Help, no changes and higher BG

phiddy55 · Oct 17, 2018

Morning one and all....

I am a T2D who has learned the importance of LCHF dieting. Well it's not really dieting to me, it's a life style change for a healthier life. Before I started the LCHF I was on insulin 4x daily. My A1C were up in the teens.

I have since dropped approx 50 lbs, my BG (until 2 months ago) were in the 6-7 range. I no longer take insulin. A1C last time done was 7. I do see my GP and endocrinologist every 3 months routinely.

I haven't changed anything and it seems all of sudden, my BG is running 9-10.

The only thing in my life I can relate this to is the stress I am under. My husband has had a horrific back injury making him almost but, not quite paralyzed. He is on the waiting list for intensive back surgery. I have had to retire from work to take care of him, our home and the numerous pets we have. I have taken over all the tasks he once did in our home.

Can stress affect my BG that much? Is there anything I can do to help alleviate the stressors in my life to help me get my BGs back under control.

Thanks for reading this.

ally1 · Oct 17, 2018

I find stress causes my bg to go up

shelley262 · Oct 17, 2018

My experience of stress is that it can really put up my bgs so it’s probably contributing.
Would be good idea to look at stress management especially as this dosent seem like a short term issue.
I do mindfulness as it’s quick as long as you do it daily. I use an app called Headspace and just takes a few mins a day it’s a subscription app but you can trial it for free initially to see if it suits you.
Finding some simple stress busters too may help, a Bath, a short break or walk etc but when you are a carer it is hard to get out which is why mindfulness can work well.
I do feel for you be kind to yourself and work on your stress it will help. Take care

kitedoc · Oct 18, 2018

Hi @phiddy55, Sorry to hear about you and your husband's woes.
Based on my own experience as a type 1 diabetic and not as professional advice or opinion.
Yes , stress puts BSLs up.
When stresses of any sort arise, the body's stress hormone, cortisol is released from the adrenal glands ( which sit like one monkey each on the top of the kidneys). Cortisol prepares the body for the 'long haul', compared to adrenaline which is the hormone our body uses for immediate threats.
Cortisol opposes the effect of insulin, releasing some of the body's stores of energy to deal with stress, whereas insulin is there to help the body store the energy from food. Insulin becomes less effective and in diabetics the blood sugar rises unless extra insulin is available to keep the BSLs down.
Knowing the cause of raised BSLs is one thing. How to deal with it is another. Having no control over one's situation such as the timing of your husband's surgery and the rehabilitation time afterwards does not help.
Finding ways to ease the impact of this uncertainty (and where is that magic wand to make everything better?) is important for you, your health and your husband's wellbeing as well.
Counselling, exercise, relaxation techniques, distraction are some strategies.
Can your doctor/health team arrange some counselling for you? Are you able to do some walking or other exercise you enjoy? Can family help give you some time off? Can doing some pasttime, hobby help? Soduko, crosswords ( to do and say!!!) and any such activities to share with your husband (but snakes and ladders might not be appropriate, unless you both have a quirky sense of humour)!!
Humour and self-humour are important: You and your husband might not be in line for climbing Mt Everest, skiing in St.Moritz but you could dream of something like sledding on a smooth frozen lake with ultra-fancy suspension?
Could you and your husband do macrame or something similar ?- anything to give meaning to your present lives. Any comedies to watch? Reading to him, or borrowing some audio books from the library for him to listen to? Visits (short ones) from relatives. Hobbies like building a ship in a bottle, painting (but perhaps not garden gnomes), making things for relatives ( my bias: my-best-kite.com), ? making things with paddle pop sticks, match sticks.
I hope you both can find ways to weather the time and ease the stress. Pets of course are wonderful companions in time of stress.
Best Wishes.

phiddy55 · Oct 18, 2018

kitedoc said:
Hi @phiddy55, Sorry to hear about you and your husband's woes.
Based on my own experience as a type 1 diabetic and not as professional advice or opinion.
Yes , stress puts BSLs up.
When stresses of any sort arise, the body's stress hormone, cortisol is released from the adrenal glands ( which sit like one monkey each on the top of the kidneys). Cortisol prepares the body for the 'long haul', compared to adrenaline which is the hormone our body uses for immediate threats.
Cortisol opposes the effect of insulin, releasing some of the body's stores of energy to deal with stress, whereas insulin is there to help the body store the energy from food. Insulin becomes less effective and in diabetics the blood sugar rises unless extra insulin is available to keep the BSLs down.
Knowing the cause of raised BSLs is one thing. How to deal with it is another. Having no control over one's situation such as the timing of your husband's surgery and the rehabilitation time afterwards does not help.
Finding ways to ease the impact of this uncertainty (and where is that magic wand to make everything better?) is important for you, your health and your husband's wellbeing as well.
Counselling, exercise, relaxation techniques, distraction are some strategies.
Can your doctor/health team arrange some counselling for you? Are you able to do some walking or other exercise you enjoy? Can family help give you some time off? Can doing some pasttime, hobby help? Soduko, crosswords ( to do and say!!!) and any such activities to share with your husband (but snakes and ladders might not be appropriate, unless you both have a quirky sense of humour)!!
Humour and self-humour are important: You and your husband might not be in line for climbing Mt Everest, skiing in St.Moritz but you could dream of something like sledding on a smooth frozen lake with ultra-fancy suspension?
Could you and your husband do macrame or something similar ?- anything to give meaning to your present lives. Any comedies to watch? Reading to him, or borrowing some audio books from the library for him to listen to? Visits (short ones) from relatives. Hobbies like building a ship in a bottle, painting (but perhaps not garden gnomes), making things for relatives ( my bias: my-best-kite.com), ? making things with paddle pop sticks, match sticks.
I hope you both can find ways to weather the time and ease the stress. Pets of course are wonderful companions in time of stress.
Best Wishes.

Thank you very much for your thoughtful post. I will take it and use what will fit for us. Because in the larger scheme of things, my being well is utmost in our circumstances. If I am not healthy, it makes it extremely hard to take care of anyone else.

Flora123 · Oct 18, 2018

phiddy55 said:
Morning one and all....

I am a T2D who has learned the importance of LCHF dieting. Well it's not really dieting to me, it's a life style change for a healthier life. Before I started the LCHF I was on insulin 4x daily. My A1C were up in the teens.

I have since dropped approx 50 lbs, my BG (until 2 months ago) were in the 6-7 range. I no longer take insulin. A1C last time done was 7. I do see my GP and endocrinologist every 3 months routinely.

I haven't changed anything and it seems all of sudden, my BG is running 9-10.

The only thing in my life I can relate this to is the stress I am under. My husband has had a horrific back injury making him almost but, not quite paralyzed. He is on the waiting list for intensive back surgery. I have had to retire from work to take care of him, our home and the numerous pets we have. I have taken over all the tasks he once did in our home.

Can stress affect my BG that much? Is there anything I can do to help alleviate the stressors in my life to help me get my BGs back under control.

Thanks for reading this.

Hi Phiddy. I don’t know how old you are but your cycle can affect BS I agree with stress. Every time I see my outlaws mine soars!!

phiddy55 · Oct 18, 2018

Flora123 said:
Hi Phiddy. I don’t know how old you are but your cycle can affect BS I agree with stress. Every time I see my outlaws mine soars!!

Flora 123,
I am well passed the not so delightful time of having a cycle. I never knew BS and cycles were that closely bound. But, it does make sense. Thanks for enlightening me.

Help, no changes and higher BG

phiddy55

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ally1

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kitedoc

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Flora123

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phiddy55

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Help, no changes and higher BG

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shelley262

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kitedoc

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