# Your favorite depictions of diabetes in films/movies? (And the worst ones!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Fun\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809 "2020-05-28T05:18:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ClaudnDaye](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/claudndaye/32/5_2.png) [@ClaudnDaye](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/ClaudnDaye)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/21 "2020-05-29T14:28:07Z")
Yes she went into kidney failure after bearing a child. Mostly the parts that bothered me were the parts of her passing out and having motor issues while hypo because these are very real issues. With the technology though this is now virtually fully avoidable. And of course her death got to me because she had diabetes and was young. ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/22 "2020-05-29T15:05:24Z")
> [@ClaudnDaye](#): > > Yes she went into kidney failure after bearing a child. Mostly the parts that bothered me were the parts of her passing out and having motor issues while hypo because these are very real issues. With the technology though this is now virtually fully avoidable. I don’t know what @cardamom’s experience is, since we were diagnosed around the same time (early '90s), but when I was growing up, having severe lows was just sort of considered a normal part of having diabetes. I feel like diabetes then and diabetes now, while having some similarities, are practically different diseases in terms of daily management. ---
**Author:** ![MM2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mm2/32/3032_2.png) [@MM2](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/MM2)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/23 "2020-05-29T15:48:13Z")
> [@ClaudnDaye](#): > > With the technology though this is now virtually fully avoidable Absolutely! Now we just have to worry about “friends” being helpful. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Es2f5MsEWmg/maxresdefault.jpg "Diabetes Intervention") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es2f5MsEWmg) Diabetes Intervention ---
**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/24 "2020-05-29T19:19:39Z")
The Walking Dead had diabetes in one of the episodes. I think it was the classic, diabetic passes out, give them insulin, they are awake in minutes. So lifelike and real …NOT ---
**Author:** ![bkh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@bkh](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/bkh)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/25 "2020-05-29T19:28:07Z")
> [@TiaG](#): > > Samson is unlikely to be able to carry a baby himself unless things get _really_ advanced around here… Nonsense. It’s already been done, as shown in the 1994 documentary film _Junior_ [Junior (1994) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110216/) ---
**Author:** ![daisymae](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/daisymae/32/1199_2.png) [@daisymae](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/daisymae)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/26 "2020-05-29T22:41:47Z")
> [@bkh](#): > > n Panic Room the daughter was very hypo and it was such a desperate situation that they needed to take huge risks to get the diabetes kit and inject her with insulin. This was the stupidest thing of all: if she was hypo, why did she need any insulin at all; why not chocolate or a glass of juice? at least in the movie “Steel Magnolias” when the character played by Julia Roberts was having a hypo they immediately gave her a large glass of OJ. and it wasn’t such a bad movie either, really. ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/27 "2020-05-29T22:58:36Z")
> [@daisymae](#): > > > [@bkh](#): > > > > in Panic Room the daughter was very hypo and it was such a desperate situation that they needed to take huge risks to get the diabetes kit and inject her with insulin. > > This was the stupidest thing of all: if she was hypo, why did she need any insulin at all; why not chocolate or a glass of juice? Actually, _Panic Room_ got it right. It was glucagon, not insulin. Lots of other inaccuracies, but at least they got that part right. ('Course, the average person might not realize it’s glucagon and not insulin, but I’m fairly sure it’s mentioned somewhere in the movie.) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/P2p410SndXM/maxresdefault.jpg "Panic Room (7/8) Movie CLIP - Thanks, Burnham (2002) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2p410SndXM) ---
**Author:** ![daisymae](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/daisymae/32/1199_2.png) [@daisymae](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/daisymae)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/28 "2020-05-29T23:55:19Z")
> [@Jen](#): > > It was glucagon, not insulin. and to think that they were smart enough to build a panic room, but not fill it with the appropriate necessities, especially considering she was diabetic! you’d think they would have put a refrigerator in there with some goodies, too. I mean, com’on, an empty panic room…really? ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/29 "2020-05-30T00:05:40Z")
I think it _did_ have a refrigerator with a bunch of food, but she burned through it all and her blood sugar was still dropping. Can’t say I haven’t been in that same boat myself, heh. ---
**Author:** ![daisymae](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/daisymae/32/1199_2.png) [@daisymae](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/daisymae)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/30 "2020-05-30T00:15:50Z")
> [@Jen](#): > > I think it _did_ have a refrigerator with a bunch of food, Really? I’ve got to watch that movie again. if for nothing else, for inaccuracies 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RogerType1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/rogertype1/32/6817_2.png) [@RogerType1](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/RogerType1)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2020, 1:22pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/31 "2020-05-31T13:22:27Z")
In panic room, she did use the now defunct glucowatch with a mard of about 20, actually one of the better portrayals of type 1 diabetes, but I still prefer godfather 3…the hypoglycemia made Michael Corleone’s confession more believable. My favorite portrayal of a person being frustrated by a disease was in 50/50, although I know cancer is worse, it still felt very accurate when he breaks down in the parking lot. ---
**Author:** ![daisymae](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/daisymae/32/1199_2.png) [@daisymae](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/daisymae)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/32 "2020-05-31T14:42:34Z")
Its becoming very clear to me that I haven’t seen that movie in such a long time that my memories of it are completely distorted and way off the mark. 🤪 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![drbbennett](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/drbbennett/32/604_2.png) [@drbbennett](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/drbbennett)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/33 "2020-06-02T02:34:20Z")
And the Glucowatch was a real thing! More or less. Caused a lot of skin irritation and didn’t catch on, and the one in the movie didn’t really match the real one, appearance wise. But it was a thing. Jody Foster’s generally pretty good about wanting to get her facts straight. Plus: Forrest Whitaker. ---
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/34 "2020-06-02T03:37:32Z")
Okay guys, it’s official, you are all telling me basically that I have to watch _Panic Room_ now. Clearly in need of some feel-good entertainment! ---
**Author:** ![RogerType1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/rogertype1/32/6817_2.png) [@RogerType1](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/RogerType1)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/35 "2020-06-11T13:13:13Z")
The worst depiction of diabetes in TV had to be t1allison’s recommended married at first sight season 10 Katie…normally, I don’t watch these shows, but I figured with a type1 spiel in her marriage vows, she might be an advocate…I watched all of the episodes and saw her take lantus three times, once from her new husband, using old pen needles, did not have a Cgm, and did not check her glucose once…worst depiction ever ---
**Author:** ![cardamom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/cardamom/32/2622_2.png) [@cardamom](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/cardamom)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/36 "2020-06-11T18:52:10Z")
> [@RogerType1](#): > > using old pen needles To be fair, I think that’s common for way more diabetics than you may suspect. I certainly frequently reuse mine. Also lots of people do not have CGMs for lots of reasons, including expense (even with insurance coverage it can be costly)… it’s not yet the norm, even if it seems so on diabetes forums etc and ideally should be. ---
**Author:** ![RogerType1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/rogertype1/32/6817_2.png) [@RogerType1](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/RogerType1)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/37 "2020-06-11T20:54:45Z")
I was expecting more from a nationally televised production, maybe all of the testing was edited out, but eating cake, chocolate covered strawberries, etc., without testing or bolusing, or at least a discussion about it when the show is “supposedly” supposed to show their normal lives seemed irresponsible for the show…especially when they were Always talking about the shows expert opinions… even the herd mentioned jay cutlers possible lack of consistencies on the football field might have been his newly diagnosed type 1 condition…as far as Cgms not being the norm, maybe, but I’ve been testing daily since the 80"s and they didn’t show her test once, which at least should have been addressed by the counselors… especially when high blood sugars=irritability… the libre flash glucose system is about $35 per sensor without insurance which is about the same price as test strips… overall, I was disappointed with the lack of time that was spent on her dealing with her type 1 or not dealing with it, which easily could have been more interesting than Brandon not wanting to be filmed when he’s on a reality TV show, or Austin having to travel for work, etc ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/38 "2020-07-05T02:53:12Z")
I just watched the new _BabySitters’ Club_ series on Netflix. It’s been modernized from the books. As anyone who’s read that series knows, one of the main characters has diabetes and it’s the focus of an early book/episode. They did a decent job, but did mix up “insulin shock” and “diabetic ketoacidosis.” SIGH. I’ll never understand why, in 2020 when most of the world’s knowledge is a Google search away, these movies and TV shows still get it wrong. I haven’t even heard “insulin shock” used in the past 20 years! Just reinforces my decision to never, ever trust the portrayal of any medical condition or disability in movies or TV shows, because it’s almost definitely wrong (not just diabetes, I shudder at the way food allergies and blindness are portrayed, too). ---
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 7:18am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/39 "2020-07-05T07:18:17Z")
Yes, I noticed this too. Why?? Especially because in the original books, the problem was that Stacey wet the bed at a sleepover and that was what led to her initially being ostracized by her friends. So they even had a mildly accurate plot point they could have followed verbatim. But I guess it’s not as dramatic as a hypo-induced seizure? Extremely annoying. Sigh indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Beacher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a6a055/32.png) [@Beacher](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Beacher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809/40 "2020-07-28T13:12:26Z")
Not a movie, but I just read Ann Patchett’s _The Dutch House_. A thoroughly excellent book, but … the sister of the narrator is T1. In one scene, she goes low in her car, and her brother, Danny, swaps places with her to drive. Meanwhile in the passenger seat Fiona gets out her diabetes kit and _starts preparing an injection_. Given this is the same kit she uses for injections before meals, it’s understood to be insulin. Years later she goes low in a theater, and once again Danny gets her diabetes kit, which contains just _two glucose tablets_. And then he pricks her finger and _the strip_ – there’s no mention of a meter – reads thirty-eight. At least this time she doesn’t take insulin. I’m amazed that, in 2019, these oversights weren’t caught by the editor, copyeditor (part of whose job is to fact-check), proofreader, or any other readers. A simple Google search would have provided the facts. [Previous page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/your-favorite-depictions-of-diabetes-in-films-movies-and-the-worst-ones/9809.md?page=3)