Hypoglycemia

[Scaredtoolong]

Hi all,

I thought I would share some information I found on a website today. It explains that hypoglycemia can cause all the anxiety symptoms that we seem to suffer. Here is some of the info....




If the blood sugar level for some reason is depressed below normal, or if blood sugar levels drop too rapidly, the brain is unable to function appropriately. This can lead to a wide variety of physical and seemingly psychological symptoms associated with abnormal nervous system function. In response to low blood sugar the adrenal glands release adrenal hormones into the blood stream. This can produce anxiety, trembling, panic attacks and other seemingly "psychological" symptoms.


Literally speaking hypoglycemia, also called reactive hypoglycemia, means low blood sugar. The body tries at all times to maintain a nearly constant blood sugar level. This is especially important for the brain and the nervous system. The only fuel the brain can use is glucose. If the blood sugar level for some reason is depressed below normal, or if blood sugar levels drop too rapidly, the brain is unable to function appropriately. This can lead to a wide variety of symptoms associated with abnormal nervous system function. As we see later, in response to low blood sugar the adrenal glands release adrenaline into the blood stream. Adrenaline produces symptoms of anxiety, trembling and/or panic attacks.

Symptoms Associated with Hypoglycemia


Alcoholism (craving for alcohol, which is fermented sugar)
Allergies
Asthma
Binge eating
Blurred vision
Constant worrying, unprovoked anxieties
Convulsions
Crying spells
Depression
Digestive disturbances
Drowsiness Exhaustion
Faintness, dizziness, tremor, cold sweats, weak spells
Food cravings
Forgetfulness
Headaches
Impotence (males)
Incoordination
Indecisiveness
Insomnia (awakening and inability to return to sleep)
Internal trembling
Irritability
Itching and crawling sensations on skin
Lack of sex drive (females)
Lack of concentration
Leg cramps
Lump in throat
Mental confusion
Muscle pains
Nervous breakdown
Nervousness
Nightmares
Numbness
Palpitation of heart, rapid pulse
Panic Attacks
Phobias
Fears Rheumatoid arthritis
Staggering Suicidal intent
Twitching and jerking of muscles
Unsocial, asocial, antisocial behavior
Vertigo, dizziness

I wonder how many of us actually have a possible low blood sugar problem. Most doctors don't test or even look for this. Just a thought. Susan

[vengababe2003]

Hi Susan,
I find if I don't eat something every 2-3 hours I get horrible feelings, my hands shake, my legs tremble, and my heart seems to race. I did mention it to my doctor and he took blood tests for diabetis, thyroid and much more, everything came back fine. If I feel shaky, just a chocolate biscuit helps to stop it. Doctor said it was just nerves, and to eat at regular intervals. Now I'm putting on too much weight. I can't win at all.
Best wishes
Donna

[Meg]

HI Susan and Donna,

The secret is to eat complex carbs not simple sugars which only add to the problem. Choc biscuits instruct your pancreas to release lots of insulin NOW to deal with the influx of sugar. That only lasts a short while and then the issue starts again.

You'd be better off eating complex carbs or protein which is less demanding on insulin but produces a longer term effect of energy.

I posted quite a bit about this a month or so ago in answer to something of Bish. I'll try to find it again.

Hypoglycaemia is not recognised by most GP's as your sugar level doesn't drop below the 'recognised' low level - however there is substantial evidence to show it's a large cause of anxiety and panic.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Meg]

Here it is

Hi Bish,

Yes, chocolate is wonderful, I agree - but a large concentration of sugar will often put an anxious person into an attack.
Many anxious people have hypoglaecaemia which is chronic low blood sugar where you either produce too much insulin or it's very efficient - the opposite of diabetes if you like- and keeping your blood sugar steady is paramount in keeping the shaky, fearful, tachycardic feelings at bay.
Sugar just sends your blood sugar way high one minute so the body produces more insulin which brings it crashing down , more sugar sends it way up again and the whole thing is a viscious circle.
These people should be eating small and often and mainly complex carbs and protein like seeds ,pulses , nuts, grains, eggs, fish etc. This is especially important for those who have adrenal exhausion through huge stresses or constant panic. Most often these people feel worse in the mornings and usually go without enough breakfast..
Incidentally
Type 1 diabetics on insulin should not have pure sugar apart from in an emergency, all the fats, carbs and proteins they eat get digested down into sugars for energy. Most diabetics are on tablets - Type 2 - and also should not have pure sugar as the tablets are designed to deal with XX amount of energy over a few hours and eating pure sugar sends this all to pot - quite apart from all increasing risks of infections, retinopathy, neuropathy as well as the cardio vascular issues.



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[benoo5]

so, what are we saying meg,should blood sugar levels be taken more seriously,there are meters available to buy at most large chemists,so we are able to to check our own readings...me thinks the lady has made a valid point.....bryan

[Meg]

Hi Bryan,

I don't think we should all start checking our sugars. That only perpetuates our worrying and I think it's very little to do with the standard sugar below 2.5 mmols is a hypo etc but we should each go on how we feel.
I think we should eat more regularly, always have breakfast and be more careful about what we eat ie less simple sugars and more complex carbs and protein that will see us through the day with less wild swings in our blood sugar level.




Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Laurie28]

Hiya All,

Read all above with interest, I am getting my results back this afternoon (Being tested for thyroid (lost 1 stone in a month), glucose etc))

Lucky

[benoo5]

hya lucky,
good luck with your results today....bryan

[Laurie28]

Thanks Bryan,

Kind of hoping I have a medical problem (although I would want it to be easily fixed!!) I am still trying to find a reason for all this anxiety (and the weight loss)I just can't seem to accept it is just something that happened!!

Lucky

[Laurie28]

Blood tests came back clear. Glucose, thyroid, liver and kidneys but I will have to wait for my full blood **** (does anyone know what that is??

Felt disappointed there is nothing physical wrong (crazy I know!!!) as I don't want to be ill but i sometimes feel It would be easier than having a mental problem

Luv
Lucky

[Meg]

Hi Lucky,

Full blood count is looking at a blood sample: what your red, white and platlet cell count are and a few others. It's not anything diagnostic - just confirms whether your blood components are normal or not.

Lucky, you don't have a mental problem.....You have an emotional overload issue !
You can overcome this with some perserverence taking things bit by bit slowly and steadily.

Be glad you don't have a glucose, thyroid, liver or kidney issue - they're never simple.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[Laurie28]

Radar,

I know your right I don't want anything phsically wrong with me!!!
But didn't you ever feel like it would be nice (???) if you knew it was something physical that could be easily(!) fixed instead of having to fight your own mind all the time

Luv
lucky

[Meg]

Dear Lucky,

Oh yes - about several million times a day !!
I, as most people to start with, genuinely believed that it was 'just happening to me'.

Once I read a few books and had my light bulb moment of figuring out what was going on, I was outraged that I had put myself and my family through so much trauma over something that essentially I had caused myself.

Since than I have worked really hard to get better from within as well as supporting myself in every manner possible. I know it takes time, - and I don't mean a few weeks - patience and perserverence.

Some days are harder than others and if I have a difficult day I try to just accept it for what it is - a tough day.

For me the improvements came first with how quickly it took me to get over an episode and how dire it was - NOT how far apart they were. They still came as frequently for ages but I was able to diffuse them far quicker as time went by .

I wanted someone to come and wave a magic wand and take it all away - so far that hasn't happened so I'm pleased that I made all the effort and got there myself.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[bishop]

hi radar
boy you have been busy,have you had your blood level tested yourself,what you need is a fairy god mother,and as its nearly panto time,shes behind you,that made you look,your doing all the right things keep going be nice and people will be nice too you.
bish

[Lottie32]

Can anybody suggest a book which lists complex carbohydrates, and includes recipes / meal ideas.

I already know the basics - chocolate is instant short term fix, and things like brown rice are slow release.

However, at the weekend, I want to eat simple readily available things. And if your out shopping, it's much easier to find a McDonalds (for example), than a healthy cafe that serves brown rice!

I would be interested to know what "normal" foods I can pick up in a cafe, that will keep me going. Also like Donna I don't want to put on too much weight, so would also like ideas of what to pick at that are healthy and reasonably low in calories/fat. (and preferably aren't rice cakes!)

Thanks

Charlie

[Mich]

Hi Charlie
Radar has just listed a few tips on Carbs on the topic "A good Diet" which may be helpful.
I also found by doing a search on google for "anti anxiety diet" , a web site called (www.ivillage.co.uk) but I could only get into the pages I wanted from my google search (there are 2 good pages - you will see them, they come up first on google), I could'nt find them from the sites homepage. There is info on complex and simple carbs, there is also a suggested diet on one of the pages.
Good Luck

Michelle

[diana]

Hi all!!!

I do have type 2 diabetes and yes sometimes it is hard to determine rather I am anxious or just low on sugar. Thanks for the link Michelle, I will get a look at it to find some good ideas on keeping my sugars regular. I really am glad I found this place with all of you. I feel like I belong now. I do`nt feel so left out now, and alone.

Thanks all,

Diana xxx

[Lottie32]

Thanks Michelle

Have you tried it? And more importantly, did it work?

I shall give it a go. Thanks for the information

Take care

Charlie

[nomorepanic]

Hi Diane

You are never alone whilst you are in here. We all care about each other so much :-)

Nicola

[diana]

Hiya Nicola!!!

Thank you soooo much, I know that! that is the feeling I have here. I feel like this is a safe place for me. Thank you too for all of your great advice and suggestions, they really do help and are priceless. I have come to care about all of you here to.

Take care,

Diana xxxx

[sunshinecat]

I'm so happy to have found this post and joined this network of great people.
I'm sorry for my first post to be such a novel, but it may be of some help to you guys.

I'm 26 and recently have been laid off, went through a bad breakup with someone I was with for three years, and I had to move back in with my parents and out of the town I loved so dearly for financial purposes. This, of course, gave my doctor and myself reason to believe right away that my anxiety, irrational fears, trembling, nervousness, and trouble sleeping were simply either because I had generalized anxiety or panic disorder because of my life's recent events.

I've been seeing a psychologist, but my trembling still persists and the Xanax I'm on does absolutely nothing.

BUT I've also lost a ton of weight in the last year and have been eating very poorly — lots of starch and little protein. I've been a vegetarian for years.
Then I realized the other day that after I ate some tuna fish (I very rarely eat fish) and cheese, my legs stopped trembling, and I was suddenly talking with my family and not feeling crammed in the corner and shaking. I also realized that I shake and worry the worst in the morning — after a long night of not eating. Then I had a big steak the other day, and I felt like a million bucks for a good 24 hours.

My father developed some major issues with hypoglycemia when he was 27, and my sister did as well when she was 38. My sister would get downright vicious when she needed to eat, but my father would tremble, hyperventilate, have suicidal thoughts, and felt as if he was going out of his mind.
It wasn't until both my father and sister took a six-hour glucose test that in the ladder part of the test, both of them tested positive for hypoglycemia.
It took my dad a couple of years to regulate his diet, but he did and started to feel like his old self again.

My family doctor told me that improper sugar levels in the body can make people much more susceptible to anxiety and that it can provoke odd fears you may have never had before along with nightmares, headaches, pounding heart, and many other extremely uncomfortable symptoms.
I have my test in three weeks, so I'm very, very excited to find out if this is my issue or not.

In a way, I pray that it is because I can't imagine me — the girl who needed a pot of coffee just to get going in the morning — suddenly developed extreme anxiety. I guess that could happen, but a dietary cure would be such a gift.
I pray that we will all find the root cause of our suffering and stomp it to bits. This is NO way to live.

<3

[Shel]

Hi all.

I've just been reading some of your posts on hypoglycemia and I was wondering if someone could give me some advice.

I've got a six year old child who my GP confirms is perfectly healthy - great. Except when he goes for more than an hour and a half to two hours without food, develops headaches, gets sweaty, complains of tiredness, loses concentration, becomes tearful and worst of all, becomes prone to aggressive outbursts. Shortly after he eats he returns to my happy, lively little boy. Everyone keeps telling me I'm looking for excuses for his poor behaviour spurts but I know I'm not.

I really believe he may be beginning to suffer blood sugar problems - can anyone shed any light and convince me I'm not going mad. My husband has OCD and my GP thinks I'm just fussing.

Heeeelp!!

[Alicat]

Hi,

I'm glad I found this post too. I get hypogyclemia if I don't eat often enough. I've never noticed a link between it and my anxiety/depression though. I know I lose my appetite when I'm having an episode.

[Tangerine Man]

Hi Scaredtoolong,

I too stumbled on the possible link between frequency of eating and depression. This was supported by my GP and therapist and my bloods which also came back 'normal'.
I now try to eat little and often and if you are late with a meal a fresh orange juice or ceral bar usually provides a sugar stop gap for my brain and thus stops me dipping back down later on.
Equally, last thing at night a milky hot choc settles the stomach and reduces blood flow to your brain a little so you get a better nights sleep.

Good luck

[Kabuki]

I also have a clear relationship between blood sugar and anxiety. Eating regularly and choosing complex carbs and proteins makes a huge difference. On the other hand, in my case it wasn't a full solution. I wasnt able to 'cure' the anxiety by dealing with hypoglycemia. I would suggest though, that even if its not the only source of anxiety, eating wisely will help with one's overall anxiety level and will help you feel physically stronger and healthier. BTW, I also went through a year and a half period where I lost a ton of weight for no reason and had just about every sypmtom of anxiety plus a low body temperature. The doctors never found out what was happening nor did any medication help. The one thing that made a difference and cause me to get better was eliminating all suger and complex carbs from diet.

[JAYQ]

I hate to bring back an old thread but i have to ask the opinions of others here of my situation.

I have always dealt with the anxiety feeling of shakiness, weakness, and feeling of faint. But found when i was eating or if i have not ate that it was worse. At first i just thought i was hypoglycemic and eating was just a placebo effect for me to feel better.

Well i went to see my GP about it and they signed me out a glucose monitor and said to fast that night and come in the next day to have my blood drawn. Well that day when i went to get my monitor the nurse was showing me how to use it and at that time i hadnt really had anything for breakfast and was having the anxiety symptoms of weakness, irritatbility and shakiness. I pricked my finger there with the nurse and it read 68. They say 70-100 is where u want to be. She said ya that is kinda low. Fast foward to the next morning before my blood draw after fasting the night before. I woke up and was feeling shaky all over again, i figured i would go ahead and test myself. It read 65. So go and get my blood drawn 30min later and the test results came back showing that i was at 89. NORMAL! I did not eat anything on the drive there. How could one read 65 and then a blood draw was 89? So my doc ruled out hypo. I am still baffled about this.

[JAYQ]

^^ Anyone? ^^

Should i be retested or not?

[BubbleBonce]

The correct test for hypoglycaemia is to fast, drink a very high sugar drink, then have hourly tests for 6 or so hours. I forget the exact details. A single blood test will not tell you much unless you're looking for diabetes.

Hope this helps.

Bubble

[Gloria]

I was very interested to read about Hypoglycemia. Even as a child if I went too long without food I would start to feel faint and lightheaded. I am still the same now, in fact if I am out and feel as though, I need food it will usually bring on a panic attack. It makes you think there may be a link as so many of us seem to have the same reaction, if our sugar level is getting low. Gloria