# Diabetic mother-of-two is kicked out of McDonald's for injecting herself with insulin



## Northerner (Sep 5, 2013)

A diabetic mum-of-two was ordered to leave a McDonald’s restaurant for injecting herself with insulin - after staff accused her of being on drugs.

Sarah Pike, 36, ordered a Big Mac from the fast-food chain last Friday and used her *EpiPen to inject herself with insulin to increase her blood sugar level before tucking into her meal*.

But when staff spotted her injecting herself they told her to leave the premises because they believed she was using hard drugs.

Mrs Pike, of Banbury, Oxfordshire, said: 'This was probably the most humiliating experience of my life and something like this has never happened to me before.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ds-injecting-insulin-staff-accused-drugs.html

So, she uses an Epipen to inject insulin does she? 

Stupid Mcdonalds!


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## Steff (Sep 5, 2013)

That is bang out of order and so narrow minded,no wonder diabetics are so uneasy at injecting out in public, maybe the staff would of preferred her to become hypo become unconcious and have flashing blue lights arrive grrrr


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## Northerner (Sep 5, 2013)

What about the bit at the end "Type 1 diabetes accounts for ten to 15 per cent of all people with the condition and if they do not inject enough insulin through the day it can lead to a state called hypoglycemia."


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## Lauras87 (Sep 5, 2013)

I've been asked not to inject in restaurants before but come on, this is stupid!!!

Think people need to be told that people inject insulin & shouldn't be kicked out for doing it


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## Northerner (Sep 5, 2013)

I've added a comment to the article about its dire reporting


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 5, 2013)

Never ever ever read the Daily Mail. 

The errors mentioned in the few sentences on this thread are so horrendous it is unbelievable!

How can the media get this simple stuff SO wrong, SO often. They are actively confusing people and ensuring people have less idea about D than if no stories were ever published. Shameful


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## mcmoby69 (Sep 5, 2013)

I'd like to see someone kick me out of mcdonalds for injecting in public. They wold have to call the police first. then i would demand a public apology from the manager directly in front of every customer in the place.

The links been pulled by the way. Either McDonalds have had a word or the Daily Fail is a tad embarrased.

new link
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2412733/Diabetic-mother-kicked-McDonalds-injecting-insulin-staff-accused-drugs.html


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## Steff (Sep 5, 2013)

Well said Mcmoby, Id hate to imagine it was one of the staffs mums,daughter, niece etc etc then what will they do? chuck them out I think not


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## FM001 (Sep 5, 2013)

EpiPen


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## LeeLee (Sep 5, 2013)

I hope they get prosecuted under the DDA.

As an aside, what junkie injects in public? Don't they use back alleys and public toilets to hide what they're doing?


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## yorksman (Sep 5, 2013)

Northerner said:


> A diabetic mum-of-two was ordered to leave a McDonald’s restaurant for injecting herself with insulin - after staff accused her of being on drugs.



Ha, I know this scenario well.

I used to snort a white menthol snuff in pubs and wait for the fireworks to start.







Happy days.

I had previously used a brand called Gletscher Prise which was Golden Brown, the same colour as heroin.


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## Redkite (Sep 5, 2013)

The incident itself is bad enough, but the article is dreadful!  So she uses an Epipen (and is quoted saying so!) to inject her insulin, in order to increase her blood glucose level.  And if she didn't inject insulin she would risk hypoglycaemia.  I've never seen an article that is as wrong as this!


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## DeusXM (Sep 5, 2013)

I can't believe what happened to this woman and I can't believe just how wrong the journalist got everything.

I work in PR and have a database with direct dials for national journos, think I'll give her a call tomorrow and politely explain her complete screw up. Can someone also pass this on to the Diabetes UK press office and get them to do their job ie. get the media to report on diabetes accurately please?


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

yorksman said:


> I had previously used a brand called Gletscher Prise which was Golden Brown, the same colour as heroin.



Do you mean to tell me that the Stranglers' song "Golden Brown" was all about heroin?  Another illusion shattered.....


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## Northerner (Sep 6, 2013)

DeusXM said:


> I can't believe what happened to this woman and I can't believe just how wrong the journalist got everything.
> 
> I work in PR and have a database with direct dials for national journos, think I'll give her a call tomorrow and politely explain her complete screw up. Can someone also pass this on to the Diabetes UK press office and get them to do their job ie. get the media to report on diabetes accurately please?



I've passed it on to DUK.


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## Cleo (Sep 6, 2013)

Oh dear.  I am lost for words..... 
And how on earth did that "journalist" even get a job ?!?! How can someone get such a simple concept so wrong.  
And as for her friends who said she should have gone to the toilet to inject ... My policy on that is "if you don't want to see me injecting my medicine then look the other way.  End of story"


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## Caroline (Sep 6, 2013)

it would be nice if resteraunts could provide a nice clean room for any one who wants to inject. That is a room that is not an often grubby toilet.

I know several people who have problems with needles and try to avoid watching, even thoe people try to be discreet about it


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## Cleo (Sep 6, 2013)

You are right ... It's a very tricky one ! 
I don't think anyone really "likes" needles , there's also a negative association with junkies etc. and that doesn't really help.  Still though, I don't see the point in having to delay an injection or going to a grubby toilet for the sake of a few people who try not to look but still end up looking !


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## Northerner (Sep 6, 2013)

The thing is though, that 'needles' these days - certainly the ones on pens - are barely visible, even when you are looking directly at them! It's really people's flawed imagination that makes 'injecting' something to be feared or horrified by.


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## jalapino (Sep 6, 2013)

Just read this thread, im shocked I really am!


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## Caroline (Sep 6, 2013)

in my area a lot of people 'do drugs' so everyone injecting gets tarred with the same brush which is sad


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## Lauras87 (Sep 6, 2013)

I've decided I'm not going for my occasional treat there anymore


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## AlisonM (Sep 6, 2013)

Yes, but junkies don't have injection pens! Or do they? None of the ones I worked with did, they all used old style syringes, which look very different as I'm sure you all know. Which makes the staff in that McD's idiots and incredibly ignorant. I hope they are made to do some sensitivity training.

I've never had any trouble in the local branch possibly because the manager has a diabetic relative and staff are pretty understanding. And also, because visits to that emporium are extremely rare.


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

Just re-read the article and they have corrected the glaring errors thank goodness!

If anyone asked my son to leave a restaurant because he injected himself, he would be most upset.  If I was with him though, it would be the restaurant management who would be upset!!!!


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## Cleo (Sep 6, 2013)

AlisonM said:


> Yes, but junkies don't have injection pens! Or do they? None of the ones I worked with did, they all used old style syringes, which look very different as I'm sure you all know. Which makes the staff in that McD's idiots and incredibly ignorant. I hope they are made to do some sensitivity training.



Well they certainly don't have pens with "novo nordisk" (or any other pharma company's name) on it ! 

Guess it all boils down to ignorance .... They see people injecting and assume you're a junkie !


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## Vicsetter (Sep 6, 2013)

Are they not laying themselves open to a deformation lawsuit?  At the very least I would tell the staff if you think I'm a junkie call the police.


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## Andy HB (Sep 6, 2013)

Vicsetter said:


> Are they not laying themselves open to a *deformation* lawsuit?  At the very least I would tell the staff if you think I'm a junkie call the police.



Well, they do have a twisted sense of reality, I suppose.


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## AlisonM (Sep 6, 2013)

Andy HB said:


> Well, they do have a twisted sense of reality, I suppose.



ROFLMAO. *Snort*

Sorry Vic.


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## Northerner (Sep 6, 2013)

Redkite said:


> Just re-read the article and they have corrected the glaring errors thank goodness!
> 
> If anyone asked my son to leave a restaurant because he injected himself, he would be most upset.  If I was with him though, it would be the restaurant management who would be upset!!!!



I'd like to know why they have not allowed the comments myself and others have submitted - there are still only the three comments that were there at 6am, yet I know of several people on FB who submitted comments.

It's good that they have highlighted the ignorance of some elements of the general public towards insulin injections, but to get everything so completely wrong is extremely shoddy journalism. I wonder if the original story appeared in print - anyone know?

I think I would probably stand my ground and await the police, although I imagine there is some legal get out that they have the right to eject anyone from their premises without explanation, so maybe you would still be at risk from the law.


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

Northerner said:


> I'd like to know why they have not allowed the comments myself and others have submitted - there are still only the three comments that were there at 6am, yet I know of several people on FB who submitted comments.
> 
> It's good that they have highlighted the ignorance of some elements of the general public towards insulin injections, but to get everything so completely wrong is extremely shoddy journalism. I wonder if the original story appeared in print - anyone know?
> .



I submitted comments too, but they probably got rejected because the first line said it was the most badly written article about diabetes that I had ever read 

My Mum reads the Daily Mail so I'll try and find out if the original version went to print.


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## AlisonM (Sep 6, 2013)

Would it be possible to counter-charge using the DDA for potentially endangering your health?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 6, 2013)

Northerner said:


> but to get everything so completely wrong is extremely shoddy journalism...



I think it's worse than that. These are errors that the DM have made (and corrected) before. More and more I suspect that they are doing it deliberately.

All the forums and Twitter have lit up in outrage against the idiocy of the article, and now people are revisiting to read the changes.

All that traffic is a dream come true for the DMonline and will do their advertising profile/billing no harm at all.

I think a DOC-wide boycott of the website is in order.


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> I think it's worse than that. These are errors that the DM have made (and corrected) before. More and more I suspect that they are doing it deliberately.
> 
> All the forums and Twitter have lit up in outrage against the idiocy of the article, and now people are revisiting to read the changes.
> 
> All that traffic is a dream come true for the DMonline and will do their advertising profile/billing no harm at all.



You cynic you!


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## Northerner (Sep 6, 2013)

An interesting notion Mike!  Wouldn't put it past them - if they are so blas? about accuracy, then they clearly have no great desire for credibility and trust in their journalism


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## delb t (Sep 6, 2013)

You can post feedback on the site!- and Ive done just that


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 6, 2013)

Redkite said:


> You cynic you!



Not often... but about this I'm afraid 'Guilty as charged'.

I decided a year or two ago not to visit the site and there have been perhaps bi-monthly stories that people have directed me to (that I've deliberately not visited) that sort of back up my tame conspiracy theory.


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Not often... but about this I'm afraid 'Guilty as charged'.
> 
> I decided a year or two ago not to visit the site and there have been perhaps bi-monthly stories that people have directed me to (that I've deliberately not visited) that sort of back up my tame conspiracy theory.


Maybe you're right but I tend to favour the careless sloppy journalism verdict!  The Daily Mail is far from being the only offender when it comes to writing rubbish about diabetes, but it's one of the few newspapers that is still free to access online, so perhaps that's why a lot of links come from it.  I never noticed there were adverts on the pages lol!


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## Northerner (Sep 6, 2013)

Redkite said:


> Maybe you're right but I tend to favour the careless sloppy journalism verdict!  The Daily Mail is far from being the only offender when it comes to writing rubbish about diabetes, but it's one of the few newspapers that is still free to access online, so perhaps that's why a lot of links come from it.  I never noticed there were adverts on the pages lol!



There aren't any adverts when I visit it now, thanks to the recommendation from AlisonM to install 'AdBlock'  Saving me at least 100mg a day in downloads!


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

Northerner said:


> There aren't any adverts when I visit it now, thanks to the recommendation from AlisonM to install 'AdBlock'  Saving me at least 100mg a day in downloads!


Thanks for that tip Northerner!  Though I hadn't realised you could measure downloads in mg


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 6, 2013)

Redkite said:


> I never noticed there were adverts on the pages lol!



Not interacting with the ad yourself is neither here not there in some respects. It is traffic/page views that will (in no small part) determine what advertisers will be asked to pay to advertise on the page. DM gets the ad revenue even if the advertisers do not benefit in the slightest from all those irate visitors.

</offsoapbox>

You could well be right it simply being sloppy journalism, of course. But I'll still continue my one-person boycott!


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> You could well be right it simply being sloppy journalism, of course. But I'll still continue my one-person boycott!



In fact you might be the one who's right - I've just heard back from my Dad.  Both he and Mum went through today's printed copy of the Daily Mail and there is no sign of any such article, neither the original version or the corrected one!  So perhaps some marketing executive was bored yesterday and posted that nonsense to get us all going!

You can get back on your soapbox


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## yorksman (Sep 6, 2013)

Redkite said:


> Do you mean to tell me that the Stranglers' song "Golden Brown" was all about heroin?  Another illusion shattered.....



Contrast Golden Brown:

_"Golden brown texture like sun
Lays me down with my mind she runs
Throughout the night
No need to fight
Never a frown with golden brown"_

with Ebeneezer Goode

_"He's refined, sublime, he makes you feel fine
Though very much maligned and misunderstood
But if you know Eezer he's a real crowd pleaser
He's ever so good, he's Ebeneezer Goode"_

Neither are as poetic as _Lucy in the Sky of Diamonds_ though.


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

yorksman said:


> Contrast Golden Brown:
> 
> _"Golden brown texture like sun
> Lays me down with my mind she runs
> ...



  I always thought Golden Brown was a woman!


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## yorksman (Sep 6, 2013)

Caroline said:


> in my area a lot of people 'do drugs' so everyone injecting gets tarred with the same brush which is sad



It's also the tendency for people injecting to use their needles as weapons if challenged and the danger of Hep C or HIV infection. Quite a shock if you walk out of your office and into the loo only to find someone who shouldn't be there shooting up. The problem that employers and landlords face is that they have to ensure that the place is safe and the old adage _'better safe than sorry'_ is what they adhere to. My landlord had to put locks on the entrance to the building where I had my office. The result was that my customers could not get in to see me. I had no option but to leave. I never even saw anyone shooting up. Apparantly, one needle was found on one occasion.


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## yorksman (Sep 6, 2013)

Redkite said:


> I always thought Golden Brown was a woman!




LOL, no, that's Jackie Brown.


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## yorksman (Sep 6, 2013)

Northerner said:


> An interesting notion Mike!  Wouldn't put it past them - if they are so blas? about accuracy, then they clearly have no great desire for credibility and trust in their journalism



Dog bites man is not a story. Man bites dog is a story. Agreement doesn't sell, contention sells. Everything about journalism is designed to sell a story and if there isn't a story, take an every day event and turn it into a story. Just ask the question, 'are you a paedophile?' and when the answer comes back, 'no, of course not' you can print 'so and so denies being a paedophile'. It's good copy.

The journo involved is clearly not fully familiar with her craft. The headline is too long and should read something like, 'Diabetic in Junkie Scare', 'Diabetic Eating Junk Food', 'McDonald's Diabetes Problem' or something designed to allow the story teller to tell the story that they want to tell. What actually happened is simply uninteresting.


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## PhilT (Sep 9, 2013)

Interesting I thought we injected insulin to lower our BG's not the other way about and since when have we used EpiPens to inject insulin?


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## DeusXM (Sep 10, 2013)

There's another issue here which I've just realised has been hinted at but most of us seem to have missed.

Read the story again - either the original or the corrected version:



> Sarah Pike, 36, ordered a Big Mac from the fast-food chain last Friday and *administered insulin to reduce her blood sugar level before* tucking into her meal.
> 
> But *when staff spotted her injecting herself they told her to leave* the premises because they believed she was using hard drugs.



Can you see it yet?

That's right. Someone with a load of bolus insulin on board (presumably calculated to match the carbs in front of them) was asked to leave and essentially prevented from eating.

This could have been extremely serious as this is precisely how to induce a very, very bad hypo. This could have been an emergency services case. One can only assume either Ms Pike had her food in a bag already or the staff were good enough to bag up food for her before kicking her out. Imagine if this happened in a proper sit-down restaurant? It doesn't bear thinking about.


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## Cleo (Sep 11, 2013)

Very good point which I admit I missed ! 
What a bunch of muppets !! If this had happened in the US I'm sure she would have taken it further .... Completely unacceptable


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## Redkite (Sep 11, 2013)

DeusXM said:


> There's another issue here which I've just realised has been hinted at but most of us seem to have missed.
> 
> Read the story again - either the original or the corrected version:
> 
> ...


You're right, this could have turned into a serious medical emergency


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