Yes, I do think there is type discrimination about diabetes. And it comes from all kinds of people, including those with the different type diabetes.
Growing up all the people I knew that had diabetes were type 1's. I didn't know there were different types until I was in my 20's. All the marketplace and media do is to play up to type 2's. So it is no wonder why most people don't know the differences between the types.
Everyone who has diabetes knows it sucks. Each type has different problems associated with their type. We should not discriminate against one another. There is no bad or good type of diabetes it all is bad. We should try to help one another not fight between ourselves. It would help a lot if people were taught about the differences and understood the different types. But the marketplace and media tend to focus more on type 2's because there are more of them than type 1's. That is not fair no matter what anyone says.
I am a type 2 diabetic and I don't discriminate between the different types. It is hard on all of us.

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I find it most discomforting when I read in the various diabetes fora people with diabetes fighting amongst themselves, especially in the so-called "diet wars". I have seen a prevailing attitude amongst some type 2s that insulin dependent diabetics don't need to concern themselves too much about the impact of carbohydrates because they can cover their intake with an insulin injection whereas we poor old type 2s don't have that "luxury".

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Yes, I have heard my fair share of stuff like this. My personal favorite is the type 1's who want to rename type 1 to something other than diabetes. It annoys me to listen to all this fighting because it's pointless and always based on urban legends and stereotypes rather than medical fact.

Really the whole argument is born out of ignorance. Some from diabetics and some from the general population. I would get annoyed too if I had type 1 and people kept telling me I could cure myself by taking cinnamon but the reality is that even if every form of diabetes had completely different names, the ignorance would still be there unless people take time to educate.

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I've heard a few ignorant comments from non diabetics but its no big deal. I'll try to inform the best I can but most people don't want to hear it so outside a comment or two there's not much to say and no reason to get upset with them.

People don't know, myths abound, media takes their own revenue driven approach, oh well. Unless you or a loved one is directly impacted by it you are not going to go out of your way to learn about it.

Its like when you buy a different car, up until the day you bought it you never noticed them on the road before, once you have one you see it everywhere. Becoming D makes you painfully aware of D issues but isn't it like that with most things?

The worst of it that I have seen is between D types themselves who perpetuate bias, myths, and misunderstanding. My T2D was NOT a choice, my choices may have delayed the dx if I had been more aware, but it runs in my family and I'm of the belief that a predisposition to Insulin Resistance is genetic.

The medical community is woefully ignorant as well and a big part of this problem, apparently I was Pre D in 2001, an old blood test of mine that I just got a copy of this summer shows a fasting BG of 114. I remember asking the Doctor at the time specifically if I had any sugar issues and he said no.

The fighting between types is ridiculous, and a waste of time and energy. Its immature, childish, and foolish. I don't see any difference between the ones who say they can bolus and eat anything they want anytime and the ones who take a pill and do the same thing. There is more to managing D then that. The whole thing reminds me of that Dr. Suess story.

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Hello
Yep I get it all the time .
There are a lot of ignorants out there
I just ignor it
It is not my falt that I have this T2
I didnt choose to be this way
And if others wish to be ignorant that there bad
Life is to short to fret over the dumb chit.My wife is a ccrn and thank god too she gose with me to see the Dr. Lol they dont like it iether lol
good luck all and keep fighting

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unfortunately the more visible a topic becomes, the more opinions about it will surface... it is the nature of the human condition... everyone has an opinion... and few take the time to listen, or self-educate... and precious little accurate information is availabe anyway due to all the opinions the filter into published work... taking offense is common when opinion doesn't match personal experience... so the only thing that really helps is to step back and stop taking other people's opinions so personally... speak up when it seems beneficial to do so, and let it pass otherwise... because if someone is not open to hearing something they will not listen regardless of how well intended the offer of insight is... the only thing we can do is take responsibility for our choices, tolerate others choices, and lead by example... when someone asks you a question, even then they may not actually be open to hearing your response if it doesn't match their expectations... there is a difference between power and force... people who force their position care little about compassionate response to illness... People of true personal power, are gentle, kind and firm in their resolve to be the best they can be, and allow others to find their way... when we climb on a band stand... we most often do more damange to our cause than good... Invitation is the ture heart for real change... so my solution to rude people is to consider the source... and not take anything they do or say personally... when you don't feed the fire... it dies out... lead by example... we all have enough to do, just to be accountable for our own condition... now on the other hand... if you like to argue a point... there really are lots of folks who will accommodate you... we each must choose our battles... live and let live has never failed me... how about you?

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yes i have herd that there i a differane but no matter what it is diabetes wheter you have type 1 or two it all takes a lot of hard work keeping your self well watching yoour self day in and day out. wether you are one or two or even border line we all have to take control and not let it take control of us.

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Last edited 3 months ago

I guess that I am just a simplet person, as I see no difference in any case of Diabetis, or the FLu, or Measles--We are ALL different and react differently to ANY method of dealing with whatever we have, or what we are told, right or wrong.
Some have worse cases of Measles or whooping cough, than others, yet, that should NOT demean that person in any way, they all have hurt, and grow weary and need SUPPORT!! Some folks can handle more than others too, but that doesn't make them less of a human being!!

I feel sympathy for ALL who have debilitating illnesses, no matter what they are, for the crippled, the blind! Who are WE to determine who is the sickest and needs the most help???!! To me that is like saying that oranges are sweeter than apples!! Each one is different, some apples are sweeter, there are also sour oranges, and in the long run, what difference does it really make??!! I love you all!! Pat ROth

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Last edited 2 months ago

I have had people treat me like I have a contagious disease and I have to laugh at them but most have had a family member with it or they have it themselves. I have had T1 for 45 years and it really irritates me when the commercials make diabetes sound like it is very hard to take care of and you will never have a life, I just want to shout at them, hey look at me you can't tell I have diabetes unless you see my bracelet or my pump. I also get several reasons, it was in my family somewhere, well maybe so but as far back as we can go there is not a mention of anyone having any kind of diabetes and I tell them you just learn the disease and take care of it to the best of your ability.

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I have had type 1 for 48 years and believe me, I have heard so many uneducated remarks about diabetes that I could write a book!!! The title of my book would be "What NOT To Say To a Diabetic"

I usually try to explain to the person that what they have said is not true, but they do not want ot hear it. They have made up their mind that they know all about this disease, but lately I am just sick of it!!

I had a friend who used to make it her job to come and look at what I had put on my plate and say "You did good" I wanted to scream!!! Finally I looked at her plate and asked if she thought that she should be eating that piece of cake with her weight as much as it was!!!

I also bothers me that when someone with diabetes dies people will say "Well you know she had diabetes and didn't take care of herself" Grrrrrr!! Last time I heard someone say that I asked them to try to live one day like we do!!!!

I am so fed up with it!

Here I go writing my book! Ha!

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HI

I am a type 2, and when diagnosed, thought it was "my fault". If I ate better, exercised more, etc. My cousin has a type1 son, diagnosed somewhere around age 5, give or take. The big difference I see is type 1's (from his point of view) had it very hard in having to weigh foods( or was it count the carbs back in the 80's?), test so often, inject insulin. As a type 2, I test once or twice a day (am in tight control, last A1c was 6.1), and am not as careful as my type 1 friend (who is my hero). I don't see diabetes as difficult for me to live with as is my ulcerative colitis. I find I am more careful with what I eat due to the UC, so a trigger for me doesn't put me in a flare up. In fact, when I had to spend 3 months on Prednisone for a flare (and gained 2 pants sizes in a blink of the eye), I was amazed that my fasting numbers were so low...but my A1c went up to 6.5...my sugars spiked on the medication. If there is a stigma associated with diabetes, in my eyes, it was a type 2 could've avoided the disease while a type 1 couldn't. Has that changed, in my mind, yes. I might have been able to delay the disease, but I doubt if I could've avoided it.

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Being a newbie to diabetes type 2 I already know that if you mention it to someone the odds are they are going to look at you and mention your weight. We were in a discussion the other day at a place I volunteer and when I said I had no idea of the hidden things until I really started to take charge and read labels....she being a vegetarian looked at me and said "I am not meaning mean BUT how could you now have known" I know she looked at my weight. I have been on anti-depressants and other meds for five years and gained a large amount of weight. Now I believe part of that gain was due to having no motivation to move due to the meds the other part was eating like I was still 18. The way that I am eating now though and lack of loss of weight even with exercise tells me that something is still off kilter. There is not a place to cut in my diet and right now I cannot exercise anymore than I am due to injury. I swim and do exercise in the pool 4x a week. Anyway, discrimination is out there because all the public seems to know is that being obese causes type 2 diabetes. EVERYONE needs to be educated.
I must say that I have had nothing but help from other diabetics so have no issues there. If it were not for another diabetic with type 2 I might not have pursued things as I did to find out that I DID have it. She also has given me really good tips on food items etc. I have learned more from her than my doctor but unfortunately she has moved away. I have a neighbor who I would be shocked if she does not have type 2 as well, she has begun to mimic my exercise and is trying to diet. I share my recipes and ideas with her. We are all in the same boat and I don't think that anyone has a right to be mean about us having diabetes whether it was from weight gain or genetic. Bottom line is we have it now and how can we make our life better. I do not want to become a type 1 EVER. I have an Uncle that has juvenile and remember how bad his life was growing up. I would hope a type 1 would not be bitter that we "only" have type 2 and would help us learn. Even if we are heavy, we did not say to ourselves.....let me gain weight so I can get diabetes. As I said, it is here now so what can we do to help each other. I find most people here are helpful and kind and if not I will choose to keep away from them and their comments.

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Strangers or casual friends saying uninformed things has never really bothered us much. I have never felt unduly burdened by needing to correct a misconception.

For us, the hardest part was dealing with family members. I know some of my family were trying to be helpful, but the subtle ways they would suggest that we had fed our son too much sugar, or if we'd just embrace this or that alternative medicine, he'd be cured—those were the things that caused me the most frustration.

As for the "discrimination" between T1's and T2's, I've definitely seen it. But honestly, I think there is more that connects the two than separates the two. Sure, the treatments are different and some of the risks are different. But in the end, both types must figure out how to keep blood sugars in control.

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I grew up with an aunt that was a type 1 (who was not diagnosed with it until she was around 45 in the 1960's). She really had to closely monitor. My father then was diagnosed as at type 2 when he was about 55 years old at the same time that he developed gall bladder problems and had a wound from surgery that would not heal. I had hypoglycemia since I was 17 before I was finally diagnosed with type 2 at the age of 47. Dieting seemed to make the hypoglycemia worse, even though I dieted severely. I actually went to the doctor and told him that I suspected that I was a type 2 diabetic. He ran some tests and sure enough, I was! I knew that I was a risk since I was in high school. I tried to watch my weight because I knew that being over weight was likely to bring it on. However, I knew that obesity DOES NOT CAUSE type 2 diabetes. My father was not over weight. However, my mother does have weight issues and does not have diabetes. My husband is not overweight. In fact, he is on the slim side of weight. However, he was diagnoses as a type 2 about 4 years ago. His T2D is easier to control than is mine due to his weight, I am sure. I am one of those T2D that has the very common side effect of many of the T2D medications of weight gain. Some meds that I have tried are worse than others. Luckily, I don't seem to have any of the complications of T2D yet.

So, yes, I do feel that I come across discrimination when many, even other T2D, that I caused the T2D because of my LIFE LONG (yes since toddler hood) weight problem. I know that my weight makes the T2D harder to control, but it did not cause the T2D. In many ways, I fault the media that promotes the misconception. I just don't think that it is worth the frustration to change the misconceptions. Most people have their minds made up and think that I am wrong. I don't want to deal with the stress and frustration of the arguement.

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