Type 1 looking for help/advice

[graeme1705]

Hi, new to the forum and was just looking for some help advice on managing my diabetes.

Been diabetic for around 15 years and for most part been able to manage well but lately (prob most of this year) been struggling to deal with it. Been feeling down quite a lot and lost interest in doing a lot of things I used to enjoy. This is having an impact on managing my sugar levels and most of the time I'm not bothered about trying to fix it.

I'm not usually one for letting people around me and doctors know how I'm feeling so thought I'd try writing it down on here for some advice. Has this happened to anyone else and how did you manage to overcome it?

Thanks

 

[Northerner]

Hi, new to the forum and was just looking for some help advice on managing my diabetes.

Been diabetic for around 15 years and for most part been able to manage well but lately (prob most of this year) been struggling to deal with it. Been feeling down quite a lot and lost interest in doing a lot of things I used to enjoy. This is having an impact on managing my sugar levels and most of the time I'm not bothered about trying to fix it.

I'm not usually one for letting people around me and doctors know how I'm feeling so thought I'd try writing it down on here for some advice. Has this happened to anyone else and how did you manage to overcome it?

Thanks

Hi Graeme, welcome to the forum 🙂 What insulin regime are you on? Is there any particular situation that might have triggered things off, making you lose interest? It's certainly not unusual for people to feel 'burnout' occasional, when everything becomes a grind, a drudge or an annoyance, so you are far from alone feeling like this. It's good that you have come here and feel able to talk about it. No-one here judges anyone, we're all pretty much in the same boat and have a real understanding of it all, with members who have been diagnosed from a few weeks to several decades - so lots of experience and knowledge to draw on! 🙂

Whilst it can be hard sometimes to find the energy to keep plugging away, day after day, I find that the alternative is probably worse - feeling guilty for not taking proper care, as I suspect you are feeling and what may have prompted you to join, and perhaps some apprehension about potential consequences. You've made a decision to try and do something about it to get back on track, which is good, and hopefully we can help encourage you and support you in getting back your former good control 🙂 Don't get overwhelmed by everything, just try and take things one step at a time - some extra testing, perhaps, just to help you spot patterns. Have you been on a diabetes education course at all? I'm not suggesting you don't know what you are doing, but if you haven't had a course for some years you might really benefit from a refresher course, like DAFNE - it would also give you the opportunity to meet others in a similar situation, which can be a great help at relieving the sense of isolation many Type 1s feel - Type 1 is relatively rare in the population.

Let us know if we can help in any way, or just have a browse around and contribute wherever you wish 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Graeme - have to ask you - what else is happening or has happened in your life recently that may have helped you on a downward trend?

Don't need to answer that unless you want to - but at least cross examine yourself.

It's amazing how much the average person can cope with absolutely fine apparently - until suddenly literally a straw, some tiny, daft little thing - breaks the camels back and we almost disintegrate.

Diabetes is flippin tedious on it's own and some people get something recognised and officially termed as 'Diabetes Burnout' after so long - different times for different people. There's no shame blame or embarrassment - sheet happens, flower!

Do you attend a diabetes clinic where there are helpful DSNs? - if so can you try and talk to - or email if you find it hard to talk - one of them? Or your GP ...... nobody knows when we feel like this unless we tell em - and unless we tell em they can't help us, can they?

 

[Bloden]

Hi there and welcome, Graeme.🙂 Sorry to hear you’ve been struggling...I think lots of us on here can sympathise with you. Diabetes is hard work! When I was first dx I shut the world out for, well, years really. What worked for me was camping out on this forum and taking baby steps, baby steps, baby steps - you get the idea.🙄 Is there just 1 thing you could do today to cheer yourself up a bit?

 

[New-journey]

Hi, new to the forum and was just looking for some help advice on managing my diabetes.

Been diabetic for around 15 years and for most part been able to manage well but lately (prob most of this year) been struggling to deal with it. Been feeling down quite a lot and lost interest in doing a lot of things I used to enjoy. This is having an impact on managing my sugar levels and most of the time I'm not bothered about trying to fix it.

I'm not usually one for letting people around me and doctors know how I'm feeling so thought I'd try writing it down on here for some advice. Has this happened to anyone else and how did you manage to overcome it?

Thanks

Welcome to this friendly supportive forum, you have made a big step in sharing here. I can't add to the excellent advice already given and sending loads of support. I hope you feel better soon, do let us know how you are feeling.

 

[Radders]

Hi Graeme
I’ve been through phases of not really paying enough attention to my physical health. Normally they’ve coincided with stressful events that happened such as the loss of my parents and in-laws and a very anxious time at work. At one time this got so bad that I did go to my GP and was lucky enough to get a few sessions with a cognitive behavioural therapist which I found very helpful.
Another time I changed jobs and that solved a whole lot of problems!
I think this forum and others are very helpful in raising my interest when it starts to flag again so I hope that you can find something here that helps you.

 

[tigerella]

🙂hi Graeme
living with type 1 isn't easy. don't give yourself a hard time. I know what it feels like as ive had it for over 40 years. The best advice I can give you is stop beating yourself up,
Start making small changes to get back on track. Talk and share with other people that are diabetic. Set yourself some small goals and allow yourself a reward. Try not to worry because stress can have a major effect on your diabetes too. Don't think of what you have not achieved but focus on the positives. Thinking negative will not help you,
be more positive about what you have achieved today. Keep a record of what you have done and notice how you are feeling. Focus on things that make you feel better and do less of the things that don't.🙂 xx