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The effect of stress on blood sugar..Not Happy!

Patrick66

Patrick66

Well-Known Member
So here I am, desperately trying everything I an to get my reading below 7.00 so my operation can go ahead..

And my Doctor telling me stress doesn't help..

So, into work to news about possible job cuts and another horrible crisis that we are engulfed in (due to chronic mismanagement in my view) and I feel my anxiety and stress going through the roof!. Sweats, twitchy and my Autistic fear of uncertainty off the charts..

Ever had the feeling that, despite your best efforts, external forces just seem intent on sabotaging things..

And people wonder why I think of suicide so much (without meaning to sound unduly down..although I am)..
 
I believe most people are disconnected from the stress element. They read about it and hear about it but it’s somehow intangible. Theoretical, if you will. I’ve seen my blood glucose soar from 5.5mmol/L to 8.8 in less than thirty minutes as a direct result of being in a very stressful situation (just an argument!), so it’s most definitely real for me. That said, this was some time ago and I’m very certain that my insulin sensitivity now is markedly better.

So yes, stress is bad, and particularly so for diabetics. Not much else to add other than to say try to keep your head above the clouds, where the sky is always blue. Rant/vent/chat away :)
 
Patrick66 said:
So here I am, desperately trying everything I an to get my reading below 7.00 so my operation can go ahead..

And my Doctor telling me stress doesn't help..

So, into work to news about possible job cuts and another horrible crisis that we are engulfed in (due to chronic mismanagement in my view) and I feel my anxiety and stress going through the roof!. Sweats, twitchy and my Autistic fear of uncertainty off the charts..

Ever had the feeling that, despite your best efforts, external forces just seem intent on sabotaging things..

And people wonder why I think of suicide so much (without meaning to sound unduly down..although I am)..
Click to expand...

Yeah, stress doesn't help with the bloodsugars... And high bloodsugars make depression worse. I don't respond well to (forced or otherwise) changes myself, so I do see where you're coming from. But next month will come. And the next one. The world won't end, it'll "just" be different, And possibly better. And you'll still be here, and by then probably getting a better grip on your bloodglucose and possibly, new work situation. Hang in there. Easier said than done, but it IS worth it to stick around, you know...

You're getting a lot thrown at you right now. Maybe it's the universe letting you know you're able to handle all this. That you're stronger than you think you are.

Or it could all just be circumstances.

Either way.... This too shall pass. It will.
 
Jim Lahey said:
I believe most people are disconnected from the stress element. They read about it and hear about it but it’s somehow intangible. Theoretical, if you will. I’ve seen my blood glucose soar from 5.5mmol/L to 8.8 in less than thirty minutes as a direct result of being in a very stressful situation (just an argument!), so it’s most definitely real for me. That said, this was some time ago and I’m very certain that my insulin sensitivity now is markedly better.

So yes, stress is bad, and particularly so for diabetics. Not much else to add other than to say try to keep your head above the clouds, where the sky is always blue. Rant/vent/chat away :)
Click to expand...
Yes I believe there is a very tangible link.

My blood test in hospital when I was having my pre-op and they had already told me my op would be postponed, pushed me up to 7.8. I knew in advance it would be high because I felt so stressed out.

I live my life permanently stressed and anxious, its just who I am.

I have let the management know, by email, my views. Steam, politely if forcibly, let off!.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Yeah, stress doesn't help with the bloodsugars... And high bloodsugars make depression worse. I don't respond well to (forced or otherwise) changes myself, so I do see where you're coming from. But next month will come. And the next one. The world won't end, it'll "just" be different, And possibly better. And you'll still be here, and by then probably getting a better grip on your bloodglucose and possibly, new work situation. Hang in there. Easier said than done, but it IS worth it to stick around, you know...

You're getting a lot thrown at you right now. Maybe it's the universe letting you know you're able to handle all this. That you're stronger than you think you are.

Or it could all just be circumstances.

Either way.... This too shall pass. It will.
Click to expand...
Thank you.

I never feel strong though. Just completely shattered and fed up. Oh well, I will just concentrate on my chicken salad and forget work exists for half an hour..
 
Patrick66 said:
Thank you.

I never feel strong though. Just completely shattered and fed up. Oh well, I will just concentrate on my chicken salad and forget work exists for half an hour..
Click to expand...
I never felt strong in my life. But I'm still here, gainst all odds, so I guess I must be. It's not how we feel, it's what we face in spite of what we feel. Give that chicken salad some love, and yourself too eh.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
I never felt strong in my life. But I'm still here, gainst all odds, so I guess I must be. It's not how we feel, it's what we face in spite of what we feel. Give that chicken salad some love, and yourself too eh.
Click to expand...
Ah, if only I could give myself some love.

Zero self -esteem here.
 
Patrick66 said:
Ah, if only I could give myself some love.

Zero self -esteem here.
Click to expand...
Ah, that's kinda the point. You may not love yourself... Which is a really good reason to treat yourself as if you do. I've hated myself for over 3 decades (That's a lot better now, thankfully. Now I'm just kinda ambivolent. ;) ), but it does help if you are kind to yourself every once in a while. You're in a stressful time of life; if you don't cut yourself some slack, who will? Does it make sense to talk yourself further down into a hole, or would it be more useful to be kind to you for a change? Do something you enjoy, or take a moment for yourself, or get that thing you have wanted for a while now but didn't think you were worth getting... Because you're the only one who can make you feel better right now. Not to put the pressure on or anything. But I just mean, if you're not kind to you, if you don't at least try to de-stress yourself a little by showing yourself some kindness... It'll all be that much harder.
 
Patrick, have you ever considered dabbling in meditation and mindfulness? It’s had a profound impact on my life, and I feel that it’s probably a very good choice for those suffering from emotional turmoil. Check out the Headspace app to get you started and see if you’re interested. I think there is still a free trial period.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Patrick, have you ever considered dabbling in meditation and mindfulness? It’s had a profound impact on my life, and I feel that it’s probably a very good choice for those suffering from emotional turmoil. Check out the Headspace app to get you started and see if you’re interested. I think there is still a free trial period.
Click to expand...
Thank you.

Yes I did a mindfulness course. Unfortunately I, like many Autistic people, struggle with it because our minds are so active constantly and even now, through my Fibromyalgia pain clinic I'm struggling with the exercises where I have to concentrate on my breathing. I'm a very poor student.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Ah, that's kinda the point. You may not love yourself... Which is a really good reason to treat yourself as if you do. I've hated myself for over 3 decades (That's a lot better now, thankfully. Now I'm just kinda ambivolent. ;) ), but it does help if you are kind to yourself every once in a while. You're in a stressful time of life; if you don't cut yourself some slack, who will? Does it make sense to talk yourself further down into a hole, or would it be more useful to be kind to you for a change? Do something you enjoy, or take a moment for yourself, or get that thing you have wanted for a while now but didn't think you were worth getting... Because you're the only one who can make you feel better right now. Not to put the pressure on or anything. But I just mean, if you're not kind to you, if you don't at least try to de-stress yourself a little by showing yourself some kindness... It'll all be that much harder.
Click to expand...

The major problem there is doing something I enjoy. I suffer from Anhedonia and have now for...many years. That complete lack of pleasure in anything really, and I cant emphasise this enough, destroys your life. I read but don't take anything in, I watch films and get bored before the opening credits etc. Nothing gives me real satisfaction.

Apart from Travel that is, my Autistic happy place..but with no money and now no passport and I should be buying a house..which I cant afford to in this area...the prospect of going anywhere this year...is zero. As it has been since 2016.

I just feel trapped and that doesn't help my levels of anything...
 
Patrick66 said:
The major problem there is doing something I enjoy. I suffer from Anhedonia and have now for...many years. That complete lack of pleasure in anything really, and I cant emphasise this enough, destroys your life. I read but don't take anything in, I watch films and get bored before the opening credits etc. Nothing gives me real satisfaction.

Apart from Travel that is, my Autistic happy place..but with no money and now no passport and I should be buying a house..which I cant afford to in this area...the prospect of going anywhere this year...is zero. As it has been since 2016.

I just feel trapped and that doesn't help my levels of anything...
Click to expand...
I have to admit, I had to look anhedonia up, though the similarity to hedonism gave me a clue. Again, been there, though I never called it anything but depression. There used to be a mental health flyer here with a lady at a party, and her thought bubble saying "I should be enjoying this...". Just being unable to is hard, no emphasis needed, I hear you... I just kept doing things I knew I'd like, if I'd just felt something. After a while, it happened, (still have trouble every now and again, but considering I wanted to kick the bucket on saturday morning, and refused to stay at home on sunday in spite of pain... I just keep at it.). But I guess the other issues you have make it one complex thing.

I haven't been able to travel for years, because I feel insanely responsible for our diabetic cat (He's blind, and if he doesn't know where we are, he gets scared and depressed. All that's not good for his bloodsugars. So he knows we're always home in time for dinner. That is acceptable to our Lord and Master, Night the Cat.). So we haven't been on vacation since a weekend away about 5 years or so ago. Before that it was another weekend, and before that, our 5 day honeymoon, 9 years ago. It hasn't been much, while I used to fly to Canada and have never had the pleasure to show my husband around there. So what do we do instead? As I don't leave the house during weekdays, we do stuff in the weekend. Visit old cities, zoo's, museums, do special guided tours with actors and storytellers, cat cafe's, go to comic cons and fantasy fairs. Usually there's a lot of people in such places, but I cope by using my camera. (People scare me. If I reduce my surroundings to what I see through the view finder, I'm often okay. If I'm not okay, my husband gets me out in a hurry. Perks of being married to a tall guy who can look over crowds, and is rather attuned to my state of mind.). It's not the same as traveling abroad, not even close, but considering there's quite a few old cities and zoo's around here, it keeps us busy enough. I have a calendar filled with (often cheap) places to go, options, in case we feel like a long drive, a short one, or just not much of anything at all. There's breathers, little get-aways. Don't need a passport, and quite a few things can be cheap or free. Takes some searching sometimes, or just going for really, really early bird passes (Like a year before the event, but at 50% discount, I'm getting tickets!), but... It's better than being stuck at home. Sometimes, we've got to work with what we've got.

Probably no help at all, but couldn't help trying. ;)
Jo
 
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