Can a diabetic person administer his shot of insuline in a canteen with colleagues around?

I wouldn’t care if I saw it, but if I had to do it myself, I would go to the bathroom. Needles scare some people and if they’re eating that makes it worse lol.

Why the fuck not? It’s probably a whole lot cleaner and more hygenic that the mens room?

Some people are squeamish.
I try to do that in private,but if I can’t,then I will inject where ever I am and not worry what anyone thinks because I have to do what I have to do.I try to be discreet about it though.
Ok,I admit to screaming at the top of my lungs if one of my frineds is watching me intently XD

Yes; a friend of my son’s was diabetic since he was 6 and always took care of himself as needed but in public if need be.

My BIL will inject his insulin at the table in public. He hasn’t always done this but it doesn’t bother me or the kids when he does.

Probably most people would expect someone to be more discreet, but certainly doing it in public is acceptable, especially in some circumstances where it might be unavoidable. If a friend of mine shot up in front of me it would not phase me in the least. However, if I had a business that dealt with the public I would expect my staff to do it away from customers, except in the case of an emergency. I would hope they would monitor themselves well enough that they could do it away from a selling floor, or public area for patrons.

One of my favorite stories is walking in on a woman, she must have been in her 70’s, giving herself a shot right as I walked into the bathroom at the Original Pancake House. Place has probably helped create some diabetics. ~ When I walked in she said, “oh, don’t worry hun, it’s just insulin. I like to be able to eat my pancakes.” I told her I was’t worried, smiled and we laughed.

Why not, he needs to eat and the food is what will make him need more insulin so it makes sense that would be where he would do it. I think it falls in the same category of breastfeeding in public and that is no problem in my eyes.

It would not be my choice, but I have no problem with it.

Thanks guys, for your contributions.
They helped me see it in another light (hygiene, eating-insuline…...... (help me please, I don’t know this word, where two things have to do with each other)).
Thanks!

@rebbel Insulin is what your body makes to break down the sugars you eat and when you are a diabetic your body either does not make insulin or it doesn’t make enough insulin to break down the food you eat. So to not have the sugar levels go thru the roof and put them in what is called a diabetic coma which could kill a person they need to take insulin to lower so the body can break down the sugars. So when a person eats it only makes sense that they would take their insulin just before eating because depending on the food they eat they need to take different levels of insulin.

I certainly wouldn’t do it in the restroom. Sometimes I’m a work taking a dump after lunch, and someone invariably comes into the men’s room to wash his dishes. Gross!

@HungryGuy While you’re dumping they come to wash the dishes? ;-)

This question gets a GQ just because you said canteen instead of cafe or something :P

Yes, absolutely. I’ve been doing this for the past 22 years. And it can be done in a way so that people barely notice. Under the table. Being discreet is easy (except for novices). And it applies not only to canteens. Most diabetics I know are only uncomfortable during their first year or so. Measuring blood sugar levels can be done before entering a canteen or a restaurant. If diabetics feel more comfortable doing it in the restroom, there is absolutely no hygiene problem with it. The needle doesn’t get touched by the hands and doesn’t get in contact with anything in the restroom such as a doorknob or toilet seat. There’s nothing gross about it and it would be unfair to view diabetics doing this as unclean or reckless.

Doing it in a crowded area without tables e.g. a stadium is a bit more tricky, but people get the hang of it eventually. An large open jacket can do the trick. Or placing a backpack on our thighs.

Yes.

People take insulin all the time around me. They just have the privilege of not being diabetic, and having their pancreases take care of it for them. LMFAO.

I have been a type 1 for about 19 years. When I was old enough to do my own injections (I finally got over myself and was able to do it at about age 12), I just did it in class, no problem. I have had teachers tell me I was “brave” for doing injections in class, like it is something embarrassing that I should want to hide. I never understood that.

I am now a teacher, and on the first day of classes, I tell my students “I am going to have to test my blood sugar and take injections during class. If you don’t like needles, I don’t like them either and I don’t have a choice. So just don’t watch.”

I frankly could not give a rat’s arse if people around me don’t like needles. I’m not doing it for fun or to shock people. If I am sitting close to someone, like at a cafeteria or on an airplane/train/etc., I will warn them that I need to do a shot, in case they want to avert their eyes. But I am not going to take my injection in an unhygienic place because someone can’t deal with seeing a subcutaneous needle. I have to do this ~ 10 times a day.

I am very thankful for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects people with Type 1 Diabetes, even though it is not often thought of as a disability.

@bookish1 let’s face it pissing off a few people with an injection and checking your blood sugar is much better than having a hypo and hoping those same people help you.

@Lightlyseared: If I read your tone correctly, you are being sarcastic. If people get pissed off having to sit in the same room with a type 1 taking an injection, that is their problem, not mine. I am deeply needle-phobic myself and if I am near someone else taking a shot, or even have to see an image of it on TV, I will avert my gaze as well. I take responsibility for my own triggers. As I said, I don’t do this for fun or shock value.

@bookish1 nope you failed miserably to read the tone correctly. I was being deadly serious. I know you don’t do it for the shock factor I’m trying to point out that people would be take exactly the same attitude if you collapsed from a low (or high)-blood sugar. I’m afraid I’ve seen it all too often.

@Lightlyseared: Whoops, my apologies! Thanks for explaining. I have trouble reading tone online quite often. Gotcha, yeah. This is why I try to educate about type 1 as much as I can, whenever it comes up.