Diabetes Fatigue

[Adele99]

Earman I can truly sympathise with how you're feeling with having experience of several long term complications. But don't give up hope. It's normal to get ****** off sometimes with things, especially in wintertime, when even the weather and the dark nights take effect.

I'm not very mobile due to severe vascular disease in my legs restricting my capability to even get get round the house sometimes. And I tend to hibernate over winter , as stopping very 30 yards in freezing wind and rain to allow circulation to return is a real pain in the neck, as well as making you look like an idiot to people passing by you. Lol. Like you I developed plantar fasciitis a few months ago. Seems that both overdoing exercise and also under doing it can cause it. Its pretty painful I know, feels like you've stood on a nail, every time you put you foot down. It's also worse after being in bed overnight and if sitting for long periods.

Wearing support insoles at all times , even in the house and doing a set of exercises given to me by the Vascular surgeon has greatly improved this for me in a fairly short time. Which is great as I was told with reduced circulation in feet it could take a very long time to sort. Not sure if you'll be able to do then with your bone problem though, but perhaps they can find a couple suitable for you.

You should be able to get a referral to the Orthotics dept to get made to measure insoles and shoes made especially for your feet. They're not pretty but really do support and correct your foot placement while standing and walking and will help to protect your feet from further misalignment and damage which lead to ulcers etc.

Hope you're able to get things sorted. It can sometimes feel like an uphill battle when experiencing the longer term complications, along with coping with the daily necessities of general diabetic life on insulin and blood sugar balance. As sometimes every day it seems one of the complications has just ruined your day for you. But soon we will see the first green shoots of snowdrops pushing through which signals that spring is not too far away. And with the approach of each spring despite all the less pleasant experiences in life. I look forward to the good possibilities the year might bring with renewed optimism.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Earman, my sympathies for the multiple diabetic symptoms. Could it be Type 1 that is the cause, or have you have pre-diabetes undiagnosed by a doctor that has led to all these problems? I would ask your doctors. Best wishes.

BTW, I have fatigue too - sort of like the walking dead.

He states he is T1 for decades...

 

[moz1]

I have plantar fasciitis but hardly ever get pain now as I wear crocs when at home. If I get any slight pain I just wear them all the time until discomfort has gone. They have changed my life as love to walk and walk to work everyday now pain free.

 

[ann34+]

Hi, I am 55 years old and have been diabetic for 38 years (ie all my adult life). I have had 3 heart attacks, am in chronic kidney failure, lost the sight in one eye due to retinopathy, have severe neuropathy, ED (i have a pump up prosthetic inserted), degenerating bones in my feet, all of which have been blamed on my diabetes. I have been on an insulin pump for nearly 10 years now but have always found it difficult to gain full control over my condition.

I have just about had enough of the constant problems connected to my condition. I write this sitting in the A & E after being told I now have Plantar fasciitis a painful condition of the heel which the Doctor teels me can only be helped by walking. I am restricted from walking by the screw that is holding a bone in my foot together (degeneration caused by diabetes). I can manage about 500 metres before it gets too painful to walk. He only comment is "well, what do you expect? You have diabetes"

I am sure there is some fancy latin term for it but I call it diabetc fatigue. I try to stay positive and accept that there are many worse illnesses or conditions to have and I have lived a relatively happy life but sometimes I feel like screaming in frustration.

My question is simple: does anyone else feel like this?

Hi, Earman, I am sorry to hear of the problems you have. To answer only the issue of your feet, i have had the same condition, recurring over nearly 10 years, most often linked with thyroid hormone changes and made worse by balance issues re hip fracture, and another recent fracture. I found, and still find, that walking is not helpful in ordinary shoes, and can worsen the condition - i imagine you would need to find something which suits you, maybe along the lines that some other people have already suggested. i have NHS insoles specially fitted in my shoes by orthotists, as i had other foot problems, and I suggest you strongly push for an orthotics appointment urgently - esp if you have a screw in your foot. For myself, i use my own MBT sandals indoors, these were the older original design for medical use, and i do not know whether they are still made, as the company changed to be more mainstream - If they are still around, they do need specialist fitting and training to use - and are , for me, if not a complete solution, still excellent. But you need to very slowly learn to use them. Also, i use 'cobblestone walk mats" these again have to be approached very carefully. Both i had difficulty with but after nearly 10 years practice i could not do with out them, hope things work out, Ann