Dealing with Diabetes Burnout

by Ginger Vieira

Dealing with Diabetes Burnout: How to Recharge and Get Back on Track When You Feel Frustrated and Overwhelmed Living with Diabetes is an inspiring and empowering guide to managing the daily work and pressure of diabetes management—counting carbohydrates at every meal, constantly adjusting medication doses, taking daily injections, pricking fingers multiple times a day, and struggling with the unavoidable challenges of fancy, yet imperfect, technology—that can lead to burnout. Vieira provides the tools and encouragement needed to help readers get back on track and make diabetes management a rewarding priority. Chapters directly address burnout in relation to: food, exercise, insulin dosing, blood sugar checking, fear of low blood sugar, being a caregiver/spouse of a person with diabetes, communicating more effectively with your doctor, taking a healthy “vacation” from diabetes, and creating realistic expectations and goals.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2014

About the author

Ginger Vieira has lived with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease since 1999. She is a certified cognitive coach, personal trainer, Ashtanga yoga instructor, and set 15 records in drug-free powerlifting during 2009 and 2010. Today, Ginger works with people of all ages across the globe as a Wellness & Diabetes Coach in her own business, Living in Progress. Also the author of Your Diabetes Science Experiment, Ginger has a B.S. in Professional Writing from Champlain College, and writes regularly for the greater diabetes community providing motivation, support, and occasionally, a good laugh about a very serious disease.

Reviews

[Collene · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to The American Diabetes Association’s website, there are nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States that have diabetes. This is a much needed book.

This is the author’s third book on diabetes and I thought she provided a well thought out book. I could tell by what she wrote that this is a subject near and dear to her heart. It was easy to read, I never fell asleep reading it. It provided lots of helpful tips for the diabetic and their families and there were lots of additional resources. Vieira emphasized the need for goals and plans and provided examples and choices. Many thanks to all the diabetes advocates that got real and contributed their own stories of burnout.

However, one of the things that confused me was what is a “bolus” or “to bolus” when it comes to dealing with diabetes. I’ve had type 2 diabetes for three years and I’ve never heard that term before. I had to take time from my book to research the term. It would have been nice if the author had explained what it was if she was going to use the term. In addition, the author failed to address the subject of Ketosis or ketoacidosis. I also don’t recall her mentioning the hundreds of side affects from medication that diabetics have to deal with and which could contribute to burnout.

Overall, I would still recommend it to anyone that deals with diabetes, professionals as wellas patients and their families.

I was given this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the most honest book about T1D and burnout I’ve ever read in my life. Her emphasis on reaching consistency over perfection applies to areas beyond nutrition, exercise, and overall health. Sympathizing this disease is really crucial for long-term self-management and I really recommend everyone in the T1D community to read this. Fabulous job, Ms. Ginger!

[Sarah Albunyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very realistic and truly reflective of every diabetic burnout periods.

Recommended for every diabetics👍🏻

[Mojmír Majer · Rating 4 out of 5]

helpful—definitely helped me

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent self help book, but there are even more serious issues facing diabetics today. Such as being forced to buy ramen noodles and hot dogs because you are between insurances and your insulin is $250 a bottle, or the fact that insurances refuse to cover CGM's, or the fact that if you attended every doctor appointment that the medical profession tells you "because it's really important because of your diabetes," I would have no time and wouldn't be able to send my daughter to college because of co-pays.