'Bereavement' response to diagnosis

[Northerner]

Diabetes sufferers have a "bereavement-style" response to finding out they have the condition, a study suggests.
Researchers said that following diagnosis, type 2 diabetes sufferers go on a journey of denial, anger, depression, acceptance and finally a sense of hope and positivity for the future.
Experts from the University of Nottingham called for healthcare professionals to treat patients as individuals after they identified the various stages of coping following diagnosis.
They said it can take up to 18 years for a diabetes sufferer to feel "in control" of the condition if they are not properly supported by healthcare workers.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/uk...TCAI2rcChqgh1y4cg?docId=N0221821342434868164A

I was very well supported at and following diagnosis and I know it made a tremendous difference to how I might otherwise have felt if I had been left confused and unsupported.

 

[jalapino]

Yes i agree with this....for me it was so shocking i could not belive it..but due to support i.e this website and fellow members and being lucky enough to have a careing g.p and dn i now feel happy 🙂

 

[Andy HB]

My response was ...

Relief, Worry, Fear, Determination ....

Now I'm on to a little bit of Denial! But only for a bit longer.

Being serious, I did actually go through the first four listed over a period of around a week including my little stay in hospital. The relief was that I was feeling so much better. The worry kicked in quite quickly as to what was in store for me. The fear occurred one night when I thought I was going to die early! The determination kicked in when I realised I could do something about my diabetes and my body was responding (that always helps!).

The denial is sort of there because I keep having 'things I shouldn't have'. But I guess my next HbA1c will confirm whether I'm overdoing it or not. My spot BG tests seem to indicate that I'm still doing Ok.

Andy 🙂

 

[Doddy]

I agree with all those emotions and feelings. Think I have experienced them all and gone around the block again and again.
I think support is one way to deal with it..and i know for sure, without the help and guidance of this forum, I would have struggled even more.

 

[robofski]

This is very similar to the "Change Curve" we are taught about at my company when implementing changes, we are taught the key to making a successful change is Education, Engagement and the most difficult Sustainment, I think the same can be said for Diabetes.

 

[Robster65]

As has been suggested, I don't think it's a one way street. You can go through them all successfully and then revisit some or all if anything upsets the balance a bit.

Also, not sure about the 18 years. Without proper support, it'll continue for life.

But glad they've caught up with what we already knew.

Rob

 

[jalapino]

The denial is sort of there because I keep having 'things I shouldn't have'. But I guess my next HbA1c will confirm whether I'm overdoing it or not. My spot BG tests seem to indicate that I'm still doing Ok.

I no what you meen but surely you have to have some sort of guilty pleasure? or life would get you down even more would it not? i eat better now than ever but thats not to say i don't fall of the wagon 🙄 it's just getting yourself back on the wagon afterwards ^5

 

[Amanda102]

Certainly my daughter had elements of this, but I think it also can apply to parents of young children who are diagnosed. I think I skipped the denial phase, but I certainly felt the sadness and anger followed eventually by acceptance. I don't think they were very distinct stages with me, more a bit of each at different times, all mixed up and (currently) still ongoing!🙄

 

[lauraw1983]

Absolutely 100%.

A friend of mine sent me a link to something like this when I was diagnosed as she said it was very recognised that people go through those stages with this kind of diagnosis, it helped me at the time reading it to know it was a normal process.

I still swing through different stages of it now though and don't think I have fully accepted it. Hey ho.

 

[DaisyDuke]

I went through all those things as well but my son who was 5 was diagnosed with autism exactly a month before I was diagnosed with diabetes and they say you go through all those things as well for knowing the you now have a disabled child. I am too stressed now to even really worry about my diabetes which is bad but autism has taken over my life at the moment.

 

[trophywench]

Sorry to hear that Daisy, that really is a condition that's hard to understand. And we complain .......

Possibly what Laura is referring to ? - is The Five Stages Of Grief by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.

http://www.businessballs.com/elisabeth_kubler_ross_five_stages_of_grief.htm

 

[Julia]

They said it can take up to 18 years for a diabetes sufferer to feel "in control" of the condition if they are not properly supported by healthcare workers.

I've never felt "in control", but maybe I will next month when my diabetes turns 18! 🙄

 

[robofski]

I've never felt "in control", but maybe I will next month when my diabetes turns 18! 🙄

It will probably be out all night drinking then 😛

 

[RachelT]

18 years? Well, still got a way to go then, i don't feel too bad about being in a sort of "yeah, it's a pig and and i hate it" and "trying not to think about it any more than i have to" stage...