Panic Attacks

[benjo123456]

I had a completely unexpected panic attack today, I think because of perceived low blood sugar or reactive hypoglycemia. During this attack my blood sugar rose from 5.5 to 6.5.

My question is do all panic attacks raise blood sugar, or is this a case of my body trying to raise what it perceives as low blood sugar resulting i a rush of adrenaline?

 

[Brunneria]

Hope you are feeling better?

Unfortunately, the answer to your question could be yes - to both.

Adrenalin rushes do trigger liver dumps to raise blood glucose, and adrenalin rushes do come as a result of hypos, for reactive hypoglycaemics.

However, a hypo is when blood glucose goes lower than 4mmol/l, so if your reading of 5.5 was at the lowest point your blood glucose fell to, then it wouldn't be classed as a hypo. At what point in the process did you test your blood glucose?

 

[benjo123456]

Hope you are feeling better?

Unfortunately, the answer to your question could be yes - to both.

Adrenalin rushes do trigger liver dumps to raise blood glucose, and adrenalin rushes do come as a result of hypos, for reactive hypoglycaemics.

However, a hypo is when blood glucose goes lower than 4mmol/l, so if your reading of 5.5 was at the lowest point your blood glucose fell to, then it wouldn't be classed as a hypo. At what point in the process did you test your blood glucose?

I didn't test it at the start, maybe after around 15 mins. Although 5.5 isn't classed as hypo levels, it is to me, as my body is used to running on much higher levels due to years of overeating. I'm sure it was my body desperate for more sugar, creating the adrenaline. I could feel it in my body before it happened.

I am feeling better now though, thanks for asking, although very dizzy from perceived low blood sugar.

 

[Brunneria]

Well, I wouldn't discount it from being a real hypo, if you didn't test for 15 mins or so.

When I got myself a Freestyle Libre and was able to watch a couple of my hypos laid out on the graph, I was shocked at how fast they arrived, how low they went, and then how fast the liver dump raised the blood glucose up again.

If you didn't test until 15 mins after the symptoms started, that is more than enough time for your own body to have raised your blood glucose significantly via a liver dump.

And yes, it always takes me a while to recover from an RH hypo, so be gentle with yourself for a day or two, eat sensibly, go to bed early, and try not to get stressed. My bgs always seem to bounce about on a hair trigger for a couple of days, so just take it easy.

Glad you are on the mend though!

 

[benjo123456]

Thanks!

 

[Lamont D]

Sometimes during anxiety or panic attacks, it is so important to try and stay as calm as possible even if it means being alone for a while.
Because of the weird symptoms that fall on top of one another, the anxiety followed by frustration, then anger, then all the smaller symptoms, like blurred vision, headache, shaking and more,.
I would always play my music and lie down in the dark, just as if I was having a migraine attack.
Funnily, I haven't had a migraine once since diagnosis!
Always remember to record your readings when you feel awful!

Hope you are feeling better now!

Best wishes