Insulin Etiquette?

[JillU-DVC]

This is my first trip to WDW using insulin - I have two insulin pens that I will carry with me everywhere (along with my meter).

I was wondering what people do when they inject - do you excuse yourself to the restroom, and do it there? In a stall or at the sink? Or do you just use it in the restaurant, discretely of course?

I will likely just use my pen in the restaurant, at the table, either in one of my thighs, or lift my shirt a bit for the belly, but I was curious how others deal with it?

Of course, my sharps will go with me, back to the room, and I'm glad to find out (from this board) that I can ask for a sharps container in my room at BCV. I had planned to bring a tupperware and take them back home with me, so I'm glad I won't have to do that, though I will be sure to bring my used sharps back to the room.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[Cheshire Figment]

I use a pen for Byetta and a syringe for insulin.

If my syringe is pre-filled I may do the shots unobtrusively at the table.

If I have to start with the bottles I will go to the restroom and make sure an area either on a sink or a fixed changing station is clean and dry, put down a clean paper towel with my stuff on top.

[Sarah84]

I have my insulin through pens, and normally just go into a cubicle in the restroom to do it after i've eaten.
I'd be paranoid everyone was looking at me strangely if i sat at the table and did it even thought they probably wouldn't be.
What ever your comfortable with is the right place to do it for you :)

[Rosie]

My DS age 15 does his injections at table in his upper arm and nobody stares or comments. I think Diabetes is such a known condition that all our lives include somebody who needs to use insulin these days. Its very rare we meet anyone who doesn't somone with it.
I hope you can do whatever suits you best - the medical rooms at WDW are excellent and will happily store equipment for you and give a private space if you want it. Bathrooms are generally clean and convenient too.

[daneenm]

DS does his insulin doses at the table - vials or pen. Always has. For us, the bathroom is the last place we would ever give him an injection, given the germs. Yes, germs are everywhere, but bathrooms have more than most places, IMHO.

[JillU-DVC]

Thanks, everyone, for your input and advice - i'll likley just stick to doing it at teh table.

We leave tomorrow at 9am (leave the house at 6:30), so I won't be back on teh boards for at least a week!

Thanks again!!

[PatsMom]

I do my Byetta injections at the table usually. When I was doing insulin, I did it in the evening, not meal time (Lantus) so I would inject it wherever I happened to be when it was time.

[mgilmer]

DS does his insulin doses at the table - vials or pen. Always has. For us, the bathroom is the last place we would ever give him an injection, given the germs. Yes, germs are everywhere, but bathrooms have more than most places, IMHO.


Me too! :thumbsup2

[melancholywings]

We are only 2 months into this but we do ours at the table and usually we'll request a booth as they are more private and if we say we need it for a medical reason the hostess won't pressure us into a table.

[Jen_in_NH]

My son is 2, and we always do his injections at the table, as well as his fingersticks. Trying to wrestle him to stay in a bathroom wouldn't be possible.

Have a good trip

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Yes, germs are everywhere, but bathrooms have more than most places, IMHO.

Actually, research has shown that kitchens (especially the sink area) have more germs than bathrooms.

[seashoreCM]

Go where there is extra space; where you can't get jostled while doing it.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

[daneenm]

Yes, germs are everywhere, but bathrooms have more than most places, IMHO.

Actually, research has shown that kitchens (especially the sink area) have more germs than bathrooms.

Yes, but this was a question about when you are out where do you go to dose insulin. The kitchen is not typically a likely option.

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Here is MY solution.....good for insulin pens AND regular syringes.

I keep my insulin and syringes in an eye-glass holder. When this is open, you can rest it on the arm of a handicapped stall. It give you a platform to manage everything and realtively clean.

It has worked for me for years.

When I made my first trip to disney as an insulin-dependent diabetic --- after a bad bout of pancreatitus, I was frightened. I was in a ladies room which was absolutely empty late at night.

I used my meter to check my levels and just as I was loading my syringe, someone walked in and freaked out - yelling and screaming about exposing children to drugs.

My friends found me a few minutes later sitting on the floor in tears.


Don't let this happen to you!

[scrapjacks]

DS age 5 is diabetic and we do it at the table if we can. We use a pen for insulin & do finger pricks. No weird reactions from strangers, yet!

If he is feeling shy or self conscious we go to the restroom ( he usually will tell me "not in front of XXX"). But the pen is discreet enough that we don't have much trouble. No one will reallly notice the thigh or stomach, there is so much going on around you!

If it is time for ds's daily dose of Lantus by syringe he will want me to take him somewhere private. He's a very modest young man! lol

[dansamy]

Many patients are on pre-meal insulin or a carb counting plan that they dose after they've counted the carbs they ate. For these patients, it's important to have their insulin as close to the meal as is possible. I'd do it at the table.

[knieriem]

I do mine at the table with insulin pens. Some people in my family think it's because I want attention and that I want people to know I'm "sick." I'm not sick I'm just diabetic! I think it's good because it raises awareness that it's out there. Same goes with finger sticking. We shouldn't hide the fact that we are diabetic.

They only time I excuse myself to a restroom is if I'm at a restaurant with my boss and customers. I only do this because they don't know me and I think it looks a lot more professional.

[Belle4mygrl]

The first time we went to WDW the little one and I went to the bathroom to check blood and give injections. The restrooms were too small or not clean.

I never had anyone say anything to me. People have looked curiously. But we just do it at the table now. No problems.

[Momelie]

I remember being outside the restrooms at Norway and seeing this big, burly guy plop down outside the Viking ship (when it was there), whip out his glucometer and check his levels, then pull out a syringe and draw up his stuff from two different vials (I think it was the stuff I was on while pregnant, the old fashioned kind, I was probably staring like a loon by that point, poor guy!) and then he nonchalantly pulled up his shorts leg and injected in his upper thigh, then he just calmly walked off.

I was so envious of his calm, cool demeanor - I usually have embarrassed teenagers, a DH that's sure I'm going to forget something (like what?), colleagues/office mates who are morbidly curious, etc., and here he can just do his thing and go on with his life! WOW! Of course, he was probably wondering who the crazy lady was that was staring at him like she'd never seen insulin before.....

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I personally think it is rude and crude to stick myself at the table.
2) My doc told me to order, then go the rest room and inject from a pen.
3) Sure, lots of people know about insulin pens.
4) But, I think it is far more polite and civilized to do it out of sight.
5) I guess I am too old fashioned than to do it at the table and in the open.

NOTE: Per Ann Landers, November 1998: "A person who would inject himself or herself at the dinner table in the presence of others exhibits gross insensitivity and very poor manners.".

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Is Ann Landers diabetic or know somebody who is? Not to my knowledge. I'm not on insulin, but I do test. All my coworkers have seen me test. If I'm at my ride and I feel low, I have no option but to test there. I just do it discreetly.

Most of the time if I am with someboyd, they know I have diabetes and I just test there. I just put it on my lap and I'm good to go. I have never had a negative comment. And honestly, I doubt a stranger is even going to notice. I know when I eat I am too busy conversing with my party, or reading a book if I am alone, to take note of what other people are doing. I would much rather somebody I am with inject at the table where it's easier to juggle all your stuff (and probably cleaner too) than in a bathroom where there is no good surface. Plus, I know for myself I would be terrified of everything falling in the toilet or on that nasty floor.

[mgilmer]

I do mine at the table with insulin pens. Some people in my family think it's because I want attention and that I want people to know I'm "sick." I'm not sick I'm just diabetic! I think it's good because it raises awareness that it's out there. Same goes with finger sticking. We shouldn't hide the fact that we are diabetic.



I absolutely love your attitude!:worship:

[locolala]

When I had to test my sugar, I would just do it wherever I was. I'm sorry, but bathrooms are gross and I wouldn't want to risk getting an infection. My current shots for my MS are given in my tummy and my butt. Luckily, I only need them 3 times a week. We do them in the safety of the hotel room, because I don't think anyone wants to see my tush!

[Belle4mygrl]

If only Ann Landers lived with a Type 1 five year old...............:rolleyes1 I bet she would do things alot differently.

I agree most people don't even notice what we are doing. they are too busy with their own family. Not one person has given us a disgusted look. Most have been sympathetic and curious. AND if they would have given us a disgusted look I would have stuck my tongue out at them. AND We don't pull out a 50 ml syringe. It's a pen and I bet most people don't even know what we are doing. If my daughter feels low, we are going to test anywhere we happen to be. I am not risking her safety (because she can have a seizure) for someone else's sensitivity.

Sorry I am not trying to be hostile. All is good. :goodvibes

[melisandes]

I find bathrooms gross and dirty. Even the cleanest ones are yucky by my standards. I did mines at the table when I was pregnant. I just did it hidden under the table or had someone in the family block my stomach from view.

[daneenm]

If only Ann Landers lived with a Type 1 five year old...............:rolleyes1 I bet she would do things alot differently.


So true, so true.

[OffToTheMouseHouse]

I totally agree! My son (10) has been doing his shots at the table for years. He's really too old now to taken into the womens' restroom and it only takes a few seconds.

D-kids are self-conscious enough about their diabetes. There's no way I'm gonna make him go hide in the bathroom to do his shots. We are often approached by other families of D-kids or D-adults and we've never gotten any negative comments.

Ann Landers would definitely feel differently if she had a d-kid.

[Jen_in_NH]

If Ann Landers wants to haul my 2 year old into the bathroom once to test him, and once again to give his shot, then God bless her, she may. I will not.

The only way someone would know what I was doing when I'm checking his sugar or giving his shot is if they were staring at us. Staring is impolite ;)

[Belle4mygrl]

If Ann Landers wants to haul my 2 year old into the bathroom once to test him, and once again to give his shot, then God bless her, she may. I will not.

The only way someone would know what I was doing when I'm checking his sugar or giving his shot is if they were staring at us. Staring is impolite ;)



:thumbsup2

:rotfl2:

[DumboDash2006]

My dd is nine and has had type 1 diabetes since she was five and a half.

She's now on a pump and it's easy to do very discreetly at the table.

But when we were using vials and syringes we just did it at the table. We tried to get a booth and all when possible, but you can only do so much. NO way was I doing it in a filthy bathroom. Most don't even have room to set down your stuff or if they do it's not clean. Then with kids they want to touch everything and bounce around (or maybe that's just my hyper kid) etc.

My child can't help that she has an autoimmune disease that causes her pancreas not to produce insulin. If it bothers people to see a syringe too bad. It bothers her a heck of a lot more to have to get poked by a needle of some sort in her finer or other places at least a half dozen times a day, wait to eat until her carbs are counted and blood sugar is checked, save a birthday treat at school for later as we miscalculated her insulin dose at lunch, miss recess due to a low blood sugar etc. Ann Landers can kiss my you know what.

[SueM in MN]

Given that there are a lot of people with diabetes in the world, I am sure that I have seen people giving insulin in a restaurant.
I just did not notice it.

I'm sure that most people are doing it as unobtrusively as possible, because they don't want everyone watching them. If someone is doing it that way, and it's OK with their table companions, I don't personally think there is anything rude about doing it at the table.
IMHO, someone making a big deal of it with the intention of other people noticing, would be rude (making loud comments about 'the needle' or purposely holding things in a way that other people would see). But, I don't think people do things that way.

So, my thought (not being someone with diabetes) is that the individual person has to decide what is comfortable for them.

[bookgirl]

I was a habilitaion aide for a diabetic autistic boy. We (me or his mom) never did injection or finger sticks in public. We would never chance a missing a drop of blood on a public table. We knew he had no diseases but why chance it. We either did them in the car or in a restroom where we had lots of supplies to clean an area in case of any blood borne exposure. We would occasionally use an out of the way bench, with his finger over our or his lap, but, we tried to avoid it.

[knieriem]

I absolutely love your attitude!:worship:

Thanks! I don't like people thinking I'm "sick." I actually just started on a "test pump" today and am going to wear it to WDW this weekend. We're leaving in an hour and a half! I can't wait!

[DCDisney]

I just returned from a trip to WDW and ma on injectable blood thinners. I did usually inject in the bathroom because it was most convenient. I usually use a handicapped stall because of the availability of a sink. I only had trouble 1 place at Cirque de Soleil an older lady came in with a companion and she needed assistance and was rude until I showed her my empty syringe and packaging. The other issue is I need light to get the dosage correct and often the handicapped stalls have more light too.

When they check the bags at security I always warned them that I had syringes even though they were covered.

[mebbradley]

I have blood sugar that runs chronically low (my doctor diagnossed me as basically permanently hypoglycemic, I can never remember what the technical term is) and I carry a meter with me as well as glucose tablets. The last time I was at Walt Disney World, I was at a character lunch and had to test my blood sugar (my mom could tell that it was incredible low) and I had just pricked my finger when Donald came to my table. Donald recognized (or his handler told him) what I was doing and he kinda just stood off to the side and waited until I was done then took my hand and did a little dance with me. It was so special and no one else even noticed that he had to wait.

[onehotdisneymama]

My husband is an insulin user. He has just switched from the needles and vials, to the insulin pen. So much easier to carry around and use that's for sure. When we are near a First Aid Station in one of the parks, we usually use them for his injections. I feel it is much more sanitary than doing it in one of the restrooms. Plus the staff is very nice and helpful.:goodvibes

[KrazyKat4DIS]

I have been a T1D since the age of 9. I have progressed from needles and vials, to insulin pens, and I am now on the pump. While I was taking shots, I would always take it at the table (this was especially easy with the pen). My friends and family just became so used to it that no one even noticed. I don't think anyone in the restaurants noticed me, if they did, no one ever said anything. People are aware of diabetes, now more than ever, so I think it's become easier. Just be discreet and make sure the party you are with are comfortable and no one give two thoughts about it! :goodvibes

With the pump, it's obviously a complete non-issue now. People just think I am looking at a cell phone or something (I would say pager, but that would be very 1998 of me :rotfl:)

[PatT240]

My 15 year old son has type 1 diabetes and was dx'd at 7. When he was younger I never really put too much thought into where to test or give him a injection I just did what I had to do where ever I had to do it. If someone asked what we were doing I would just give them a simple explanation.

Now this is just my opinion but after reading some of the posts about checking in the bathroom or finding a quiet place where no one could see you I wonder what sort of message I would be sending my son when he was younger if I made him hide what he had to do.

Now if he's low and out with his friends he just stops to check himself and has friends there to help if needed. The last place I would want him to go would be to the bathroom by himself.

[mnosky]

I've always done it at the table. I have a pump now but had always done vial/syringe at the table too. I am a diabetes educator and I tell all my pateints to do it there too. If someone sees you they know it's insulin - no big deal. Unless you like the bathroom, just do it at the table.

I did have one teacher in HS who hated me testing in class and God forbid I'd take an injection- no one else even relaized I did it until she brought it up. Now I'd get one of those diabaility things to be allowed to test but I don't think they had them when I was in school.

Funny thing - when I was in graduate school for nursing I had this late class 5-9 and I'd come right after work so I'd end up testing at least twice and take my insulin and eat in class every night. We sat at long tables and I found out at the end of the semester every person at my long table was shocked to find out I had diabetes - not one of them had noticed I was testing, giving insulin every single class (and tehse were nurses).

Michelle

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I went to WDW in September for the first time having D. I only went to 2 parks, Disney Studios and MK, but never had an issue with testing or injecting in public and at a table (discretely). I would never go to a bathroom - that is gross. THe first aid stations were helpful - the took all of my used sharps throughout the day so I wouldn't have to carry them back to the hotel room.

As far as Ann Landers - 1) I don't think she has diabetes 2) I could care less about her opinions on injecting insulin in order to sustain my life 3) I think it is rude to smoke a cigarette at a table while others are eating - did she ever comment on that? Just my opinions.

[SanFranciscan]

I am a newly diagnosed diabetic and on insulin. This is rare in adults my age, and I showed no indication of diabetes in blood tests from my last physical exam less than two years ago. Yet I just spent a week in the hospital with a couple of days in the ICU with blood clots in my lungs and diabetes I didn't even know that I had after feeling well enough to hike around the city just two days earlier. The pain of one condition led to the discovery of the other.

This can happen to anyone. I think that the people freaked out by us want to blame us the way other women want to blame rape victims and for much the same reason. It is much easier than facing their own vulnerability. We must all be fat slobs who brought our disease upon ourselves, because how else can those who sit in judgment of us feel safe? I am not overweight and have, in fact, been encouraged to gain some. I have been on a vegetarian diet for nearly ten years now, and I do not like greasy food. If you are not diabetic, you could be in a wink of an eye. Would you refuse to sit next to an amputee because you think stumps are disgusting? How about someone on portable oxygen? How is this different?