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Stress Test

Captain Glucose

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi all,

Have any of you who are newly diagnosed had anxiety at the very moment you check your levels?

I'm wondering if a surge of adrenalin/cortisol just before the test can skew results significantly or whether stress has more of a cumulative effect?

I remember reading on another forum that someone noticed a huge (nearly 7 mmol) spike in their levels after thinking they forgot their credit card.
 
only the first ever test which took me 15 mins to pluck up the courage to prick my finger Whether that had an impact I doubt as the number was low oh and it took me 3 strips
 
Andrew Colvin said:
only the first ever test which took me 15 mins to pluck up the courage to prick my finger Whether that had an impact I doubt as the number was low oh and it took me 3 strips
Click to expand...
That sounds all too familiar; I've blazed through the strips this last week.

I think I'm suffering the effects of trying not to be anxious, with the obvious result of becoming more anxious
 
i find stress affects my readings
last wednesday i was told i had traits of bipolar, took a test and was 17.5
 


http://www.diabetes.co.uk/stress-and-blood-glucose-levels.html
 
Hi @ally1

Stress can contribute ... no question about that.

What was your reading prior to the 17.5
 
noblehead said:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/stress-and-blood-glucose-levels.html
Click to expand...
Thanks,

I had read that piece, but at the bottom it mentions that it is a more of a long term cumulative effect due a buildup of those chemicals in the system.

I'm interested to know if anyone has observed a marked/rapid increase in their blood sugars over a short space of time following an episode of anxiety or a stressful event? I.e tested at 2pm 6.0, tested at 2.15pm, 10.0 in the absence of food intake during that period?
 
I think I have read somewhere that raised adrenaline levels cause the liver to release glucose for your flight or fight response. So the answer may be yes
 

Did you re-test that 10? Our meters are not wholly accurate, they do throw out some rogue figures from time to time, you may have contaminated the strip, not had properly washed and dried hands and so on. With any unexpected reading like that I would re-test immediately, and probably 3 times in all.
 
Sorry Bluetit, that was just a random example, not a result I'd had.

The highest jump in result I've had after breakfast has been from 4.5 to 10 in 1 hour. this normally drops to around 6.5 to 7 in hour 2 and 4.5 in hour 3, although this morning I felt stressed and had a much higher than normal reading at hour 2 (8mmol), which threw me a bit and made me wonder if my anxiety state impacted levels in some way.
 
ally1 said:
i find stress affects my readings
last wednesday i was told i had traits of bipolar, took a test and was 17.5
Click to expand...

Oh ally, that must have been a shock!

Who was it told you that? And are you checking it out?

(And yes, stress can send bg up in both the long and short term)
 
Brunneria said:
Oh ally, that must have been a shock!

Who was it told you that? And are you checking it out?

(And yes, stress can send bg up in both the long and short term)
Click to expand...
the pdoc told me on wednesday, i tested as soon as i got home
over the last few days, readings have been highish as am worrying
 
ally1 said:
the pdoc told me on wednesday, i tested as soon as i got home
over the last few days, readings have been highish as am worrying
Click to expand...

Ally, I know from personal experience, my numbers go up a bit if I get a shock, or when I'm worried about something. I believe it's our body's way of trying to fuel whatever we need in those circumstances - whether it's fuelling our brains to do some thinking or fuelling our bodies if we need to be very physically active.

Reading the meter can be painful sometimes.

Look after yourself.
 
I live in denmark and study at syddansk university, and when i had to go to a final exam i tested my blood sugar levels and it was 15,6! I did not take any insulin, because I knew it was because of my anxiety/stress. When i came out and finally was done i measured it again and it was 5.9.
So yes, i have absolutely noticed it!
 
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