[Gary_W]

Originally Posted by fgummett

Listening to discussions like these and attending support group meetings etc... it is interesting to note the dynamic between Type 1s and Type 2s. Sometimes it can almost become an "Us" and "Them" situation. They are two different conditions but as mentioned above, the outcomes can be the same. To my thinking the kind of ignorance displayed by the general public is where we should be showing solidarity and educating them. On occasion one can get the feeling that Type 1 is seen as a "real" disease while Type 2 is self-inflicted because we have let ourselves get fat and lazy... thankfully I don't get that feeling on this forum but it is prevalent especially in the media.

I've said it before on this forum, but diabetes is rapidly becoming the new smoking. It is portrayed by the media as a self-inflicted plague that is draining the healthcare coffers. Whilst people who have diabetes make the distinction between T1 and T2, the media do not. It is also never pointed out that it is possible to get T2 through sheer bad luck as well as the medias prefered description that rampant obesity is ALWAYS the cause.

I feel it is becoming a very stigmatised disease to have. It used to be years ago and it's coming back to that way of thinking. You might not see it over in the US where you pay insurance, but over here there are lots of stories showing what a drain we are on the NHS.

Gary

[jspirit]

From what I have read, only 10% of the people with Type 1 have LADA. That makes it 1 in 100, if I am doing my math right. No wonder I had so much trouble getting diagnosed properly!

[Razo681]

Actually its 10 in 100, unless you're also talking about the other statement that only 10% get type 1. Then you're correct Sorry for the math snobbishness, but it doesn't matter its still a needle in the hay stack.

I agree with all the misconceptions about what people think of type 1 vs type 2. My biggest problem is diabetics who don't know the difference.

Last night while shooting pool I decided to have a drink, and my wonderful bartender friend accidentally made my drink (Jack and diet) with regular coke. She caught it before she gave it to me and took the drink back. She offered it to these guys next to me for free, and they said "Well why won't he drink it" and she said because he asked for diet. I said "I'm diabetic". The one guy said in a kinda smart a$$ tone "Well I'm diabetic too and I'll do whatever I want it doesn't matter". I wanted to slap the guy but we'll see who lives longer!!

So I guess that goes back to the point made earlier that at certain stages in types you can ignore everything and seem ok. I'll safely bet though that it'll catch up to you.

[DarthDiabetes]

While I agree that both of these diseases are horrible I do think that linking them together creates confusion for both. They both deal with blood sugar, but in simple terms that is where the similarities end, as one could say about all cancers, or all other groupings of afflictions. I could probably be easily swayed that even if they were called X and Y that people would know little about them, but calling them both X with a subtitle at the end is clearly going to cause problems. Even people I would expect to know the difference (medical people) have responded to me saying, "but you are so active and fit."

grrrr...

I know for a fact that I would love to hear, exercise more, eat less carbs, and you will be fine, because heck I am already doing that but I can sympathize with how awful it must be to have type 2 and do those things and have people think you are lazy, etc....might even be worse than just saying you had type 1. Though clearly any type 2 people here are far from the land of denial, and have actually been educating me at how to get better control...thanks btw.

What is amazing to me is how little people know in general about all of this, while at the same time I have never noticed more commercials for diabetes stuff on TV than I do now. Anyone with me on that? Supplies, painless, easy to get on with your life....anyone sick of those?

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Stuboy

.... there's a lot more to treating type 1, it's more complex ...

I beg to differ there. T2 is a much more complex condition than T1. With T2, in addition to failing insulin production, there is insulin resistance and everything that goes with it. A lot of people, including doctors, underestimate the significance of this. Just treating the symptom (high blood sugar) is not that helpful if the cause (insulin resistance) is not being dealt with.

On the other hand, all you have to do with T1 is supply the right amount of insulin. While it can be challenging, insulin treatment in the absence of insulin resistance is at least well understood and can be done systematically. Of course, having T1 and insulin resistance is the absolute pits.