Hi all,
I’ve been diabetic (type 1) for almost 24 years now and I’ve had real ups and downs with it. Perhaps it’s just the stage in life I’m at (I’m 34, a teacher with a five-year-old), but I’m really struggling mentally at the moment.
It’s just a massive resentment of this additional full time job I have managing my blood sugars twenty-four seven and I don’t know how to get out the slump. Talking with doctors hasn’t helped as they say what I should be doing and how it should be working but in reality none of them live with the condition day-in day-out and as much as my OH tries, he doesn’t know what it’s really like either. Just fed up of everything.
Suggestions on how to move forwards would be much appreciated.
Four things come to mind, mostly agreeing with other people!
1) Bruce is right. 'Burnout' from T1D is recognised as a serious problem, and your medical team should be able to provide or point you toward some proper counselling. Be open with them about how much you're struggling, and press them for the help you need. This forum is great, but it's not an either-or; ideally, you'd be getting support here and also proper counselling/therapy.
2) Bruce is also right that you should consider how technology could help, and discuss this with your team too, and press them for any technology that could make things easier. In particular, if you don't already have a 'closed loop system' (or 'hybrid closed loop system')-- a pump that 'talks to' a CGM-- this could, from everything I've heard and read, help a lot, by greatly reducing the burden of managing T1.
The Scottish equivalent of NICE decided earlier this year that 'diabetes distress', including burnout, should be one of the criteria enabling Type 1 diabetics to get a 'closed loop system' on the NHS. So, if you're in Scotland, you're lucky!
But even if you're not in Scotland, all is not lost ... I was only diagnosed recently and very rapidly felt burned out! and felt a closed loop system would help a lot. I have been given to understand that, although the current NICE guidelines don't explicitly take account of mental-health factors, like diabetes distress and burnout, in deciding who gets a pump/closed loop-- they are often taken into account in practice.
3) You may think that, having been T1D for almost 24 years now, you know everything you need to know about managing it; and you may be right! Then again: I've recently started going to my diabetes unit's T1 education sessions (the local equivalent of DAFNE), and have been struck by the fact that several people in the group were diagnosed years ago and still seem to find the sessions helpful. And all of these sorts of courses seem to be offered not only to 'newbies' but to 'old hands' too.
Even if you found you didn't learn any new tips and tricks, you might find it helpful just to spend a few half-days with a group of people who do "live with the condition day-in day-out" and do "know what it's really like".
4) In the meantime, while leaning on your team for help, do whatever you can to make things easier for yourself in practical terms, even little things. For example, Inka's right about how helpful "easy meal options" can be, meals you've had often enough that you know how much insulin you need without having to think about it; I had already started making a little chart of those to put up in my kitchen. You may already do this! But you may be able to think of other things; and small practical improvements can make a real difference.
Anyway, all the best, and let us know how you get on!
