Taking a step back when you're overwhelmed

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Flower

Flower

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
How do you do take a step back when diabetes and all that comes with it feels overwhelming?

I feel so trapped by my complications and having to do diabetes to the best of my abilities. I'm usually a get on with it kind of person but lately I feel weighed down by it all and don't know how to help myself.

My options with Charcot foot are amputation or keep going in a cast. I don't have a clinic for help as was told to get in touch for an appointment when I could deal with amputation.I keep wondering if I'll be in the same situation 10 years on. I'm self referring for a new plaster cast and paying for private podiatry as after one NHS podiatry clinic last year I was told to go back to private. That 'choice' amputation or status quo- crutches, cast and praying nothing goes wrong feels like such a frightening place. The focus on footcare doesn't seem to translate to reality so much.

I'm using a T Slim hcl pump which is fabulous and I am so grateful for the amazing tech but I get so self critical about every out of range glucose reading thinking that it will be the one that causes overwhelming infection in my foot and will lead to amputation.

Diabetes is such a huge mental weight on its own and dealing with devastating complications & around the clock pressure & guilt from it all feels a lot right now. I wish I could put diabetes in a cupboard and try and get some headspace back.

Sorry for being negative. I know there aren't any solutions to dealing with diabetes apart from doing the best you can. I need to find some balance from somewhere.
 
I really can't offer any advice as you have far more experience than me but just wanting to send you massive (((HUGS))) because you are clearly in need of them. Just know that you are an inspiration to many of us here on the forum with your fierce determination to fight to keep your foot and also in the help and support you offer to others in a similar situation. I can't begin to imagine how tough it is for you, but you are clearly very strong and I hope you find a way to overcome this mental wobble and get back to pushing these difficult thoughts into the background and persisting against the odds. I think, as with anything which appears impossible, you have to break it down into small pieces and work on one piece at a time without looking at the daunting big picture. One day at a time as they say..... but then you know that as you have been doing it for many, many years.

So pleased that the t-slim HCL is giving you some much needed assistance.
 
Hugs, @Flower . It’s scary, that moment when you recite the usual mantra, ‘What’s the worst that could happen, could I cope?' …and come up with the answer no, instead of the expected yes. I think @rebrascora is right, dealing with it in smaller chunks, coming up with the answer to could I cope? ..Yes..for as many of the bits as you can, and hoping to keep the other bits at bay for as long as possible.
 
Coping when overwhelmed will vary person to person, speaking for myself I experience more stress the less i know. When first diagnosed (with 3 conditions on the same day), I don't think I stopped trying to research/read information for about 2 weeks (pretty much every available waking moment). The more solid factual information I have, the better I cope. I totally admit I overthink things ... but that's me.

Think about how life's challenges have affected you previously, and any coping methods that have worked for you in the past. Maybe think about difficulties you have overcome in the past. These things may help you formulate a broad plan of how you can tackle feelings of being overwhelmed.
 
Can just eat the same thing every day for a week or two then there’s no need to count carbs, If you want to cut out some diabetes work
 
I do what @Lucyr suggested above @Flower I keep things as simple as possible. I also try to not dwell on the numbers. After all, if I get a higher than I like number, it’s not because I’m doing it on purpose. I haven’t failed. Sometimes things just go wonky.
 
Thank you 🙂 breaking things down into bite size issues and trying to remove some of the daily grind of diabetes is a good plan.

I feel better for writing down what's been filling my head recently. I wish I had a clinic I could contact or have an occasional appointment just to reassure me that things are the same and no worse. Dealing with it on my own feels a great big weight at present with dire consequences if I get it wrong.
 
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Flower said:
Thank you 🙂 breaking things down into bite size issues and trying to remove some of the daily grind of diabetes is a good plan.

I feel better for writing down what's been filling my head recently. I wish I had a clinic I could contact or have an occasional appointment with just to reassure me that things are the same and no worse. Dealing with it on my own feels a great big weight at present with dire consequences if I get it wrong.
Click to expand...

Never alone when this forum is here @Flower
 
Sending you all the positive love and prayers your way.
As others have said simple meals that don’t mess with your levels too much and you know the insulin for easy can help. It doesn’t always cheer you up though.
Set small goals.
Basic self care things whatever that is for you, mines a nice cup of tea and a film I have seen too many times, writing to my friend or a face mask. Simple things that help your soul breath and just be.
 
Big hugs @Flower i can totally relate to how youre feeling.
 
Being a type2 and not at a stage with all these difficulties I think you are doing what is helping or you would have been there already. I can only imagine the stress of it all and I like the advice to keep it simple. I also like the fact sharing it has helped and come here for support or use the helpline. I try not to but have used it when I have felt overwhelmed in the past. Mainly when I felt medication like Metformin was killing me rather than helping. So very mild compared to yours but lots are type 1 here and are amazing at supporting all types of diabetes. So you are not alone. Others have had amputees and can help even in a private message so reach out.
 
Ah @Flower !! Sorry you are feeling so under the kosh of it all at the moment. Diabetes can be a swine :(

You are an amazing, strong, determined, resilient woman. And an inspiration to many here. I hope this period of feeling the burden passes quickly. You are doing brilliantly, and are managing your diabetes within very tight margins using the latest kit. You are doing everything you can to maintain your health, and stabilise your conditions.

When I have felt overwhelmed in the last few years I found some of the mindfulness techniques really helpful. You are not your thoughts and feelings, worries and fears. They pass through the mind like clouds. Some light, some dark and threatening, but the sky remains. Events and situations just are what they are. Our experience of them, and how they affect us depends on our reaction to them. Sometimes it’s OK just to let things ‘be’ for a while. To accept them, without trying to change them.
 
So sorry that you are feeling so overwhelmed @Flower and glad that you feel better for writing your post. As you say you can only do the best that you can. I am very pleased that your HCL is working well for you, but I understand how a high can still cause concerns. You have already improved your control through using this system, so are in a better position than before. When you feel overwhelmed pedalling back a little is still going to be better than before, and the loop will often pick up wobbles and sort them more quickly than we would have done before.

Perhaps the idea of consistent meals would work for a while to take out some of the variables that you are managing day to day.

Have you spoken to your DSN about how you feel at present. I know podiatry have said come back when you have fitted in with their chosen course of action, and that that leaves you with the responsibility to decide. Your DSN may still be able to help with other support. I know that I was glad (looking back) that I asked for help.

As Mike has said you are an inspiration to many of us on here.
(((((((( Big hugs ))))))))) from me. S
 
Thank you everyone for your very kind and very helpful replies.

It really has helped to write down what is going round in my head. The lack of wriggle room with diabetes does feel a lot to deal with sometimes.

I'm thinking of asking for a referral to a bigger centre with a specific Charcot foot clinic for some long term advice, being told to come back when I want to discuss amputation really isn't a good place to be. It's a lot of worry to carry around and I feel quite dejected about it.

Anyhow, thank you lovely forum. I'm off to eat 30g of carbs and hopefully not worry about what the result will be...🙂
 
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