How do you handle diabetes burnout?

Type 1 and LADA
1

I can't say as I've ever had diabetes burnout, not in the literal sense. I mean, it's a form of depression that stems from being overwhelmed, I suppose. I know what diabetes is, I've lived it and continue to live it every day of my life. But, I've never quite had diabetes burnout in the sense people talk about in all my 15 years as a diabetic. True, diabetes is the B word, and it can take everything out of you (on a daily basis!), but I never saw reason to get depressed about it. Believe me, my diabetes was not under control most of those 15 years, I didn't do a very good job of it. I figured if I ignored it long enough, it'd just go away! That's youth for you! Now, obviously, I'm suffering the repercussions with a bad case of nerve damage, among other complications. And yet, as hard as it is to keep on top of it on a daily basis and as hard as it is to see crazy numbers when you know you did everything right, I still can't get depressed about it. I know a woman who gave up managing her diabetes as a result of burnout because she was sick of it, all of it. She not only suffered a miscarriage, but feels so wiped out she can't go on. She'd rather give herself to others just to forget her own problems. I think that's very unhealthy. I doubt there are too many mothers of diabetic children out there who give in to diabetes burnout when their own child's life is at stake. So, why then, do people find it OK to let themselves down? Don't we matter to ourselves? If things are hard now, how hard will they get if we don't keep at it, burnout or no burnout? Am I wrong in my thinking?

How do YOU handle diabetes burnout? Thanks!

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And, if I offended anyone with my rant, I apologize! I mean no harm -- just wondering, is all!

2

Because we're human. We burn out on so many things, like jobs, pizza, people.

Whenever I have the burnout issue (I had my one and only burnout when I was 9, after 6 years of diabetes.) My mother said to me: You're going to have this for the rest of your life, and you have to live with it. Quit feeling sorry for yourself and deal with it.

I converted it to, "I was walking a long journey, and I felt bad because I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet."

3

I thought "burned out" was more like temporarily not checking your sugars like you should or basal testing when your levels are on a roller coaster ride. I've gone through that. Usually when this happens I'll fax my numbers into the Doc. and she'll tell me what she thinks. It's usually at this point that I'll really take the time to look at my readings and adjust, because usually I don't agree with the Doc. As far as depression goes, I've never gotten depressed because of D. I was diagnosed at an early age and thats all I've ever known. When I was about 7 years old I was hospitalized with DKA. My roomie had leukemia. When they started her chemo, and she was SO sick, I thought to myself that I was glad I had Diabetes. Things can always be worse

4

It didn't feel so wise at the time, but a week later, I was giving myself my own shots.

I still remember my hissy fit in the kitchen, and her response!

7

denial