talking about type 2 but rarely differentiate.

Type 1 is an auto immune disease where your body attacks the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. It can happen to anyone at any time.

I literally spend my time keeping my child alive. It’s an immense worry. Without his insulin pump he’d be dead. It’s terrifying.

Reminds me of the response to allergies.

My child is anaphylactic to dairy.

Everyone assumes he's lactose intolerant and don't understand why I freak out when their toddlers are slurping melting ice creams beside him.

Type 1 diabetes is terrifying when it's a child you're having to manage.

However I would add that I'm type 2, and get extremely pissed off with people dismissing it as overeating/bad lifestyle. Every first born child in my family for generations has had it and I drew the lucky straw. It's not always because we're stuffing our faces with pizza and full fat coke

I get the same with rheumatoid arthritis. People don't understand the difference between RA and OA.

As a parent of t1d yanbu.

DH has type 2 diabetes. It is genetic and developed in his 60s. He is very slim and challenging to feed because he has very little fat on him. People really struggle to get their heads round that.

My friend developed Type 2 Diabetes as a consequence of taking medication.

It sounds like you have a bit of a purity thing going on, that you think people with emotionally disordered issues that trigger eating problems are less worthy of medical attention and you don't want your family's good name to be sullied. Is it that you are judgemental yourself about type 2 diabetes that you are so keen to make sure that everyone knows that your child has type 1? It doesn't actually matter if the Sky installation guy gets the wrong end of the stick. He's not involved. Diabetes can be very serious whichever type someone has and whether or not the cause can be traced to "lifestyle". Quite often people's "lifestyle" illnesses were ultimately triggered by neglectful or damaged childhood trauma which they had no capacity to comprehend and deal with at the time and may only just have started getting their brain and body sorted when they are old enough and mature enough to have the strength and stability to do so. Your angry assertions that your son's serious medical condition is more worthy of respect/sympathy/treatment than someone else's because of having a different cause is rather unpleasant.

Yes I also wanted to add this. I had gestational diabetes despite eating a very healthy diet and now I have a higher probability of developing type 2 diabetes in my lifetime.

Type 2 is also very serious and is not just caused by a bad lifestyle its a complex metabolic disorder. It's not a competion

I am type 1 and have been most of my life, but I think you’re being unreasonable dismissing type 2 as purely a ‘lifestyle’ disease. Absolutely in many cases it is, or is at least heavily impacted by it, but not all and it’s unfair and unreasonable to try to make it into some sort of t1 s t2 battle.

Type 2 definitely isnt always caused by lifestyle and can be fatal. You're just showing yourself to be just as ignorant

Type 2 isn't caused by a bad lifestyle. Lifestyle can impact on it but doesn't cause it.

My DF was type 1 and had serious complications. My DH is type 2 and has had serious complications.

It's not a competition and actually, you sound a bit judgey about people with Type 2.

You're totally missing the point of my post.

Why is it that there are angry responses to posts about the differences in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?

Are you Type 2 yourself?

Where did I say people with Type 2 are less worthy of medical attention?

What a ridiculous response. Has this hit a sore spot?

The fact is the vast majority of Type 2 diabetes diagnosis are down to lifestyle factors which can be improved and even reverse Type 2. Complications can be avoided in the majority of cases.

Type 1 is nothing to do with lifestyle, cannot be reversed and there is a completely different reason for the pancreas to shut down. Insulin, and tech literally keeps T1Ds alive from day to day.

Why should I not be bothered that the Sky guy seemed to think my kid was downing alcopops and had a poor diet as the cause of his diabetes?

Sorry but you are a bit over the top.

Meh, I'd file it under 'fuck it' and move on 🤷‍♂️

People only really know about these things if they affect them or their close family.

I bet you didn't know half as much as you know now before your DC was diagnosed.

I think it has become like that though. People know that T1 is just unlucky and some people are born with it/develop it in childhood and think T2 is a lifestyle choice of being overweight and overeating. T2 is seen as self-inflicted and garners v little sympathy as it can be reversed.

What alot of rubbish against type 2 you are completely misinformed

There are more than 2 types my son has type3c he had acute necrotising pancreititus 3 years ago and it destroyed his pancreas hes treated as type1 though.

YANBU, also I don't think any one should be voting on this unless they have T1D or have a child with T1D