A couple of days ago, I decided to type "Diabetes" into Google. I was expecting the usual array of Ads and weight loss guides, diets, coaches and maybe a few charities. Some of that happened, of course but what caught my interest was the "People often ask" area of the search results.
Diabetes is confusing, I know. Type 1 Diabetes is still teaching me new things and I'm closing in on 4 decades with the condition. So, it's understandable that many people will turn to Google to get information. However! some of the questions that have been asked of the search engine are really very strange. Here are 10 of my favourites, some strange, some interesting, some I've been asked before. My answers follow each question and they're not necessarily 100% correct because they could be based on my experience of my Diabetes - use the comments box at the end of the page to add your own answers.
1.What does diabetes smell like?
Straight in there with a strange one. Does Diabetes smell? It's been noted that high blood glucose can cause a fruity, pear drop, odour from the mouth. High and low BG can cause excess sweating which might lead to difficulties with body odour. Diabetes itself doesn't smell. Diabetics don't smell any more than any other person although, you may pick up on a faint scent of insulin.
2. Does bacon raise blood sugar?
Many things can raise blood sugar but for the most part carbohydrates are the culprit. Meat is usually carb-free or very low in carbohydrates so the impact on blood sugar from that is likely minimal. However! meats contain fats and proteins which can also impact upon blood sugar. This question, specific as it is, might not be all that strange. Bacon doesn't raise my BG but put some ketchup on it and place between two slices of bread and I'm going to need some insulin.
3. Can diabetics drink alcohol?
It's been known! In terms of Type 1 Diabetes, your answer can be observed in the closest bar or pub, following a Diabetes conference. Alcohol can affect blood glucose in different ways, depending on the type of drink. For me; beers and ciders and cocktails will act like a hypo treatment on my blood glucose - I will spike upwards pretty quickly. For those drinks, I will bolus for the carbs they contain and usually everything works out just fine. For spirits, neat or with a diet mixer drink, I will not bolus and I sometimes experience a drop in BG, later on. There are many things to consider with alcohol and T1D and insulin. It's important to note that a BG drop can come later on, perhaps when you're asleep if you've been drinking into the evening. Diabetics can drink alcohol but, just like foods, the affect on BG needs to be a consideration.
4. Does coffee raise blood sugar?
Black coffee is going to contain little to no carbohydrates to raise blood glucose BUT it might contain caffeine. That does raise the BG of some people with Diabetes. Personally, I don't drink black coffee but I do like a latte. Milk and sugar do contain carbohydrates and I'm going to need insulin to stop that from resulting in a BG spike. That's perfectly fine with me because I love coffee and I'll stop drinking it when they prise my mug from my cold dead hand.
5. Are all type 1 diabetics skinny?
Absolutely not. My size fluctuates and that depends on my activity levels and the accessibility of cakes. Right now, I'm great friends with Mr Kipling. The recently diagnosed or un-diagnosed might be pretty slender, "Thin" is one of the 4 Ts which are common in recognising the signs of Type 1 Diabetes. Once a diagnosis has happened, that person will likely regain weight. Diabetics can be and are every shape and size. I know many hundreds and we're all very different.
6. How can I lower my blood sugar instantly in an emergency?
Insulin. K, that's not going to be instantly and nothing will be. Insulin and certain forms of exercise can speed things up. Insulin and a hot bath or shower can activate the turbos, too. Some have injected insulin into a muscle which really speeds up a drop in BG - I don't recommend that. I'm not sure what the emergency could be, perhaps high ketone levels or DKA? In those cases you might want to be in the company of specialist HCPs, maybe get comfortable in the intensive care unit, while someone else takes control of your blood glucose.
7. How do you stop peeing when you have Diabetes?
Insulin. In regards to T1D, if you're peeing a lot then it's likely down to high blood glucose. Check your BG then take a corrective bolus to bring your BG into your desired range. Without insulin, you're not going to stop until organs stop working and you fall over. "Toilet" another one of the 4 Ts is a very common symptom of T1D. The need to pee so much is caused by your body trying to flush out the excess glucose through your urine. Get diagnosed ASAP and you'll be frequenting the bathroom as normally as a person who doesn't have Diabetes.
8. How many times do Diabetics pee?
There seems to be a theme developing. If a person has high blood glucose then they'll likely need to pee more often. Sometimes, diabetics have high blood glucose so it would seem reasonable to expect someone with T1D to need the bathroom more often than someone without T1D. A diabetic with stable(?) blood glucose shouldn't need to pee much more than any other person. A person with un-diagnosed Diabetes may need the bathroom many times throughout the day and night.
9. Do diabetics sleep a lot?
No. Sleep loss is a common complaint of diabetics and something I've experienced to varying degrees since my diagnosis. There are many reasons for broken sleep but primarily, for me it was caused by high or low blood glucose and the need to correct or treat that. Because sleep is often lost, a diabetic might be tired more often and need to nap to catch up on those lost hours. T1D is an exhausting condition and many would love a good 8 hours from time to time.
10. Can diabetes go away?
Can it? Please! Just for a day! For Type 1 Diabetes the answer is no. All the cinnamon and keto diets in the world are not going to change the fact that you're a diabetic and you always will be, once you've been diagnosed with Type 1. Cures?! Of course, I'd love a cure. I no longer hope for one. I'm 45 years old and probably nearing the middle stages of my life in the next decade or two (hush!). A cure might come and I truly want that to happen for everyone who is diagnosed with Type 1, particularly the children. Type 2 Diabetes can be sent into remission for some people but not all. Don't bury your head in the sand and hope it'll go away if you ignore it. Diabetes requires your acceptance for you to live well with it and for YOU to HAVE it, not the other way around.
Thank you so much for reading this blog. I do appreciate your visit and your support. As you might know, I LOVE COFFEE! So I've teamed up with a thing called Buy Me A Coffee. If you enjoy my content and appreciate the time it takes to create such things then you can buy me a coffee! If you leave your Twitter @ name when you buy me a coffee, I will personally thank you. If you'd rather be anonymous then that's totally cool. Thanks for the caffeine!
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