Stress and sugar levels

[olly]

As a relatively newbie at being diabetic does anyone know how stress can change your expected blood sugar levels?
This morning when I woke up my level was 5.6 (normal for me) , I was not allowed breakfast as I had a abdomen scan in the morning then had to rush to an ECG appointment ( not the best timing!!).
I finally got home around lunchtime and having not eaten a thing tested myself.
To my amazement it was 10.3 the highest I have had over the past 3 weeks and I have been testing myself 5 or 6 times a day!
I can only think this could be the fact that I was a little anxious about the scan, ecg and getting there on time.?
This gets me thinking that maybe when I get back to my job after being off work for the past 5 weeks I could experience something similar as it can be quite demanding

Has anyone else experienced something similar?

 

[Northerner]

Stress can cause levels to rise as it causes cortisone and adrenalin levels to rise which then stimulate the liver to release extra glucose into the blood to give you an extra 'boost' of energy - it's the 'fight or flight' response. Part of the rise may also be due to the fact you hadn't eaten, as again the liver (thinking it is being helpful and you are starving and low on energy!) keeps trickling glucose out. So, a bit of a double whammy! 😱

Sometimes, for some people, the opposite happens, and stress causes their levels to fall, so the diabetes fairy can play tricks on us! 🙄

 

[Michael7]

Although I was aware that stress can cause BS to rise, I wasn't aware to the extent you explain.
Could it be possible that is a reason why the Doc's prefer not to advise testing and work on a trend?
I am continuing testing as I wish to look at the 'trend' put how the peaks and troughs come about is something that is disconcerting - yet something else I shall to look into

Good Question though Olly, sometimes the obvious ones have more detail that we should be aware of.

Michael

 

[Northerner]

Although I was aware that stress can cause BS to rise, I wasn't aware to the extent you explain.
Could it be possible that is a reason why the Doc's prefer not to advise testing and work on a trend?
I am continuing testing as I wish to look at the 'trend' put how the peaks and troughs come about is something that is disconcerting - yet something else I shall to look into

Good Question though Olly, sometimes the obvious ones have more detail that we should be aware of.

Michael

The doctor's reluctance to prescribe testing is based on two things:

1) Cost of test strips - this is a short-term saving that can have considerably higher long-term costs if a person suffers complications as a result of not being able to modify their diet according to how it is affecting their levels.

2) There was a small study a long time ago that suggested that testing and seeing high levels caused distress in people which could lead to depression. However, the people in the study were not allowed to act on the numbers by making the necessary modifcations! Also, it should be realised that, whilst some people may prefer not to test, many people get more upset and stressed by not knowing what their levels are doing and as a result feeling they have no control.

 

[KookyCat]

Hey Olly
Stress makes my blood sugar spike, I generally mull about in the 5s until I get anxious and then bang there I am in the 10.5 range. I tend to fall quite quickly afterwards and then go hypo, but I'm guessing that won't happen if you don't inject insulin. When I was going for interviews last year I had an issue that I was anxious before hand so I'd go high and then end up hypo half way through the interview because I tend to calm down once I'm in there. Oh the joys 🙄 hope it's come back down for you now.