Can prolonged and high levels of stress contribute to diabetes?

[Goldenbrowntexturelikesun]

I’ve just read this and am quite concerned this may be my issue.

I have suffered from anxiety for as long as I can remember and have been under varying degrees of constant stress for the last 6 years.

I have a whole host of physical issues including daily gut (upper and lower) issues, exhaustion, blurry vision, tinnitus, depression.

One thing I get quite often and have had for years is (and it’s hard to fully explain) a weird weak, shaky feeling that I can only describe as a feeling of very low blood sugar levels. I will suddenly feel very weak and shaky but inner shakes as well, feel suddenly very tired and as though a tap has suddenly drained out all of my energy levels. I then feel as though I need something very carby to feel better. This happens even when I’ve eaten well.

I have mentioned this to my GP several times but because I am very slim, have no diabetes within the family and don’t need to see all the time they say I am not at risk of diabetes. I have had a full panel of other blood tests but these have come back ok.

I am under all this stress as I say and am worrying it could be diabetes. I will try and get a GP appointment and ask to be tested but wonder if anyone knows much about diabetes here on MN?

Hypoglycemia?

Very low blood sugar is the opposite of diabetes.

The symptoms you describe can also be caused by low blood pressure rather than sugar. It's worth checking during an episode, mine can go quite scary low.

Yes its entirely possible.

Those inner shakes you mention definitely sound like cortisol. Last year I totally burnt out and had many symptoms like you have.

However altogether your symptoms sound like hypoglycaemia. Best get a fasted glucose AND insulin (or c peptide) test. Ask for HbA1c and HOMA-IR too. Blood sugar alone won’t tell you in you’re insulin resistant.

Stress can make diabetes worse but it can't cause it. secondly weak, shakey low blood sugar is generally the opposite of diabetes. diabetes means that your sugars are too high not too low. in diabetes if you were to eat something carby it would make you feel worse not better. the reason they talk about low sugar with diabetes is because if you're on insulin it's easy to overdose and make your sugars too low.

Symptoms associated with diabetes is fatigue, thirst, frequent urination and sweet smelling breath

That’s not true at all. All diabetics can have hypoglycaemia.

Also you can get a glucose finger prick monitor or constant glucose monitor over the counter if you want to check

Op, have you considered you may have more anxiety symptoms?

Your describing how I feel during a panic attack.

Do you take any medication for your anxiety currently?

I will go get it checked just for peace of mind.

My blood pressure is a consistent 70/118 every time I get it checked and I’ve always been told that’s normal so don’t think it’s a low blood pressure issue?

I do suffer from regular panic attacks but this is different, it feels different. It comes out of the blue and doesn’t feel anything like my panic attacks and I can actually feel quite calm whilst experiencing this weird sensation.

I do believe many of my physical symptoms are anxiety related as I’ve had anxiety for so long but this definitely feels somehow different and detached from the ‘normal’ anxiety symptoms.

I’m really not sure what it is, maybe I will never get to the bottom of it!

MyLadyTheKingsMother I haven’t found an anti anxiety medication which doesn’t upset my stomach (I have IBS also exacerbated by stress 🙄).

I manage my anxiety with hypnosis, the Calm app, eating well and avoiding trigger foods/drinks, exercising and yoga. Don’t think there’s much more I can do for that other than get myself a one way ticket out of my life!

Reactive hypoglycaemia?

I have this. My GP referred me to an endocrinologist with similar symptoms to what you describe and he gave me a finger prick blood test thingy and my blood sugar goes really really low and I feel the way you describe.

The consultant did say it can be a risk factor for diabetes. In my case he thought it was more because I'm quite underweight. Adjusting my diet towards more protein helps.

Thanks CrispsandCheeseSandwich I will ask the GP about that when I see them.
I am 5’6 and just under 9 stone am not classed as underweight so not sure if that would be related but I’ll definitely ask about it.