i’m not talking about stress. i’m saying depression and anxiety. i have about 3 mental health disorders so i was wondering if that impacts my blood sugar?
can anxiety impact blood sugar
- Thread starter ariaxo
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Lamont D
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It certainly doesn't help, I have noticed when I'm having a bad day, I can't get myself to do more, so I don't exercise or walk or do the chores, so I sit around and just let the time go.
My energy levels are zero, and I eat more, having to try and limit myself with as low carb as possible.
So, I have to believe that since lockdown, my hba1c levels and my fasting levels are higher due to my depression and anxiety.
I am slightly better due to the serataline that I'm taking.
Counselling and discussing the future with my family is also helping but I'm still struggling to get my head around my circumstances.
I'm still in shock and and most of the time I can't face the outside world!
Keep safe
sleepster
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I don't have GAD, so I don't have anxiety all the time but when I am anxious it definitely affects my BG levels. I use a temporary basal on my pump so I have 125% of my normal basal and typically I still run high
i think that’s the reason why i have unexplained high blood sugars sometimes. my hba1c will never go under 55 because of it
JoKalsbeek
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...Yeah. Generalised and social anxiety, depression and a personality disorder. Oh, and ptsd. I'm extemely low carb now and in a better place where my brain's concerned. It's a vicious circle, because high blood sugars make mental health issues worse. They feed into one another.
So, hugs.
Jo
Edited to add; I'm a T2, not a T1, but still. Anxiety. Not nice for blood sugars.
Buzzer81
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Sorry to hear that, lockdown has been such a struggle. Keep smiling and know it will surely get better soon
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Hello @ariaxo
Yes stress/anxiety/depression do cause insulin resistance based on the body’s natural ‘fight/flight’ hormone response, in type 1’s we have to combat this with bolus corrections to bring levels down.
Getting the right treatment for your anxiety will help improve this, however also bear in mind running high levels also causes anxiety too as the body is dealing with the additional pressure of coping with too much glucose.
Personally I use exercise and meditation as my coping strategies for managing stress which helps keep things on an even-ish keel, but it’s vital to find a way to cope if you can.
Yes stress/anxiety/depression do cause insulin resistance based on the body’s natural ‘fight/flight’ hormone response, in type 1’s we have to combat this with bolus corrections to bring levels down.
Getting the right treatment for your anxiety will help improve this, however also bear in mind running high levels also causes anxiety too as the body is dealing with the additional pressure of coping with too much glucose.
Personally I use exercise and meditation as my coping strategies for managing stress which helps keep things on an even-ish keel, but it’s vital to find a way to cope if you can.
i’ve tried therapy and anti depressants that also work for anxiety and beta blockers but it doesn’t calm me down. i’m now doing self care and it’s helping a bit but it’s going to take a long time before it reduces significantly and my eyesight is getting baddd because of diabetes! my blood vessel already popped and my right eye is always so irritated i’m always rubbing it and it’s always blurry.
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Sorry to hear this, that must be a scary for you.
Have you tried meditation ? The CALM app is a good starting point, I am not a fan of meds so using good breathing techniques and finding a way to bring calm through breath and meditation is a really good way to help find some inner peace.
anxiety controls my whole life even my diabetes. and it can get really bad where i have to even go emergency because my chest is burning and i am in so much pain. but they don’t do anything unless it’s a physical problem. i’ve learnt that the nhs don’t give a single fudge about those with mental health issues. and i can’t even afford a private doctor. i hate it, all my illnesses are competing to see who’ll kill me first
JoKalsbeek
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Honey... I was listing my own mental health issues, not giving examples. I have all of those too. Believe me, I know what it's like to be a prisoner of your own mind. Like I said, I'm a T2 so the rules are a bit different for me, but... I have to battle all this without antidepressants and the like, because the side effects were too horrible for me. (Constant migraines, for instance. The only one that did work without migraines, almost made me blind. So I am hanging on on my own.). My HbA1c was 36 at the last test, and will be lower the next time I'm checked. Being a T1 you could try a change in diet to get your blood sugars where you want them. It might give your blood sugars a bit of the nudge they need, to counteract the stress-induced higher levels.i have all of themwell i guess i can say goodbye to having a perfect hba1c
I spent most of my life locked up inside and keeping the world out, unable to work, unable to keep social relationships going and whatnot. Now I can walk to the doc's, the physical therapist or the hospital on my own. I can actually leave the house. Still have a mild panic attack when I do it, but I make it out and home again without a melt-down or choking on my fear. And I do believe that's because I gained blood sugar control.
There's T1's on here who follow a low carb diet in combination with their insulin regime. It helps them even out their blood sugars and prevent big spikes. Get the blood sugars under control and you'll feel a whole lot better. And your HbA1c isn't too horrible, it just needs a little nudge.
Depression, to me, is the absolute absence of hope. Yet, here, there still is some. I'm sorry I didn't make that clear sooner. Give less carbs a go, see how you feel and what your numbers respond with. And be careful not to hypo.
There is hope.
Hugs,
Jo
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It does take some practice, you can’t just suddenly switch into it, but if you set aside 5 minutes each day and usually in the morning, find a quiet space and just at least try for a week you will find it gets easier, our heads are noisy places so meditation does require some discipline.
I’m so sorry to hear that and I’m very happy for you that your mental health has gone much better.
My diet is actually good now, low carb and I do get hypos and hypers. And now I’m starting to think it’s due to the flight and fight response and that’s something I cant control right now. It’s going to take a year at least for me to get my mh issues sorted. And my diabetes could kill me by then. What could I do about my blurry and irritated eyes?
JoKalsbeek
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If the low carbing is recent, it could affect your vision for about a week or two. Less glucose blurring your vision, your brain has to get used to not adjusting for that anymore. If it's a matter of dry eyes, artificial tears should help. For matters of retinopathy, you really do need an eye doctor.
Please be careful with the hypo's and carb counting. And yeah, give yourself some time. Hang in there and keep fighting. Even if it feels like you're fighting against the odds. Actually, especially then.
Hugs,
Jo
If you have diabetes, a great way to help keep anxiety away is to keep your blood sugar in a safe range. That’s not as easy as it sounds. But these tips can make it a bit easier:
Be careful with insulin. Too much of it is the most common reason for low blood sugar. If you're taking insulin to treat your diabetes, be sure to use the right type and dose every time.
Be careful with insulin. Too much of it is the most common reason for low blood sugar. If you're taking insulin to treat your diabetes, be sure to use the right type and dose every time.
