Hello I’m new to the forum & today is my 50th birthday, I have been a T1D for 40 years now.
I’m currently on a Omnipod 5 & a dexcom g6. It’s been very helpful except for when equipment malfunctions.
Does any one else have issues &/or advice regarding depression/anxiety trying to juggle a life & T1D?
Thanks,
Andrew
Welcome @Andrewprentice! I don’t have any advice to give - just wanted to say welcome and wish you a very happy birthday.
Well , Hello Andrew
my name is rachel johnson and i have had T1D for almost 11 years and i am almost 18 my birth day is in august .First thing i want to tell you is that i used to use Dexcom g6 also and i recently stoped because my foster placement dose not know how to use it so i do have a couple of tips for Dexcom g6 . First tip i have is to use Skin Tac Liquid Adhesive before you apply the dexcom its self so it will stay longer also it helps me not peel it off. LOL.
here is a picture of the patches i used when on the dexcom…
Hi @Andrewprentice welcome to Type One Nation.
depression and anxiety - yes. In the decades between 1979 and my acceptance of T1, Ive been angry, depressed, anxious, in denial, self-destructive, and have had my fair share of bad relationships as well. Getting T1 at any age is a trauma, and it takes a very long time to work through the stages of grief that comes with it. I was 12. At the time of my diagnosis I had never had to deal with mortality, chronic disease, managing blood sugar in the face of awful medicine and the absence of blood sugar monitoring. it did a number on me. My stubborn nature did the most damage though.
Ive been in individual therapy for depression, grief, and for anxiety. Ive been in group therapy (self-help) for depression and for self-esteem. The things I learned helped me save my life.
My story includes engineering a life so chaotic, that I didn’t have time to look at my own problems and as such, I could ignore them. It has taken me years to slow down, to enjoy moments and to not let my fear and my busywork distract me. So in my case, finding ways to manage all that I have to do and allowing myself some enjoyment in the process, has been my very worthwhile focus.
anyway we are here if you have questions or comments of feel free to reach out here on on DM.
Joe
Hi Andrew! Welcome to the group. I hope you had a happy birthday!
To answer your question, I found the Omnipod very frustrating, so I decided to use the Tandem T:slim pump instead. I don’t have the malfunctions with it that were/are common with Omnipod. If, that is what is frustrating you!
If it is just the day-to-day frustrations of living with T1D, first and foremost you must be your own advocate! You must be able to tell others what you need. Whether it is certain break times at work, or how family/friends help you with your diabetes, others won’t know what you want/need unless you tell them. That’s the best advice I can give!
Pam K.
T1D 58.5 years and counting!
Hi @Andrewprentice,
Happy birthday and kudos managing your diabetes for so long! I think choosing to view that as an achievement worth celebrating is a great way to help with burnout.
I experience depression and anxiety seasonally (official diagnosis is adjustment disorder) and have been seeing a therapist who specializes in working with patients with diabetes. I’ve found just having someone to talk to extremely helpful, but she will also encourage me to take action to reduce the stressors in my life. Sometimes I need a nudge to get the ball rolling, you know?
Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes & welcoming me into the group.
Andrew
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