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Site Newbie, but 8 years T2

A

anxietysucks

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Hi all,

I'm Jackie, 37 originally from London but now in Essex.

Have had T2 diabetes since being 16th of November 2001. At the same time diagnosed with PCOS. Was on 1500mg of Metformin and 8mg of Avandia now on 2000mg of Metformin and 8mg Avandia.

Since moving here in 2007 (although have suffered with it previously) have had 4 serious bouts of depression and anxiety. On Seroxat for it for years. I have noticed however that when I go off the rails sometimes - literally just before the time of the month, cramming chocolate in my mouth (I know it's bad but it's one of those things that I couldn't help) a few weeks later I'll wake up with crippling depression and anxiety. On testing my blood then it's in double figures. Takes me a good month to get them down again and then I kind of don't feel as scared anymore and I'm able to throw myself back into work again and forget the depression/anxiety.

Is there a link between high blood sugar and depression/anxiety? Only I got diagnosed with A&D just after my dad died, which was 4 years before I got diagnosed with diabetes - wonder if I was diabetic back then and it just got mixed up as the grief I had over losing my dad?

Jackie x
 
Hi Jackie,
As you'll probably gather by my username, I was partial to a bit of choccie myself pre-diabetes.
I still do have a little chocolate now and then but go for the very dark chocolate with higher cocoa percentages. This has very few carbs. so it's not too naughty.
I have heard that diabetics may be more prone to suffer from depression. I had bouts of severe depression from my early teens but oddly, touch wood, I don't get it as often or anywhere near as bad now.
Like you,I went through a particularly bad bout when I lost my own dad. Who knows, you may have had diabetes for a few years before actual diagnosis but the important thing is to try and gain control of it now. There are so many helpful members on this forum and eveyone is so supportive. With members help, I'm sure we can help you knock those chocolate binges out of your life.
Give the dark chocolate a go and try and wean yourself off the more sugary milk varieties altogether if you can. Your B.G. will improve enormously. Promise.
It's not for me to comment on medication prescribed by your doctor but Seroxat CAN have some very nasty side effects.You may be one of the lucky ones that can take the drug without problem BUT my mother was put on this and it made her very ill and very DEPRESSED. Google the side effects for yourself but don't stop taking it 'just like that'. I think if you come off Seroxat, it needs to be done under guidance from your own doctor.
I hope you can get some help to get your depression sorted properly as I know how hellish it can make you feel.
All the best,chocoholic.
 
Hi Jackie
Time of the month cravings for sweet stuff MAY be due to a lack of vitamin B( I was told by a health visitor)
 
Well I take vitamin b5, b6 and b12 daily so might not be that. I think it's just because I crave it so much, and when I'm feeling good and not depressed or anxious I think I can fight it easily (which I can't but I kid myself that I can), then when it hits, I'm all over the place.

Doesn't help with my mum after having the accident, her memory is terrible so telling her simple things 100 times in the space of 5 mins day in day out gets to me, especially when she doesn't see she has a problem. But I guess that's life.

I'm glad I found this site, not been part of a network of diabetic friends for a while since asduk so it's good to find some common ground again :)

Jackie x
 
As you may remember I had a mediocre response to Seroxat, and after a while it crapped out. Might be worth considering some other form of medication, SSRIs have a tendency to do this over time in many patients.

I do best on tricyclics but they have funky side effects. I do nearly as well on venlafaxine with hardly any problems, but this is a nightmare for some unsuitable patients, often this sort of knowledge is outside of the field of reference of GPs, can you get referred to a psychiatrist?

A LOT of my symptoms improved radically with BG control, IME not just the highs but the reactive lows with fast BG drops were to blame. With PCOS also thrown into the mix your endocrine and hormone systems may be all over the place so it will be a process of controlling what you can where you can.

Just to add, SSRIs especially Seroxat (Paxil in the States) may have serious withdrawal effects but if you change to a different drug this may not occur. I reduced the dose then went straight to Effexor. Some people transfer onto Prozac (long half life) which is easier to come off, but some drug combinations need a total clear-out of the one before starting another.
 
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