The Diabetes BG/Stress Jekyll/Hyde Syndrome

Learn how high blood sugar can bring on emotional stress symptoms in a person with diabetes...

We now know that stress can cause blood glucose levels to go higher than they should be, but can high blood glucose levels cause stress levels to rise for a person with diabetes?

Have you ever awakened only to find that you're in a hostile mood and you haven't even said "Good Morning" to anyone yet?  Or maybe you're at work and all of a sudden you feel like
punching the wall?  Does your child sometimes get cranky and irritable for no reason?

You or your child may be experiencing what we will call "BG\Stress-Jekyll/Hyde Syndrome".  There are many people with diabetes who experience irritability when their blood glucoselevels are high.  Some might see this as just an excuse for being in a foul mood but to those who experience this, it is all too real.  If you go by the experiences of some diabetics this problem can turn the most docile human being into a grumpy, tension-filled person ready to bite your head off at any time.

Testing the blood glucose level is the only real way to find out if the foul mood might be diabetes related.

Tracy, a 21 year old college student says, "I've had diabetes  for 4 years.  I find that when my blood glucose levels are high I have a very low tolerance level.  I get agitated  easily and I tend to blow up at the slightest annoyance.  I am very lucky in that the people that care about me know enough to tell me to take my insulin and don't take my anger personally."

Tom, a computer network administrator, states, "Sometimes my boss or my wife will let me know that I'm touchier than normal and that I should chill out."  Tom says he tries to stay away from people until his blood sugars go down, which is easier said than done at times.  "People just figure I am stressed out and don't really care if there is another reason."  Tom has been a Type II diabetic for six years and uses Micronase/diet/exercise to help control his diabetes.

There are also diabetics who say they don't suffer from bouts of irritability when their blood glucose levels are high.

Michel, a Type I diabetic on insulin says, "I have never noticed that my mood changes when my blood glucose levels are high.  Michel works in education, a job he considers to be high stress.

Some people with diabetes also notice a change in moods when their blood sugar levels are low.  This is a common occurrence that is mentioned by the vast majority of diabetics who take medication to help control their diabetes.

Kirk, who was hypoglycemic for eight years before becoming diabetic says he notices a "thunderstorm temper" when his blood glucose levels are coming down. "I mutter a lot of
nasties under my breath and try to ignore the situation, which doesn't work all the time," Kirk says.

Tom has these words of wisdom, "If the diabetic AND their family/friends are well educated about diabetes, things like this can usually be overlooked or taken into account.  If there's no support this can be a real problem because many people have a tendency to overreact to this which can lead to even further complications in life."