Diabetes causes other health problems!

When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, you think, "I just have to worry about insulin, counting carbs, etc. for the rest of my life. That's all." NO! That's not all! When you become a diabetic, you have a higher risk of getting a lot of other medical problems too. And your risks are even higher when you don't take care of your diabetes! We are at risk for gum disease, kidney damage, heart disease, neuropathy, retinopathy, stroke, yeast infections (females) and much more. So, many diabetics like myself have a lot of different doctors and it gets expensive and annoying! I have an Endocronologist, Opthomologist, Dentist, Neurologist, Psychiatrist and I use to see an Allergist. That is a lot of frickin doctors! When one becomes a diabetic, you may think they only have that one health problem to worry about but over the years many more problems are going to come along.

I have what's called Granuloma Annulare. It's a skin condition that, of course, diabetics are more at risk for. (I didn't kow that until I was diagnosed with it.) I have these bruise like spots on my legs and feet. Some of the spots even look like ring worm. It's really unattractive and they won't go away!

When I was a freshman in high school, I started getting migraines. My dad had them when he was younger so it runs in my family. I have never been told that diabetes and migraines are related but I'm pretty sure they are. When my blood sugar is high, I get headaches. Some are more severe than others. But I also get bad headaches when my blood sugar is in the normal range.  I have a friend that is diabetic and she said she has a hard time with migraines as well. It really wouldn't surprise me if diabetes and migraines are related.
 
I also have some psychiatric problems. I hate that word (psychiatric) because when someone sees that word they automatically think crazy person! I have been diagnosed with depression and have been told I have signs of a disorder called bipolar 2 (less severe than bipolar 1). I have days it's hard for me to function and I have mood swings often. The depression and mood swings are difficult to treat because blood sugars have a huge affect on a person's mood. When your blood sugar is in a normal range, you can be in a good mood. But when they spike or drop, you can become irritable. If your blood sugars are up and down a lot during a day, that can make you have mood swings and affect how you are feeling mentally. 

Living with diabetes isn't just about living with diabetes by itself. There are many other difficulties that come a long with it and these are just a few of them. I have shared some pretty personal stuff but I did because I hope that I can help atleast one person know they are not alone and are not the only person going through all this.