-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
I'm becoming more and more depprest
- Thread starter Darren w
- Start date
- Status
Redkite
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Hi Darren,
Sorry to hear you're feeling so down and depressed right now. You need to stop being so hard on yourself - you are clearly a lovely, sensitive bloke and NOT stupid at all! Many of the world's most intelligent people are dyslexic you know 🙂. I can't help with how to post a photo to the forum, because I've never been able to do that either.
To go back to your original query about exercise and trying to build up muscle mass, I am no expert on this, and when I looked at the bodybuilding section on the Runsweet website, I can see why you got confused, because the person who wrote it clearly IS an expert (a former bodybuilding champion!) and he is also type 1 and on insulin, so his approach is going to be very different to what you would need if you are type 2 and not on insulin (not sure what your meds are Darren?).
In general, there are three things you need to take into consideration:
1. If you are underweight, you must find the cause and sort this out first. You can easily check online what the normal weight range is for a person of your height - don't just go by what you think you look like in the mirror 🙂. People with diabetes can lose weight if their blood sugar levels are too high all the time, so you need to look at how good your control is - what is your Hba1c? Do you have a meter and do fingerprick tests? Are your levels mostly in the 4-7 range or are they much higher? If you are having problems with higher levels, lots of us on here can help you - please ask! There are other causes of weight loss (for example overactive thyroid), so if your diabetes control is good, ask your doctor to look into the low weight.
2. A healthy diet! If you are needing to gain weight, you need to eat enough calories every day, and if you want to build up muscle mass, include plenty of proteins - meat, fish, dairy foods, etc. Don't overdo the alcohol either (but you can still enjoy a pint 🙂). It might be helpful to see a dietician - ask your GP if he can refer you.
3. Exercise - this is where I don't know much at all
except that you have to build up GRADUALLY - don't expect bulging biceps after a couple of weeks! You need to be eating enough extra calories so that you can still gain weight even after burning off calories in the gym (this is where specialist advice from a dietician would be helpful). If you are taking glucose-lowering meds and/or insulin, you need to adjust these if doing energetic exercise - please ask us on the forum for specific advice if you do take meds/insulin).
Above all, Darren, don't despair - you'll get there. Nobody on here thinks you're stupid, and I for one would love you to come out the other side of this depression and feel good about yourself again!
Sorry to hear you're feeling so down and depressed right now. You need to stop being so hard on yourself - you are clearly a lovely, sensitive bloke and NOT stupid at all! Many of the world's most intelligent people are dyslexic you know 🙂. I can't help with how to post a photo to the forum, because I've never been able to do that either.
To go back to your original query about exercise and trying to build up muscle mass, I am no expert on this, and when I looked at the bodybuilding section on the Runsweet website, I can see why you got confused, because the person who wrote it clearly IS an expert (a former bodybuilding champion!) and he is also type 1 and on insulin, so his approach is going to be very different to what you would need if you are type 2 and not on insulin (not sure what your meds are Darren?).
In general, there are three things you need to take into consideration:
1. If you are underweight, you must find the cause and sort this out first. You can easily check online what the normal weight range is for a person of your height - don't just go by what you think you look like in the mirror 🙂. People with diabetes can lose weight if their blood sugar levels are too high all the time, so you need to look at how good your control is - what is your Hba1c? Do you have a meter and do fingerprick tests? Are your levels mostly in the 4-7 range or are they much higher? If you are having problems with higher levels, lots of us on here can help you - please ask! There are other causes of weight loss (for example overactive thyroid), so if your diabetes control is good, ask your doctor to look into the low weight.
2. A healthy diet! If you are needing to gain weight, you need to eat enough calories every day, and if you want to build up muscle mass, include plenty of proteins - meat, fish, dairy foods, etc. Don't overdo the alcohol either (but you can still enjoy a pint 🙂). It might be helpful to see a dietician - ask your GP if he can refer you.
3. Exercise - this is where I don't know much at all
except that you have to build up GRADUALLY - don't expect bulging biceps after a couple of weeks! You need to be eating enough extra calories so that you can still gain weight even after burning off calories in the gym (this is where specialist advice from a dietician would be helpful). If you are taking glucose-lowering meds and/or insulin, you need to adjust these if doing energetic exercise - please ask us on the forum for specific advice if you do take meds/insulin).Above all, Darren, don't despair - you'll get there. Nobody on here thinks you're stupid, and I for one would love you to come out the other side of this depression and feel good about yourself again!
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
This is the letter Darren got:
Darren, it's good news, so don't worry. At the top is your previous weight (64.1kg) and your current weight (63.4kg). I worked out your BMI (Body Mass Index) from this and it comes out as 19.4. Although this is low, it is still healthy 🙂
The letter then goes on to say that you would like to be about 10 kg heavier. Probably the main thing that is making it hard for you to put on weight is the fact that your blood sugar levels are often high. You need to test your blood sugar levels more so you know the effect of different meals, and try and get better results.
Do you know how to adjust your novorapid doses according to how many carbs are in the food you are eating? If you don't have enough insulin then your levels will go too high and make it hard for you to gain weight. You need to test before you eat, then test one and two hours after eating. Write down the results so that you can start to build up a picture of how your blood sugar levels behave when you eat different things. If your levels go too high then it means you need more novorapid with that particular meal.
I would suggest starting a food diary, recording your levels before eating, what you ate, then your levels one and two hours after eating. You should then show this to your doctor or nurse so that they can advise you about how to adjust your insulin doses.
Take things slowly, one step at a time, and you will get there! 🙂
Darren, it's good news, so don't worry. At the top is your previous weight (64.1kg) and your current weight (63.4kg). I worked out your BMI (Body Mass Index) from this and it comes out as 19.4. Although this is low, it is still healthy 🙂
The letter then goes on to say that you would like to be about 10 kg heavier. Probably the main thing that is making it hard for you to put on weight is the fact that your blood sugar levels are often high. You need to test your blood sugar levels more so you know the effect of different meals, and try and get better results.
Do you know how to adjust your novorapid doses according to how many carbs are in the food you are eating? If you don't have enough insulin then your levels will go too high and make it hard for you to gain weight. You need to test before you eat, then test one and two hours after eating. Write down the results so that you can start to build up a picture of how your blood sugar levels behave when you eat different things. If your levels go too high then it means you need more novorapid with that particular meal.
I would suggest starting a food diary, recording your levels before eating, what you ate, then your levels one and two hours after eating. You should then show this to your doctor or nurse so that they can advise you about how to adjust your insulin doses.
Take things slowly, one step at a time, and you will get there! 🙂
Bloden
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hang in there, Darren. We all go thru a difficult patch from time to time, but try and take things slowly, and be kind to yourself. I really hope you feel more positive soon...keep posting. There's a lot of people who care about you on here.😱
Redkite
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Hi again Darren, ok now I've seen the letter - actually that sounds really good and encouraging 🙂. Your weight is on the low side of normal, but if you can get your blood glucose levels down, then you should start putting weight back on again. If I were you I would leave the bodybuilding alone for a while until you have got your blood glucose levels back on target.
Like Northie suggested, you need to get strict with yourself on the BG testing. Do tests before each meal, two hours after each meal, and at bedtime. Keep a diary of all your BG results, insulin doses and food eaten (including grams of carbohydrate). Post your results on the forum and we will all help you. 🙂
Like Northie suggested, you need to get strict with yourself on the BG testing. Do tests before each meal, two hours after each meal, and at bedtime. Keep a diary of all your BG results, insulin doses and food eaten (including grams of carbohydrate). Post your results on the forum and we will all help you. 🙂
emmajane22
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hey Darren,
I'm new to this forum. After being type 1 for nearly 25 years I have only recently discovered the huge impact it has had upon my life and the way I feel about my body, which it appears is quite different to the way others see me.
I have also realised that I have been quite severely depressed for a long time. After being able to recognise that these are issues I can't fix alone I am in the process of counselling, antidepressants and connecting with diabetic services as I was ashamed of my eating issues and being 'found out'. I am also being referred to an eating disorder clinic.
Do you think that your loss of weight may be symptomatic of your depression? If you can address this you may find your diabetes easier to manage and feel motivated to eat a more nutritionally sound diet?
I would say that your mental health is what needs to be addressed first. From what I've read depression is extremely common in diabetics and the concussion with your diagnosis and management must be adding to the problems you've been faced with.
Try to keep on at all the medics to help you! You have loads of support on here and I think we can all relate to many of your issues. Em.x
I'm new to this forum. After being type 1 for nearly 25 years I have only recently discovered the huge impact it has had upon my life and the way I feel about my body, which it appears is quite different to the way others see me.
I have also realised that I have been quite severely depressed for a long time. After being able to recognise that these are issues I can't fix alone I am in the process of counselling, antidepressants and connecting with diabetic services as I was ashamed of my eating issues and being 'found out'. I am also being referred to an eating disorder clinic.
Do you think that your loss of weight may be symptomatic of your depression? If you can address this you may find your diabetes easier to manage and feel motivated to eat a more nutritionally sound diet?
I would say that your mental health is what needs to be addressed first. From what I've read depression is extremely common in diabetics and the concussion with your diagnosis and management must be adding to the problems you've been faced with.
Try to keep on at all the medics to help you! You have loads of support on here and I think we can all relate to many of your issues. Em.x
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum - great to see you contributing immediately. Would you also like to start your own introduction thread in "Newbies", so other forum members can welcome you?
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Darren, it's great to hear you and Paul met face to face today. Keep on posting about any issues, and we'll try to help as best as we can.
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
ypauly
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It is a skill above all other skills, if you can't make me a decent cuppa there is no point in telling me what you are good at as I stopped listening
- Status