Diabetes and Depression

[registerlady]

I have been type 2 since 2007 (or at least diagnosed since then) and have always struggled to control it properly because, to be honest, I like the wrong kind of food. I also suffer from depression that has deepened and been added to by post traumatic stress disorder after my lovely husband died without warning, in front of me at Christmas, of a pulmonary embolism. Since then my control has all but disappeared. I find myself eating the easiest thing in reach, and having chocolate binges on some days. On other days I eat hardly anything and just drink (coffee, water or squash) instead (No alcohol I'm allergic to it)

The only thing that has stopped me from taking my own life, are my children. One 21 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. Both have Asperger Syndrome. But even with them around each day is a massive struggle to deal with. I need to do housework and sewing work (I'm self employed) but just don't have the energy or the will to do as much as I should do.

Even increasing my insulin (slow acting taken morning and evening) I still cannot get my numbers down into single figures. I know I need to diet and exercise, I need to motivate myself, but I feel so tired and achy all the time that I make excuses to myself why I cant walk into town and have to take the car. Ive been referred onto the exercise referral scheme, but keep putting off making the appointment with the gym. It's like I'm scared of doing anything that could help control my Diabetes. I want to lose weight, struggled with low carb as I ended up knackered, tried Slimming World and panicked. I don't know why. I was told to eat lots of fruit, but that sends your blood sugar up, couscous and hummus taste disgusting to me and salads and vegetables give me stomach problems

Reading back I seem to be very self pitying and excuse making, but I truly don't know how to get myself out of this pit. Tackling the Diabetes seems to me the best way to start, but where do I start?

 

[himtoo]

Hi there registerlady
welcome to the forum

bless you hun -- you have had a rough time and it can be difficult to know where to start when there are mental as well as physical issues going on....
but you have made that all important first step by posting here and there are loads of great people that will support you.

I am tagging @daisy1 for her great starter pack -- it is well worth reading through and then asking any questions that arise.

I am also tagging some lovely people i have met here that could possibly offer some support
@nosher8355 , @catherinecherub

 

[Lamont D]

My! You have had a hard time of it!
You have made the first steps towards changing your future.
I'm sure your hubby wouldn't want you to be as you are!
You must start by looking around at the various forums that will help you.
Because it is only you who can do it.
If I was a health advisor I would say go back to your doctor and ask for help as you really do want to, but you don't know how!
I'm not very good at depression, this is very personal and you need someone you can trust, who will help you through this.
This forum will help with what you eat, but only someone who specializes in helping your psyche problems is far beyond us.
Help your kids by helping yourself, get your health back, it been so easy for you to just wallow in your past, it's your future that you need to fight for. Go fight for it!

 

[4ratbags]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear you are going through such a tough time. I too suffer from depression and I have 2 children and a granddaughter with ASD so I can relate to how hard it must be for you at the moment. My condolences at the loss of your husband. Well done for taking the first step by coming to the forum. Your doctor should be your first port of call but make sure you are completely honest and you lay everything on the table as they are of no use to you unless they know everything. Making even small changes at this stage will be beneficial for both you and your children. Please keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Danbridge]

I suffer from depression too. I had know idea that it affected blood glucose levels.

 

[daisy1]

@registerlady

I'm so sorry for your loss and understand that you are feeling bad at the moment. As suggested by @himtoo, this information we give to new members should give you a starting point to get your levels under better control.



BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

 

[zand]

Thank you so much for your post. It didn't sound self pitying to me at all, but that's because I could have written parts of it myself.

I think you need to seek help with the depression. You seem to have several layers of it on top of one another. No wonder you feel low. Have you had counselling at all? The death of your husband alone would be enough to cause the feelings you talk about. As you say there's PTSD, grief and shock and changes to your life there all rolled into one. When my parents died 2 weeks apart my dentist (!! ) noticed I was struggling and asked a friend who volunteered at a local hospice to help to get me grief counselling. It's very early days for you with the grief, so don't be hard on yourself.

Diabetes can worsen depression too.

I started having counselling last year (not for the grief, but for general depression) it has been very helpful. I also started taking antidepressants then too and have recently managed to halve the dose.

I too reached for the easiest thing to hand, usually from a packet. Try to have things like nuts and cheese easily to hand instead. Now, with the chocolate binges I found that I ate less dark chocolate during a binge and then gradually went for 70% dark chocolate which has less carbs and is more tasty so I was less likely to eat lots. I then went to 85% and am now having 99%. I don't want more than a couple of squares of this at a time.

Another thing with the binges, the more carbs you eat, the more you want. They make you hungry. If you go for low carb foods you may find you aren't so likely to binge. It's all a vicious circle for you at the moment. Too many carbs make you tired and achy, so all you feel like eating is carbs, and then you don't feel like exercising. It's hard to stop this vicious circle, but well worth the effort when you see things gradually getting better not worse.

I have been a lot better since choosing low carb, full fat foods. The low fat products didn't satisfy my appetite and I just ate more of them. Have a look at the LCHF section of the forum. When I started following this way of eating I stopped feeling hungry and went back to 3 meals a day and no snacks. The quantity of food stopped being an issue when the quality of nutrients was better.

So well done for making the post. You have helped me (and I expect you have helped others too) as I was feeling in the doldrums yesterday. Today is a new day.

Keep posting and asking questions and letting us know how you are getting on.

x

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi @registerlady and welcome to the forum.
You have certainly had a lot to cope with, more than most and I am left wondering if you are having treatment for your PTSD? Depression is part of the problem with PTSD and you have the grieving process to contend with as well and then not acknowledging your diabetes management is to be expected with all that is going on inside your head. A good counsellor who specialises in PTSD is what you need where you can bare your soul and say exactly how you are feeling and not be judged. If you have not been offered this, please reach out to your G.P. and he can arrange something for you.

You say that you cannot motivate yourself with your workload. This is part of the depression, something that you cannot change until the depression lifts. Sorting out the depression with professional input is a must. As the depression lifts, so will your motivation increase.

Are you getting any "me" time? Do you have time to relax? You don't have to spend money on beauty treatments, a walk in the park,(possibly with a friend if you are anxious in public places), a long soak in the bath, playing a CD that inspires you, anything that takes you out of yourself. There are breathing exercises to help you relax Part of PTSD is being continually on alert and you need to break the cycle. Always being tense will affect your muscles and your blood sugars.

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm

You know what you need to do with your diabetes and you can do it. It will take time but once you get back some control it will be one less hurdle to deal with. You cannot get instant control, it takes time and effort. Are you ready for this because if you are you will find loads of support here. Read through the information that @daisy1 has posted, ask questions, take one day at a time and keep posting. If you come up against a problem tell us, there is usually someone here who will help with a solution.

(((((hugs))))) and I hope this helps.

Take care,

CC.

 

[registerlady]

Thank you all for such kind and helpful words. I feel much less alone now. I have been offered therapy for the PTSD which will start next week and I am definitely going to look into LCHF as well. Many thanks to you all you don't know how much better this makes me feel already

 

[novorapidboi26]

Cant add to the advice already given but its very good you have posted and went looking for support after what I can only imagine is the worst time of your life.......

You will get a lot of support here and any technical assistance you feel happy to accept.....

Stay strong................

 

[donnellysdogs]

So sorry to read that you really appear to be at your wits end.

First off... Are you getting carers allowance etc for the care that you have to give your children... Are you able to get some respite at all??

Secondly... Isolation is normal with depression and Reading your post the first thing that sprung to my mind was that it appears that you may being quite solitary in your life. I don't know your age but sometimes just joining a group ie U3A if over 50 or looking in libraries for their activities or doing just 1 commitment different a week can help enormously. I took up upholstery in a group with 5 others and not looked back since. I'm Chairperson of a PPG at my GP Practice and now go to the gym (this really focus's my mind elsewhere).
It may be that getting a real enjoyment of 1 activity just once a week with people outside may be help

I if course realise we are all different but sometimes having just one commitment beyond the 4 walls can really help.

 

[Brunneria]

Oh Love,

I'm so sorry about your husband.

Like others have said, you may need outside help as you go through this. And allowing yourself to grieve, and just be, is very important. With so many responsibilities and pressures, and the burden of your emotions, it is very important that you allow yourself to experience your grief, rather than trying to bury it under activity and distraction.

The suggestions above about asking for help are spot on. Your doctor can refer you.

Please let us know how you get on. You can use this forum for support, venting, learning... Whatever you need.

 

[Patricia21]

Hello and welcome.
I cant realy add to that,but stay with us and we will help all we can,you are not alone x

 

[lizdeluz]

So sorry to hear of your current problems, but glad that you've made this important step towards changing your situation for the better, by talking to the forum. I can't really add anything more, but will echo what @Patricia21 has said: you're not alone, we're here to listen and help. X

 

[doopher]

Hi, I am type 1 diagnosed 5+ yeas ago. I suffer with depression as well as arthritis Muscle weakness swelling feet IBS And a range of other things. When I was first told I had diabetes I was devastated. I Looked after my downes syndrome Brother that had had type one since his teens. He lived with me and was my life. I have always found the diabetes hard to cope with But in the beginning I managed better. But it always shot up and down no matter what I did. My brothers was under perfect control. I did all the cooking and checked his blood and did his insulin. I ate the same as him but I did tend to snack more. Sadly I lost my beloved brother in April. I am finding it so hard to cope without him, he was my life. I am killing myself slowly with the diabetes now. I got so angry and depressed that the diabetes would not control for me that I decided I am no longer diabetic. I am eating all the wrong things as if I am normal again. But I know in my heat that im am just killing myself slowly. My blood can go from hypo to hyper in a short space of time. Just sitting here just before bed my blood is reading 16.9. I had a hypo this morning and by tea time my blood was that hi it didn't read it. I don't know how to tell the doctor or even what I would say to them. I am so so down and so out of control that it is probably doing me a lot of damage. I have forgotten everything I was told and een forgotten about food recipes ect. Is there anyone that can get me back on track, I know i am killing myself. I do want to get back on track as I am sure most of my pains ae due to the damage I am causing myself. LOST SOUL JENNY XXXX

 

[4ratbags]

Im sorry to hear about the loss of your brother.You really do need to go to your Dr and just lay it all on the table, just be honest. Your health is important so even if you can start to make some small changes it should start to help get your BS under control. I suffer from depression although it seems to be well under control at the moment but iI do know how easy it is to spiral out of control. Try cutting down on the carbs and the snacking and hopefully that .combined with a bit of help from your Dr will help get you back on the right track.

 

[registerlady]

Hi, I am type 1 diagnosed 5+ yeas ago. I suffer with depression as well as arthritis Muscle weakness swelling feet IBS And a range of other things. When I was first told I had diabetes I was devastated. I Looked after my downes syndrome Brother that had had type one since his teens. He lived with me and was my life. I have always found the diabetes hard to cope with But in the beginning I managed better. But it always shot up and down no matter what I did. My brothers was under perfect control. I did all the cooking and checked his blood and did his insulin. I ate the same as him but I did tend to snack more. Sadly I lost my beloved brother in April. I am finding it so hard to cope without him, he was my life. I am killing myself slowly with the diabetes now. I got so angry and depressed that the diabetes would not control for me that I decided I am no longer diabetic. I am eating all the wrong things as if I am normal again. But I know in my heat that im am just killing myself slowly. My blood can go from hypo to hyper in a short space of time. Just sitting here just before bed my blood is reading 16.9. I had a hypo this morning and by tea time my blood was that hi it didn't read it. I don't know how to tell the doctor or even what I would say to them. I am so so down and so out of control that it is probably doing me a lot of damage. I have forgotten everything I was told and een forgotten about food recipes ect. Is there anyone that can get me back on track, I know i am killing myself. I do want to get back on track as I am sure most of my pains ae due to the damage I am causing myself. LOST SOUL JENNY XXXX

Go to your doctor and tell them everything, ask for counselling and bereavement counselling especially. Read through these blogs, these lovely people have all the answers you and I need.

 

[Jo123]

Oh Jenny, so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother, that must be so hard when you have looked after him all your life. Please come back and tell us you have visited your GP. I know nothing about type 1, but there are plenty of people on here who can give you advice. But do go to your GP, if you don't know what to say print out what you have written here and give to it them.
Thinking of you, Jo x