# "Does it hurt?" & other reactions from non-diabetics



## WorzelGummidge (Jan 19, 2009)

Inspired by this post.

What do non-diabetics generally say when they find out about your condition?

The most common one I get is "does it hurt?". I mean it's a flipping needle, of course it hurts. I generally tell them that sometimes I don't feel a thing but it depends where and how you inject.

I also get "did you get it from eating too much sugar?"... this one is possibly most annoying.

And thirdly, "how often do you inject?". They seem shocked when I say 4x daily.

Do type 2ers have to put up with similar questions, or do you get different ones? Do the type 1s get the same as me? What do you find funniest/most annoying?


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## eyeko (Jan 19, 2009)

I'm a type one and I usually get  "does it hurt?" ,and people also seem shocked that I take four injections a day. They also usually seem pretty shocked when I tell them that three of my insulin doses are worked out according to the amount of carbohydrates I eat and that I'm working on three different ratios. It's not even just my friends and peers that have this reaction, but also some doctors! Recently, I have been in hospital on a few occasions due to very high ketone and blood sugar levels and when asked to explain my insulin doses and how they are calculated, all of the doctors I have seen have stuttered a bit and said wow isn't it complicated! This is probably one of the more amusing reactions as they are medical professionals after all!


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## Northerner (Jan 19, 2009)

eyeko said:


> I'm a type one and I usually get  "does it hurt?" ,and people also seem shocked that I take four injections a day. They also usually seem pretty shocked when I tell them that three of my insulin doses are worked out according to the amount of carbohydrates I eat and that I'm working on three different ratios. It's not even just my friends and peers that have this reaction, but also some doctors! Recently, I have been in hospital on a few occasions due to very high ketone and blood sugar levels and when asked to explain my insulin doses and how they are calculated, all of the doctors I have seen have stuttered a bit and said wow isn't it complicated! This is probably one of the more amusing reactions as they are medical professionals after all!



Ha ha! Dontcha just love to baffle the experts?


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## eyeko (Jan 19, 2009)

Of course ! lol! Isn't every diabetic somewhat of a medical marvel hehehe.


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## sofaraway (Jan 20, 2009)

I think 'does it hurt?' is probabaly the most common i usually answer 'sometimes' which is true. 
the other is 'have you had it since you were born?' which is interesting because almost nobody has it when they are born, unless born without a pancreas. and seem quiet surprised when i say since I was 15.


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## bev (Jan 20, 2009)

sofaraway said:


> I think 'does it hurt?' is probabaly the most common i usually answer 'sometimes' which is true.
> the other is 'have you had it since you were born?' which is interesting because almost nobody has it when they are born, unless born without a pancreas. and seem quiet surprised when i say since I was 15.



I dont know how common it is, but i know of a premature baby born with diabetes,it was in intensive care on an insulin drip poor thing!


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## sofaraway (Jan 20, 2009)

bev said:


> I dont know how common it is, but i know of a premature baby born with diabetes,it was in intensive care on an insulin drip poor thing!



any baby diagnosed within first 6 months is quite likely to have monogenic neonatal diabetes, which can be treated with tablets. type 1 isn't that common in young babies.


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## AlanJardine (Jan 20, 2009)

As a slow onset LADA, I've experienced reactions as both type one and two.

With type two, people usually don't understand why you don't take insulin. They also think it's not so serious if you don't. Some also think it's somesort of allergy to sugar.

As a type two, I get people cringing when you say you have to inject, along with "oh I couldn't do that". They don't seem to understand that you do it because you have to, not because you want to. And yes, it hurts like hell sometimes.

One of the most annoying things is when people try to tell me what I should or shouldn't eat. My response is often "I may be diabetic, but I don't have to be good at it"

Top of the list though is my wife's reaction that it's not important. When I do say I'm having problems with it her reaction is "Well, it's your fault..." (that I haven't taken enough insulin, I've eaten too much or too little, etc.)


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## aymes (Jan 20, 2009)

the most common one I get is along the lines of 'oh I could never do that' ( inject) or ' I'd just die if I had to inject myself' I try to explain that if you have to you do and itsvkind if offensive to say that you'd rather due than live like me!
The other one is, if I'm too high or too low, 'well what did you do wrong' - not what you want to hear at that time!


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## bev (Jan 20, 2009)

I know where your all coming from, but, as the mum of a diabetic son, before he was diagnosed i would probably have said some of the things mentioned! But not because i felt like being offensive, because i genuinely didnt understand what it was all about! How many of you actually knew anything about it before diagnosis? 
I doubt that most people mean to offend, its more a case of ignorance. Which is why it would be a good idea to have diabetics on tv, to introduce the general public to the life of a diabetic. And i dont mean a life threatening type story line, that would frighten the hell out of most people, perhaps just a story of a hypo and how its dealt with.
After all, what is the correct response to being told someone is diabetic? Bev


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## sofaraway (Jan 20, 2009)

aymes said:


> the most common one I get is along the lines of 'oh I could never do that' ( inject) or ' I'd just die if I had to inject myself'



yeah heard that one too. I have to say though back when i was first diagnosed I thought the same, that I really didn't want to ever have to inject. I believe people think that the physical act of injecting is the worst thing about having diabetes (DR's included), but really it's one of the easiest things, hardly bothers me.


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## AlanJardine (Jan 20, 2009)

bev said:


> I know where your all coming from, but, as the mum of a diabetic son, before he was diagnosed i would probably have said some of the things mentioned! But not because i felt like being offensive, because i genuinely didnt understand what it was all about!


I don't usually find it offensive myself, usually just funny. It tends to be the people who know you have the condition but think they know more about it than they do who can come out with more offensive (or more accurately annoying) comments.


bev said:


> How many of you actually knew anything about it before diagnosis?


I totally agree. I knew nothing when I was diagnosed. In fact the first thing I did after I was diagnosed was to go out and buy a new fridge to keep insulin in, even though I didn't move on to insulin until some years later.


bev said:


> I doubt that most people mean to offend, its more a case of ignorance. Which is why it would be a good idea to have diabetics on tv, to introduce the general public to the life of a diabetic. And i dont mean a life threatening type story line, that would frighten the hell out of most people, perhaps just a story of a hypo and how its dealt with.
> After all, what is the correct response to being told someone is diabetic? Bev


Unfortunately, ignorance is a hard thing to fight. DiabetesUK try, but you can't force knowledge down everyone's throats.


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## sunflower_harvester (Jan 20, 2009)

I've been told a few time " you dont look like a diabetic" bit of a boggle as I'm not sure what diabetics are supposed to look like?! 
When asked how many injections I have and I say I use a pump (or previously when I said 4) often get the response "Wow you must be really bad" I usually explain that its not a case of good or bad, people just need different things to get good control but I dont find it offensive as if you dont know much about diabetes its a fair asumption that the more insulin you need the worse your control is-after all I'd assume an asthmatic on 4 inhalers a day had worse symptoms than someone on 2......


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## bev (Jan 20, 2009)

Unfortunately, ignorance is a hard thing to fight. DiabetesUK try, but you can't force knowledge down everyone's throats.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely right! But one way to fight ignorance is education. It may take time, but what is the alternative? Look at America today, who would have thought they would have a black president? It was only ignorance that kept a black person from even having any rights last century!
Change can happen if its dealt with sensitively and democratically.
I refuse to let my son feel 'different' for having diabetes. I also dont want him to be 'bitter' about peoples reactions towards diabetes. He has already had 1 incident at school with a friend taunting him that he couldnt eat sweets any longer (wrong i know) so the next day my son took time to explain to the child that actually he can have sweets as long as its counted with his insulin, and the child hasnt mentioned it since or taunted him! My son actually wanted to say to the boy' " well at least i wont be obese and will still have all my own teeth" but i explained it could inflame the issue rather than help it! He will have enough to challenge him healthwise, why add to this with being bitter? Bev


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## Rubyloo (Jan 20, 2009)

I have been asked on several occasions if I have to find a vein to inject!  I've also had people say "you can't be very Diabetic as you don't take much insulin!"
I'm sure people don't mean to offend its just they don't understand & why should they?  I had an Aunt who had type 1 & everyone in the family used to call her greedy & selfish, she was always the first one up to the buffet & used to dictate what time dinner should be etc........She is now no longer with us & I feel very ashamed that I was one of those ingorant people who used to laugh about her!  Since being diagnosed with type 1 myself I now understand what a life changing condition this is & how you sometimes have to think of No.1.......

Dx


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## Ikklemo (Jan 20, 2009)

I'm type 2 and "Yes" I get very similar questions, i.e. does it hurt when you do a blood test, quickly followed by OMG I couldn't do that if my life depended on it!!!  Oh yes they could.

The most anoying questions is normally, "I bet you take too much sugar"/and "eat a lot of sweets" - the answer to both is no.  Unfortunately, Diabetese seems to run in my family (I must confess to being overweight which does not help).

*Grouse of the day*:
The most anoying thing about being an overweight - is the constant TV typecasting in programmes usually showing overweight people always stuffing their faces with sweets, cakes and generally "pigging out".

Now with the grouse out of the way - I feel so much better.


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## WorzelGummidge (Jan 20, 2009)

AlanJardine said:


> One of the most annoying things is when people try to tell me what I should or shouldn't eat. My response is often "I may be diabetic, but I don't have to be good at it"



I love that, I'm going to remember it for the next time someone says "so can you not eat sugar?". I usually say "I shouldn't really but I do."



bev said:


> I know where your all coming from, but, as the mum of a diabetic son, before he was diagnosed i would probably have said some of the things mentioned! But not because i felt like being offensive, because i genuinely didnt understand what it was all about! How many of you actually knew anything about it before diagnosis?




Oh I don't find it offensive at all! I didn't make the thread to moan about people who are ignorant, I knew absolutely zilch about diabetes when I was diagnosed. It's just a bit of fun


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## ivygirl (Jan 20, 2009)

Being type 2 I find I get comments like: Oh, your not a real diabetic then!!  Mostly, when hearing I'm type 2 they loose interest after making some comment about it being my fault!


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## Ikklemo (Jan 20, 2009)

I also love the comment : "I may be diabetic, but I don't have to be good at it"


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## Corrine (Jan 20, 2009)

I've been told I'm 'not really diabetic' as well.  And its surprising how little people actually do know about it - I was told last night about a relative of my partners who has type 1 - 'he injects 4 times a day so he has got it really bad...'.  And I'll admit - I knew a big fat zero about it when I was diagnosed which is really ignorant of me - especially as I work with someone who is type 1!


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## Emmal31 (Jan 20, 2009)

people often say to me 'I don't like needles' well u think that I do lol


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## Copepod (Jan 20, 2009)

*different types of needles & injections*

A lot of the confusion comes from the general public not realising that there are different types of injections - most people have experienced intramuscular immunisations as children and teenagers, then tetanus and perhaps travel vaccines as adults, and most will have blood taken from a vein at some point - lots if they pass though pregnancy, for example. If they have had injections with thin needles, this is most likely as local anasthetic at the dentist or before sewing up a cut in skin. All these types of injections are generally given by someone else and are more painful that subcutaneous insulin injections - and finger pricking is usually far more painful than insulin injections. If insulin injections are as unpainful as they are, then I'm happy having as many as necessary (usually 5 per day) to maintain an interesting life. I don't envy my friend with multiple sclerosis who has to give herself weekly intramuscular injections.


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## Caroline Wilson (Jan 20, 2009)

I've had should you be eating that? It's not like I stuff my face with cram buns and chocolate biscuits all day or even every day.

And I've had can you catch it from someone else? 

The worst one I had was is it like HIV or AIDs.

I am diabetic not catching...


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## Ally (Jan 20, 2009)

Haha, some of these have made me laugh.

I too get "does it hurt" and "oh no i couldnt do that" but most annoying is when people say, oh well my friend/family member etc has it really bad.... as if there are varying degrees.... lol


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## Copepod (Jan 20, 2009)

No, diabetes is not infectious, but it does have some similar effects to HIV / AIDS, as I discovered when I discovered a friend I know through activity sport is HIV+ eg both of us have been excluded from certain careers and leisure activities, both of us have a bit extra hassle getting travel insurance, both of us have to deal with out of date attitudes from health professionals and general public, both of us have seen health prospects improve for both conditions - in the early 80s, people died soon after getting HIV and people with diabetes still had shortened lifespans, while antiretroviral drugs and advances in blood glucose monitoring and basal bolus regimes have helped us both, both of us LIVE with our condition and will die with our condition, but fully intend to live fully until then. But both of us are careful to keep our blood to ourselves when dealing with wounds, which has happened most times we've met!


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## Alan221 (Jan 20, 2009)

Please guys, be patient. People only ask because they don't know. They are ignorant and have no understanding of what it is like to be diabetic. Don't be angry, tell them if asked so that thay can gain at least some information. Afterall, who better to ask than a diabetic? Do we get trumpy when people ask us questions on here? I've said before that the general public know very little about diabetes and we were the general public before our diagnosis. We'd like a little consideration show to us, shouldn't we show some too?


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## Viki (Jan 20, 2009)

we all moan about people not differentiating between type one and two - me included! But i always tell people im "diabetic" and not "type 1 diabetic" because its easier and cant always be bothered to explain! It annoys me when i then get the daft comments, "you dont look diabetic" or "oh, did your mum and dad give you lots of sweets when you were little" but thats my fault for not educating that one more person!

Im sure im not the only one who does it


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## tracey w (Jan 20, 2009)

ditto ditto ditto

all the above replies i have had.

does it hurt, ooh type 1 you have the bad one, do you have to eqt certain foods, I dont know how you inject yourself I couldnt do it, 

I understand it is ignorance and not malice, but the one that really bugs me is ," ooh dont know how you inject I JUST COULD NOT DO THAT", well newsflash yes you would. I really dont like this one and have occasionally said, yes you would if you had diabetes because you would be dead if you didnt do it! harsh i know but then people shouldnt annoy me when i feel low/high and feel crappy anyway!! hw he


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## Alan221 (Jan 20, 2009)

Tracey, you are absolutely right. I told my best friend when he was diagnosed with type 1 in his early 20's, that "it's a good job I haven't got it because I'd never be able to inject myself" Well "HELLO!!" 15 years later here I am, and yes you pretty soon realise that you're going to have to learn how to. The one saviour for me is that we get to inject subcutaneously rather than intraveinously - I really would struggle with that. To my shame I didn't know that before I 'joined the club' and in my case I should have.


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## smudger0 (Jan 21, 2009)

I am newly diagnosed and my fiancee watched me injecting for a few times at the start, the first couple of times she watched i felt more sorry for her as i put the needle in she put her hands to her face and cried a little. Think it was just the shock for her as i really did not like needles but surely i should be the one who was crying........ It seems to be getting a little bit better now though


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## orange (Jan 21, 2009)

Haha! I'm glad there are others out there that have similar reponses! People always firstly are shocked that I have it...but don't really know anything about. Surprised at having 4+ injections a day, always saying 'I couldn't do that if I was you'.....well you wouldn't have much choice! They also seem quite oblivious to it most of the time ! So I often get 'Why don't you have this massive slice of cake'...etc! 

There are some nice people who genuinely want to know more, I find schools really should do more to educate people about conditions such as diabetes. Most people throughout my school years thought I had finger tests, and avoided sugar. It would be really good to have people who understand that there is a lot more to it! I've had a very difficult past 14 years trying to get it under control with only the support of one family member...until now meeting some good friends. School years may have been easier if there was a support system!...sorry for the irrelavance in this post!!


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## colinw (Jan 21, 2009)

I have found in the short time I have had this that people always know some elderly relitive that had to have something amputated and cant wait to tell you 
I noticed that dlife an american site has made some sort of card to explain to people this sort of thing is out of order its starting to p**** me off
colinw


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## grahams mum (Jan 21, 2009)

*other people reaction*

when i say that graham is diabetic  a lots of parent  told me" what stage of diabetes?,he cannot have sweet stuff ever?> did you give him a lots of sweet food when was a baby? an elderly man said "he is on tablet is  he ? is only a baby  some relative children "i hate needles  ican never inject! you will if you want to live  isaid!!!


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## sunflower_harvester (Jan 21, 2009)

Do you ever get asked if he'll grow out of it? Heard that once or twice but think its getting less common now.....

Other parents probably feel a bit frightened they might feed him something he shouldn't have and make him poorly (as oposed to being the diet police)


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## MarcLister (Jan 22, 2009)

Have had quite decent responses from my friends and neighbours about it. My neighbours were quite shocked about it, feeling sorry for me. 

Before I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on November 11th 2008 I had pretty much no idea about what Diabetes was or the difference between Type 1 and Type 2. Of course now I do. 

And ironically for a diabetic I REALLY DO NOT LIKE needles. I sometimes get close to passing out when I have blood taken, as I did when I had some blood taken to test for diabetes, and so jabbing myself 8 times a day (BS test and insulin shots) is just so flipping ironic for me I have to smile sometimes. 

Considering I'm deaf and wear hearing aids, me getting diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just makes me think either (a) I'm not liked upstairs or (b) I was a very naughty boy in a previous incarnation!


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## katie (Jan 22, 2009)

I usually say no it doesn't hurt and then show them how tiny the needle is.  Obviously it does hurt sometimes, but compared to other pain ive experienced it is nothing, and i think it's the last think im worried about when it comes to diabetes!


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## Alan221 (Jan 23, 2009)

I can sympathise with your dislike of needles Marc. I hate the idea of them going into my veins - my wife has to go with me for my blood tests and hold my hand.


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## katie (Jan 23, 2009)

Same here, I hate blood test needles and flu jabs etc.  and my fear of blood tests became worse after my weekend in hospital after being diagnosed with diabetes.  First of all the nurse tried to get a line in a few times in differnent places (eeek) then a DOCTOR (the ones who are worst at it) and he managed to hit my artery (yep it hurt ALOT) and then eventually another nurse tried and got it straight away.  I have small veins


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## MarcLister (Jan 23, 2009)

katie said:


> I usually say no it doesn't hurt and then show them how tiny the needle is.  Obviously it does hurt sometimes, but compared to other pain ive experienced it is nothing, and i think it's the last think im worried about when it comes to diabetes!


I find the needles don't hurt. Sometimes parts of my stomach seem more tender than others. 

Also if my room is cold overnight then the insulin can hurt a bit for breakfast.

I've on the Novofine needles which are nice and small and barely register on my pain scales. However some wally at my GPs printed out some non-Novofine needles which were longer and bigger. Muchos ouchos. I complained to the pharmacy wondering why they'd given me different needles. They showed me the prescription they'd collected on my behalf and proved the surgery had made a mistake. A painful mistake that. I made sure the surgery fixed that. Still got some of those needles but won't use them as they really do hurt. If I run out of Novofine I'll have to use the others but I'm pretty good at managing all my medication and gear so that shouldn't happen. 



Alan221 said:


> I can sympathise with your dislike of needles Marc. I hate the idea of them going into my veins - my wife has to go with me for my blood tests and hold my hand.


Cheers Alan.  I think, and Mum agrees, that I'm probably someone who was born with a hatred or fear of needles. Not made much better by my diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss (deaf in both ears that means!) at about 2 and half years old. So that meant a lot of tests whenever I went to my hospital consultant in London. And that meant lots of needles for blood tests and the like. Once my consultant went to a conference some other consultant hosted and thought I showed a lot of the symptoms of this weird condition this consultant was trying to prove existed because his counterparts in America said it didn't exist. So more tests. I had to have radioactive iodide injected into me so that the iodine would end up in my thyroid and the radioactivity of it would show up on an X-Ray and they could see what my thyroid function and so on was like. So it was radioactive iodide injected with a plastic needle. You know when old TVs used to not have any reception and you'd get that black and white fuzzy-ness? Well Mr Doctor tried to inject the stuff into my arms and I almost passed out, became very sweaty and all I could see was the black and white fuzzy-ness. I had to get into a wheelchair and have my Mum wheel me up and down in the cool air of the corridor to cool me down. Then the doctor tried again and told me I had veins like trunks of trees. Didn't do much for me that.

Then I had to spend an hour without moving my face with a big metal scanner plate or something in my face. It was so close to me I couldn't focus on it and it completely obstructed my view.

Thankfully I had a walkman and was able to listen to Queen's Made In Heaven. Quite a nice soothing album considering the circumstances.

And then I got diagnosed with Diabetes. Irony in full operation there.



katie said:


> Same here, I hate blood test needles and flu jabs etc.  and my fear of blood tests became worse after my weekend in hospital after being diagnosed with diabetes.  First of all the nurse tried to get a line in a few times in differnent places (eeek) then a DOCTOR (the ones who are worst at it) and he managed to hit my artery (yep it hurt ALOT) and then eventually another nurse tried and got it straight away.  I have small veins


Ouch, bad luck. I almost passed out and vomited when they took blood for my diabetes diagnosis. I had to be helped into a room with a bed, lie down with the window open and a fan on me and suck some minty sweet to get my blood sugars back up.

I went to the hospital a few days later to see a Diabetic consultant doctor who confirmed that I had Type 1 diagnosis. For some reason they wanted more blood (see I told you, irony!) and we had to go and find the phlebotomist. Naturally I wasn't looking forward to this but we found out the phlebotomist was actually a trained phlebotomist and not just a nurse. She was a lovely woman from New Zealand and spoke to me and Mum like we were people and not just walking blood samples waiting to be taken. We told her about my record with needles and blood being taken. She just said, calmly and confidently, that no-one ever faints or feels bad when she takes blood. And she was right! Seconds after the needle was out, which I barely felt, I stood up and felt like nothing had happened to me. So I think it was a mixture of her being trained at this, indeed doing it every day, and not just being a nurse trained in basic blood taking but also her friendliness and character really helped.

Strangely we've not actually gotten the results of the blood test. They weren't taking it for blood sugar as I'd been issued with a tester by then. I must ring the hospital and find out what it was for and what the results were.


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## katie (Jan 23, 2009)

MarcLister said:


> I find the needles don't hurt. Sometimes parts of my stomach seem more tender than others.
> 
> Also if my room is cold overnight then the insulin can hurt a bit for breakfast.
> 
> I've on the Novofine needles which are nice and small and barely register on my pain scales. However some wally at my GPs printed out some non-Novofine needles which were longer and bigger. Muchos ouchos. I complained to the pharmacy wondering why they'd given me different needles. They showed me the prescription they'd collected on my behalf and proved the surgery had made a mistake. A painful mistake that. I made sure the surgery fixed that. Still got some of those needles but won't use them as they really do hurt. If I run out of Novofine I'll have to use the others but I'm pretty good at managing all my medication and gear so that shouldn't happen.



Are they called penfine - universal click? or something similar? because they did exactly the same to me, except the pharmacist realised I had never had them before and asked if i had changed. when i said no they told me to complain to my dr.  they said the dr might have done it because they are cheaper (how rude).  I haven't complained yet but only got them last time i got my prescription and im planning on making an appointment sooon.


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## katie (Jan 23, 2009)

MarcLister said:


> Ouch, bad luck. I almost passed out and vomited when they took blood for my diabetes diagnosis. I had to be helped into a room with a bed, lie down with the window open and a fan on me and suck some minty sweet to get my blood sugars back up.
> 
> I went to the hospital a few days later to see a Diabetic consultant doctor who confirmed that I had Type 1 diagnosis. For some reason they wanted more blood (see I told you, irony!) and we had to go and find the phlebotomist. Naturally I wasn't looking forward to this but we found out the phlebotomist was actually a trained phlebotomist and not just a nurse. She was a lovely woman from New Zealand and spoke to me and Mum like we were people and not just walking blood samples waiting to be taken. We told her about my record with needles and blood being taken. She just said, calmly and confidently, that no-one ever faints or feels bad when she takes blood. And she was right! Seconds after the needle was out, which I barely felt, I stood up and felt like nothing had happened to me. So I think it was a mixture of her being trained at this, indeed doing it every day, and not just being a nurse trained in basic blood taking but also her friendliness and character really helped.
> 
> Strangely we've not actually gotten the results of the blood test. They weren't taking it for blood sugar as I'd been issued with a tester by then. I must ring the hospital and find out what it was for and what the results were.



Yeah some nurses are really good at it and you hardly notice. sometimes you get some idiot. like the time a nurse left that strap on my arm for ages while she got a smaller needle and my arm started going blue, then she took my blood and afterwards i felt like i was going to be sick. that was a really strange feeling. i had to lie on the floor so that the blood went back to my head?! it worked though hehe. afterwards she was like "was that because i left the strap on too long?" i was just thinking... How am i supposed to know?
 You are the professional!

Ok I should probably stop telling these stories if you are scared of needles.  I was told by the woman who is good at it that you should tell the nurse which is the best arm and even where abouts your best vein is - so that might help in future.


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## Munjeeta (Jan 24, 2009)

Haha... My veins also collapse as soon as the HbA1c needle gets anywhere near them! I've had so many reactions over the years to my diabetes. All the 'does it hurt?'s 'how many times to you inject?'s and the 'wow, you don't look like a diabetic's... My personal favourites though, have to be the people who think it's ok to tell you that their friend/ grandad/ great aunt Maude died/ went blind/ lost a leg through diabetes. Thanks!


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## Lynne Day (Jan 24, 2009)

As a parent some of the funny ones are 
•	Oh he will grow out of it 
•	Oh its not that bad my son has asthma (and yes i know asthma can be bad) 
•	Oh my nana has diabetes and had had her leg amputated (oh by the way this was a teacher and was in front of my son aged 8 at the time)


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## Alan221 (Jan 24, 2009)

Katie, if they had changed my needles I'd just take them back, I'm not interested how much they cost. I use BD micro-fine 5mm - i'm ok with them - yes sometimes they hurt but on the whole OK. Marc- when I was in the hospital with DKA, everytime the nurse came near me with something that I thought was a needle, I tried to get away. That included a thermometer!! Well I was a bit 'our of it'.


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## Northerner (Jan 24, 2009)

The only needle that used to really bother me was the injection in the gum at the dentist. I changed dentist a few years ago and was really (pleasantly!) surprised when he gave me an injection that didn't hurt at all. I told him about my fear and complimented him on his skill. His explanation? He uses 'child' size needles on everyone! He said sometimes it means more than 1 injection, but they are always less painful. Now I have no concerns about going to the dentist (well, not as many!)


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## MarcLister (Jan 24, 2009)

katie said:


> Are they called penfine - universal click? or something similar? because they did exactly the same to me, except the pharmacist realised I had never had them before and asked if i had changed. when i said no they told me to complain to my dr.  they said the dr might have done it because they are cheaper (how rude).  I haven't complained yet but only got them last time i got my prescription and im planning on making an appointment sooon.


Er I can't find them for some reason. That'll be me putting them somewhere so that I can find them if I need them. And I can't. Don't think they are Penfine - Universal click. They were just some horrid generic stuff.



katie said:


> Yeah some nurses are really good at it and you hardly notice. sometimes you get some idiot. like the time a nurse left that strap on my arm for ages while she got a smaller needle and my arm started going blue, then she took my blood and afterwards i felt like i was going to be sick. that was a really strange feeling. i had to lie on the floor so that the blood went back to my head?! it worked though hehe. afterwards she was like "was that because i left the strap on too long?" i was just thinking... How am i supposed to know?
> You are the professional!
> 
> Ok I should probably stop telling these stories if you are scared of needles.  I was told by the woman who is good at it that you should tell the nurse which is the best arm and even where abouts your best vein is - so that might help in future.


I don't mind the stories. Better to hear stories like this than to experience it.



Alan221 said:


> Marc- when I was in the hospital with DKA, everytime the nurse came near me with something that I thought was a needle, I tried to get away. That included a thermometer!! Well I was a bit 'our of it'.


Nasty. The DKA that is. I hope to be able to manage my condition enough that I never have to get hospitalised. Course I understand that sometimes illness or some infection can overwhelm you and you need hospital attention.


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## angel30eyes (Jan 24, 2009)

*Dentist*



Northerner said:


> The only needle that used to really bother me was the injection in the gum at the dentist. I changed dentist a few years ago and was really (pleasantly!) surprised when he gave me an injection that didn't hurt at all. I told him about my fear and complimented him on his skill. His explanation? He uses 'child' size needles on everyone! He said sometimes it means more than 1 injection, but they are always less painful. Now I have no concerns about going to the dentist (well, not as many!)



Wish i'd spoke to you a few days ago lol, i woke with a god awful toothache and when at the dentist i freaked, i have OCD and panic attacks, they put the one in the gum fine but i knew how much the roof of the mouth one hurt so they didn't do it, i didn't have the tooth taken out but just filled for a few months and the prospect of going back in a few months to have it taken out if i'm brave enough


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## MarcLister (Jan 24, 2009)

Alan221 said:


> I use BD micro-fine 5mm - i'm ok with them - yes sometimes they hurt but on the whole OK.


Just re-read your post and realised its BD Micro-fines I was given. 8mm I think. And I found out why I can't find them. Mum has them at school. She's a Biology teacher and is covering Diabetes with one of her classes soon and wanted some gear to show the students. She's got an old, empty insulin pen and the needles to show them.


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## katie (Jan 24, 2009)

Alan221 said:


> Katie, if they had changed my needles I'd just take them back, I'm not interested how much they cost. I use BD micro-fine 5mm - i'm ok with them - yes sometimes they hurt but on the whole OK. Marc- when I was in the hospital with DKA, everytime the nurse came near me with something that I thought was a needle, I tried to get away. That included a thermometer!! Well I was a bit 'our of it'.



I will do, i'm just errr, laid back about these things...


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## tracey w (Jan 25, 2009)

[

've on the Novofine needles which are nice and small and barely register on my pain scales. However some wally at my GPs printed out some non-Novofine needles which were longer and bigger. Muchos ouchos. I complained to the pharmacy wondering why they'd given me different needles. They showed me the prescrn they'd collected on my behalf and proved the surgery had made a mistake. A painful mistake that.

Hi, i presume novofine are used with novopens? guessing. I use bd microfine 8mm with a luxura pen, never had any problems, hurt occasionally but not too often. Maybe Im just a bit more padded, ha ha 

What mm are novofine? I dont think they are necessarily cheaper versions, just used with different equipment maybe?? GPs do mess up sometimes, you have to keep your beady eye on them!


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## mikep1979 (Jan 25, 2009)

lol i do get does it hurt and wow 4x's a day?? i also love to baffle the docs when i get took in hospital, but my biggest problem is when im admitted to hospital for something that has nothing to do with my diabetes they imediatly start to flap around doin my sugars and getin hba1c's done and the likes!!!! last time was a few months ago when i fractured my ribs so i went homne first and did my own sugar levels, then took my monitor to the hospital. the nurse came out and asked me if i had any idea who my sugars were doing today so i showed her on my monitor how they had been for the past week!!!!! she still asked a doctor if she should do my hba1c!!!! i hit the roof and started to ask her and the doctor what they knew about diabetes. besides the usual standard stuff they knew nothing. so i decided to fill them in a little lol they were a little red faced after i told them how i handled my own insulin dose's as i was on the I.C.E system. they didnt even know what it was!!!!!!


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## MarcLister (Jan 25, 2009)

tracey w said:


> [
> 
> 've on the Novofine needles which are nice and small and barely register on my pain scales. However some wally at my GPs printed out some non-Novofine needles which were longer and bigger. Muchos ouchos. I complained to the pharmacy wondering why they'd given me different needles. They showed me the prescrn they'd collected on my behalf and proved the surgery had made a mistake. A painful mistake that.
> 
> ...


6mm mine are. Yep that's right. A whole 2mm extra HURTS!  And yes Novofine needles with Novopens. A winning combination, including me that is, if I do say so myself. 

It isn't the GPs that cock up here. The surgery I'm with has its own dispensary, the nurses/staff in there do the repeat prescriptions. And not very well either.


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## MarcLister (Jan 25, 2009)

I.C.E system?!  I don't know what that is. 

(Unless its the In Case of Emergency contact number on yer mobile phone? )


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## mikep1979 (Jan 25, 2009)

I.C.E stands for insulin carb exchange marc. it is a system to adjust the amount of insulin you take in relation to the carbs you eat and also your starting sugars. it is a little hard to do at first, but once you get used to it then it is fairly good for control of your diabetes.


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## MarcLister (Jan 25, 2009)

I knew that. Was going to be my second suggestion. 

I do that, just wasn't aware it had an acronym.  I look at my lunch or dinner and then guesstimate the carbos, then look at my blood sugar and decide whether to have the standard amount of insulin for that particular meal, less if blood sugar is low or very little carbo in meal or more if blood sugar is high etc.


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## mikep1979 (Jan 25, 2009)

lol yeah same here. only problems i find is trying to guesstimate it when im eating out as they can load meals with carbs when it looks like its low in carbs.


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## angel30eyes (Jan 25, 2009)

AlanJardine said:


> Top of the list though is my wife's reaction that it's not important. When I do say I'm having problems with it her reaction is "Well, it's your fault..." (that I haven't taken enough insulin, I've eaten too much or too little, etc.)



And your still married because??


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## sofaraway (Jan 26, 2009)

mikep1979 said:


> lol i do get does it hurt and wow 4x's a day?? i also love to baffle the docs when i get took in hospital, but my biggest problem is when im admitted to hospital for something that has nothing to do with my diabetes they imediatly start to flap around doin my sugars and getin hba1c's done and the likes!!!! last time was a few months ago when i fractured my ribs so i went homne first and did my own sugar levels, then took my monitor to the hospital. the nurse came out and asked me if i had any idea who my sugars were doing today so i showed her on my monitor how they had been for the past week!!!!! she still asked a doctor if she should do my hba1c!!!! i hit the roof and started to ask her and the doctor what they knew about diabetes. besides the usual standard stuff they knew nothing. so i decided to fill them in a little lol they were a little red faced after i told them how i handled my own insulin dose's as i was on the I.C.E system. they didnt even know what it was!!!!!!



I don't see the problem with getting an A1c done when you get admitted for something unrelated, it can identify people who don't have good control and some intervention would be helpful. 

I've never heard of it referred to as the ICE system.


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## mikep1979 (Jan 26, 2009)

i dont mind having the a1c done, but id like them to get me sorted for the things i came in for first as this is the reason im there!!!! it is what my local authority call its system. id never heard of carb counting before i got told about this.


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## Caroline Wilson (Jan 30, 2009)

I had a reaction from some one I didn't expect to react this morning, and in a way I wasn't expecting. WHile I was waiting to get an office key this morning I decided I'd test before deciding on tea or hot chocolate.

I was in the vending machine area with my puncture kit out when the security person came in. This person has a reputation for being diamons hard. At the site of a little blood, there was a dishevled heap on the floor.

I did the right thing nd called for a first aider who then wanted to see if the person on the floor was having a hypo because I was testing. I soon put them right and handed a leaflet and a list of web sites over...

12 hours later I can see the funny side of it, but the Diamons is not.


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## mikep1979 (Jan 30, 2009)

lol so dropped on the sight of blood?? and it isnt even a lot!!!! hahaha i have seen a few people over the years do the same. i had a mate who when i was first diagnosed always wanted me to test his blood when i did mine as he hated the fact i was different to him. he wasnt ever in the same league as me for bg levels lol.


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## litto-miss-loz (Jan 30, 2009)

hey all

i hate wen some1 sees u eatin a choco bar or sumefin and say 
"should u be eating that" it drives me nuts lol

and the needles dont bother me wen im injecting but its weird cause i can inject myself but i could never watch some1 else inject themselves.

is that weird? lol haha


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## mikep1979 (Jan 30, 2009)

lol not really weird as i dont like needles but obviously i have to take my insulin so i have to have needles.


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## Lula (Jan 31, 2009)

I get all the 'oh I could never give myself an injection' and 'does it hurt?' etc, but another frequent response from people tends to be: 'I think I might be diabetic.'
Their suspicion usually stems from the fact that they feel that they 'need a lot of sugar' at certain times of day etc! I just tell them not to worry, but if they're genuinely concerned to go to the doctor.

Its interesting though how many peoples' first reaction to finding out that you're diabetic is to think of themselves!


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## AmandaB (Jan 31, 2009)

What really gets me is the attitude of (nearly) all the so called 'professionals' who condescendingly think they know more about my diabetes than I do. 

And those that say 'that's what happens to people who eat too much sugar and get fat' (I'm 9 1/2 stone and I had childhood T1 onset).

I do wish I'd had some I felt I could laugh at!!


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## odd-sock (Jan 31, 2009)

I've been asked "does it hurt?" - that was mainly from my younger sisters, and a common one is "how many times do you have to inject?" and then they are horrified it's 4 times a day, and then give me a sympathic look lol. I think mainly though when people have asked me things they've genually just been curious.

One colleague asked me a funny one the other day though. She asked me whether I wore socks in the shower!?!?! which I thought was quite funny. Apparently one of her friends mums is diabetic and she was pulling her leg once and told her she had to wear socks in the shower. Made me chuckle, think that's the funniest one I've heard.


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