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Permalink Reply by Natalie ._c- on September 13, 2011 at 3:57pm

The word "diabetes" doesn't bother me (too much), but boy, the disease sure does! I would so love to go eat a HUGE chocolate sundae with nary a worry about either how much insulin to take, or what it's going to do to my waistline! Just not to be THINKING about it all the time! It's no wonder that diabetes and depression go hand in hand. But keep on trudging, dear -- there IS more to life than diabetes, even for us OCDiabetes folks! :-)

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Permalink Reply by jbowler on September 14, 2011 at 10:23pm

I do the sugar thing once in a while, when I'm pissed about something, just because I feel I need to to remain *me*.

It helps, partly because it hurts but mainly because it proves to me that I'm still in control, at least of diabetes. Everything else in the world (like, love, money and drugs) seems to be controlled by someone else, but diabetes, I can still do that.

There is a silver lining, you just have to be in the right place (I admit, a place no one in their right mind would want to be) to see it.

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Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on September 25, 2011 at 5:06pm

I liked your "OCDiabetes"!

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Permalink Reply by Natalie ._c- on September 25, 2011 at 8:56pm

Well, I stole it from acidrock23, but it was just too good NOT to!!! :-)

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Permalink Reply by diabeez on September 16, 2011 at 8:58am

I agree with you,i think the mental aspect of diabetes is most harmful if you let it take control.i think the mental part takes over because it makes it easy for the brain body connection.the human system likes easy not difficult tasks IE great diabetes care.

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Permalink Reply by Marion Mifsud on September 16, 2011 at 3:52pm

What does specialist FIX ME there is no fixing diabetes. You're stuck with it just like I have for 55 yrs. As far as complications go I have 35% of kidneys left which has been a fact for 2 yrs. Lately I've had a craving for sweets like chocolate covered donuts and anything with chocolate. I sometimes eat chocolate and then take the prescribed insulin through the pump. I have never weighed my food. I just eat a balanced diet and take the insulin for the number of carbs. Does anyone else have these extreme cravings and what do you do to stop them. This is a mental craving chocolate. Marion

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Permalink Reply by Cathy Jacobson on September 17, 2011 at 8:46am

Diabetes is definitely mental for me. I have lived with severe chronic depression for over 25 years of my 59, I have been T2 for almost 11 yrs now. During the last 11 years, I would say that at times the depression seemed to get worse. But my research and in talking with other people who live with depression, and Diabetics' it's not unheard of, that at times, a long term disease does get you down....but as you said, you learn to live with it, manage it, and manage yourself. I am not a person who will cry about what I have been give or not given to deal with....more so, I am a fighter, and I will NOT let these things get me down and definitely out. I have a son getting married this Nov. and I will finally get another "girl" in the family to share life with...I will also get the opportunity to see grandchildren I want to be there for all of those events, and much more. So I don't allow many pity parties in my life...and if I do, I don't allow them to last long. I guess you would say I was a fighter x 10.

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Permalink Reply by karineh on September 20, 2011 at 5:11pm

You are right. Thanks for sharing.

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Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on September 25, 2011 at 5:10pm

Managing diabetes is as much mental as it is medical or physical.

I was in denial for many years, but that all changed when I attended Joslin's DO IT program. I've embraced diabetes. It's part of who I am, and I'm not ashamed of it, even though I don't make a big deal about it. I have to live accordingly.

I still get sad, upset, frustrated, and unhappy. But I realize that such is life. I need to move on - citius, altius, fortius!

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Permalink Reply by MissKitka on September 25, 2011 at 6:24pm

Brian,

I have been type 1 since 1959, so 52 years this summer with no complications. I have also had bipolar disorder since a young child. My blood glucose levels mess with my moods all the time. If I am below 4 (metric) I get manic, and over 8, I get depressed. In my life, glucose levels mean different, and sometimes unbearable moods, so I try to stay as level as possible all the time. I know, for me, that consistency is way more important than that darn A1c which I only allow to be tested once a year. It's all about quality of life which few doctors recognize as a priority to diabetics. I inject 100% basal insulin and nibble all day to keep things on an even keel. This is my method derived from many decades of personal research. The last endo I saw was in 1969. Feel free to ask me anything.

It's a vicious circle. Glucose goes high, depression happens, then control is forgotten, then it all gets worse yet. I am quite sure all diabetics suffer from depression at times, that is only natural, and keeping glucose at a steady level, even if it is on the high side, is much better than bouncing around which always affects moods.

Don

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Permalink Reply by Preeti on September 27, 2011 at 2:01pm

Diabetes is physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting 24/7! After 17 years of being type 1 diabetic I'm on diabetes burnout! At my last appt. my endo told me if I keep micro managing my diabetes, my mental health with suffer! What can a diabetic possibly say to that? I said "well I'm trying to do my best to prevent any future complications!" which is a good thing but I'm now suffering from the mental burnout which this disease causes and I'm not sure how to find a balance?!

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Permalink Reply by Natalie ._c- on September 27, 2011 at 3:48pm

Don't you feel like you're walking a tightrope, and you'll fall if you overbalance either way? :-(

It seems to me that it's important to get the emotions OUT of diabetes. To be able to look at a number and think "OK, now what should I do" rather than "Oh crap, screwed up again!" That's because there are so many things outside of our control that we CAN'T take either blame or credit for whatever our BGs are doing -- we can only address the problem.

For me, having the CGM has taken SOME of the stress out of diabetes, because it's a lot easier to whip out my pump and check my number than to have to get out all the paraphernalia and find a place to test. I used to be extremely embarrassed to test in public, and would often simply not test rather than go through that. With the CGM, I still have to test, but if it's telling me I'm in a good place, then I don't have to test -- it's only when it's at the extremes that I do.

Also, it's YOU that will know whether your mental health is suffering, not your endo. Some people are naturally more compulsive about it than others (I'm on the compulsive side), and you need to do whatever YOU need to do to maintain yourself in your comfort zone. I don't know where that is, but neither does your endo. I once had a PCP tell me not to test more than once a day, because I was going to get anemic. Well, FOOF on that!!

Please keep on talking about your feelings -- just talking about it takes some of the stress off, too. And remember, perfection is not the goal, because it's impossible -- just try for good enough! Hugs,!

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