Ever since i been having unstable BG i been having
Some short term memory loss and i am not as sharp.
Is this normal?
I feel that way sometimes like my memory is kinda foggy, like I can’t remember the simplest things sometimes…I’m definitely not a dr. but I think it messes with your mind!
I hate when I have my humalog in front of me and I can't remember if I just injected for my food or not, is soo stressful!
What is most likely, DW, is that it is stress that is causing these symptoms. You are dealing with a recent diagnosis and trying to get on the right treatment and clarify your type. That is all extremely stressful! Even when you get past that stage, D can cause stress in your life. And stress definitely can affect memory, cognitive function, as well as many other aspects of your well-being both mental/emotional and physical.
What can you do about it? Lots of things! Take extra good care of yourself during this rough time, including eating well and getting enough sleep and regular exercise and fresh air. Whatever you do that helps you relax and de-stress is very important now such as running, going for walks, working out, yoga, listening to music, playing games, whatever you have found works! Also, talking about what is going on as you do on here and in person if possible with other diabetics and/or with members of your personal support team (girlfriend, family members, buddies). Also not taking on extra tasks for now - I think you were able to put off your programming courses for awhile?
Bottom line: Never underestimate the effects of good old STRESS!
Extreme low blood sugars could cause brain damage, of course. But I assume that's not what you're referring to in this case.
I certainly had cognitive difficulties when I was first diagnosed as a result of running very high for several months. Those problems went away once I got my bg under control. There are many possible reasons why you're not as sharp as you'd like to be right now. The good news is that in most cases it isn't hard to get back to baseline.
Maurie
I had the same symptoms for a while and was convinced I had brain damage of some description. I was forgetting people's names at work, couldn't remember passwords, emailing the wrong people, couldn't read a full page of text...
Turned out to reaction to an extended period of stress and anxiety. I chilled out, things slowly returned to normal and I got back on track.
Extended and repeated severely low blood sugar can cause issues I believe, especially if you loose consciousness and are out for a while.
It may be worth considering the stress/anxiety side of things though, both cause really powerful physical sensations and symptoms. Wasn't until I experienced a tough time with it that I had any respect for it, I bloody do now though ha!
Part of it is that the diabetic always needs to pay attention to you BS, which is a good thing, but distracts from everything else.
Insulin shock or recurring lows definitely do a number on your brain; blackouts, confusion, etc. When I was on MDI, I would often wake up on the subway, unable to remember where I was coming from or going to (usually work). Sometimes sleep walking.
I'm much more lucid since I started pumping. Just my experience.
I asked my endo about this about a year ago. She responded something like this. Glucose is the main food for the brain and low BGs can kind of starve your brain and cause injury. Low BGs are something to avoid and repeated severe and long hypos have been linked to short term memory loss and mental impairment.
I have inferred that hypos can damage your cognitive abilities similar to how hypers can cause complications. I do not think it is too far of a stretch to assume that a BG in the 40s is doing a little bit of damage just like a BG in the 190s does a little damage?
Thanks for your insight everyone, this helps.
My A1C was 11 so i guess it was kind of expected i would get foggy memory.
I hope i will be able to bring it down.
Do you think taking some Omega 3 caplets can help the brain remain sharp?
Omega 3 is a great tool for a lot of things but you also need to make sure you are functioning right. Swinging BG will definitely cause problems and that may manifest in memory issues for you. I would say Omega 3 will help once you get your body functioning more closely to normal. Lower your stress as best as possible. Try to get your diet and insulin correct to get A1Cs of 7 or lower. Because you can put High Octane gas into a car and hope it will make it run better but if all the gaskets are blown and the oil is in need of changing you won't get the expected results from the "better" gas.
The human body is amazing and can heal from many things so once you get all of the stress and diet/insulin and BG levels all correct then your brain should fall in line and start working like it used to. Good luck.
I wish I could like posts like in facebook! /like
Ha,
Well I spent ££££s on Omega 3 and a host of other pills that were supposed to help memory and brain function..
But do you not what helped?
Stopping myself from living inside my own head (e.g. trying to focus inwardly on how I was feeling constantly) actively trying to stop myself focusing on health related anxiety issues, a good restful nights sleep.. Doing things I enjoy and trying to focus on the outside world and other people abit more. Along with walking, exercise, leafy green veg and restrictions on junk food, coffee and booze. helped This helped me more a heck of alot more than a fish oil pill ever did.
With illness like diabetes I personally think it is very easy to become too inwardly focused on how we are feeling (i know it is necessary at times), I think this in turn can spill over into anxiety and stress and a cycle of obsessive thoughts can begin quite easily.
As people have said, the human body is amazing, I very much doubt that an A1c in the 11 would cause lasting brain damage in the short term, although logic suggests that as the brain runs likes to use glucose as its primary fuel, you would be wise to start working on lowering your HbA1c and focus on achieving more stable blood sugars. I know that severe blood sugar swings cost me two personal relationships, due to volatility and mood swings.
I would bet my motorbike that stress and anxiety have come into play here.. Focus on relaxing and looking after yourself. I am one of the least hippy men you can imagine, but these issues had me switching from Whiskey to Camille tea and from rock and roll, to mindful mediation sessions ha.
nope, sorry, I'm listening to Alice and Chains and Motorhead before I go lift weights! Great post though Buckley! I agree 100%!
One of my friends runs an institute studying the relation humans and their environments that has made encouraging findings about positive results from exposure to greenspace, I think even narrow, urban strips of greenspace will get these results? http://lhhl.illinois.edu/media.htm. This has been a big help to me. I'm perpetually still stressed out about various things, work, 13 year old, etc. but when I get out I feel better, pretty much 100% of the time?
I agree completely.
In the summer months I do alot of woodland wild camping, have some pics on my profile actually.
I spend about 14 hours a day staring at glowing LCD screens during the working week along commuting to London, it really does fry my brain at times.
I find just being out in the peace and quiet, reading, have a brew and sleeping under the stars in my hammock chills me out almost as much as 30mg of Valuim does ha..
No in all seriousness, the importance of green public spaces cannot be underestimated.
Listening to "The Black Keys" at the moment...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Je2wAUcH4o Got to be my favourite band of the moment.
For the first 3-4 weeks after I went on the pump and established some kind of control I was really having cognitive difficulties. I am a psychiatry resident, and in general I am given to understand I do a good job, but my March rotation review came back and they describe me as "disorganized", which is totally not me. Fortunately this is a single blip in a long series of good evaluations, so my program just says we'll pretend it never happened.
Only in the last couple of weeks is my thought process feeling more normal. My going on the pump was preceded by almost a year of lousy control (HgB A1c 8.7-8.9) in which I was trying to cover my diabetes by not eating carbs and just using Levemir at night. Obviously, that didn't work. Then the addition of Novolog MDI with my irregular schedule led to a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Things with the pump are way better, and now I can go back to feeling smart!