I’ve had diabetes for 20 years now, and I also have Major Depressive Disorder, and when I’m depressed, I don’t take good care of my diabetes. Learned my lesson with a coma last September (almost died), and I have made it my mantra that I will take care of diabetes FIRST, no matter what, and everything else will follow. I’m not saying it’s easy, but I never want to go through such a horrible experience again.
As far as the pump, to each his own. I find that the pump makes diabetes care easier – I don’t have to remember to take my insulin with me when I go out, and I also have a CGM which helps me keep tabs on my levels. I’d be miserable if I had to go back to shots. But everyone’s different, so if going off the pump makes you feel better, that matters.
Other people here have said a lot of wise things – I hope you derive some help from that. I’ll be thinking of you!
Interesting comment about shots being the ultimate control. I can’t stand a medical device taped to me (couldn’t wear a CGM device even) so a meter is out. I checked out the Omnipod, but stayed with syringes. I can see where perhaps the control idea is part of my dislike for the pumps and why I like syringes. It took me quite a while to switch to a meter rather than the strips you compared to a color chart on a bottle. I researched the meters thoroughly before choosing one. I had friends who were the exact opposite–their doctors adjusted their insulin doses for them, any time they had a question, they called the doctor. They liked that someone else managed the situation. It worked well for them. Perhaps we just need to find the model of treatment that works for us and go with it. It certainly makes life easier and burnout less likely. We’re all different. One size does not fit all.
I get what youre saying, when I am feeling down from this diabetic thing (lol) I tend to go off my strict diet that I made for myself. Thinking in my mind is the worse thing for diabetics. When I dont think about it, my workouts are better, my eating is better and most importantly my numbers are better. Keep your head up, it helps
I notice when I am depressed I burn out. I have not had one significant of time to talk about just over all. I am fine about being a diabetic as a whole but those days where it physically holds me back I get frustrated. When my medical bills come rolling in or the fact that I cannot get insurance without having a job even though I need insurance to make sure I stay healthy. When I got laid off I had to move back home to afford my meds. I have gained over 50 pounds in a month since increasing my insulin and have not been able to get it off. The weight is mostly in my stomach and arms, so i have a crazy muffin top and michelin man arms. The doctors are no help on how to actually lose the weight. I grew up a fat kid I started losing weight in high school and kept it off so the weight is salt on a old wound.
When I found out I was actually T1 everyone was saying how sorry they were to hear that and giving me the I feel so sorry for you look. My Granny said to me: Well thank God its not nothing new. That there are ways to live with it. She made me smile that day.
When I am burnning out I remember this and how lucky I am living in a time where I can live with it and in a place where I have access to all my medication/ supplies. I remember how blessed I am compare to others watch something that makes me laugh or feel good and try to snap myself out of it…
Hi,
I’ve also been T1 for four years and I have a ten-month-old baby. So we’re in similar boats. I really have struggled since the baby came along. At about the 6-month mark though, it started getting better. I started being able to take care of myself better. I think what helped for me was positive self-talk. “I’m testing my blood sugar now my darling child even though you’re crying because it’s a gift to you to have me around and health for longer.” And I pat myself on the back a lot becuase there’s no one else to do it for me except hubby but I’d exhaust him if I made him give me all the postiive talk I need. I say things like “Good for you girl, you tested your blood sugar/ate well when you are in a very challenging season for anyone, let alone a t1 diabetic.”
The challenge for me is that caring for an infant is so exhausting (especially if you also work outside, as I do) that I want to fill myself back up with food. I’m working very hard at getting over that.
Good luck. Hang in there. We all experience burnout and you did a wise thing by posting here for support.
What a WONDERFUL attitude!!! I like the concept of patting yourself on the back when there’s no one else to do it – I do that all the time. Taking care of a baby AND working is hard enough if you’re NOT diabetic – add in the diabetes and it only makes it worse. Positive self-talk has been proven to be effective in ameliorating depression, and depression can lead to poor control, so you’ve got it nipped in the bud! Congratulations!
Ginger, your video ROCKS. Wow. So warm, kind and inspirational.
I love the idea of “just start with something”. When I’ve been super burned out in the past, that’s what has helped me to get back on track. I’m doing that with walking right now. I’ll say to myself, “Just set the timer on the iPhone and walk out 5 minutes. When the alarm beeps, turn around and walk back. That’s it.” It works to get me moving again. I’m up to walking out-n-back 18 to 20 minutes on the timer (36 to 40 minutes total) but I’ll do just five if I don’t want to walk (rainy, tired, grumpy, depressed, whatever.)
Just doing a bit grows with time into a bit more, but I don’t focus on that. It happens naturally.
Kristina – you have a new baby. It’s perfectly normal for non-diabetic new parents to feel “burned out” – sleep deprived, stressed, cranky, wanting a break from all the tasks and pressures.
I hate to say it, dear heart, but you are normal.
Just pick one thing you’ve been neglecting and do that. Look yourself in the eye in the mirror and say, “I’m going to do X (fill in the blank) because frankly, I’m worth it.” Make a commitment to your doctor, too, if that would help.
My big thing when I was burned out was not testing. I’d go days without testing (pre-Novolog days). I started back to testing by just promising to test when I first got up in the morning and sending the numbers to my doctor via e-mail. Now I’m back on track, testing four to eight times per day. It just took making that one small commitment to my doctor and to myself to get me back on track.
Who doesn’t get burned out? Exhausting what we have to do daily with never a break. Even more difficult with a new baby & her needs coming first.
There are several things I do when I feel apathy creeping up. I think back to being diagnosed DKA & near death. I promised myself I’d do anything to never feel that sick again. I try hard to relive the feeling of gratitude I had to be alive. The other thing, & I know this sounds stupid, is I don’t think about it & just do it. I put it on auto-pilot. If I dwell on how much I’m sick of testing, injecting & the endless calculations, it saps energy to the point of inertia. I tell myself “Just do it, just do it. Don’t think.” I also try to change something else in my schedule to break tedium & recharge myself. I find that when I feel burned out about diabetes, I’m also feeling crappy about other things. Even if it’s just changing something minor, it gives me an energy lift.
I love your suggestions. We are all so hard on ourselves. I have been scanning the plate and it is giving me problems. One plate at a time. If I see success I will go to the next plate. Your suggestions make the most sense.
This is a great thread. The suggestions and encouragement are good for ME too - all of us.
One more thing that I’ve had to learn: I’ve had to let go of resentment. Resentment that I have diabetes, resentment that other people don’t understand, resentment that people think I have type 2 and should be able to reverse it… I’m not saying that you have resentment…I don’t pick up on that at all. I’m just saying it sometimes is one of MY obstacles and sharing it in case anyone else feels similarly.
It’s so good that people DO understand that caring for a baby is exhausting and depleting and challenging and sometimes excruciatingly boring. And of course wonderful too. But it’s also limiting because you no longer feel like you have time for yourself and you feel that taking time for yourself is taking time away from someone else. Yet we all need to learn to take that time.
My endo’s office says “We go easy on new moms.” That was music to my ears.
Rye,
I sympathize with the weight gain. I’ve put on 20 pounds in the past two years and it’s very frustrating. I finally decided that I wouldn’t make my happiness depend on my weight. My doc found out that I was very hypothyroid though. Have you had your #s checked? Going on meds helped but then she switched my meds and the symptoms came back. Now she’s uppsed my doses. Hopefully that will help. I’m also hoping that the end of this very long, very snowy, very cold winter will help.
good luck to you. And I love what your Granny said.
Maria
Yes I have my thyriods check everytime I go to the endo because my mother and my dad’s side all have thyriod problems. Mine work just fine apparently. I do however think I have Celiac because I fit some of the symptoms and I retain water like I’m the hoover dam, lol…I started the gluten free diet and have notice a change and lost some weight. So hopefully I can finally get this weight off…
We can psych ourselves out if we dwell on how odious a task is. That’s how I get past my continuing revulsion with poking myself for tests. I just say to myself, “1, 2, 3, BLAM”. If I dwell on it, it makes it worse. Just GO and don’t dwell on it.
I’ve been T1 most of my life Kris. It’s hard to imagine life without it, but I’ve certainly reached those points of exhaustion where you just get so damn tired of struggling to keep it in check.
I also agree completely with Marps. I see so many of my friends who’ve taken their good health for granted, and in turn, have become quite the opposite. Either they’ve put on weight, have smoking/drugs/drinking problems, or simply don’t take care of themselves. We on the other hand are essentially forced to take good care, and as a result may very well enjoy a longer, more enjoyable life, as odd as it sounds.
This disease makes me appreciate what I have, and keeps me focused on what’s important, ie my health.
By the way, although this is my first post, I’ve been lurking here for some time. In fact, my browsing here is what led me decide on changing to OmniPod recently! Couldn’t be happier about that decision.
But what I was getting at was, when you get run down, remember you’ve got this terrific community here. We can all relate to what you’re dealing with, and there is strength in numbers. Be well.
Brett
