Why total diabetes burnout after 50+ years of managing

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Dianemac

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
After more than 50 years with type 1 I am now finding it more and more difficult to claw myself back out of total burnout feelings. Who do I talk to, what do I do and what help and support should I expect to get.
Finding it difficult to get support from family members after all these years of apparently managing.
 
Have you phoned your DSN? They can sometimes offer support. Burnout is a horrible thing and can be crippling. What I did was relax my control a little and try to keep things as simple as possible by having similar breakfasts and lunch each day. That removed the need to carb count and made me feel more normal.

Is there anything in particular getting to you or is it just the whole tedious, relentless daily grind of it?
 
I have my review appointment tomorrow, by phone again as they still don’t seem to be doing face to face yet in my area so will try and talk about it then. Family isolation is a key thing as they have all moved away due to jobs 4 hour drives away so we are now considering whether to follow which is a big decision.
 
I've no idea what they can offer, but on the main home page of Diabetes.ork.uk there is a phone number with the invitation to talk to them about diabetes. JDRF also look approachable, but can't find a tel no or anything.

Hope you find what you need.
 
We're all here too. The people on this forum have a lot of experience of just about every aspect of living with diabetes. Over the years I have found their help, advice and encouragement to be very useful.
 
Happened to me last year - again first time since being newly diagnosed and since 1972 I've coped with family bereavements and a divorce; two redundancies and all sorts of utter crap and never had 'it'. At one point my D control was blooming marvellous cos when my whole world was out of my control my brain decided Sod them - one thing I absolutely CAN control is my BG - so that's what I did. But, that involved me using 23hrs a day thinking of nowt other than diabetes so it's not a long term strategy!

To be honest - I'm certainly no psychologist - but I think the 'them' part of diabetes burnout is large part of the prob - with me, at least. Because I can't control 'them', if my BG also plays up = trouble.

This time, my DSN did help cos she pointed out all the things my Libre had been telling me which I'd conveniently chosen to ignore instead of using the info to help myself. I didn't know whether to hit her (yes of course I knew BG does that when this happens - you've known me 20 years and I knew it before we even met, stop speaking to me like I'm 7, not 70) or hug her. I did neither, just said Yeah ..... probably in a bored voice ...

But anyway - I am sending you {{{Hugs}}} cos it's not a nice place to visit for anyone.
 
Dianemac said:
I have my review appointment tomorrow, by phone again as they still don’t seem to be doing face to face yet in my area so will try and talk about it then. Family isolation is a key thing as they have all moved away due to jobs 4 hour drives away so we are now considering whether to follow which is a big decision.
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Make a list of pros and cons, practical things, worries, etc. I find writing things down like that helps clarify my thoughts and preferences. It’s also a good way of taking a bit of control. Sometimes too many choices and too much stress can be paralysing.
 
Fingers crossed for your appointment tomorrow @Dianemac - shame it isn’t a face to face one, but it sounds like it’s really good timing for you, and perhaps the separation of the phone might make it easier for you to be really open and honest about how tough you have been finding things?Sound like you have lots of stuff going on elsewhere in your life, and perhaps diabetes is just one additional thing too many right now?

Burnout is a swine, and you are not alone in facing it.

We are rooting for you!
 
trophywench said:
Happened to me last year - again first time since being newly diagnosed and since 1972 I've coped with family bereavements and a divorce; two redundancies and all sorts of utter crap and never had 'it'. At one point my D control was blooming marvellous cos when my whole world was out of my control my brain decided Sod them - one thing I absolutely CAN control is my BG - so that's what I did. But, that involved me using 23hrs a day thinking of nowt other than diabetes so it's not a long term strategy!

To be honest - I'm certainly no psychologist - but I think the 'them' part of diabetes burnout is large part of the prob - with me, at least. Because I can't control 'them', if my BG also plays up = trouble.

This time, my DSN did help cos she pointed out all the things my Libre had been telling me which I'd conveniently chosen to ignore instead of using the info to help myself. I didn't know whether to hit her (yes of course I knew BG does that when this happens - you've known me 20 years and I knew it before we even met, stop speaking to me like I'm 7, not 70) or hug her. I did neither, just said Yeah ..... probably in a bored voice ...

But anyway - I am sending you {{{Hugs}}} cos it's not a nice place to visit for anyone.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for your kind reply and I think it does ring true a bit in that you get used to being able to control your diabetes and forget that you can’t control other things in your life. Lots to talk about in my appointment tomorrow.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Fingers crossed for your appointment tomorrow @Dianemac - shame it isn’t a face to face one, but it sounds like it’s really good timing for you, and perhaps the separation of the phone might make it easier for you to be really open and honest about how tough you have been finding things?Sound like you have lots of stuff going on elsewhere in your life, and perhaps diabetes is just one additional thing too many right now?

Burnout is a swine, and you are not alone in facing it.

We are rooting for you!
Click to expand...
 
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