Diabetes: When Things Are Going Great and Then They Aren't

I'd had a fantastic Endo appointment at the end of January. My Time in Range was great, my A1C was down by almost one and a half points, I’d lost 8 pounds and my labs looked good. It was officially the best Endo appointment and labs I’d had in years.

I was happy. I was proud. I was content.

So what led to inconsistent blood sugar numbers?

5 days later, everything went to hell in a handbasket. I was hit with a nasty cold that I couldn’t shake, which brought with it consistently a sore throat and consistently high blood sugars that lasted for almost 2 weeks. I had no energy, I felt like crap, I was mad at diabetes. And just as I was finally starting to get over the cold and was getting back on track, I was hit with 6 days of hormonal higher-than-usual blood sugars that always accompany me the week before my period. And I’d gained 3 pounds.

Pushing through diabetes burnout

I kept “getting back up” even though I didn’t feel like it. I continued to monitor my blood sugar (easier because I wear CGM, but still checking with finger sticks several times a day) and administering insulin corrections. I watched what I put on my plate...most of the time, and continued to cook tasty food that was also healthy. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t struggling. I was absolutely struggling. I was feeling burned out.

Overcoming inconsistent numbers

Throughout those 3 weeks of wonky blood sugars, I felt depressed about my diabetes and some other stuff. I reached out to a few friends who reminded me that I was working hard and that everyone has tough stretches - diabetes or not. I read lots of diabetes blogs so I wouldn’t feel alone, made an appointment with my therapist for a tune-up, and forced myself to do things that made me smile - even when I didn’t feel like it.

My period arrived, my numbers went back to where they’d been. My visit with diabetes burnout was over. And I was glad.