Does anyone have any tips for diabetes and dating?? Thanks so much
Hi Allison @allisongurt,
I’ve been out if the dating scene for a while, in another two months 20 days I’ll have been married 50 years, but I will offer some thoughts. I don’t know your age, how long you have gad diabetes or if you are seriously looking gor a lifelong relationship. Most of what I will offer is that you might be asking about “casual dating”.
First off, just be yourself and let your personality shine, do anything and everything you want to do - live life. There is very little that you can not do just because you have diabetes, and there isn’t any reason during casual dating that you need bring up the subject or make anything big of it. True, if you are / will be involved in heave exercise, you will occasionally need to check BG [and have a carb snack handy] and when eating you will need to show some care and probably take insulin. An insulin bolus with either a pump or pen can be very discreet and you needn’t mention anything other than “I take medicine with food”.
Of course if and when you are in a serious relationship, I believe that you MUST tell your intended fairly early because as life goes on, your diabetes will become a partnership. After dating one girl exclusively for a couple of months I told her I had diabetes - might be the best thing I ever did because I hadn’t been taking care of myself and hadn’t seen a doctor in a few years - and in her own way encouraged my to take control; a long story for some other time. Short story, I’m here today because of Mary’s encouragement.
Stay in touch!
My answer is totally different from the one above because it’s what I think of when I think of dating a diabetes. Not sure which angle you were looking for, but here’s what I think of:
I was diagnosed when I was 15 and wasn’t allowed to date until 16, so the two happened pretty close together for me. I’m not a super forward person, so I struggled a bit with this, but I always asked what we were doing and specifically if we’d be eating. I sometimes felt really uncomfortable asking, but knew that I’d have to know to either bring insulin with me, or eat before we went. Or bring supplies with me.
Usually I only had to ask once when dating someone I hadn’t been out with previously, but as soon as they knew I’d have to know, I’d be told when I was asked out.
I’ve never felt like I needed to “hide” my diabetes from people, so I never wondered whether to tell people I was dating or not. It came out on the first date if not before.
Not sure if that helps you at all. Maybe give us more info on what you’re looking for so we can give better answers ;). But good luck! Dating is fun! Hope you have fun with that part of your life!
I definitely agree to let yourself shine through and don’t let your diabetes hinder that. I’d also just like to say to make sure your S/O is aware - don’t hide your T1D. They don’t have to be checking your blood for you, but it isn’t a bad idea to instruct them a bit, in case of emergency.
-Cassidy
thank you @jwells73 So some more information is that i am a freshman in high school and i like this guy and he likes me but we are not dating yet. I just wanted some information in case he asks me out 
Hey! I totally understand your concern. I was diagnosed the summer before my junior year of high school and I had a huge crush on a senior. I was terrified when he asked me on a date because we had planned a picnic and a hike and I knew both of those things would mean I would have to tell him I’m diabetic. When he found out he didn’t mind at all and I was nervous for nothing. We’ve been together now for almost a year and a half now and he’s given me insulin, checked my blood sugar, carries extra test strips for me, and knows how to do glucagon just in case.
I think it really just comes down to being open about your diabetes from the very start and finding someone who will be supportive. Just remember that you are not your diabetes. There is way more to you than that and that’s what you should focus on when you’re dating. Just make sure the other person understands the implications of having T1D and knows why you’re eating candy right before dinner of whatever 
1 Like