Anyone here with both diabetes and major depression?

[LeftyFingerPop]

I have both of these. Diabetes for 12 years, major depression for 7.

I would like to hear your experiences if you have both of these illnesses which play off of each other.

How do you feel on a day-to-day basis?

How difficult is it for you to control your diabetes?

Do the needles sometimes become overwhelming to you?

How do you help yourself when you just want to give up?

Thanks for any input.

[ironflange]

1. I do, sorta

I was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago, but had been carrying it around for at least three years before that. Needless to say, I was pretty far gone by then. I'm also depressed, unipolar, moderate rather than major. This I've had forever.

How do you feel on a day-to-day basis?

When I get up, I don't know what sort of mood I'm going to be in for the day. Lately it's been pretty down; I think my med isn't working as well as it used to. Physically, not too bad, but my feet have been uncomfortable as of late.

How difficult is it for you to control your diabetes?

Not hard at all, my team and I have developed a routine that works like a charm. I'm on just insulin, no pills. I'm able to enjoy a much more normal diet than I though I would two years ago. Cutting out the sugared pop makes a big difference. I'm what some folks call a Type 1 1/2 -- blood tests confirm Type 2 but symptoms and treatment are as if it's Type 1. As Mrs. Ironflange says, I never follow a normal diagnosis for anything, for instance, my appendix burst once but there was no pain at all.

Do the needles sometimes become overwhelming to you?

I get four a day, in two different flavors, but it really doesn't bother me. I rarely even feel them, they're so skinny.

How do you help yourself when you just want to give up?

I get pissed off over all this, along with my other assorted woes, at times, but I can't say I've ever been ready to give up. Since my depression is only moderate, I guess I can't speak from the viewpoint of someone who has it majorly. I'm sorry I can't be of more help there.

[mopinko]

2. how do you sleep?

got other autoimmune troubles myself, but i have been told that sleep deprivation makes diabetes control harder. and it sure the hell makes you depressed. i have a kid with crohn's, and her docs are just really figuring out how sleep and fatigue affect that.
do you have physical symptoms that follow the depression?

[hyphenate]

3. Both, plus a few more

Fibromyalgia for one, GERD, yada, yada yada. It sucks. When I rattle off my conditions, it's enough to make someone think I am a hypochondriac, but the doctors who yell at me don't think so. They've been telling me forever that I need to take better care of myself.

I have to admit something right up front: I don't consider myself suicidal at all, but there is a bit of that in me when I spend long stretches of time not taking my insulin and other meds. I call it "long-term suicide"--sort of a mental attitude that I don't really give a shit.

As a result of my stupidity, I developed horrendous neuropathy in my feet and legs. I can barely walk now or stand, and I've been trying to gain strength back in my legs. Due to this and the fibro, I can barely do anything around the house and choose to stay indoors because it's so difficult to try and get around in the outside world. I get exhausted after short periods of time, and need to sit down a lot and get my strength back and my breath.

The depression is making all of this worse, of course, and I have such little will to do anything else, and most of my hobbies involved the outside world, like photography and hiking, that I get even more depressed. And there have been way too many deaths, diseases and other tragedies that I find it overwhelming at times.

The insulin shots don't bother me at all. The doctor gave me short needles which are much easier to use. And I find the flabby part of my upper arms is a good place to give myself the shots, because there is little feeling there. I have to be careful about not spreading them out, though, but the inner, upper thighs is another good spot as well for alternative shots. I don't like using my tummy--it's very sensitive, and leaves wicked black and blue marks.

What I do find hard is recording my metering. It's mostly me just lacking the discipline, though, more than any other reason.

As far as giving up, I have the cats to take care of, and I can't do anything to jeopardize that. It's bad as it is, but I can't leave them behind without anyone to take care of them, so I struggle on for that reason.

If I had my druthers, I would become bed-bound, but I know that's not realistic. I have to drag myself, sometimes, to do something, and if I can just do one small thing a day, I do it. It's not a great way to live, but it's all I can do, and it's definitely better than nothing.

[efilon]

4. Me too.

I have both of these. Diabetes for 12 years, major depression for 7.

I have both, just switched, major depressive disorder for 20 years with numerous de-compensations. Diabetes for 3 years. And other health problems too numerous to mention.


I would like to hear your experiences if you have both of these illnesses which play off of each other.

If I'm having a "down" day, I don't eat correctly so my blood sugars are high which in turn depresses me more. It's kind of a catch-22.

How do you feel on a day-to-day basis?

It really depends on the day. Some days I feel like I'm in control and everything will go okay. Then I get a high blood sugar reading for some unknown reason. I'm sure I was eating right! That will tend to turn up the depression.
How difficult is it for you to control your diabetes?

Most days I do okay. I may go a couple of weeks with okay levels, then I may have a week where no matter what I eat or do my levels skyrocket. It's really tough.

Do the needles sometimes become overwhelming to you?

I don't have to use needles yet, on Glyburide for right now. Not looking forward to having to use needles at some point.

How do you help yourself when you just want to give up?

There are many days when I just tell myself "You just have to get through this day, or sometimes even this hour. Once you get through that you go for the next hour or day. Journaling helps many people. I have a hard expressing my feelings, even in a journal. It might help you though.

One thing to remember, there are lots of us out here with the same problems you have. I feel very isolated at times but then I visit some sites and just read. That's one thing that helps me.

Hope you are having a "good" day today. We need to be thankful for those. No matter how few and far between they may be.