High blood glucose associated with emotional stress

[Chav1965]

Hi - could I just seek some advice please as I’m freaking out. Yesterday was very traumatic as I had to take Mum to A & E, after she sustained a fractured wrist and whilst she was being examined, my husband collapsed and so he ended up being a patient as well! I had nothing to eat or drink for the best part of the day, and ended up just having a slice of toast with baked beans at around 10pm. I didn’t check my BG last night but this morning at 0930, it was 11.3. A immediate second reading was 10.8. They have been running at a reasonable level in the most part, with a little rise in figures over Xmas. Is it “normal” for such a stressful and emotional episode to have such an impact. Ive got myself in a bit of a pickle, worrying now. Perhaps I’m over-fretting and need to see what subsequent figures are but I thought I might get some helpful advice on this forum. Many thanks

 

[lovinglife]

Hi @Chav1965 and welcome to the forum

Sorry to hear you’re having a tough time and I hope things work out for you & your family.

In answer to your question, yes this is a very normal reaction to stress so try not to worry about it, also not eating your liver could have been throwing out it’s reserves of glucose to keep you going. Try to relax about those numbers it should sort itself out soon.

On top of the initial stress you are bound to be still worrying about your mum & your hubby so that may still have some impact. My advice and what I’ve done in your type of situation is to try and keep to my normal way of eating as much as possible and not worry about my numbers, you don’t need that added worry

 

[Chav1965]

Hi @Chav1965 and welcome to the forum

Sorry to hear you’re having a tough time and I hope things work out for you & your family.

In answer to your question, yes this is a very normal reaction to stress so try not to worry about it, also not eating your liver could have been throwing out it’s reserves of glucose to keep you going. Try to relax about those numbers it should sort itself out soon.

On top of the initial stress you are bound to be still worrying about your mum & your hubby so that may still have some impact. My advice and what I’ve done in your type of situation is to try and keep to my normal way of eating as much as possible and not worry about my numbers, you don’t need that added worry

Thank you so much for your kind words and advice. I do feel more reassured now and will not worry so much about it. Thanks again

 

[Outlier]

Certainly normal for me too. Sorry you are having to go through this. If my experience is anything to go by, blood glucose should stabilise when the situation improves for you. It's all about primitive reactions to danger helping our survival.

 

[Chav1965]

Certainly normal for me too. Sorry you are having to go through this. If my experience is anything to go by, blood glucose should stabilise when the situation improves for you. It's all about primitive reactions to danger helping our survival.

Thank you for your reply, it’s much appreciated and makes complete sense. I’ve not experienced it before so went into panic mode! Thanks again

 

[MY LIFE]

Hi - could I just seek some advice please as I’m freaking out. Yesterday was very traumatic as I had to take Mum to A & E, after she sustained a fractured wrist and whilst she was being examined, my husband collapsed and so he ended up being a patient as well! I had nothing to eat or drink for the best part of the day, and ended up just having a slice of toast with baked beans at around 10pm. I didn’t check my BG last night but this morning at 0930, it was 11.3. A immediate second reading was 10.8. They have been running at a reasonable level in the most part, with a little rise in figures over Xmas. Is it “normal” for such a stressful and emotional episode to have such an impact. Ive got myself in a bit of a pickle, worrying now. Perhaps I’m over-fretting and need to see what subsequent figures are but I thought I might get some helpful advice on this forum. Many thanks

So sorry about your Mums Note - Baked beans: While baked beans (which often contain white beans) are tasty, they often contain added sugars or syrups, making them less suitable for individuals with diabetes. so u might have to be mimdful of that. these 2 numbers are astromimically high in y opinon 11.3. - 10.8. Look at the number at the bottom of the chart to know where u are and where u should be.

 

[aylalake]

I hope your mum and your husband are doing better.

Stress plays a massive part in my BG control. I was a self-employed shop owner, caring for my elderly (95) father and then coping with his death, and dealing with two of my children going through very ugly divorces at the same time, and my readings were permanently in double figures with blood pressure of around 150/95.

Last year I decided to retire, and my children are more settled, no longer needing my support all the time. Now my readings are 99% single figures and usually below 8.
My blood pressure is around 120/75.

Any high readings I now have I can guarantee are stress-related (unless I have eaten something I shouldn’t have), but drop within a very short time when the stress factor is removed or I deal with it by using stress management techniques.

The point of this lengthy essay is that it is normal, and you needn’t panic.

 

[KennyA]

So sorry about your Mums Note - Baked beans: While baked beans (which often contain white beans) are tasty, they often contain added sugars or syrups, making them less suitable for individuals with diabetes. so u might have to be mimdful of that. these 2 numbers are astromimically high in y opinon 11.3. - 10.8. Look at the number at the bottom of the chart to know where u are and where u should be.

Hi - where has this chart come from, please?

 

[Chav1965]

I hope your mum and your husband are doing better.

Stress plays a massive part in my BG control. I was a self-employed shop owner, caring for my elderly (95) father and then coping with his death, and dealing with two of my children going through very ugly divorces at the same time, and my readings were permanently in double figures with blood pressure of around 150/95.

Last year I decided to retire, and my children are more settled, no longer needing my support all the time. Now my readings are 99% single figures and usually below 8.
My blood pressure is around 120/75.

Any high readings I now have I can guarantee are stress-related (unless I have eaten something I shouldn’t have), but drop within a very short time when the stress factor is removed or I deal with it by using stress management techniques.

The point of this lengthy essay is that it is normal, and you needn’t panic.

Thank you so very much for your reply. Both mum and hubbie have had a better day today so my stress and worry levels have lessened a little. I appreciate your post, which is very reassuring and encouraging.

 

[jaywak]

I am now going through more stress than I could have ever imagined with my wife being told 18 months ago that she only had 6 months to live with multiple cancers , she has had chemo and now immunotherapy and is fine but more often than not my blood sugars are in double figures without a carb entering my mouth and doubling my insulin , it seems it is not all down to what we eat .

 

[MrsA2]

Hi - could I just seek some advice please as I’m freaking out. Yesterday was very traumatic as I had to take Mum to A & E, after she sustained a fractured wrist and whilst she was being examined, my husband collapsed and so he ended up being a patient as well! I had nothing to eat or drink for the best part of the day, and ended up just having a slice of toast with baked beans at around 10pm. I didn’t check my BG last night but this morning at 0930, it was 11.3. A immediate second reading was 10.8. They have been running at a reasonable level in the most part, with a little rise in figures over Xmas. Is it “normal” for such a stressful and emotional episode to have such an impact. Ive got myself in a bit of a pickle, worrying now. Perhaps I’m over-fretting and need to see what subsequent figures are but I thought I might get some helpful advice on this forum. Many thanks

Yes, but I prefer to think of it as the body naturally producing what it needs to cope at the time.
I've been in a stressful situation for over 6 weeks now and my baseline (my rough average) has gone from 6 to 8 most days. Some days its been higher with higher peaks, other days lower . However I do try to be mostly low carb or to fast if its only carbs available.
So yes you would have gone up, but the late night toast and beans made it go higher as well.
Try to stay low carb, and remember you can't control external stress but you can do what you can to minimise your reaction to it.

 

[Chav1965]

I am now going through more stress than I could have ever imagined with my wife being told 18 months ago that she only had 6 months to live with multiple cancers , she has had chemo and now immunotherapy and is fine but more often than not my blood sugars are in double figures without a carb entering my mouth and doubling my insulin , it seems it is not all down to what we eat .

I’m so sorry to hear what your wife and you have had to endure. It sounds like you’ve been to hell and back. I really hope she’s on the right road now. It’s quite an eye-opener to think so many things have such an impact on blood sugar readings - they don’t tell you the half of it at diagnosis, I’m learning stuff all the time. Thank goodness for this forum, so pleased I joined.

 

[Chav1965]

Yes, but I prefer to think of it as the body naturally producing what it needs to cope at the time.
I've been in a stressful situation for over 6 weeks now and my baseline (my rough average) has gone from 6 to 8 most days. Some days its been higher with higher peaks, other days lower . However I do try to be mostly low carb or to fast if its only carbs available.
So yes you would have gone up, but the late night toast and beans made it go higher as well.
Try to stay low carb, and remember you can't control external stress but you can do what you can to minimise your reaction to it.

Thanks for your advice. Im normally ok with the beans and wholemeal toast but wouldn’t normally eat so late so I guess it would have an impact. Perhaps should have not bothered but it was an easy go to and I needed food to take my meds with. I’m relieved to say the readings have recovered - down to 7 last night, up a bit this morning at 8. I’ll know not to go into meltdown in the future in such circumstances, although so hope they will be few and far between! Thanks again

 

[aylalake]

Thanks for your advice. Im normally ok with the beans and wholemeal toast but wouldn’t normally eat so late so I guess it would have an impact. Perhaps should have not bothered but it was an easy go to and I needed food to take my meds with. I’m relieved to say the readings have recovered - down to 7 last night, up a bit this morning at 8. I’ll know not to go into meltdown in the future in such circumstances, although so hope they will be few and far between! Thanks again

I am delighted you and your family are doing better.
I am also pleased we could all help reassure you - one less thing you have to worry about.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thanks for your advice. Im normally ok with the beans and wholemeal toast but wouldn’t normally eat so late so I guess it would have an impact. Perhaps should have not bothered but it was an easy go to and I needed food to take my meds with. I’m relieved to say the readings have recovered - down to 7 last night, up a bit this morning at 8. I’ll know not to go into meltdown in the future in such circumstances, although so hope they will be few and far between! Thanks again

Meltdowns happen, when life piles up the stress factors. So, now you know... Not eating causes a liver dump, stress causes a liver dump, the food upped the glucose but hey, you had to eat and if it was what you were craving at the time, I do think you get a pass for going for the easy stuff... Honestly, I ate horribly around the time my mom was ill (she did pass eventually, but it was.... Hard to see her struggle and in pain so), and that was well over a month's worth of stress and bad/comfort eating. Plus, there was a raging infection in my jaw at the time as well, so that, too upped blood glucose. And pain from kidney stones passing. Sleepless nights will up bloods too. And, and, and... I got back on the wagon, and my HbA1c was fine two months or so later. No ill after effects of that period, far as diabetes went, anyway. Life happens, and just a few days of it doing that, or even a few weeks, isn't going to completely throw you out of whack and do irreparable damage. I hope everyone's doing okay. And no worries about high-ish blood sugars when you know it's temporary circumstances only that caused them, rather than something that's going to go on perpetually. (And then there's always fixes to find!)

Douglas Adams was right: Don't Panic!
Hugs,
Jo

 

[Chav1965]

Meltdowns happen, when life piles up the stress factors. So, now you know... Not eating causes a liver dump, stress causes a liver dump, the food upped the glucose but hey, you had to eat and if it was what you were craving at the time, I do think you get a pass for going for the easy stuff... Honestly, I ate horribly around the time my mom was ill (she did pass eventually, but it was.... Hard to see her struggle and in pain so), and that was well over a month's worth of stress and bad/comfort eating. Plus, there was a raging infection in my jaw at the time as well, so that, too upped blood glucose. And pain from kidney stones passing. Sleepless nights will up bloods too. And, and, and... I got back on the wagon, and my HbA1c was fine two months or so later. No ill after effects of that period, far as diabetes went, anyway. Life happens, and just a few days of it doing that, or even a few weeks, isn't going to completely throw you out of whack and do irreparable damage. I hope everyone's doing okay. And no worries about high-ish blood sugars when you know it's temporary circumstances only that caused them, rather than something that's going to go on perpetually. (And then there's always fixes to find!)

Douglas Adams was right: Don't Panic!
Hugs,
Jo

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, I’m so grateful. Everything you say makes complete and absolute sense. xx