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I am a fairly new diagnosed diabetic. I am taking Metformin BID and I have been doing really well at keeping my BS in the right range. What I am finding really difficult to handle is my deepening depression and the fact that my family does not understand it. I have a wonderful husband, my children have great jobs and terrific families.....I have no financial worries.....In fact, I have a pretty terrific life and I feel blessed to be so lucky! So why do I feel so depressed?? Some days I feel like crying for no reason at all! I can not seem to motivate myself to do anything and I feel like I am so lazy! I spend my days puttering around the house, reading or watching T.V. and I still am tired at the end of the day. What gives? I am familiar with depression that has a cause....loss of a loved one,life changes,etc so how can I feel depressed when everything is O.K.???? Is it from being diabetic??/ Or from my meds??? Have other people felt this way when there seems to be no real reason? What can I do to ease these dark clouds that I have hovering over my head that only I can see?

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I suggest you check out some of the videos on the TCOYD website. (Take Control Of Your Diabetes). Many of us feel frustration, anger and depression due to diabetes. It is a complicated disease. Perhaps your family is having a difficult time dealing with emotions. They may be aware of the complications some diabetics get if control is not great and they may be scared to come to terms that you have a big battle with this new diagnosis. I do not mean to scare. Please be more gentle with yourself. Your emotions are normal and acceptable. Remember to take care of yourself first and deal with everyone else later.

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Think of depression like diabetes. The hormones your body is producing are not in an optimal level. Your feeling blue or sad is perhaps your brains hormones or brain chemistry (endorphins) not being able to be in tune. You probably are having this due one or a to a number of reasons - diabetes - thyroid - personal genetic history - diet, etc. . Get a full blood profile and a consult with a GOOD endocrynologist to rule things out or pin point your possible point of depression.

Hope this helps!

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"I am familiar with depression that has a cause....loss of a loved one,life changes,etc so how can I feel depressed when everything is O.K.????" Diabetes is a life change, and you are being asked to do many things that previously you didn't have to do, make changes that you never thought you'd be making, so I am thinking that we all go through this kind of depression over the changes diabetes asks of us. As a person who suffers from severe, chronic depression for most of my life, I'd pay attention to what makes you the saddest, what reactions you are having, like a journal....and IF this lasts for longer than 2 - 3 weeks, check with a doc, your diabetic doc or a therp....it can be helped, and you deserve not to have to deal with it.

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Hello Pamela:

Not being a mother, nor a wife, not sure my views will be that helpful frankly? None the less I will try.

Have you considered that the sitting in the house and watching TV have become a bad habits? We all need activity, places to be, things that help get us out of the house. Something to do elsewhere. Otherwise we never leave our bunny rabbit slippers the entire day, right?

Get out...! Find things to do, make them habits too.

Family won't understand depression, nor understand it simply because its not THEIRS, its yours. If it were something they could touch, feel, see like a blinking light for example, they'd go ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I see the problem.

Emotions are not easy to understand... regardless the advice to get bloodtests makes sense. Physical causes are not too hard to fix. The others merely takes time

Stuart

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Wow.....all this feedback has really been helpful! I took each persons advice to heart. I have a physical exam with my Doctor next week to rule out any physical problems. I have a friend that I met through this website that can compare notes with me. And most important, I have started walking every day and I have lost 21 Lbs so far. I had fractured my knee and ankle last year and I was not exercising at all. Weight gain followed and probably had a lot to do with my depression.Best of all, my last Hcg A1c was 5.5! So...thanks to all of you who helped me out! I feel better already!

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Even though you are achieving good results with your sugars, it is still a source of stress. constant maintenance makes for a high stress environment. i know i get depressed when i get under high stress, like just being at college and all those deadlines. so, it makes sense to be depressed due to all the stress. but seek help though. venting online or to a counselor is good, or you may need meds like i do. but i wish all the luck in the world to ya,
myriam

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