When we talk about living with Type 1 diabetes, we often focus on the practical side including insulin, food, technology, and routines. But there’s another side that can be just as demanding: the emotional and mental weight of managing it every single day.
In this episode of The Long View – Living with Type 1 Diabetes, I spoke with Pete Lambert, whose story covers both the hardest and most hopeful parts of life with diabetes.
Pete was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just 18 months old. More than 40 years later, he has experienced the full spectrum of what living with Type 1 diabetes can bring including diabetes burnout, serious complications, and ultimately, extraordinary resilience.
What is diabetes burnout?
If you’ve never heard the term before, diabetes burnout describes a state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by the constant effort required to manage the condition.
For Pete, it crept up gradually.
After years of managing his diabetes, he found himself:
- feeling low and disconnected
- struggling to maintain blood glucose control
- becoming increasingly “blasé” about his management
- emotionally overwhelmed without fully understanding why
It wasn’t until he came across the term online that it clicked: this wasn’t just a bad patch, it was diabetes burnout.
This is something many people experience at some point, yet it’s only relatively recently being recognised more widely. The reality is that managing Type 1 diabetes is relentless. There is no off switch.
The mental load of living with Type 1 diabetes
One of the most relatable parts of Pete’s story is the description of the “mental load.”
Anyone living with Type 1 will recognise it:
- What’s my blood sugar now?
- What am I about to eat?
- How much insulin do I need?
- Am I exercising?
- Am I stressed, tired, or unwell?
These decisions don’t stop – not for work, not for family life, not for sleep.
Over time, that constant decision‑making can become overwhelming. And when it does, stepping back even slightly can feel like the only option.
But as Pete’s experience shows, stepping back can also carry risks.
When burnout affects your health
Periods of burnout can lead to reduced engagement with diabetes management — fewer checks, less attention to patterns, more variability in blood sugar levels.
And over time, that can have real consequences.
Pete openly shares that earlier in life, his diabetes wasn’t well controlled. Years later, those decisions caught up with him. He developed diabetic eye damage, requiring injections and laser treatment and at one point, he lost his sight completely for over a month.
It’s a powerful reminder that managing Type 1 diabetes is not just about today or tomorrow, but the long term as well.
But Pete’s story doesn’t stop there.
From blindness to Kilimanjaro
What makes this episode so inspiring is not just the difficulty Pete faced, but what came next.
Just three years after losing his sight, Pete climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.
That transformation didn’t happen overnight. It began with a decision to change direction, to take back control and to prioritise his health.
He had reached a point where something needed to shift. A chance encounter with a leaflet about a charity trek sparked that change. From there, he rebuilt his health, lost weight, and started exploring the outdoors.
Over time, that single moment turned into something much bigger.
Today, Pete leads walking groups and expeditions, helping others experience the benefits of movement, connection and being outdoors.
Managing Type 1 diabetes in extreme conditions
Climbing mountains with Type 1 diabetes adds another layer of complexity to an already demanding condition.
Long days of physical activity, altitude, temperature changes, and unpredictable conditions all impact blood glucose levels.
Pete describes:
- 14‑hour summit days
- managing without technology in extreme cold
- balancing energy intake with insulin
- using instinct and experience when data isn’t available
It’s a powerful example of what is possible when you understand your body and work with it rather than against it.
It also challenges assumptions about what people living with Type 1 diabetes can achieve.
Letting go of perfect control
One of the most important lessons from this episode is surprisingly simple: it’s okay to have a bad day.
Pete shares advice he was given during burnout that stayed with him:
If today isn’t working, step away from it. Try again tomorrow.
For people trying to maintain perfect blood glucose control, this can feel counter‑intuitive. But it’s a reminder that perfection isn’t the goal, but sustainability is.
Sometimes, giving yourself permission to pause is what allows you to move forward.
Why stories like this matter
One of the reasons listeners describe The Long View as one of the best diabetes podcasts is because of stories like Pete’s.
Not polished or perfect, but real.
Stories that show:
- the struggle of diabetes burnout
- the reality of complications
- the importance of support and connection
- and the possibility of rebuilding and moving forward
If you’re currently finding living with Type 1 diabetes difficult, this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone and that things can change.
A final thought
Pete’s advice is simple, but powerful:
- You can still do anything you want to do
- There will be difficult days
- And there is always tomorrow
For anyone navigating burnout, or simply trying to keep going, that message matters.
You can find out more about Pete’s walking group here: DG Outdoor Adventures – Hiking – Guildford, England
You can find this episode on Spotify here: Ep 11: Pete Lambert – Burnout, recovery and adventure with Type 1 Diabetes – The Long View – Living with Type 1 Diabetes | Podcast on Spotify
And on Apple here:
Or click podcasts at the top of this page to find a full list of all my episodes.
If you’d like to appear on my podcast, do contact me on thelongviewt1@gmail.com.