Mother with Diabetes

Hi.  My mother is 55 years old and has had diabetes since she was 16.  She has had her ups and downs and a few close calls concerning her blood sugar.  Over the past couple of years, she has gone through menopause which have made her mood swings much worse.  Now,  she's depressed MOST of the time.  Is this normal??  I mean, I have always known that her moods mostly depend on what her blood sugar is, but I really hate to see her so depressed all the time.  Is there anything I can do or should I see if she will see a doctor for this??

[JDRF-Team-gg]

Hi Praying Hard!  Menopause can wreak havoc on a woman's hormonal state which directly effects the bg level.  It's no wonder why your Mother is having difficulty at this time.  Yes, she certainly should be followed by both her endocrinologist and an gynocologist to help her get through this time in her life.  There is no reason why she needs to suffer, especially when this process could take years.  She may also need a referral to someone to treat her depression and only a medical professional can determine this.  Depression is commonly found amoung diabetics.  Please encourage her to make an appointment.  Best of luck to you & thank you for caring enough about your Mom to get her help!