Depression

novowolf

Well-Known Member
Messages
83
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey guys :) Hope everyone is well
I wanted to ask if anyone on here suffers quite bad from depression?
When i was first told i was clinically depressed the gp i saw told me it was "mild" but since then its crept back up on me a few times and really mess's up my control..
To set the story im aiming towards a pump which my DR says i will get once i improve control on basal bolus (on 2 set doses till i screw my head on straight) but these seemingly random bouts of depression completly f-up my control beyond belief.. During a good period i managed to get my HBA1C down to 74 (lowest its been in like 4 years :D ) then BOOM depression strikes and 3 weeks later im admitted for DKA.. i didnt really want to be on anti-depressants but now i think it could be the only way forward.. I feel like im trapped in a never ending vicious cycle! :(
Any advice or even words of encouragement would be much appreciated!
Novowolf
 
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Atalay

Well-Known Member
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88
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Hi there,
We all get depressed time to time, whatever the reason is. The catch to me is to find a way to motivate ymyself about the things I like to do, such as exercising, hobbies, meeting with loved ones. This idea may be cheesy, but it is very effective on getting out of blue. I get depressed not because I have T1, but for other things in life that anyone could come across... So, I defy staying indoors, or move my body exercising, playing guitar, or having trips for weekend, getting away from home, stressing myself out visiting a place I have never been.

I don't know how much this helped you, but moving here and there, keeping yourself busy, trying something new could definitely boost your mind and soul keeping you out from depression.

I never used pills for depression. I know you can find good things in your life to pursue. Enjoy the journey of pursuing, do not try to accomplish the task as soon as possible. Else, you may get bored focusing to the deadline.

Good luck...
 
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Fayefaye1429

Well-Known Member
Messages
809
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
Hey depression bites and is natural with diabetes. Have you considered talking therapies? It can help.
Diabetes gives us no holiday or benefits but is a full time job like depression. It can be tough so I wonder if it's about getting more support in place for yourself to help you reach your goal. Depression they say is a big black dog and knowledge is power so the more you know about how you will react the better you will feel. It's awesome your talking and we on the forum love to listen so keep talking
 
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lizdeluz

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1,306
Type of diabetes
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Insulin
Seeing your control f-upped can be a depressing aspect of looking after your diabetes. Who wants to look at blood sugar results which are outside the recommended range that we have set ourselves? Being on a pump may help, but don't let that 'goal' put pressure on you. It sounds as though you want to earn that pump and that your blood sugar readings are depressing you because they aren't good enough? You've had good control at times. Are you able to say what causes the BOOM depression strike? Can you work out what the trigger is? If it's the fact of some rotten blood sugar readings, then join the club. Most of us here know what that's like. You could try anti-depressants, though I refused those when they were offered because I didn't want a daily reminder that I was depressed! :( I literally made a decision not to be depressed and took control that way.
Do you think you get enough help with controlling your diabetes? It's ok for your doctor to say 'improve control' but how often do you get to talk with your clinic about what's happening? A helping hand might help! :rolleyes:
 
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novowolf

Well-Known Member
Messages
83
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
I see my endocrinologist every 2 weeks so I get loads of support from him I just don't know what causes these bouts of depression.. I used to be able to pinpoint a trigger when I lived with my family but since moving out all my old triggers are no longer part of my everyday life so I don't know how to help myself.. I've been told I can try anti depressants if I really feel I need it but I hope I don't have to..
Novowolf
 
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lizdeluz

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1,306
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
I know, not knowing how to help yourself can feel like knocking your head against a brick wall!
That's good that you are seeing your endocrinologist on a regular basis. Does he actually know about the problem you've raised here? Do you discuss your depression with him and the fact that your depressive relapses are affecting your diabetes? He will understand that you have to stay out of DKA. As @Fayefaye1429 said, talking therapy might help. I'm sure your clinic/GP could set this up for you. It's very very effective.
 
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Fayefaye1429

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Messages
809
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
I wonder if CBT might help? It's a therapy that helps you look at what your thoughts and feelings are and how you react to that. It also tends to focus on trigger points, ways of coping and if you want to go deeper say find what the root causes is you could try counselling. You could go through nhs, charities, privately (these are quicker but can be pricey) and some do online. I wonder what your thought are around that? It can be very scary but it can also be life changing. I once heard what are the risks of not going? Don't know if this helps
 

ButtterflyLady

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I agree with what others have said about talk therapies, you may find them really helpful. I have been living with depression for about 25 years, on and off, and I could not survive without my antidepressants. IMO you have enough to deal with, without the added pressure of believing that needing antidepressants is a bad thing. Antidepressants are medication like insulin that corrects an imbalance in your body and can really improve your health and wellbeing. Needing them is no reason to feel bad. Give your body a helping hand and if your doctor suggests them then please give them a try. If they don't help or they cause bad side effects then try a different kind. Don't give up, there is good support here and also around you if you ask for it. I think it's great that you can see your endo doc every two weeks. Ask them to arrange talk therapy or a social worker or something to help you improve your day to day health.
 
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Patch13

Well-Known Member
Messages
510
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
Hi novowolf,
Firstly, Sorry to hear you are feeling depressed.
I was clinically depressed a few years ago and I dread ever going back to feeling that way. Prior to that I had some other bouts of depression, but nothing as bad. They did affect my control as I tended to fill the void / sinking feeling with food, which affected my blood sugar control, which made me feel more depressed and so on. I found a few things helped me-
1. I took antidepressants - I felt I needed them to hold it altogether. I credit them with helping to get me through an awful period in my life, but I also hated them because they didn't make me feel great. However if I was in a similar state again I would consider taking them again.
2. CBT - I had this on the NHS so the wait time was a little while but it really helped to talk to someone. I have a supportive other half but as much as I wanted to open up about how I was feeling to him, I drew a complete blank every time I tried, but with a counsellor I didn't have this problem. I would recommend trying some kind of talk therapy and I now wouldn't hesitate to seek it out if I felt depressed again.
3 - I am low-carb now. Not for everyone I know, but it helps to not have such violent swings in blood sugar levels and because my sugar is rarely (unless I'm very ill) above 8 I feel a lot more in control around my diabetes. This helps to keep me feeling more positive and less worried about he future.

I hope you find something to help you and you're on the road to recovery soon!
 
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Hey guys :) Hope everyone is well
I wanted to ask if anyone on here suffers quite bad from depression?
When i was first told i was clinically depressed the gp i saw told me it was "mild" but since then its crept back up on me a few times and really mess's up my control..
To set the story im aiming towards a pump which my DR says i will get once i improve control on basal bolus (on 2 set doses till i screw my head on straight) but these seemingly random bouts of depression completly f-up my control beyond belief.. During a good period i managed to get my HBA1C down to 74 (lowest its been in like 4 years :D ) then BOOM depression strikes and 3 weeks later im admitted for DKA.. i didnt really want to be on anti-depressants but now i think it could be the only way forward.. I feel like im trapped in a never ending vicious cycle! :(
Any advice or even words of encouragement would be much appreciated!
Novowolf

Hi novowolf, depression................ it can have many demons and probably most people have gone through some form of depression.
I have a paperback book( which was given to me) called Depression, Why it happens and how to overcome it, written by Dr Paul Hauck.
Some of the content includes :-
Three causes of depression,
Self-blame
Self-pity
Other-Pity

Emotional problems. If you can get to a library try and seek out a couple of books, this one is has under 200 pages. Sometimes just reading quietly can give you clues on how to beat the blues by the way you approach life and this book is full of wise and positive help. But if the depression is prolonged, then other treatments may be needed.
Good luck and take care. I wish you all the colours of the rainbow.................except blue.

RRB
 
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fred1234

Well-Known Member
Messages
118
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi there ...I'm sorry to hear you are having a bad time at the moment, it's not easy battling diabetics and depression. I am on antidepressants. One small dose 15mg at night and I have to say I am glad that I take it. I tried in vain not to succumb to an antidepressant, but like all illnesses treatment was required. I think one of the major problems are that we see antidepressants as a weakness. I f we have infection we take antibiotics, diabetes we take tablets or insulin or both. I wouldn't hesitate going back to your gp and asking for a small dose of antidepressant if you continue to feel depressed, even after trying all the tips detailed above. There's no shame to being on antidepressants. I hope you feel better soon and you find something that keeps the demons at bay. Keep posting and let everyone know how you are getting on
 
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ally1

Expert
Messages
5,402
Type of diabetes
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Tablets (oral)
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liver
i have depression and take two types of meds for it
it was the psychiartrist that got my surgery to do blood test last year and thats when i found out i was type 2
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
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Insulin
Hi. Do you have a local Mind branch near you? Our local one offers a range of sessions types including cCBT. You can self-refer or ask the GP to refer you. It can often help and may avoid the need for medication.
 

kevinfitzgerald

Well-Known Member
Messages
692
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
All things that hurt (emotional and physical)
Hey guys :) Hope everyone is well
I wanted to ask if anyone on here suffers quite bad from depression?
When i was first told i was clinically depressed the gp i saw told me it was "mild" but since then its crept back up on me a few times and really mess's up my control..
To set the story im aiming towards a pump which my DR says i will get once i improve control on basal bolus (on 2 set doses till i screw my head on straight) but these seemingly random bouts of depression completly f-up my control beyond belief.. During a good period i managed to get my HBA1C down to 74 (lowest its been in like 4 years :D ) then BOOM depression strikes and 3 weeks later im admitted for DKA.. i didnt really want to be on anti-depressants but now i think it could be the only way forward.. I feel like im trapped in a never ending vicious cycle! :(
Any advice or even words of encouragement would be much appreciated!
Novowolf

Hi novowolf,

I haven't been around for few weeks as I've been finding things difficult. I suffer with a chronic anxiety disorder and over the years I've taken antidepressants (not now though), attended CBT and spoken to other health professionals.

For me it's not so much the diabetes that causes it, it's dealing with life ! The last few weeks have been really difficult and although I've suffered with this since childhood I get times when it is really debilitating and affects all areas of my life. This is how it is for me right now.

I started seeing a councillor last Wednesday so hope this will help a little. It's important you attack it, don't let it gain momentum !

Use the people around you that understand and there's a few here who will certainly.

Keep going and be disciplined though I know how hard that can be. Over the last couple of weeks the smallest task for me has been like climbing Everest. At the moment I'm not living life I'm enduring it !

But just sending this post in response to yours is helping as I know I'm not the only person that suffers with this.

Try not to project on things. Just keep it in the now. This normally helps for me.

Try to focus on the things you have in your life that are going well opposed to things that are not. Depression loves negativity !

Anyway I'm about to do some beans on toast so just getting my snow shoes, anorak and Sherpa ready ! :)
 
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D

Deleted member 45091

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Hi nova not been on here for a long while, thought id reply I've had depression/anxiety for years so can relate, been diabetic for 25 years. It can get better, me personally ive never took ant depressants refused them,also seen a councillor once and never went back wasn't for me. I've just sort of accepted it at first its apart of me I can get depressed for no reason, anxiety was bad struggled to go into shops etc, it has a knock on effect when iam fed up I stress over other things like bills cleaning etc, me getting better was a simple thing like going into charity shops trying to get a bargain for ebay, I noticed I wasn't geting anxiety because I was more bothered about geting a bargain, sorry for ranting what iam trying to say if you find something you like or interested in and focus more on that, the less of lifes bs gets in the way, hope things get better soon
 
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