We absolutely need better T1/T2 designations

[Barry]

"Its hard to eat right at 14, I remember when I was 14" was the comment from a 60ish yr old type 2 D in reference to hearing about (but not seeing) my 5'6" 110 pound son. He grabbed his "side rolls", did a little Santa laugh and ended with "hell, it's hard to eat right now".


Not to be insensitive to our type 2 counterparts, but I'd be curious to hear some of the alternative names for "their diabetes".

Maybe like the "brittle, or juvenile" designations...they can keep the D just add an appropiate prefix/suffix....the possibilities are endless

From this day on I will do my part to differentiate 1 and 2 by refering to 2 as Delicatessen Diabetes.

[lynn]

That is hilarious!! Thank you. I needed a laugh tonight.
Lynn

[sheila]

:eek:









:D

[selketine]

I personally find this offensive. Rather than coming up with derogatory names we should make an effort to understand the causes, challenges, and treatments of type 2 just like we wish others understood type 1's better.

:(

[muddymessalonskee]

Just a note... type 2 can and does occur in individuals who are of normal weight and are physically fit.

Deborah

[wendyc]

The nurse at our pedi's office is in his early 40's about 6ft and weighs probably 165-170. He's had T2 for 15 years. It runs in his family.

The receptionist at our gymnastics was diagnosed 10yrs ago as having T2.She too is fit and trim, a former gymnast. Because of misdiagnosis and poor management on her doctors part, she is now insulin dependent and extremely insulin resistant. Her numbers are so bad that the insurance company won't even approve her for a pump. They actually are agreeing to a transplant. She is on the national donor list for a pancreas transplant.

Yes, it does tend to occur mostly in the overweight, but it can happen to ANYONE.

[pookas]

The media are the ones who put that sterotype on T2's. That's why people ask me if Hunter ate too much sugar to get Diabetes and I'm real tired of it. The poor kid never had a soda in his life!! Maybe they SHOULD differentiate the names AND the media needs to be more sensitive to both "Types". Yes, many "Healthy" people can get T2, they can also get T1. It's the STEROTYPE. There is nothing you can do about it unless you are in the media. I learned from Hunter's endo. nurse that T2 is more genetically linked than T1. Also, if mom had GD during pregnancy, puts the kids at high risk for T2, skinny, fat, whatever. Fact is though, obesity does increase your chances of getting T2 and that's why everyone harps on the obesity, because that part of it is preventable. Especially in our children.

[Ben'sMommy]

I typically call them:

Type 1 - I.D.D.M. (Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus)
Type 2 - Late Onset diabetes

Not that it helps much.

[madde]

Who decided to differentiate the two by numbers anyway. They aren't even the same disease. THAT is why people don't get it. Type 2 is more prevelant than type 1, so it is hard for the general public to understand that they are different. My mother had type 2 diabetes, and before my daughter was diagnosed with type 1, I too had no idea of the difference. I always thought that type 2 diabetics who couldn't control there blood sugar would develop type 1 diabetes. Was that my fault? I don't think so. I just had no reason to find out the difference. We should be patient with people who just don't get it. It isn't their fault. They are just going by what they have learned and heard. We should politely try to explain the best way we can. Hopefully, that will bring about an education to the general public. It is frustrating telling people time and time again "YES SHE CAN HAVE SUGAR" But, until those wonderful scientists bring us a cure, I am afraid this is something we are going to be dealing with.

[badshoe]

The media around diabetes (type 2), my father and sister both have it, makes me very much wish for another term for what my kids have. Sharing the term diabetes makes it natural to make assumptions of simmilarity that don't exist.

I some time call it insuling dependant or pancreatic failure what ever.

While what my kids deal with is significantly more day to day intervention to stay healthy that doesn't make what my dad and sister deal with any less of an issue for their health.

I hate that the media is too lazy to learn the differance. I hate the effort it takes to maintain T1. I hate diabetes. That isn't any reason to minimize what T2 folks deal with.