Hey folks!
I just recently purchased Polonsky’s book, “Diabetes Burnout,” and have enjoyed every minute of it. Have you read this book? Heard of it?
I scored so high on the burnout level, it was so sad! You can just take a look at my a1c and tell I’ve had just about enough of living with diabetes.
Don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer or anything, it just helps to know there are others out there facing the same challenges as I am. =)
I’m feeling burnt out today. So I was glad to find this group and this discussion Katherine!! I think that I will be purchasing this book soon 
Anyone else feeling burnt out? Anyone want to RESTART with me?
Sometimes I feel captive by the routine good control of Type 1 demands. But the alternative I know would burn me out much quicker, on a physical and mental level.
Nevertheless, most days I admit I will say aloud, “I’m just so sick of doing this sh*t”. If there is one sentence that sums up my attitude towards diabetes, that has got to be it. Sure, I’m thankful for all the things we have to help us control our diabetes but most of them have a price- more attention to diabetes.
Want to use Symlin? OK, it is going to help you, but it’s also going to require more shots, bolusing calculations, and attention to hypoglycemia. Switching from MDI to pump therapy? Great! No doubt your condition will improve, so long as you are willing to invest more of your time and energy.
One day I feel like all I am going to be able to do is sit in my house and repeat a 4-hour routine over and over again just to attain better and better control.
I realize I’m being a tad hyperbolic here, but ffs, I’m burnt out!
I can complete relate oneless!!
I think that my control could be great IF I did nothing else but managing diabetes. Trouble is that I want to live too!!
i don’t remember where i read this but there was a study done years ago in australia where they had all of the nurses on a diabetes ward do the diabetic routine for 2 months or something like it. after about 2 weeks they all quit but one nurse. she stuck it out. when asked how or why she did it… she said that she gave up all social activities, called in sick frequently and devoted her life to testing her blood, taking shots and measuring food. that was all without the mood swings and fear of lows and the impending doom of complications (i know i am being a little over dramatic…) sometimes i feel completely out of control, not so much of my numbers, or a1c (those could be better, but i know why they are where they are). i am more out of control in my mood. i get depressed, i know why i am depressed, if it is physical or just life, and i effect the people around me. i get tired… maybe weary is more the word, and it bugs my wife. i feel as though it is happening outside me, i have no say about it. i am not saying that it is all of the time, or a huge issue, but more than the routine, this is what burns me out. the routine i grew up with. i know people who have harder routines, i would not want to do chemotherapy for instance…i know that i have said this in other places on the site, and excuse me for sounding like a broken record… but i am also tremendously worried about the wide spread passing on of this gene or what ever it is. i have 4 children… 3 are type one. this is the stuff that makes me hang my head, i could deal with the routine.
at long last. i hate going to the clinic with awful readings, i will never give up, but its good to know that other people aren’t perfect either. i can’t really relate to perfect. will look out for that book, thanks. i have some retinopathy and it scares me, i would be fine if i just wasn’t hungry all the time. i am soooooooooooooo glad that i can finally talk with other people in the same boat.
This book has been discussed in my diabetes group. I do want to read it but I am waiting to see if it becomes available on my Kindle. I guess that is really lazy, I just have trouble reading books. I definitely am burnt out. I have had antibodies for the last two years and I feel so depressed and exhausted from it. Nice to know there are others who feel this way.
I started reading this in a bookstsore recently…and was so happy that someone had actually described how I was feeling…and now I’m happier to know that there’s this group…because sometimes it feels like others are pretty much on top of it and dealing better with everything (at least compared to me)…Has anyone else read this book? and was there anything in particular that really struck them?
A volunteer gave me this site and the name of that book. and just in a day of being on this site has helped. I have been burnt out for a bit and discouraged, but am hopefully finally on the mend. Thank you to this web site and Thanks to all of you guys. =D
Dear Katherine
I’m with you – want to run the ridge between optimism and challenging what’s not working. Spend a lot of time (at least an hour a day just taking meds and maintaining records, calculating carbs and doses), Spend a lot of money, (does $500 a month sound about right? for the various things I need to do, meds etc, in addition to insurance premiums, AND YET, at 55, I’m at serious risk for losing my signt. My doc assures me that it’s not my fault – that I’m doing everything right, but “these things happen” and he has patients who are far more complacent about caring for their health, bad diets, smoke, drink a ton of alcohol, and have a1c’s over 10 for 20 years with no complications!
It’s just so damn discouraging – some days I think I should just go out and start partying and have a little fun.
My new hero is Josh Blue – the guy who is a standup comic with cerebral palsy – jokes about spending 7 days in the drunk tank with the cop saying, “Hey, buddy, what did you DRINK?” Gotta find some humor in this, but who would laugh at insulin and testing in the restaurant (have you ever squirted the guy in the next booth when squeezing your finger a bit too hard? That was pretty funny.
I also read about nurses who said of all the diseases they had treated in a hospital, diabetes was the one they would least like to get.
That’s pretty bad.
Hello Katherine:
While I thought his images were very cute, sometimes even clever… I did not feel he developed them in any usable way. In short he built an incredible ~gateway~ but totally forgot to build any road beyond it!!!
It smacked of rah-rah cheerleading for my tastes a-typical of the large diabetic association/groups publications. Not much use… in my experience. Perhaps the 2nd edition hopefully…?
Stuart
Wow, it feels like some of you are reading the thoughts right out of my head.
Today it was needles. I’m sick of them. I had to put more insulin in my pump today, and change my site. I kept putting it off because I just didn’t want to stick myself with another needle. You would think that I would be used to it after almost 21 years…
I finally did it when my pump completely ran out of insulin and it started beeping and vibrating like crazy.
Katherine, this is an excellent book and Im very proud to say that Dr. Polonsky used to be my doctor when he practiced at Joslin Diabetes Clinic in Boston, MA. He has helped me so much and I keep in touch with him every so often. He will be so happy to know that his book is a topic in this group!
karen
Karen I have got to get this book!! I am soooo tired and sick of the whole world of diabetes. I will try to start tomorrow with a good attitude. sigh. . .
good luck sandy…ill try too… im feeling discouraged tonight too =(
we can do this together but your tomorrow was friday so i hope you are doing well!
im right behind ya!
I am going through this now...after being diagnosed FIVE days ago. I hate this. I really do.
Yet, I want to live to be a happy healthy 90 year old man...So I guess I have no choice but to just deal with it and get it under absolute control.
I am just sick and tired of trying to find food to eat everyday that won't kill me.
After seeing thing topic, I bought the book for my Kindle and started working through it yesterday. It's intense, and I'm pretty high up on the burnout level. But so far, doing the worksheets has given me some insight into what the problem really is. Most of all I just want my boyfriend and family to read at least the first 2 chapters, just 'cause I can't seem to explain how bad it really is. For the moment, I'm just reading and crying ^^; Thanks so much for mentioning it here so I could find it Katherine!
Real Simple Magazine is running a series on how we all spend our time, i.e., what percentage of the day is devoted to what activities. So I went through the questionnaire, sleeping, working, doing laundry and quickly exceeded 24 hours... They had no category for diabetes chores! Testing, laboriously writing entries in logs, xeroxing logs, faxing same to dr's office, total downtime for low blood sugars, carbohydrate counting, attending dr's appointments,explaining the difference between Type 1 and 2 to friends, family and the public at large, worrying about all of the above...Who has time for work or sleep?
I think what torques me most is the complete lack of freedom I've experienced since I've become too blind to drive and the loss of my career. I had a Lead position with a major production company, and I've had to rely on family to help me get my food and medicine. It completely f'ing sucks.