What motivates you?

[Teresa M 76]

What motivates you to be a good diabetic and look after your health?

I REALLY struggle with this. I tell myself I am going to try really hard, test regularly, take my insulin as I should and I manage it for a few days, a week at the most and then i get hacked off with it. I get bruises from injecting, it hurts to inject and then if I have a hypo i hate it. I really dont cope with how it seems to rule my life... so then I ignore it and feel even worse. I know all about complications etc etc yet nothing has yet scared me enough to do something. I know that probably sounds really stupid but I am just struggling so much with it.

When I was diagnosed I was fine about it, but then i guess when it sunk in i realised im not fine about it at all. Really depresses me and I dont feel anyone around me understands just how it is... thought some of you on here might see where I am coming from? And wondered what motivates you to look after yourself?

I really need to do something!!

 

[sugarless sue]

What motivates me is to live as long as possible and in as good health as I can.

The complications of uncontrolled Diabetes are real and nasty, I don't want them and the best way to try and stop them is to control my levels below 7 so that hopefully they do not start.

I'm Type 2 and will, if necessary, in the future take medication to cope with Diabetes. At the moment I don't need medication and that is because I made the conscious effort to get on top of it right from the start.

We only get one chance at life and I want as much of it as possible and have the good health to enjoy it!

 

[cugila]

What motivates me.........?

I DO !
I have always had a positive outlook on life and all it throws at me. A challenge is just that something to be looked at, dealt with and then get on with living again. It isn't just motivation, it needs willpower to be able to bounce back from the 'sticks and stones' life throws at you.

I try not to get disheartened whatever I have to do, whatever happens.

Over the many years I have been Diabetic, I got progressively worse, more unhealthy and I even got to the stage where I was guessing how many years I had left under my belt ! Then I realised, that was a negative way of thinking.......so, I now think do what you need, do what you can and never look back. Look after your health even if it means you have to do repetitive things, testing, monitoring, carb counting etc. Every one of those things will add years to your life. A life to enjoy, whatever happens !

I have had a Heart Op, knee op, serious depression and various minor, and not so minor procedures over the years. I recently was diagnosed with Cancer......in remission so hope I beat that one. What motivates me is the desire to live life to the full, never give up and just plough through the 'bad' bits.

Life is fun........I want it to stay that way.......

 

[totsy]

what motivates you?
my desire to live motivates me... i have a few long term illnesses and im in my 30s, i have to fight for my kids, i have to live to see my kids grow up and see my grandkids born, i have to be there for my mum as shes not too well and need to be able to look after her in years to come...thats my answer

 

[HLW]

Re: bruising and hurting - are you making sure there are no air bubbles? Are you using a new needle each time? Is the insulin warm enough? Have you tried different lengths of needle (for example, I was using 4mm because they don't look as scary, but recently ran out of those and was using some left over 6mm ones, I am finding the 6mm ones pierce the skin much easier and slid in better - I would have assumed it would be the other way round as the 4mm ones are thiner)? If it hurts and bruises are you injecting into muscle?

 

[noblehead]

Teresa,

Have you mentioned these problems to your diabetes nurse or consultant? There is no point in struggling along as you are when there is help available to overcome your problems, ask your nurse for advice on injection techniques and while your at it ask to be enrolled on a DAFNE course should they be available in your area. The DAFNE course will teach you how to calculate the carbs in your food and match this with the correct amount of insulin - which should drastically reduce your post-meal hypo's.

Here is the link to the DAFNE course homepage:

http://www.dafne.uk.com/

What motivates me?................one word....................LIFE!

Nigel

 

[Dippy3103]

Two things.

Most importantly, my son (four today) having his Mum around and in good health as long as possible.

The second thing isn't very nice. I work with a fellow t2, she is about ten years older than me. She walks with a stick and has recently had a nasty ulcer on her legs. She does not manage her diabetes well. I am ashamed to say it, but looking at someone who has awful problems and still does not look after herself does motivate me to ensure I don't end the same. She is such a nice lady too, so sad.

I am lucky. I was diagnosed early and young which means I have every chance to avoid the nasty complications.

 

[catherinecherub]

What motivates me :?:

My love of life and my family and friends.
We all may succumb to illnesses that we cannot control so I am putting a large effort into managing my diabetes.

 

[sue32]

What motivates me? To carry on, be as healthy as possible, keep BM's down and live and love life. I would like to be financially comfortable but as long as I have food in my cupboards, my bills are paid and I have a roof over my head.....that'll do me thanks.
Merry Christmas!!!

 

[jaykay]

When I read this forum, I think that the people that seem to do the best are the ones who don't necessarily focus on the diabetes. I think you have to get all your coping systems in place, then basically get on with living your life. If you are happy and your life is working then that is going to be the motivation to keep going with the things that allow you to be happy. I'm not saying it is easy but life is always going to be a balancing act. You have to focus on the positive things in your life whilst still dealing with the things that are hard work. And whatever else happens, don't worry about being selfish sometimes and doing what you have to do for you.

 

[aboz]

Hi Teresa i will be blunt and tell you get motivated quickly,little bruises from insulin needles are nothing compared to having two dirty great needles stuck in your arm 3 times a week if you have kidney failure and have to go on dialysis.Nothing compares to the pain and inconvenience of having your legs amputated,or going blind,and if you want to stay alive get yourself sorted fast.
these are just a few things that WILL go wrong if you don't i know this because i have got all the things i have mentioned except death yet !!! and i don't realy enjoy being in a wheelchair.
I hope this motivates you and another thing if you are in a relationship and are sexualy active and your nerve endings get damaged through bad bs control you can forget about nights of passion end of.
I am sorry to be so honest and blunt but it's the truth all this could happen.
Regards from a concerned T1 diabetic for 32 years

 

[Teresa M 76]

Really wish it was an easy as clicking my fingers. I know its not, and I know there are so many things that can go wrong if I dont sort it out. My Dad has a variety of complications from his T2 diabetes, yet this still hasnt motivated me.

Sometimes I could just sit and cry about it all, i know that doesnt change anything though. I havent really spoken much to the diabetes team about it to be honest. Im supposed to see them every 4 months, but am still waiting for an appointment to arrive!! I did look into those courses that someone mentioned, but they are run during the week and time off work every week like that just isnt possible.

I know how to do the actual carb counting of the food, got books about it and have attempted it before. but i have no idea how much insulin to take per carb and when i have tried i end up having hypos and then i feel awful. and then if im honest i keep my BG high to avoid hypos! and tend to take a big amount of insulin when it gets high to lower it... i know this is totally against what i should be doing, but trying to be honest here. but i am fed up of feeling ill and tired and i need to do something about it.

 

[HLW]

I havent really spoken much to the diabetes team about it to be honest. Im supposed to see them every 4 months, but am still waiting for an appointment to arrive!! I did look into those courses that someone mentioned, but they are run during the week and time off work every week like that just isnt possible.

I know how to do the actual carb counting of the food, got books about it and have attempted it before. but i have no idea how much insulin to take per carb and when i have tried i end up having hypos and then i feel awful. and then if im honest i keep my BG high to avoid hypos! and tend to take a big amount of insulin when it gets high to lower it... i know this is totally against what i should be doing, but trying to be honest here. but i am fed up of feeling ill and tired and i need to do something about it.

ring the diabetes team and at least speak to one of them on the phone. By those courses, do you mean DAFNE/DESMOND? DAFNE is one week long, so if your work won't give you time off work, you could book it as holiday.

Don't keep your blood sugar high, but also don't feel bad about not getting levels like 4-5 all the time, speak to your diabetes team about how to reduce it slowly, to avoid hypos.

 

[the_anticarb]

Really wish it was an easy as clicking my fingers. I know its not, and I know there are so many things that can go wrong if I dont sort it out. My Dad has a variety of complications from his T2 diabetes, yet this still hasnt motivated me.

Sometimes I could just sit and cry about it all, i know that doesnt change anything though. I havent really spoken much to the diabetes team about it to be honest. Im supposed to see them every 4 months, but am still waiting for an appointment to arrive!! I did look into those courses that someone mentioned, but they are run during the week and time off work every week like that just isnt possible.

I know how to do the actual carb counting of the food, got books about it and have attempted it before. but i have no idea how much insulin to take per carb and when i have tried i end up having hypos and then i feel awful. and then if im honest i keep my BG high to avoid hypos! and tend to take a big amount of insulin when it gets high to lower it... i know this is totally against what i should be doing, but trying to be honest here. but i am fed up of feeling ill and tired and i need to do something about it.

Unfortunately the only way to work out your correct doses is to test before and after the meal, and do lots of testing until you are confident you have the right ratio that will keep you within target. If you don't test intensively you will never work it out and then you will go hypo and get frustrated.

I can really identify with your post, I go through phases of good/bad control and used to have absolutely no control whatsoever, but I agree with the other posters the motivation comes from having a good life and wanting to be able to maintain that, and not let the diabetes get in the way.

Yes it is a pain, but you have to get over that.

The number of times people have said to me, 'I couldn't do what you do' ( a midwife said this to me recently!) and it really really annoys me because I HAVE NO CHOICE but to do it, well i do but i made the choice not to do it for years and I was beginning to get complications as a result.

So now I just accept that I have to do it, so I get over it and get on with it and try not to think about how unfair it all is.

Good luck

 

[josie38]

Hi


My lovely children motivate me....being able to give them a happy and healthy childhood.....doing things with them....and growing old with hubby!!!!!

I will admit tho that sometimes it is hard to do everything you need to do but i just get thru them and refocus.


Josie

 

[AndyS]

What motivates me? The challenge of it.
When I was diagnosed it was like a bombshell but I made a choice. Here is a long term illness that I can control myself, I don't need to rely on Drs to do my medication and calculations.
I worked hard at it and this forum was a goldmine of knowledge and experience. Now my A1c sits around 5.7-5.9 and I can't remember ever feeling this healthy.

I used to get quite down and upset if I had high BS but now I have learned to accept that this will happen. When it does I go to a kind of safe mode and will eat very accurately calculated food (carb count, I don't compromise on the tastiness though )for a few days so that I can then work out what my new dosage ratios should be. Once they stablise I relax and move on.

My attitude is that the research and technology is now moving at quite a pace so I don't think of Diabetes being something I will have for the rest of my life. I tell myself there will be some kind of solution within the next 20 years that means I can stop carb counting and live a more normal life.

It does take a conscious effort because there is so much prior planning to even trivial every day things now.

Re bruising when you inject, I agree you should talk to your DSN. I had the same with lantus shots for a while and we went through a few iterations on needle length and injections sites / techniques.
I now have it pretty much pegged and only bruise when I am not really paying proper attention.

It gets easier, if you put the effort in for a while and build yourself some routines and methods you can fall back on then it all becomes much easier.

Good luck

/A

 

[Hobs]

Its the thought of loosing sight and/or limbs, or maybe even premature death. I really cannot think of a better motivator than the thought of having lumps hacked off on my way to an early grave!

 

[hanadr]

I'm a control freak and I love life
i have 2 gorgeous Grandchildren living nearby, who I see often. [I've had one with me today]
I'm fit, I'm busy. I'm still losing weight SLOWLY.
I need to keep well for my family
Hana

 

[daisy1]

If I'm tempted to eat something that would put my BS levels up I just imagine what it would be like to be blind...

 

[trand]

The birth of my first grandaughter,