Agoraphobia

Steve14

Well-Known Member
Messages
95
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

I'm the person who complained of morning nausea a couple months back (better, but not gone). After a never ending search for answers, I found this abstract that describes me down to a T.

"This case report describes a man with Type 1 diabetes who developed agoraphobia with panic disorder, associated with fear of hypoglycaemia and deterioration in glycaemic control. The management of patients with diabetes and phobic disorders, with particular reference to those associated with fear of hypoglycaemia, is discussed."

Is there somebody here who has access to the full journal? It is vital for me to know the outcome as even just the thought of leaving home is giving me indigestion and nausea, and any help is appreciated.

Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10934458
 

Diakat

Expert
Retired Moderator
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Dislikes
The smell of cigars
You can buy 48 hour access for under a tenner.
 

LooperCat

Expert
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Type of diabetes
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Here you go, I have full access to most journals and this one can be made shareable. If you PM me your email, I can send a PDF if the link fails x

https://rdcu.be/b2wj1
 

SaskiaKC

Expert
Messages
6,308
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
That sounds like a very interesting case report. I was diagnosed T2 only a year or so ago, but I have had agoraphobia for as long as I can remember. I have never heard of it and diabetes being related, and I would like to know more about.
 

Steve14

Well-Known Member
Messages
95
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Here you go, I have full access to most journals and this one can be made shareable. If you PM me your email, I can send a PDF if the link fails x

https://rdcu.be/b2wj1

Wow! Thank you so much.:)

I just skimmed through the text, but **** this patient sounds like my long-lost, imaginary twin brother haha. Even the driving hypo (as the instigator of this madness) and pulling over the road is spot on. There is hope.:nailbiting:

post edited by moderator to comply with the forum rules on language use
 
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Steve14

Well-Known Member
Messages
95
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
That sounds like a very interesting case report. I was diagnosed T2 only a year or so ago, but I have had agoraphobia for as long as I can remember. I have never heard of it and diabetes being related, and I would like to know more about.

I assume that an individual with diabetes experiences a negative event e.g. hypoglycemia, and it's coupled with danger such as 'driving on a country road, many miles away from home and experiencing diabetes related sickness, but you are operating a vehicle at the same time, being trapped with no instant way out without risk of a serious accident'. That is probably what triggered the agoraphobia in the patient, and it's exactly what happened to me. Unfortunately my diabetic doc brushed it off and the fear progressed into phobia and being afraid to leave home (even for a 5 minute walk).
 
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SaskiaKC

Expert
Messages
6,308
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
'driving on a country road, many miles away from home

This was one of my nightmares when I had a car. I used to love driving on country roads with a friend in the car, felt safer there than on some city streets, but when I tried to do it alone it was a nightmare. I don't have a car now so it's a non-issue, but I still don't like going out alone. It's not fear, it's agoraphobia.
Taking Prozac helps, but that drug, which allows me to go out and go places, has robbed me of other things. Or hopefully just "borrowed" them long-term.
Years before I was diagnosed T2, I learned that eating a protein-filled breakfast, without caffeine, made it slightly less difficult to drive out to the horse barn and ride than if I'd had just cereal or toast. But I still preferred the smaller indoor arena to the wide open outdoor one. And hacking the fields was sheer terror.
 

Steve14

Well-Known Member
Messages
95
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
This was one of my nightmares when I had a car...

I know the feeling all too well. It's relieving to hear that an antidepressant can help as I've been contemplating giving it a go for a while. I've been on it in the past and very familiar with the sense of being "robbed", AKA depersonalization, derealization and whatnot, in exchange for being anxiety-free. Don't give up hope just yet.
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,214
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Hi,

It's fascinating but.. Due to too many commas.

"Difficulty in distinguishing symptoms of anxiety from those of hypoglycaemia, and the real dangers associated with hypoglycaemia, complicate the delivery of psychological interventions that are used routinely in the treatment of phobias."

They could be confusing hypos with a panic atack??? Which maybe hard to distinguish.. (Pending on personality.)

Now I front a rock band & heve gone low.. I just take it in my stride, whilst necking sugared liquids..
To the casual onlooker in the crowd? I just look "shot away" & rock & roll??

I feel you may need to tackle your anxieties whilst checking BGs @Steve14 so any therapy can differentiate twix metabolism & mind?