Annoying at stressful times

[chezpez]

My blood sugar shoots up with just a little stress. Doesn't have to be nothing much , just a bit of adrenaline and I need so much more fast acting insulin . For example yesterday I normally 1-8 carbs had to put in 1-5 as I couldn't do any exercise to help it. I seemly becoming worse with just a little adrenaline/stress situations, I'm 49yrs , I'm sure the prei menopause is not helping. It's only exercise that helps me, is there anyone the same as me - thanks

 

[Inka]

Yes, stress puts my blood sugar up. Annoyingly, it can also put it down 🙄 Because of this, I just treat as needed - correction if needed or extra carbs.

You mention the perimenopause. I’m going through that too and it can play havoc with your blood sugars. One day you seem to be insulin resistant and the next you become extremely sensitive to insulin. It’s the up and down hormones.

So, no real answer except trying not to get too stressed or anxious, reacting as needed, and possibly consider HRT if you haven’t already.

 

[SB2015]

Good morning @chezpez
The short answer is yes. Stress has a big impact on my levels, and as it is often not predictable it is a just ride the waves with corrections. Not much help I know but sometimes good to know that things we experience are just ‘normal’.

 

[chezpez]

Good morning @chezpez
The short answer is yes. Stress has a big impact on my levels, and as it is often not predictable it is a just ride the waves with corrections. Not much help I know but sometimes good to know that things we experience are just ‘normal’.

It is good to know, that it's not just me! Sometimes I feel weak and annoyed with myself for getting a stressed over small things. As it has such an impact on my sugars

Yes, stress puts my blood sugar up. Annoyingly, it can also put it down 🙄 Because of this, I just treat as needed - correction if needed or extra carbs.

You mention the perimenopause. I’m going through that too and it can play havoc with your blood sugars. One day you seem to be insulin resistant and the next you become extremely sensitive to insulin. It’s the up and down hormones.

So, no real answer except trying not to get too stressed or anxious, reacting as needed, and possibly consider HRT if you haven’t already.

That is definitely me at the moment with hormones, but I feel like I've been like it for years and years. Not on HRT.
The nurse said to me , once you have stopped your hormones won't be swinging as much and will be easier to control! Goodness knows if that's true!

 

[SB2015]

The nurse said to me , once you have stopped your hormones won't be swinging as much and will be easier to control! Goodness knows if that's true

I was diagnosed after the menopause, so perhaps had it easier. For youngsters they have big wobbles as their hormones change, so it does make sense that Menopause will cause issues.
You are doing corrections to deal with wobbles and it is not at all weak, we have a full time job on our hands so these wobbles just make us do some overtime, and it is understandable to find it irritating.
You are not alone.

 

[chezpez]

I was diagnosed after the menopause, so perhaps had it easier. For youngsters they have big wobbles as their hormones change, so it does make sense that Menopause will cause issues.
You are doing corrections to deal with wobbles and it is not at all weak, we have a full time job on our hands so these wobbles just make us do some overtime, and it is understandable to find it irritating.
You are not alone.

Thank you, it's nice to vent on here and that I'm not alone x

 

[rebrascora]

I struggle desperately with stress and anxiety, particularly at this time of year and I am trying to do all the right things like eating well and exercise and meditation but I am also needing to be very proactive and heavy handed with my Fiasp.
Interestingly, it is not just bad stress but good stress too. For instance, when I went to see Top Gun 2 with my friend a couple of years ago, my levels, which are almost never in double figures, hit 17 during the final mission scene and I had to inject 3 stacked corrections to get it down. I can't watch thrillers or horror films and even Midsommer Murders or a cliffhanger sports match sends my levels up and makes me feel ill. The news did it the other night watching the horror of Gaza! I gave up my TV years ago but was at my partners house when it was on and had to go out at 10.30pm and jog round the block to help the 2 stacked corrections bring it down! So yes, stress is a problem!

 

[Inka]

It is good to know, that it's not just me! Sometimes I feel weak and annoyed with myself for getting a stressed over small things. As it has such an impact on my sugars

That is definitely me at the moment with hormones, but I feel like I've been like it for years and years. Not on HRT.
The nurse said to me , once you have stopped your hormones won't be swinging as much and will be easier to control! Goodness knows if that's true!

I started HRT and it smoothed out my blood sugars quite a lot, stopping the mad erraticness. I also found it helped me mentally and emotionally. I’d become quite anxious - anxious about silly things really - and just didn’t feel like me. The HRT was miraculous in bringing Me back.

 

[chezpez]

I was diagnosed after the menopause, so perhaps had it easier. For youngsters they have big wobbles as their hormones change, so it does make sense that Menopause will cause issues.
You are doing corrections to deal with wobbles and it is not at all weak, we have a full time job on our hands so these wobbles just make us do some overtime, and it is understandable to find it irritating.
You are not alone.

I struggle desperately with stress and anxiety, particularly at this time of year and I am trying to do all the right things like eating well and exercise and meditation but I am also needing to be very proactive and heavy handed with my Fiasp.
Interestingly, it is not just bad stress but good stress too. For instance, when I went to see Top Gun 2 with my friend a couple of years ago, my levels, which are almost never in double figures, hit 17 during the final mission scene and I had to inject 3 stacked corrections to get it down. I can't watch thrillers or horror films and even Midsommer Murders or a cliffhanger sports match sends my levels up and makes me feel ill. The news did it the other night watching the horror of Gaza! I gave up my TV years ago but was at my partners house when it was on and had to go out at 10.30pm and jog round the block to help the 2 stacked corrections bring it down! So yes, stress is a problem!

Sounds similar to me! Even when I have excited stress like going out with friends can sometimes push them up too. It's so reassuring it's not just me, exercise at the moment is my go to, but sometimes it's not always possible to suddenly start doing exercise especially when out at a meal with friends etc lol!

 

[chezpez]

I started HRT and it smoothed out my blood sugars quite a lot, stopping the mad erraticness. I also found it helped me mentally and emotionally. I’d become quite anxious - anxious about silly things really - and just didn’t feel like me. The HRT was miraculous in bringing Me back.

That's good to hear, that HRT has helped. I will certainly consider it in the future - thanks

 

[nonethewiser]

I struggle desperately with stress and anxiety, particularly at this time of year and I am trying to do all the right things like eating well and exercise and meditation but I am also needing to be very proactive and heavy handed with my Fiasp.
Interestingly, it is not just bad stress but good stress too. For instance, when I went to see Top Gun 2 with my friend a couple of years ago, my levels, which are almost never in double figures, hit 17 during the final mission scene and I had to inject 3 stacked corrections to get it down. I can't watch thrillers or horror films and even Midsommer Murders or a cliffhanger sports match sends my levels up and makes me feel ill. The news did it the other night watching the horror of Gaza! I gave up my TV years ago but was at my partners house when it was on and had to go out at 10.30pm and jog round the block to help the 2 stacked corrections bring it down! So yes, stress is a problem!

Really sorry your having a bad time of things lately @rebrascora , hope your back to good health soon my friend.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Stress has a major effect on my blood sugar too, far more than anything I eat!

I have learned to increase my evening bolus to include a correction dose any time I've been to visit my Mum (stressful journey back round the M25 in the dark) or been to the dentist as otherwise my bgl will shoot up to mid teens for the evening - I used to correct afterwards but now I know I always need to correct, I do it in advance to prevent the spike.

If something unexpected happens, like a couple of years ago when my Mum was rushed to hospital (not serious, but we didn't know that, and we spent all day phoning A&E), my bgl will stay up in the teens and I'll have to put all my doses up and keep doing corrections, even though severe stress also means I can't eat much so I'll be eating a lot fewer carbs.

The things which help reduce my bgl, other than exercise, which isn't always feasible for me, are drinking plenty of water, lying down and resting, and being outside (not necessarily gardening or doing anything energetic, just being out in the garden).

 

[ColinUK]

Stress sends my BG sky high. And it can stay higher for far far longer from stress than it would from ice cream. Which is annoying as I can’t seem to manage the alchemy necessary to turn stress into a tub of Ben & Jerry’s finest.

 

[Sarahp]

My blood sugar shoots up with just a little stress. Doesn't have to be nothing much , just a bit of adrenaline and I need so much more fast acting insulin . For example yesterday I normally 1-8 carbs had to put in 1-5 as I couldn't do any exercise to help it. I seemly becoming worse with just a little adrenaline/stress situations, I'm 49yrs , I'm sure the prei menopause is not helping. It's only exercise that helps me, is there anyone the same as me - thanks

Perimenopause definitely has an impact on stress levels and diabetes, so much so Diabetes U.K. are looking for ladies to come to a workshop soon in London to discuss their experiences of these issues with menopause. Can post details if any one wants them?