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diabetes and mental health

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sean penguin

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
not sure where to post this, hope its not in the way here...

just wondered if anyone had any experience with doing all the diabetes stuff as well as having mental health issues as well, especially ones that make it tricky to make it to appointments regularly or, like stress, play havoc with blood sugars etc.

I know that mental heath is meant to be on par with other more general conditions, but they really aren't! apologies if this is a bit off topic.

(and yep, I have a personal interest in this hehe)
 
There are members who have mental health issues as well as Diabetes.
 
glad to hear it (well, not glad as such but, you know)

i'm bi-polar and severely agoraphobic among other things, have lived a what may charitably be called a chaotic life. all this makes keeping to any routine tricky
 
sean penguin said:
glad to hear it (well, not glad as such but, you know)

i'm bi-polar and severely agoraphobic among other things, have lived a what may charitably be called a chaotic life. all this makes keeping to any routine tricky
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I am sure they will be along in time.
 
sean penguin said:
just wondered if anyone had any experience with doing all the diabetes stuff as well as having mental health issues as well, especially ones that make it tricky to make it to appointments regularly or, like stress, play havoc with blood sugars etc.
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Oh yes! I'm not bi-polar, just general depression/anxiety which, going back quite a few years now, manifested in me being unable to leave the house for a good few months without having panic attacks. I'm a lot better now (following years of medication), though social anxiety is still a bit of a problem.

So yeah, I hate appointments. When I have one approaching I'm treated to a good few weeks of chronic depression followed by panic attacks as it gets closer - completely independent of how good or bad my control has been. I then usually get in there and find myself completely unable to discuss the things I wanted to talk about! It's self defeating and frustrating for the professionals to deal with too! If you can explain your issues, sometimes DSNs will offer telephone appointments, which might help you.

And yes, stress does effect my sugars, though often it's difficult to tell if it's stress causing bad sugars or bad sugars causing stress - they always seem to go hand in hand and it's a vicious circle. All you can do is test test test and try to deal with the otherwise inexplicable highs and lows as you go and not beat yourself up about something you can't change. You're definitely not alone!
 
cheers ginny, a lot of that sounds very familiar. ive been on meds since late teens (in 40s now) but with variable results. insomnia is also a hassle, and its amazing how often a bad day diabetically (that's not a word is it?) and mentally coincides. its that vicious circle thing again I guess
 
Always make a list of what you want to ask when an appointment is approaching, and put it in your handbag the night before (at least) so you don't leave it at home! It's much easier to ask questions when you're working from a prepared list.
 
Been there and had the T shirt, cost me 2 years off work with stress, hardly went out. Thankfully I ended up with a good councillor who helped me through it. Luckily from memory it was when my levels were more stable than they are now.
 
Sara W said:
Always make a list of what you want to ask when an appointment is approaching, and put it in your handbag the night before (at least) so you don't leave it at home! It's much easier to ask questions when you're working from a prepared list.
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damn, i'll need to get a handbag hehe
 
Just reading this thread missed it at the time Sean. Can relate to pav for sure regarding work . Cost me 10 weeks off work and almost certainly played a big part in me leaving my job in October 2016. I've also had 2 seperate people tell me they think I'm bi polar and when I look at my behaviour I tend to agree my moods are totally unrational at times and then next day I can be floating on air
I'm yet to bring it up with my GP not cause I'm worried about her confirming it or anything. I'm on depression pills have been 10 years or so but in my darkest moments I can't take them in fact I can't get out of bed some days. Happily for now im on the happy spectrum but it does just take one totally innocent thing to others but to me could trigger me to be in cloud of sadness for days .
Diabetes and depression often don't mix well ones kicks u in the teeth the that sets off the other
Bad moods for me equal bad blood sugars.Other thing I notice is my sleep when I'm in a bad way I sleep in day and struggle at night can go 2 weeks a time sleeping down on sofa and making out to OH it's cause of his snoring when really it's because I'm lay there in bed thinking of all the ways to slip away out the door and stop this mind of mine working overtime. On good days I'll kip about 7 hours so that also is a stumbling block to.
 
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Hi Sean I have bi polar and type 2 I don't know which is worse but they definitely run together for me what I have found helped me is having a good support network and talking I know it's hard a times anxiety is big issue as well nice to talk
 
cheers for replies, they're much appreciated because there doesn't seem to be a lot of info on how one thing effects the other, and of course there's no interaction between mental health people and diabetic team...
 
Steff said:
Just reading this thread missed it at the time Sean. Can relate to pav for sure regarding work . Cost me 10 weeks off work and almost certainly played a big part in me leaving my job in October 2016. I've also had 2 seperate people tell me they think I'm bi polar and when I look at my behaviour I tend to agree my moods are totally unrational at times and then next day I can be floating on air
I'm yet to bring it up with my GP not cause I'm worried about her confirming it or anything. I'm on depression pills have been 10 years or so but in my darkest moments I can't take them in fact I can't get out of bed some days. Happily for now im on the happy spectrum but it does just take one totally innocent thing to others but to me could trigger me to be in cloud of sadness for days .
Diabetes and depression often don't mix well ones kicks u in the teeth the that sets off the other
Bad moods for me equal bad blood sugars.Other thing I notice is my sleep when I'm in a bad way I sleep in day and struggle at night can go 2 weeks a time sleeping down on sofa and making out to OH it's cause of his snoring when really it's because I'm lay there in bed thinking of all the ways to slip away out the door and stop this mind of mine working overtime. On good days I'll kip about 7 hours so that also is a stumbling block to.
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@Steff. Likewise your last comment 😳
 
Anxiety and depression sufferer here, in the past been on fluxotine and sertraline, currently I'm not on anything, just about managing. I also have terrible trouble sleeping at night when I'm having an episode, fortunately I work nights and it suits me as I've always been a night owl and sleep better in the day. I hope your all getting help and support, I'm on waiting list for CBT, been waiting nearly a year.
 
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