Hypo anxiety!

[Catsymoo]

Hello again all. I've been posting about hypos a lot recently as I'm having more than usual. (I'm really sorry if I'm being a burden but hearing from other diabetics is comforting) Possibly because of a suspected stomach ulcer in December I may have lost a bit of weight thus needing less insulin and if I'm honest I am boring with food so I don't do much carb counting as I need similar doses for the same foods. I've gone from needing 18- 22 units of Novorapid with most meals to about 15 or less. I've had some really, really nasty hypos the last 6 weeks, falling into the 2s which is very rare for me. And when I had my ulcer I physically couldn't eat for about 10 days and even had level 2.6 starvation ketones, hypos when I couldn't eat or drink were so frightening and I called 111 so many times when I didn't know what to do. I had so many panic attacks.

I think I've developed anxiety and fear of hypos. It's always at the back of my mind and I even feel sick and get upset stomach sometimes right after i take my insulin as I get worried it's too much. I've started bolusing after food because there has been too many times I've gotten full and then start panicking because my dose was for the whole plate!

I get very anxious on my work days as I work in different places every shift and sometimes it's a 3 hour drive or more which makes me panic about having a hypo in a van of 9 people. I purposely run my sugars high (11-14) before the start of a shift as i know that it will drop very low if I don't drink my sugary drink I keep with me slowly over the 4-6 hours of physical activity. and we are very limited to what we can carry on us while we do the inventory, sometimes it's a long walk to the back room to my bag, and also audits are done outside of trading hours so I'm constantly stressed that I don't have enough carbs on me and everything is shut and I get so much anxiety. I feel like I'm completely losing control of my diabetes but I'm also aware a lot of this is psychological and the overeating is causing highs of 13-17 a few times a week.

I see other people much worse off than me having ketoacidosis and seizures from hypos and it puts my control in perspective that I'm not horrendous at this, but i am still struggling at the moment. You'd think on year 6 of type 1 it would get easier... but even today I took my Novorapid and started feeling very sick because my blood sugars went from 11 to 6 in 45 minutes even though I stuffed my face and I started panic drinking apple juice and going to the toilet with a tummy ache/full and shakiness even though I never dropped below 6 it felt like the hypo monster was trying to throw a party!

Anyone else have hypo anxiety? I would love to hear your experiences and coping mechanisms.

 

[Madmaureen]

Hi
Yes I have that feeling too as I have been following the dafne regime which is a brilliant concept but I am finding it hard as you are being afraid of many hypos I have had.
I live alone.happily and it is very.frightening for anyone of us!
Even worse when you face it alone.
I have had type 1 for 48 yrs and it is still a learning and.balancing process for me but I have a wonderful friend who is also type 1 and with her help I am winning the battle!!!
The forum is great and you dont feel so alone here so read through the many letters and you will not feel alone.
Good wishes and good luck

 

[Australia 1]

Hello again all. I've been posting about hypos a lot recently as I'm having more than usual. (I'm really sorry if I'm being a burden but hearing from other diabetics is comforting) Possibly because of a suspected stomach ulcer in December I may have lost a bit of weight thus needing less insulin and if I'm honest I am boring with food so I don't do much carb counting as I need similar doses for the same foods. I've gone from needing 18- 22 units of Novorapid with most meals to about 15 or less. I've had some really, really nasty hypos the last 6 weeks, falling into the 2s which is very rare for me. And when I had my ulcer I physically couldn't eat for about 10 days and even had level 2.6 starvation ketones, hypos when I couldn't eat or drink were so frightening and I called 111 so many times when I didn't know what to do. I had so many panic attacks.

I think I've developed anxiety and fear of hypos. It's always at the back of my mind and I even feel sick and get upset stomach sometimes right after i take my insulin as I get worried it's too much. I've started bolusing after food because there has been too many times I've gotten full and then start panicking because my dose was for the whole plate!

I get very anxious on my work days as I work in different places every shift and sometimes it's a 3 hour drive or more which makes me panic about having a hypo in a van of 9 people. I purposely run my sugars high (11-14) before the start of a shift as i know that it will drop very low if I don't drink my sugary drink I keep with me slowly over the 4-6 hours of physical activity. and we are very limited to what we can carry on us while we do the inventory, sometimes it's a long walk to the back room to my bag, and also audits are done outside of trading hours so I'm constantly stressed that I don't have enough carbs on me and everything is shut and I get so much anxiety. I feel like I'm completely losing control of my diabetes but I'm also aware a lot of this is psychological and the overeating is causing highs of 13-17 a few times a week.

I see other people much worse off than me having ketoacidosis and seizures from hypos and it puts my control in perspective that I'm not horrendous at this, but i am still struggling at the moment. You'd think on year 6 of type 1 it would get easier... but even today I took my Novorapid and started feeling very sick because my blood sugars went from 11 to 6 in 45 minutes even though I stuffed my face and I started panic drinking apple juice and going to the toilet with a tummy ache/full and shakiness even though I never dropped below 6 it felt like the hypo monster was trying to throw a party!

Anyone else have hypo anxiety? I would love to hear your experiences and coping mechanisms.

I think that was an Honest to God Well written article. I really understand this anxiety Feeling but as we get older I thought of late right after my Brothers Death about just what you are writing. Do not allow you sugar to control you. You control the sugar. I have been as low as 3.2 Mmol. I just got my Glucose Tablets and took 3000 grams at once. Sure I felt goofy. But I just sucked on those tablets and in 15 Minutes it was 5.2 and still climbing. For good reason or insurance I took Two more and in a full half an Hour I had gone from 3.2 to 7.3 Mmol. When you are younger and married with Children as we had 3 Children we greatly fear death. But I talked to my Endocrinologist about this and got a couple of guys and did some testing. I did this in a Doctor,s facilitation. Do not do stupid these without Medical direction but if your doc knows your nearby with Glucose and Friends at your side you will gain more and more confidence as you grow out of this type of terror thinking. Keep very accurate notes and test strip yourself every one half hour or the doctors shift. This is NOT Medical advice. Do this with Friends and in a Medical facility. Really Mate. Challenge yourself and keep me in touch as we are not quitters are we???
Sam

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @Catsymoo sorry to hear your feeling this way, this isn’t a great place to be in, but it can change.

Firstly ring your Dsn tomorrow and get an appointment, they can loan you a CGM, using one will help build your confidence.

You can also do some basal testing to check your background insulin dose is set at the right dose, have you ever tried this ?

Planning around every event is essential, so regular testing and making sure you have some quick acting glucose at hand at all times, can you buddy up with someone at work so if you need to test or treat a hypo you have a confidant close at hand to support you ?

 

[Catsymoo]

Hi @Catsymoo sorry to hear your feeling this way, this isn’t a great place to be in, but it can change.

Firstly ring your Dsn tomorrow and get an appointment, they can loan you a CGM, using one will help build your confidence.

You can also do some basal testing to check your background insulin dose is set at the right dose, have you ever tried this ?

Planning around every event is essential, so regular testing and making sure you have some quick acting glucose at hand at all times, can you buddy up with someone at work so if you need to test or treat a hypo you have a confidant close at hand to support you ?

I don't really have anyone at work, it's a very harsh kind of company that breaks a lot of laws on breaks etc. I always demand one if I'm getting low and most the supervisors understand but some of them get a bit short with me but they know there's nothing they can do to stop me. I'm finding myself feeling generally unwell on a lot of days like today. I made some toast and now I don't feel right. My job suits me well because I do have a lot of problems with health/anxiety and because it's zero hour you can cancel shifts without getting in trouble as long as you don't take the p*** obviously. I've cancelled shifts lately because my uncle has been missing for 2 weeks and I'm really stressed from having a lot of hypos.

I haven't seen my DSN in a couple years because I refuse to have a blood test as I get very sick afterwards and have a fear of nausea/sickness in public. My DSN used to also only be a 2 minute walk from me, but now I've moved and it's a bus journey and I get really worried about getting ill when going out now. It's not nice feeling like this when I'm only 28. It's definitely anxiety.

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @Catsymoo Sounds like there's an awful lot going on there and your juggling quite a few balls.. Based on what you've said about your relationship with your DSN then I'd suggest getting in to see your GP instead and having a good chat with them, as long as you can see a sympathetic GP then there should be a way out of this for you, maybe perhaps just getting some support with your anxiety alone will help give you the boost you need to find a way forward, do tell them everything you've mentioned here as they need to know the full extent of how this is affecting you, you shouldn't have to have a blood test by seeing your DSN if you don't want one though.

 

[Catsymoo]

Hi @Catsymoo Sounds like there's an awful lot going on there and your juggling quite a few balls.. Based on what you've said about your relationship with your DSN then I'd suggest getting in to see your GP instead and having a good chat with them, as long as you can see a sympathetic GP then there should be a way out of this for you, maybe perhaps just getting some support with your anxiety alone will help give you the boost you need to find a way forward, do tell them everything you've mentioned here as they need to know the full extent of how this is affecting you, you shouldn't have to have a blood test by seeing your DSN if you don't want one though.

I definitely need to talk to somebody. I keep forgetting to test my sugar before I bolus, find out I've over-bolused and I've just done it again and I am freaking out eating tons of jelly babies and drinking juice to the point where I feel sick. I feel like such an idiot and keep getting myself wound up.