15 Comments
How much do you think your relatives outside of your immediate family know about T1D? Select all of the statements that you think are true for you.
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Sad but true that the majority of my family does not understand the difference between T1D or T2D. Or what my devices or insulin does. They think my pump takes care of everything.
Some of my relatives think I should be over this, as if it were a bad cold, and resent that it still inconveniences them.
I am type 1 diagnosed after age 57. Some doctors insist I am type 2. My endo says I am type 1.
When the subject arises, I say, “T2 is most people you know. They still produce some insulin. Either not enough, or their body doesn’t use it well. My T1 means my body No longer produces insulin. So when you eat, your body sends insulin to turn your food into energy. My body does not make any, so I have to “shoot it in” to process my food.”
Type 1, few beyond my immediate family know. Don’t discuss it. Better things to talk about.
I was diagnosed TID around 55 years old, so it’s new to my family. I have one sister who still asks me “can you eat…?” I think my three sisters pretty much understand it though, my sons as well. Extended family doesn’t, except the ones that have asked me questions about it.
Diagnosed at 50 so this is new for even my immediate family. I’ve known the basic differences between type 1 and 2 but before my diagnosis I was pretty ignorant of diabetes tech so I don’t fault my family for not understanding it. Definitely alot of people think my pump handles it, before diagnosis that’s what I thought as well. So I try to educate because just over a year ago I was equally as ignorant.
Their knowledge and interest is very limited.
I have often been the one to explain and educate my immediate and extended family members about diabetes – the difference between T1 and T2, the role of insulin in the body, what a person with diabetes can eat, that diabetes of all types (T1 or T2) can occur in adults and children of all ages and at any age – from as young as infancy into ripe old age, and that T1 diabetes does not turn into T2 diabetes when a child goes into adulthood.
In my family of origin, there is a history of youth onset T1 diabetes and LADA; as well as youth onset pre-diabetes and T2 diabetes, and adult onset pre-diabetes and T2 diabetes on both sides extending through first, second and third cousins. Despite a full spectrum of diabetes there still a lot of denial, false beliefs and misunderstanding amongst some of my relatives.
When I was trying to figure out what was happening to my body at the age of 49 other than menopause, even the Drs. are very confused about the difference between type 1 and type 2. I was considered a type 2, type 1 and 1/2, and a type 1 finally with LADA. 23 years later LADA is now the diagnosis term that was misunderstood. When in the hospital or nursing home care, type 1s go by the same chart as type 2 for insulin management. This should be changed as well.
I believe they have a general idea about my devices and insulin usage but don’t necessarily know the exact reason or process for using the technology or what taking insulin actually does for me.
I would say that about 20 percent of my family understand the difference of type 1 and 2 and what my devices do, the same for the effects of insulin. There are a few healthcare workers and others who have type 2.
I once had an uncle tell me that if I eat enough beans, it will cure my T1. I told him I’ll keep taking insulin in the meantime.
I have many relatives, but don’t know them. Outside my brother and a surviving cousin, I’ve no idea what my distant relatives think or know about anything. I know I have distant relatives on the eastern US, southern US, Canada, and west coast and probably Ireland, Scotland, and England. That’s why I checked “other.”
I have two paternal cousins with type 1, a paternal aunt, an aunt by marriage with type 1. A dad who and brother who are type 2 diabetics you control it with meds and insulin. We have a ” diabetes cluster.” Family yearly holiday celebrations and yearly family reunions are like diabetes conventions. We share information. There is not a person over 10 who does not know something about diabetes.