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Diabetes Fatigue

E

Earman

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
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?
 
I am so,sorry you are feeling like this , I don't know anything about your condition but can bump,your post to see if anyone can help ...take care Kat

Bump please ....
 
Sorry to hear about all your problems, it must be so awful for you to have to deal with them all.

I'm not on an insulin pump, but one book that comes highly recommended by the pump users is a book called Pumping Insulin by John Walsh & Ruth Roberts, perhaps it might be worth purchasing to see if it can help you get your diabetes under control.
 
Have found rx crocs are great for easing plantar fasciitis wear them 24/7 and no foot pain after a couple of weeks
 
moz1 said:
Have found rx crocs are great for easing plantar fasciitis wear them 24/7 and no foot pain after a couple of weeks
Click to expand...
I have three pairs of crocs but my podiatrist holds up her hands in horror if I say I have worn them. There seems to be so much contradictary advice from the professionals!
 
Make sure they are the rx ones not on normal crocs website bit more expensive than normal ones but worth it
 
I suffer from diabetic neuropathy in my feet burning sensation numbness in the toes and sharp pains I had this before I was diagnosed with diabetes I take insulin and metformin
 
How did you get on at the hospital? Did they let you go home? How are you today?
 
Hi Earman,

I have been Diabetic for 10 years and treat with Novorapid and Optiset injection

I have neuropathy in my feet and hands, but from talking with others it seems mine is pretty minor.

I haven't had any retinopathy yet, no signs on my last eye check, but this complication is what worries me the most as I am entirely dependant on my eyesight for my job.

I do feel the fatigue sometimes, some days I feel like I have done a 5k run even though I'm just working a keyboard.

I have had some experience with recovering from limb pain via exercise. I used to take a lot of prescription painkillers and try to plough through, after a while (2-3 weeks) of regular use you begin to notice improvement and your ability to walk for longer periods will return. I would ask your GP/clinic/hospital for a month of strong pain killers to allow you to properly exercise the heel to kick start the healing process (sorry for the pun).

You have my sympathies Earman, I hope things get better for you soon.
 
Hi Earman

I understand how you are feeling with the utter frustration of managing life with serious complications.

I've had T1 for a similar number of years to yourself and have lived through losing my sight completely, I am exceedingly grateful to an amazing eye surgeon for restoring some central vision in my one eye. My bones have been degenerating in my feet over the past 15 years and at present my one leg has been in a plaster cast for 24 months due to a non healing fracture following an operation. It does become very difficult to cope with the massive impact complications have on all aspects of normal life. Dealing with the blood sugar part of it is small fry in comparison to the hideous all consuming problems complications bring.

How to cope? I deal with it all by being as philosophical as I can and occasionally having a serious rant at the kitchen wall, I do everything within my capabilities to keep tight glucose control and plod on taking the rest as it comes. Having experienced living with no sight for about 1 year I feel that I can pretty much manage with most other things that might come my way. What I find exasperating is the ongoing nature of problems, I have an HbA1c of 6.2% yet I cannot stop the express train of complications.

Control wise have you done all you can to get maximum benefit from your pump? Have you done a DAFNE or equivalent course to get your ratios and basal levels accurate? Can your pump team loan you a CGM to try to improve your control?

You can only do your best with the issues you have been dealt and try not to beat yourself up to much over things that may or may not have been avoidable. It is hard work to keep positive and not get worn down, I hope things improve for you and you have some better days to come. Good luck.
 
Hi Earman, yes, I know how long term diabetes feels. I can scarcely move today, lack of sleep (insomnia) and feeling tired all over. Ive had diabetes for about 45 years now and Im 53. I wear Rieker shoes, they really help the shock pains when walking, I also have a pair of fitflops which help in the summer time.

Please dont give up with it, I have bad days and then good days and then several days a week when I m exhausted. I find that reading fun magazines helps my mood, (I wear magnifying glasses to read due to a clever eye consultant who helped clear my central vision having lost my sight from retinopathy) and newly released films with a twist to the plot are things to look forward to. Finding stuff to do to achieve things for oneself I also find helps. For example I like to paint and play a pipe.

I also find that cycling to the shops, even when I'm knackered, makes me feel better and doesn't put pressure on my feet. I use a bike basket to hold the shopping so that the weight idoesnt add to pressure on my feet. Actually I hadnt realized that this was common with long term diabetes and reading some posts on your thread has helped me to understand bone problems.

So all in all, I hope you find some interests that will help you to feel better with your inner life and hope they help you to bear up with your diabetes and I thankyou for sharing this on the forum.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I was diagnosed 4 years ago. I'm 54 and I really feel like it's doing me in sometimes - death by a thousand cuts. All in slow motion. Pains in my feet, arms and legs but no eyesight problems yet. I work very hard at trying to keep on track and generally succeed but the two things which really annoy me these days are never ending "brain fog" and bouts of devastating fatigue. Sometimes I feel unstoppable, then a day later I can hardly get out of bed without extreme effort and determination. I fall asleep at the drop of a hat. I test regularly and I know I'm within the limits but it doesn't help really to overcome it. Diabetes sucks for sure.
 
Hi @Earman , what you call "diabetes fatigue " sounds very like diabetic burnout in one of its many forms :confused:
This is not so much physical fatigue though that is part of the bigger picture, but more a sense of just having enough of everything diabetes throws at you,, and a sense of powerlessness over what is happening to you. It's common, very common and can go unrecognised by the person themselves and by HCP's .. It's particularly common with Type 1 when it all seems too much, and just one big struggle that doesn't seem to make any difference.

The good news is that it is possible to bounce back from it, and one of the tools to use against it is sharing with others. Knowing you are not alone with your experiences is a big psychological boost, and you have already made a step forward by posting on here. As you have already found out, there are people who can help with useful advice and support, but more importantly, are diabetic themselves so can relate to what you have to say. Though it's possible to share with family members , friends and HCP's , I believe it is only possible to fully empathise with the truly pain in the ass experiences if you are diabetic yourself ;)

Having said that, I do suggest that you speak to your GP or diabetes team too, and tell them how you are feeling. Depression is common in diabetics ( ( I wonder why ??) and is one of the parts of diabetes care that should be addressed but is often overlooked. Hopefully what you are going through can be addressed in a holistic way , by which I mean options can be explored that make life more tolerable, which may include but not always mean medication..

If what I have written is way off base from how you are feeling, I apologise :)

Signy
.
 
Hi @Earman , what you call "diabetes fatigue " sounds very like diabetic burnout in one of its many forms :confused:
This is not so much physical fatigue though that is part of the bigger picture, but more a sense of just having enough of everything diabetes throws at you,, and a sense of powerlessness over what is happening to you. It's common, very common and can go unrecognised by the person themselves and by HCP's .. It's particularly common with Type 1 when it all seems too much, and just one big struggle that doesn't seem to make any difference.

The good news is that it is possible to bounce back from it, and one of the tools to use against it is sharing with others. Knowing you are not alone with your experiences is a big psychological boost, and you have already made a step forward by posting on here. As you have already found out, there are people who can help with useful advice and support, but more importantly, are diabetic themselves so can relate to what you have to say. Though it's possible to share with family members , friends and HCP's , I believe it is only possible to fully empathise with the truly pain in the ass experiences if you are diabetic yourself ;)

Having said that, I do suggest that you speak to your GP or diabetes team too, and tell them how you are feeling. Depression is common in diabetics ( ( I wonder why ??) and is one of the parts of diabetes care that should be addressed but is often overlooked. Hopefully what you are going through can be addressed in a holistic way , by which I mean options can be explored that make life more tolerable, which may include but not always mean medication..

If what I have written is way off base from how you are feeling, I apologise :)

Signy
.
 
Earman said:
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?
Click to expand...
Earman said:
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?
Click to expand...
 
Earman said:
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?
Click to expand...
Earman said:
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?
Click to expand...

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. :-)
 
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