testing in public?
Hi all. I read teh posts about testing with interest. Personally I
find injecting MUCH harder as I am needle-phobic - but thats just me.
I’ve never had a problem INJECTING in public, its so quick with a
pen, and most people don’t notice taht you’ve done anything. However,
I recently started carb-counting, and now test before every meal. I
found this quite hard at first - pulling out my glucose meter and
doing a finger-poke in public. I don’t know if its the blood thing,
or just that its a whole lot more obvious than the injection.
I’m getting used to it now but it was hard.
I wondered what people thought about this? Here in the UK Diabetes UK
produces a bi-monthly magazine called Balance - and often teh
letters page is like a battle ground between teh older and younger
diabetics. THe younger people (in general!) say that testing and
injecting in teh toilets is horrible and could lead to infection -
and they are pro-public testing/injecting. THe older (generally!)
members think this is totoally wrong and teat you should never
test/inject in public as it is rude.
Personally I’m with teh public group - i avoid using toilets for
stabbing myself if at all possible… but the testing in public has
made me more aware. Its one thing to stab your leg under teh table
but to squeeze out a drop of blood on teh table infront of everyone?
MAybe thats a bit much for some people?
what do you guys do/think?
Jessxxx
May 15th, 2004 at 9:23 am
Usually, I test in public but inject in the washroom. That is primarily because a have to “drop trow” for my injections. Both the monitoring and the pen injections are discreet enough that the only way somebody not sitting with you will know about it is if they are being just plain nosy. If that is the case, they deserve any discomfort they get from seeing a bit of blood or a needle. When I am with a group of people who may not be familiar with the process, I ask if it will bother anyone, but the answer is almost always a resounding NO. I have a couple friends who are unsettled by the sight of blood, so I let them know when I am going to test & they turn their heads. Guess the way I figure is that I’m not doing anything illega, immoral, or indecent, so there is no reason to hide it.
Stacy
eeyore_eats_thistles <eeyore_eats_thistles@…
Hi all. I read teh posts about testing with interest. Personally I
find injecting MUCH harder as I am needle-phobic - but thats just me.
I’ve never had a problem INJECTING in public, its so quick with a
pen, and most people don’t notice taht you’ve done anything. However,
I recently started carb-counting, and now test before every meal. I
found this quite hard at first - pulling out my glucose meter and
doing a finger-poke in public. I don’t know if its the blood thing,
or just that its a whole lot more obvious than the injection.
I’m getting used to it now but it was hard.
I wondered what people thought about this? Here in the UK Diabetes UK
produces a bi-monthly magazine called Balance - and often teh
letters page is like a battle ground between teh older and younger
diabetics. THe younger people (in general!) say that testing and
injecting in teh toilets is horrible and could lead to infection -
and they are pro-public testing/injecting. THe older (generally!)
members think this is totoally wrong and teat you should never
test/inject in public as it is rude.
Personally I’m with teh public group - i avoid using toilets for
stabbing myself if at all possible… but the testing in public has
made me more aware. Its one thing to stab your leg under teh table
but to squeeze out a drop of blood on teh table infront of everyone?
MAybe thats a bit much for some people?
what do you guys do/think?
Jessxxx
May 15th, 2004 at 11:00 pm
After decades of being “in the closet” (or more accuratly, in the washroom)
with my diabetes, I totally came out in almost all situations, when I got my
first
insulin pen and smaller monitor 4 years ago. I spent too many years in gross,
disgusting bathrooms. I am very discreet, and one thing I have learned is, it
is
almost always possible to inject right thru your clothing. I inject at a
restaurant
table, under the table, into my thigh, right thru my jeans. I will hesitate if
I am
wearing nicer or lighter-colored pants, because I occasionally do get a drop of
blood, but I seldom have a problem if I am patient and leave the needle in for
an extra few seconds.. I use the untra-short 6mm needles, and it works just
fine. I have also injected thru shirt-sleeves on buses, trains, planes, in
waiting
rooms, airports, etc., and will use my test kit anywhere. I did get hassled
only
once, about 35 years ago–also at a rock concert, I believe it might have been
the Grateful Dead. A cop came up to me as I was pushing in the plunger and
gave my such a fright, I jerked my arm and bent the needle! Was I ever pissed
off, and I let the cop know it. Otherwise, 39 years, and I’m like that gay
slogan,
“We’re here,
we’re queer” (or diabetic),
“Get used to it!”
Michael
May 18th, 2004 at 10:19 pm
letters page is like a battle ground between teh older and younger diabetics. THe younger people (in general!) say that testing and injecting in teh toilets is horrible and could lead to infection -
Well, I’m 41 and feel young sometimes LOL. I am mostly pro public. It really depends on whether or not I feel like being a diabetes “poster-child”. Quite often people have questions about diabetes and most of the time I don’t mind at all to educate them but then there are times that I just don’t want to talk about it and so then I either test in the car or restroom. I used to do the same with injections but have worn my pump for almost 8 yrs now.
Love&Hugs,Diana=^..^=
Save lives: Re-cycle yourself, be an organ donor.
Register and TELL YOUR NEXT OF KIN.
May 22nd, 2004 at 5:26 pm
I’ve always tested and injected (syringe and/or pen) in public for the
simple reason that it’s less of a hassle for me than traipsing back
and forth to the washroom. As many others have commented, most people
either don’t notice (I’m fast and discreet), don’t comment,
or don’t seem to be bothered by it. One time as I was doing some
diabetes-related activity at a restaurant table, another patron walked
by and after observing what I was doing, stopped briefly to open his
hand and flashed me a bottle of insulin and a syringe with a
conspiratorial smile before heading into the restroom. Always nice to
know you’re not alone in these endeavors. Like most things
diabetes,I think the only “right” way to do it is the way
that works best for you and makes you most comfortable.