A lot of people have said that diabetes can cause severe moods swings and cause all sorts of anger in people. I have only had diabetes for 4 weeks, and have not noticed any particular anger or anything. does anyone experience this differently?
I tend to get very emotional when I’m either too high or low, but that is because I feel like I’m working so hard and then get disappointed that things didn’t work like I wanted. It’s just a lot of stress to deal with and sometimes I have a hard time holding it together
When my blds were out of control my moods were pretty awful. It may be due to the fact that I felt so tired and ill. Don’t let yourself get into this state, well at least try your best. I know also that when I am very low I get upset but never angry. Maybe people are referring to the denial involved in diabetes, that of course could cause mood swings to a certain extent.
The only time I noticed this in 5 years…I was driving and getting road rage-y at the other drivers. I pulled over and checked my #'s…400+.
Everyone experiences highs and lows differently. I’m sure they gave you that infamous paper (something like this one http://www.ada.gov/images/hypogly.gif) with the numerous ways that people feel ‘low’. Most people will only feel 1-3 of these symptoms, and they might be different.
If my sugars are dropping slowly, I notice that I’m getting sweaty.
If they drop fast, I feel like crying for no apparent reason and often get chills.
If my sugars are sitting high, I get very irritable.
For you, everything probably feels new. Keep track of how you feel at different times of the day, or depending on your sugars. Recognizing the symptoms is something you need to learn how to do, it’s not automatic.
Maybe you’ll discover that you tend to grab your nipples when you are low… were you low when that picture was taken?!? haha
My dads type 2 and when he hasn’t eaten for a few hours he starts yelling and getting mad at the little things.
when I’m too high or too low I cry, a lot. I babble and want to sleep.
Everyone is different though. I wish there was an instructions manual for diabetes in which everything could be predictable.
There are times I feel low blood sugar when I am actually high. If I am very high, I get sleepy. Sometimes my feeling contradicts my perception of my blood sugar level. I test often. I don’t handle stress very well, I get that overwhelmed feelilng. Here is a kicker, I do at times get this feeling of not really HIGH or LIGHT HEADED but a HOLLOW feeling in my head. Feel like something is going on with my blood sugar trend, however my reading is fine. It comes and goes. Hard to explain. I have had experiences of grumpiness when blood sugar stays high for extended periods of time. Any thoughts on this hollow feeling?
Thanks Sid
Only when I’m low. I get real touchy, real grouchy, real snarky. Don’t believe me? Just ask my spouse.
Terry
Yep, before diagnosis when my bgs ranged into the 400’s I had a flaming temper that would come out of nowhere, especially when I had to go out and be in the world, as in driving or running errands, dealing with other people. I also used to get very uh, irritable (sp?) when hungry. Raging temper, very ugly. Food was like a sedative that calmed me right down. The swings were so drastic I’m sure the people around me wondered about my mental stability.
Now that its come down and swings between 72 and 225 as I strive for control, I get weepy over just about anything…the story of someone saving a kitten, sappy commercials, the weigh-ins on The Biggest Loser, you name it. I wonder where the heck its coming from, then I realize its my physiology, not a character weakness.
I think I am going to need to come clean to more of the people in my life about my health so they dont take it personally and get all perturbed and stop speaking to me.
I still have problems telling lows from highs though and have to test before reaching for a fix - either glucose or the juice(insulin)
Some of the things that are mentioned here are some of the things I feel from time-to-time (particularly today). I dreamed very vivid and very active dreams all night last night and woke up to a reading of 202! I don’t know why since I’ve been low for the past couple of mornings (56 and 55). I woke up feeling so “blue”. Went to the gym to try and counter this and it helped some but not a whole lot. I’ve been taking Cymbalta for the past 5 yrs. with only one change in dosage the entire time. I really believe diabetes plays a big role in how one feels from time to time. These “blue” feelings (even though I take Cymbalta) happen to me every so often. I just try to get through it and try to think really GREAT thoughts. These times of being “blue” are very dificult…especially when you don’t know WHY you are feeling blue.
I’ve had mood swings caused by both high and low blood sugars. If I’m low I don’t even realize how I come across nor do I feel particularly angry per se, but afterwards I’ve been told about it. I.e. getting really mad when someone tries to offer me juice or something to bring up my blood sugar… I think it’s because lows (especially if they happen quickly/surprisingly) tend to kick in flight or fight hormones so sometimes the “fight” comes out more …
I don’t think it’s a given that you will necessarily have mood swings and further if you do that it will always happen when your hyper- or hypoglycemic. Over time and also depending on how fast of a change or other factors, the mood or other symptoms I’ve experienced have changed.