So I decided this spring that I wasn't going to diabetes get me down and not let it be the excuse for everything that does not go my way.
I started to take better care of myself. Got a CGM started checking blood sugars 6+ times a day. I got my A1c down from a 9.7 to a 7.4 in the span of about two months. Everything was going great.
The only thing is that it seems every couple of weeks I feel like crap. I have missed alot of work lately, which not only adds stress to my life and my wifes life makes me uneasy about my job situation. I love where I work, I like the people I work with the pay and benefits are great. I would be in a world of hurt if I were to lose my job. (As anyone would be.)
Sometimes I just wonder if this is going to be worth it. I know it is but, how come I feel better but I don't. My doctors tell me that it's my body adjusting to not running as "sweet" as before. Which I can understand. It just frustrates me that I feel like crap some days.
In the 30 years that I've been living with T1, there's hardly a day that goes by that I don't feel crappy, for at least an hour here and there. Either from my BG going up, going down, or just being too high or too low.
I think the trick is just learning how to work through it. How to keep going to work, or keep appt's, or whatever, WHILE feeling crappy. And in all actuality, I think having T1 has increased my tolerance for pain and discomfort. I just learned to live with it. And deal with it.
I think that the longer you live with it, the easier it gets to find a coping mechanism.
But congrats on trying to get your A1C down. Keep going in that direction. You'll be SO much happier down the road.
Hang in there- you are doing so many things right- you got a CGM!! and reduced your AIC to 7.4!!!! That is great!!!
I have felt the same way as you before: terrible, tired, sluggish when we are trying sooooooo hard to get our blood sugars in a normal range- do so, and then still have bad days!!!! It is soooo frustrating. So rant- it is ok- that is what is so great about this network- you can realize you are not alone.
I've had it 26 years.
Just don't give in to it!! Even if you feel terrible and awful, go to work feeling that way. There are many days when I felt "crappy" just because of my diabetes, but I would just go to work for a couple of reasons: first, I would determine to not let this disease run my life and second, I felt like it was better for my employer to have me there as a 1/2 person rather than no employee at all. The truth of the matter, no one really knew when I felt terrible and by the end of the day, I usually felt better if not physically, then mentally for working through it.
It is ok to rant- we all need to sometimes- just keep going!
I have had almost the same thing happen. Except that even after all the work I put into it my a1c was only 8.6 when I thought I had Better control than that. And when I started watching my food more my bloodsugar ran lower and I felt like there wasn't much I could do. I have finally gotten over the feel crappy hump it just took time.
Hey Josh - I would say rant away. We almost need a rant thread for the times we're not feeling up to the tasks of the day where we could just let it fly. No need for responses because most of the time you just feel better getting it out. I would reiterate what Laura said about just making it to work and getting through the day. I think overtime it builds up your confidence that you can get through it. I woke up a little high this morning - frustrating considering that I had a long workout yesterday and normally the bs would be good but T1 is just unpredictable sometimes. (Not to mention I was driving to work at 4:00 AM and I was delayed a bit getting off the freeway for people already showing up to the MJ memorial and then my phones being down!)
I hope you are feeling better now and the energy is coming back to you. You will start to adjust to the lower levels. Congrats on that btw! My guess is that as time goes on and you will have less 'crap' days and feel better as a whole. Keep up the good work and hang in there.
A lot of days I tend to not be feeling well it's because of what I've been eating, or not been eating. I rarely have been eating fruit since I was diagnosed in February, but fruit was one of my favorite things to eat before I was diagnosed. I find that if I eat something that I used to eat or that I enjoy eating, it makes me feel better. I have no idea why, but this tends to settle my stomach and actually improves my BGs.
As long as I check my BG and am accurate with my carb counting I eat what I want and I don't let anything bother me.