Is this the right place to be?

[Littlepeg]

I don't actually have diabetes myself, but my partner does. He was diagnosed when he was 17 (he's now 28), but has never really accepted it. Instead of embracing his condition and making it part of his day to day life, he fights it, and pretends it doesn't exist. He doesn't test his blood sugar, doesn't eat properly and constantly complains about pains in his legs and feet, and all over sensitivity of his skin (feels like its sunburnt apparently). He also suffers badly with depression (I'm not sure which came first actually), so he spends a lot of time hiding in bed, pretending the world and his problems don't exist, which obviously makes things worse.

I don't know what to do. I try to help him eat properly, but I can't make him. I try to encourage him to go to the diabetic clinic, to do BS, to do his needles at the right time, to go to the doctors and talk about his depression and the problems he's having managing his diabetes, but he won't go. He will do it for a couple of days, then decide it's not going to work anyway so why bother.

It's frustrating, infuriating and heartbreaking in equal measure, and I don't know what to do. Is this the right place to get some help, or could anyone recommend where I can go?!

Thanks for listening to my ramble.

Peg

 

[TopoGigi]

I totally understand where your partner is coming from. I myself was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 16, not an easy age to accept such changes to your life as you just want to be 'Normal' and do the things that all your friends do. I went through a similar experience of not accepting my Diabetes not looking after myself, periods of depression, high blood sugars, neuropathy,etc:
I am now 50 and look back on this experience and in hindsight I should of been more on the ball with my Diabetes. I have lost many friends to the complications of Diabetes, unfortunately complications creep up on you without realising the damage is done that is why it is so important to get help.
I eventually had a Pancreas transplant 14 years ago, now not requiring any insulin, but I still have some of the diabetic complications as they seem to stay with you no matter, as damage has already been done.
It sounds like your partner has the beginnings of Diabetic Neuropathy with the pains in the legs and feet, and the sensitivity of the skin I can relate to when I was in my twentys I couldn't tell the difference between hot and cold on my skin, this is because of nerve damage due to continuous high blood sugars.
I suggest he finds a Diabetic consultant that cares... and a referral to a Neurologist that specialises in Diabetic Neuropathy. At the end of the day you have to accept who and how you are. Perhaps if he could chat to someone outside of family and friends, ie; some Diabetic clinics have psychologists within their team.

Take care