Diabetes and Depression

[janabelle]

Hi, been reading on-line stories of type-1 diabetics with depression. What particularly interested me was a posting by DeusXM on Diabetesforums.com, titled "re-all lantus users read this". I can reelate to a lot of what he says. Coming off Lantus myself last week, I too experienced the euphoria he describes and can truly say I feel like a different person. Over the time I was on Lantus, I had many doctors come to the conclusion that I was depressed. In fact my own diabetes hospital consultant prescribed me anti-depressants 3 years ago, when I went to her describing a whole host of unusual symptoms. These symptoms were: extreme unusual tiredness-sometimes sudden in onset; days when I felt so ill I thought I was dying, some days I could barely function and felt i couldn't walk straight; memory problems and cognitive disfunction; shakiness-feeling sometimes like I would have a fit(when my BS was normal), I had lost all my confidence, and coudn't leave the house alone for fear I would collapse( I have 3 children, and my sister practically did everything for me, and came everywhere with me). There were other symtoms i reported also including lousy blood sugar control. I was in quite an upset anxious state on this visit to my consultant accompanied by my husband for support. He had also begun to think there was something seriously wrong with me at this point, as he had to look after me my worst days. She said she thought I was depressed and prescribed me a course of anti-depressants. When I visited the hospital last week, I asked the doctor to tell me what my consultant had written down on the day of the visit. She had not made note of any of the symptoms I had described to her!
I have read other peoples accounts of being on Lantus, some people seem to get on fine with it, while other stories resonate with me, and I am convinced that most of the above symptoms I have suffered where due to taking Lantus.
Doctors are too quick to prescribe anti-depressents. I know I was not depressed, but I was heading that way recently, as I had began to despair about my illness and BS control unpredictability.
I wonder whether the link between diabetes and depression could be the insulin itself, particularly some new analogue insulins.
Let me know what you think.
Jus

 

[hanadr]

You may be right! sometimes the side effects of treatments are worse than the original condition. My theory on type2s with depression is that these are the people who follow all the "rules". they eat as directed by "the expertss" and still their sugars are all over the place. They feel out of control. Why should this be happening to them? they are doing everything right :>) The cure for this dpression is to teach them to eat right. Low carb or at least low GI will keep sugars dwown and the person is in control again= Immediate lifting of mood.
But although the latest NICE guidelines mention GI, they don't recommend controlling carb intake as a key to controlling BG. 1+1is not equal to 2 in the "diabetologists'" book

 

[lionrampant]

This is... interesting. I've felt rotten ever since I went onto basal bolus, in fact I had to repeat the last half of my honours year at uni because it got so bad - but I always assumed it was to do with the lack of control that came with trying to balance new insulins out.

Perhaps it's more complicated than that after all...

 

[IrishJoe]

I sometimes feel a bit up and down. I got my diabetes diagnosed 2 days before my final uni exam, which was 3 days before my 22nd birthday as well.

Sometimes I'm up and sometimes I'm down. I think its because I'm just getting used to it but I am on lantus too at night I hope it doesnt screw me up !!