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.

Sorry but I feel sorry for the bloke's wife. Imagine having a serious metabolic disorder and having the one person who is supposed to have her back blaming her to absolute strangers.

Poor woman, I am fuming for her.

I have type 2 diabetes and heart disease, both caused by genetics, neither caused by lifestyle or diet choices, it annoys me that people think I could have prevented it with diet snd exercise. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters, all brought up exactly the same in terms of diet and exercise, 1 brother has heart disease, 1 sister has type 2 diabetes, other 2 are fine, total luck of the genetic draw

Absolutely this!

Doesn't matter what health condition or disability you have, strangers with no real knowledge (And often medics who you would think would have SOME!) will come out with a right load of crap and stupid suggestions.

I've been told I should walk more... I can stand for around 1 minute 30, ish, on a good day. Because my stenotic spine is crushing the nerves that serve my legs. I've only got rid of the horrific nerve pain (crawling, burning, like someones poured boiling water down my leg) by very strictly limiting how much/how often I stand. Attempting to walk is the LAST thing I should be doing (according to my consultant... but what would he know, Joe the Chippy knows better!).

I should try various potions and herbs... to fix my 35% heart function.. aye, because obviously the NHS are withholding that information when they tell me that I am not a candidate for surgery and my eventual end will be a catastrophic heart attack and there is nothing they can do but supportive medication.

My mate was told she could cure her disability by putting wasps in her socks. She has Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome...it's eaten some of her joints and we're both pretty certain wasps will not help. Nor for that matter, would a 'positive mental attitude'... another common suggestion we both get!

Having any disability or life long health condition comes with a side order of people giving you stupid suggestions and making stupid assumptions. You have to learn to tune them out or tell them to STFU.

YANBU. In type 1 diabetes the patient (or their carer) is constantly working to replace a complex organ function (the pancreas' insulin secretion), 24/7, dealing with the multitude of uncontrollable variables which can impact dosages while knowing that if it goes wrong the patient could die or become very seriously unwell. Every day. For the rest of their life.

OA is not caused by lifestyle, not is it the result of "normal wear and tear", a long held idea that has been recently debunked. It can be as debilitating and painful as RA. The main difference is that there are no effective treatments for OA, whereas there are for RA.

Type 2 isn’t always caused by lifestyle either.

I feel you. I feel you. I feel you. I know your post may have come across the wrong way to a lot of people but my 4 year old with type 1 has meant I rarely have sleep because alarms mean I'm waking to a medical emergency several times a night every night and inserting a canula every three days is traumatising for a young kid not to mention having a needle jabbed in her arm continously to measure her glucose. The guilt I feel every time I have to finger prick her and see her screaming terrified face is something that haunts me forever. I'm a phlebotomist and a carer by trade so you'd think I'd be used to it but trust me seeing fear in your exhausted little childs eyes because you're coming near them to change the pump or sensor or wake them up in the night to make them eat kills me inside. So no. It's not the same as type 2. It's not even the same as my multiple sclerosis or holding my dead babies in my arms when I lost my twins. The op is not saying she is worse than anyone else but she is asking people do not belittle it or say they understand when they clearly don't xxxxxx

It’s not a competition! Type 2 isn’t necessarily because of lifestyle you know

My husband is 70 today and has been Type 1 Diabetic for 57 years having been given the Alan Nabarro medal during the pandemic - it's for surviving 50 years with the condition. If he lives another 3 years he'll get the Robert Lawrence Medal but he doesn't think he will as he's "falling to bits now" as he puts it. It's heartbreaking to see it but he has had a full life working all over the world and raising a family with me (married 44 years and together for 49) and never having claimed any benefits

My 10y/o son was diagnosed type 1 in August. Honestly the lack of understanding around it drives me mad, the ‘so he can’t have any sugar then’ or ‘my relative/ neighbour etc’ have it, hopefully he can have tablets to sort it out… etc etc then it’s clear it’s T2 they are talking about! It’s unfortunate that the conditions don’t have completely different names, as they are totally different. Clearly T2 has its own significant challenges for many people, but there is a clear lack of understanding of children with T1. Just sending solidarity, hopefully you and your son can educate the people who are willing to listen- I must say, I only knew the basics of type 1 before my DS was diagnosed as my friends child has a diagnosis, but the full extent of the seriousness of this condition, which cannot be cured, is starting to dawn on us. All we can do is try and raise awareness x

This, exactly.

People are so lacking in empathy. The stress of looking after a child with Type 1 is immense. It’s very different to an adult acquiring type 2later in life. I feel for you.

This sounds like a genetic diabetes - MODY. It is VERY commonly misdiagnosed as Type 2 due to the treatment being the same, but the causes are very different. Worth investigating.

https://www.medicinenet.com/which_is_worse_type_1_or_type_2_diabetes/article.htm

They are both serious conditions, this link outlines the key differences for those interested in facts

Anyone who voted BA needs to give their heads a wobble. Type1 caused by the pancreas failing to produce insulin. Diet has to be very carefully monitored plus insulin injections. Type2 can be controlled by diet and where needed with drugs. It can be 'cured' by changing your diet and losing weight. Type1 is a life time condition. No change in diet or lifestyle will 'cure' it. I worked for 10years in research on diabetes.

What difference does it really make?

Type 1 autoimmune, type 2 a digestive disorder but the outcome is the same, damaged bodies, shortened life expectancy and btw type 2 isnt just lifestyle that's bs - for some it might be, for others it's genetic. And its not always reversible.

I have both. My dad had type 2 but needed insulin. 10yr shortened life expectancy and youre arguing about whether type 1 is more serious than type 2, get a life!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-up-docs/id1803347615?i=1000789730453 worth a listen

Totally agree OP - my son was Type 1 from aged 4 and died earlier this year aged 34 of diabetic complications - absolutely nothing to do with his lifestyle. As you say, Type 1 is an autoimmune disease, nothing you can do to stop it.

The Sky man didn't say that. He was making small talk. We will pretty soon become a nation of people that don't make small talk for fear of being complained about to our managers. The OP will be moaning about Sky man if he get's the sack and relies on benefits due to her complaint. This country is fucked.

My youngest DD was diagnosed T1 Diabetic at 8 she and I have battled against this for years! It drives me insane too 😡

But does the guy deserve a complaint to his manager about it? That seems a bit much.

I wouldn’t give it too much thought OP. People get a lot of medical things confused. I’ve got Inflammatory Bowel Disease (ulcerative colitis) and nearly everyone thinks it’s the same as IBS. But I wouldn’t expect people to know the difference, or to care particularly. Everyone’s understandably focused on their own lives and issues.

“I worked for 10years in research on diabetes.”

I’m really interested in why Type 1 diabetes has increased globally over the last several decades.

I am a Type 1 diabetic and I also have not read all the pages of this thread. However, I do want to say (and apologies if it's been said multiple times already) that I HATE the 'diabetes' label. I agree wholeheartedly that it's also unfair to immediately assume T2 is due to lifestyle, but I also really wish they just had different names. Unfortunately it's not that simple as there are now multiple types so it's unlikely to work.

A skim read of the first few pages of this thread looks like all the T1 parents or patients completely understand what the issue is!

But theres more than two types of Diabetes should they all have their own name?
Edited to say i realise you have ssid there are more then two types