Hi
@Mia4554, You are not alone, in the sense that other diabetics also feel 'different' to other people. I carried that cross for many years - partly I think because of wishing to be as stubbornly independent as possible and because hypos made me feel embarrassed and depressed and not worthy of knowing by others. We cannot do without injections of insulin where others can, but we suffer risks of hypos, we can eat what we like and suffer the consequences where others do not. It sucks, sometimes!
Now at 51 years on insulin I can look back and reflect a bit. No major complications, only carpal tunnel and trigger finger releases and replacement of cataracts (and I partly blame the Aussie sun for them )!!
For all they say about the triad of diet, exercise and insulin, for me it is
emotional stress that is the biggest challenge. Having
depression as well (strong family history) has added to the burden at times. What has helped me with all this ?
1)
developing interests/pastimes/hobbies - it may be a book club, photography, gardening etc, preferably nothing too expensive or time consuming, preferably with a social component and something that exercises the mind and body; nothing dangerous but something with modest aims, extendable to more involvement if desired, and something to show for it. I still have a wonky looking pottery mug from a pottery class I did once !!
And as my picture depicts I am kite crazy (but not requiring detention)!!
2)
finding and cultivating friendships, and where needed
good relationships with health professionals. (Including having a plan , a contact number and so on for if you fell really low in mood).
Yes finding fellow diabetics can help but I have found people who 'get' at least a bit of what my diabetes is about because of being in the health field or having relatives with it.
I have a kite flier friend with T2D who asks how I am travelling: The code is: flying over 100metres (= high BSLs), Kite is in the water (= low sugars), flying aces (= BSL great).
I am lucky to have found a great GP, endocrinologist and psychiatrist. They understand my sense of humour, as does my laser-yielding eye specialist.
3)
develop your humour, including self-humour - I joke with my eye doctor that I could seek out sci-fi movie roles for him;
I 'berate' myself for having such a poor 'injection' average - I have only hit blood vessels about 3 times in 51 years of injecting insulin; I used to hum a really old pop tune "Needles and Pins" whilst doing injections; once I accidentally doubled up on injecting my evening dose of insulin -I debated with myself about using an out-dated practice, used for snake bite, of stabbing the injection sites and sucking the insulin out but perished the thought and had to 'punish' myself by eating ice-cream through the night; my father used to work at a place called Lucas heights, which he renamed as "Glucose Heights".
4)
Insulin pump and other treatment- at the 45 year mark I was on 8 injections a day to try to keep BSLs in line, suffering night hypos, at risk of losing my driver's license and having to curtail my duties at work. Switching to an insulin pump made a huge difference: hypos zilch, back to driving a full-time work, much better HBA1Cs, and much less guesswork with managing stress and exercise. I am not saying using an insulin pump is easy street. It still requires vigilance but after being such a head in the sand, stubborn so and so about it for years I am really sold on the pump and much better emotionally for it.
I have had to give up the notion of being independent of anti-depressant medication, but have also been surprised that for me, a minor dose reduction of anti-depressants suggested by the specialist led to a 30% increase in my insulin requirement after one week. Return to the previous dose resolved the insulin dose problem. There is always something to learn.
5)
Love yourself - is a slogan oft used. But finding something to like about oneself, having self-humour, favourite music, skills and interests all helps (and Diabetes R Us forum has plenty of that, including the Ruler of Multiuniverses, Wearer of the Omnipod cake conoissuer etc etc.) This forum whilst not the same as a person with physical presence is at least a safe place to vent, rant, joke, commiserate and dream of better times and things. Other forum provide answers and help with questions +++.
Please keep posting (and isn't is great that that does not mean licking stamps much these days)!!, learning, sharing and living.
Best Wishes, fellow warrior.