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Diabetes Has Ruined My Health, My Looks, My Life!?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 2:23 am and is filed under after cataract surgery. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

12 Responses to “Diabetes Has Ruined My Health, My Looks, My Life!?”

  1. Depression is not generally listed as a complication of diabetes. However, it can be one of the most common and dangerous complications. The rate of depression in diabetics is much higher than in the general population. Diabetics with major depression have a very high rate of recurrent depressive episodes within the following five years. (Lustman et al 1977) A depressed person may not have the energy or motivation to maintain good diabetic management. Depression is frequently associated with unhealthy appetite changes. The suicidal diabetic adolescent has constant access to potentially lethal doses of insulin.
    At this point in time, it is well accepted that psychological factors and psychiatric conditions can affect the course of medical illnesses. There is some suggestion that the stress of depression itself may lead to hyperglycemia in diabetics. The interaction between cardiovascular disorders (such as heart attack and high blood pressure) and depression has been extensively studied. Anxiety and depression can also affect other conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, headache and skin diseases. Treatment of anxiety and depression may lead to a better medical prognosis and well as a better quality of life.
    For over three hundred years, physicians have suspected an interaction between the emotions and the course of diabetes mellitus. Studies have examined whether stressful events or psychiatric illness might precipitate either Type I (insulin-dependent) or Type II (Non-insulin dependent) diabetes. So far, study results are not conclusive.
    Now that we have more accurate methods of measuring glucose control, it has become easier to measure both short-term and long-term effects of emotional factors on blood glucose level. One study found that children judged to have a “Type A” personality structure had an increased blood sugar elevation in response to stress. Children with a calmer disposition had a smaller glucose rise when stressed. (Stabler et al. 1987) A 1997 study suggested that Type I patients with a history of a psychiatric illness might be at increased risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. Those patients with a psychiatric history were found to have a higher average glycosylated hemoglobin. (a measure of long term diabetic control) (Cohen et al. 1997) Children whose relatives made more critical comments had significantly poorer glucose control. Interestingly enough, emotional overinvolvement between family members was not correlated with poor diabetic control. (Koenigsberg et al. 1993) Diabetic adolescents had a higher incidence of suicidal ideation than expected. Those with suicidal ideation took poorer care of themselves. Not living in a two-parent home was associated with poorer long-term diabetes control. (Goldston, et al. 1997)
    Recent studies have suggested that effective treatment of depression can improve diabetic control. In a study by Lustman and colleagues, glucose levels were shown to improve as depression lifted. The better the improvement, the better the diabetic control. (Lustman et al. 1997a)
    Being diagnosed with diabetes is a major life stress. It requires a large number of physical and mental accommodations. The individual must learn about a complex system of dietary and medical interventions. Lifestyle, work, and school schedules may have to be altered. This can consume a lot of energy for both the individual and his or her family. Just as important, are the psychological adjustments. One must adjust to a new view of oneself. For those who liked to see themselves as invincible, this may be particularly difficult.
    Many newly diagnosed diabetics go through the typical stages of mourning. These are denial, anger, depression and acceptance.
    Denial: This can be one of the more dangerous stages of the grief process. It may not occur only once. Many individuals cycle back to this phase several times. The honeymoon phase, associated with early Type I diabetes, may reinforce denial. Denial is a common stance for adolescent diabetics.
    Anger: It really does seem unfair. The type II diabetic, trying to lose weight, may envy heavier people who seem to enjoy good health. One might erupt at someone who innocently offers a desert. Unfortunately, anger can drastically affect glucose levels.
    Depression: Mild depressive feelings are a normal part of grieving and adaptation. As long as they are not pervasive or prolonged, they may not be harmful. However, when the depression lasts a long time, becomes severe or interferes with diabetic management, one should seek prompt treatment.
    Acceptance: Individuals achieve different degrees of acceptance and inner peace. Some will need to experience the denial, anger and depression several times as they move through different phases of life and different stages of diabetes. Some people move through a chronic disease to a state of much greater self-knowledge. They may actually say that the diabetes was, in part, a blessing.

  2. You have a super bad depression going there my friend.
    You need antidepressants to cope with this problem in your mind. Go find a psychologist or psychiatrist and get some much needed help.

  3. OCD is making the issue of bushy eyebrows worse than they really are. It’s not unusual to focus on some small aspect and make it into a larger issue. I’m sure you know this, and it takes effort to get over it. Plenty of women have them, and use eyebrow trimmers. Lots of hair salons and barber shops can trim them, too. Wait until you really are 50 and have to trim the hair out of your ears :-)
    You are still fairly new to diabete, and seem to be having trouble dealing with the anger and depression that are common. You are not alone in that. We all go through it. Most colleges have some kind of counseling available to students – check it out. It really does help to talk to someone who can do more than just listen.
    You are also not the only diabetic on campus. Check around for any student associations or clubs. Most colleges participate in diabetes awareness activities of some type. Being with others who share out difficulties can be really helpful. Even if a group isn’t specific to diabetes, you may find one compatible enough since many colleges have organizations for students studying some aspect of healthcare or nutrition, or have similar lifestyle interests such as those watching their weight or eating a more vegitarian/whole food diet. Lots of diabetics can be found in these groups. And you can look around in the surrounding town, too, for diabetic groups. Look online for listings if there aren’t any advertised locally, sites like diabetes.org frequently maintain group listings and message boards. You can always start a group of your own, too :-)
    There is more to college life than beer, pizza, and hamburgers (and as a diabetic, I can still have these if I plan for it). And diabetes is not your whole existance, it is only a part of your life (albeit an important part if you want to live a long and healthy life). Any woman who is too afraid of your diabetes to date you wasn’t worth dating anyway :-) But you don’t want to drive away the ones that would have been okay with it by beating the diabetes bush constantly, either. The more accepting of the diabetes you are, the more of you they will get to know.

  4. OK, let’s get a grip here, dude! Diabetes is not to blame for your cataracts, hair growth, eyebrows, OCD, or girl problems. Yes, you have to watch what you eat, but you can have a hamburger or some pizza every so often if you calculate your carbs and give yourself the right amount of insulin. If your BG’s are “all over the place”, then take the time to see a diabetes educator (call your endo’s office for a ref), they can spend time with you and help you detect patterns.
    Diabetes is a bummer and can be very depressing at times, but it will only ruin your life if you allow it to. You’re young – take control of your life and make it better. You’re blaming all of your problems on your diabetes, and it’s not helping you get anywhere.

  5. Awe, most guys have bad eyebrows! Girls don’t really care about that at all (if we did we could only date pretty boys and we don’t like guys who are prettier than we are!). I’m sure living with diabetes has given you great strength and maturity which is what girls are really looking for. I’ve known a few guys who have diabetes and they got plenty of action! lol If anyone don’t like you because of your health problems they are SO not worth it in the first place. I know this sounds cliche, but just be yourself. You don’t have “diabetes” stamped across your forehead, so no one even has to know unless you are in a serious friendship or relationship.
    Aside from dating, acquiring a health problem in college is really difficult. (I’m not saying this. I’ve been through and still am living it today!) Food and alcohol seem like the centerpiece for most social interactions. The thing is, you can still do everything you did before while watching what you eat and drink! Just because I can’t eat pizza doesn’t mean I don’t go with my friends for pizza. Just because you can’t drink doesn’t mean you can’t go hang out with people who are drinking.
    When I first got sick, I lost a lot of confidence to because before i had felt unstoppable as most people our age do. Getting sick took that foundation I always stood on out from under me and it was very hard going day to day no longer being able to take anything for granted. I didn’t know what the next hour would be like, let alone my future, or relationships with people. I thought I had lost self confidence, but really it was that I had lost confidence in the workings of the world. It seems like maybe you are going through that now. Your foundations in life have been shaken, but you are still the same guy you were before. If you felt confidence in yourself before you got diabetes, there is no reason that you should not feel confidence in yourself now.
    It probably feels like you are the only one with health problems, but I bet there are TONS of people who are going through something similar (the statistics say 1 in 10 kids and young adults have a health problem that interferes with life at least once every day.) Probably even some people you know, but like I said before, our illnesses are not stamped on our foreheads. Not to mention that even the healthy among out peers all have their own issues. That’s what makes us human.
    To some it all up, of course you will find a girl who will accept you. I know a ton of people who have health conditions that make them bed bound or hairless or have big scars or all of the above and more and they date just like anyone else. This lack of confidence you are feeling will ease as you realize that success in life and dating is still just as attainable. Life will be different, but different does not mean bad. You’ll see! :)

  6. I am so sorry to hear that. I am 20 years old like you and was just diagnosed only a month ago. Diabetes runs in my family, my grandmother, mom, dad, uncle, aunt, and great uncle all have the disease and I was not happy when I heard I did too. I honestly believe diabetes has helped me tremendously. Taking insulin and losing weight, I have never felt better. I am in culinary school and thought the illness would hinder me, but its actually really helped me help others create healthy meals that are tasty. They are ways for you to make pizza, hamburgers, and milkshakes that taste great and are great for you to enjoy. Eyebrows aren’t really a big deal to most females. If people can’t accept you for who you are, you don’t need them in you life, straight up. Diabetes isn’t a death sentence, its just a change in lifestyle that I am sure you will become used to after a while. Just try to take care of your self and everything will b fine.

  7. Get thee to a salon NOW !!
    Seriously, if it’s just the eyebrows, then a good salon will work wonders for you.
    It might be a bit pricey, but you won’t have to go there often, and they’ll give you advice on how to deal with them.
    Hamburgers, now hamburgers are fine to eat.
    Make them at home, ground beef, a little egg, onion, come chilli / cranberries / whatever else you want.
    Hamburgers are generally only unhealthy when you eat a lot of unhealthy ones.
    There’s no reason why you can’t have them every now and again, it’s not full of sugar.
    Pizza, again. Make it at home, tomato sauce, low-fat cheese, make a night of it with friends.
    A good REAL italian pizza base is much lower in carbs than all the processed american junk you nnormallyeat
    Milkshake, now that’s the easiest of all.
    1% milk, a few strawberries and some strawberry sorbet in a blender. Add a mango too….
    Absolutely fine.
    Just don’t let it ruin you…. it doesn’t have to!!
    Make a consious descision to take charge of it.
    Learn everything you can about it, and make IT fit into YOUR life.
    I’ve been diabetic since I was 9.
    I’ve been a ski instructor, been heli-skiing, tattoo’d, extremely drunk, given birth.
    It doesn’t have to limit you at all.
    Since certain foods are making you miserable, find a way of getting them in to your diet.
    I’d rather live 40 years enjoying my life, than 45 mourning every day for something I can’t have.
    You have to get a balance between what will keep you in the best health, and what will just make you damm miserable.

  8. Diabetes can be hard i am lucky enough not to have it but my friend wasn’t he to was popular had it all except for one night he ran off to be by himself nobody knew where he had gone ,
    by the time they found him he had gone into a diabetic coma and was dead , the one thing i admired about my friend is he never let diabetes get to him sometimes he wasn’t concerned enough.
    but all and all everybody loved him he was fun outgoing and everybody looked passed the diabetes because it was who he was as a person and he had plenty of girlfriends because he seemed confident and outgoing.
    so my point is you are still that person before you got diabetes you have just sort of lost yourself but only you can get yourself feeling better again and it just takes time.

  9. A good barber can help with the eyebrows. Stop trimming them yourself. Do you have a friend that’s a girl (as opposed to a girlfriend) or an sister that you can speak to. Perhaps you eyebrows aren’t as bad as you think, as her. Also, girls love to make over guys! If you look good, you’ll feel a bit better about yourself.
    You can eat hamburgers and pizza and milkshakes – just be sure to count the carbs accurately and set your pump to give you the insulin over an hour or two because of the high fat. Do you understand all the features of your pump? If not, more training is in order. Ask your endo about a continuous glucose monitor – it may help you see patterns in your blood sugar and help you get tighter control. Does your endocrinologist have any information on support groups? I attend one with my son (he’s 16 with diabetes), and it’s helpful to meet other people with the same problems.
    Do you do any physical activity at all? Gym, run, swim, football…. Physical activity can help with depression and diabeates management!
    Do you participate in any JDRF fundraising activities, or do anything else that allows you to meet other diabetics? My family has learned a llot by meeting other families and JDRF events.
    Have you ever been to diabetes summer camp? Perhaps you should look into being a counselor at camp this year.
    I have found knowing other people with type 1 diabetes to be so very helpful. My son doesn’t feel so all alone when we meet other people with the same issues.
    Also, you’ll feel better over all if your blood sugar is good. Keep a meticulous diary of foods you eat and the insulin you took. Look for patterns. You may find that you need to adjust your boluses or basal rate. These change over time and need tweaking from time to time.
    We see a diabetes educator that is GREAT! He has type 1 diabetes too. If you are in the Philly area, you may want to meet with him, see his web site: http://www.integrateddiabetes.com, there’s good information. If you need help with out of control blood sugar he can help remotely (but this is not a free service).
    Diabetes should not control your life – you can control it!
    I hope this helped a bit. Looks like you got lots of people who can relate juding by the posts here!

  10. Hi! I am 24 y/o I am the proud mother of an 18 month old baby. I was diagnosed with type2diabetes. It was hard for me to understand and believe that I was a diabetic especially since no one in my family has this health condition. I felt my world just cruch into a million pieces, especially since I have a little one and I want to see her grow and get married and meet my future g-babies……I started working out and also watching everything that goes into my mouth, but HEY!!! Dont be discouraged!! You can do your little cheating once in a while!! Dont get carried away though! But its ok to have pizza and eat hamburgers and even a shake here and there, but if you can do this at home it is even better! I know your diabetes and mine are different I am not on medication I control my diabetes w/diet and excercise but still I know the disease is there and I have to take care of myself. You are young and have a life ahead of you dont let diabetes make you feel inferior and less than others. God never gives us a load that we cannot carry. Pray to the Lord Jesus Christ….I know many people say once you have diabetes it is there for good, but you know something??……When I was at the hospital I was getting insulin shots every single day (I was in the hospital for about a week bcause my BS was 600!!! My blood sugars are always under 110 now…..Jesus has the power!!! Hes got our lives in his hands! Our God is great! If you trust and belive in the Lord he will make that miracle! Take care of yourself! When you start feeling depressed and discouraged call out the name of the Lord! When the times is right and the Lord knows you’re ready he will guide you and let you know who that special girl is!! God Bless you! I will have you in my prayers! If you need to email me anytime please do so!! superingrid84@yahoo.com

  11. diabetes is super hard to cope with i was diagnosed last year and im only 16 i have had constant seizures due to poor blood sugar control basically what im trying to say is i know your exact pain its difficult to cope with but just remember you have supporting friends and family and at this point i wouldent worry about being good looking i would be more focused on looking at the good aspects of life and living it the best you can

  12. Mike and Rainie ♥ on February 25th, 2010 at 9:10 pm

    Aw. :( I think you should try getting more treatment first. Endure the suffering for now. Once you get cured, you can get your life back. I wish you the best luck. =) You’ll find the perfect girl soon.

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