Hypoglycemia unawareness can result in prolonged exposure to hypoglycemia, resulting in a seizure, loss of consciousness, or brain damage. The development of hypoglycemia unawareness also makes intensified blood glucose control more difficult and puts the patient at risk for severe hypoglycemia-related complications.
People who suffer from diabetes have many challenges to deal with. Diabetes is disease that influences not only the sufferer but also those around him, as well as his relatives and friends
It is an autoimmune disease that spoils insulin-producing cells and can affect everyone not considering gender or age.
Knowing diabetes and your emotions
Diabetes is characterized by the body's inability to produce insulin. Insulin is a substance that occur naturally in the body. It regulates the absorption of sugar by the cells. If the body does not obtain sufficient supply of insulin, sugar that is exist in the system is collected in the urine and the blood. This then leads to abnormal thirst, hunger and frequent urination. The problem here is that these reactions of the body have effect on normal cellular functions.
Someone who has diabetes will frequently experience frequent and strong mood swings. They could, for instance, lose their temper, lash out, become introverted or express positive emotions in a very unusual and chaotic manner. Outbursts among people who have diabetes can also become fairly common.
The problem here is that they may not even be aware of these outbursts and may in fact even have no memory of it. When confronted, they could even react with anxiety or guilt. Occasionally, emotions can be expressed as melancholy, wherein the person suffering from diabetes shows extreme sadness. This indicate strong emotions can be very unpredictable, something that can often surprise and offend family members and close associates.
Mood swings and diabetic men
Based on research in 2006 indicated that other than diabetes-associated disorders, men also have to contend with mood swings. This is particularly true as the man advances in age, when his levels of testosterone begin to decline. Combined with the rise and fall of blood sugar levels associated in diabetes, it would not be uncommon for the person to experience fluctuations in moods as well.
Other than that, there is also a propensity for men and women alike to feel anxiety, anger, remorse and guilt as a effect of their condition.
Mood swings in people who suffer from diabetes are also influenced by other factors. Knowing that the disease is something they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives can dampen their spirits, causing them to feel apprehension and depression.
Severe Hypoglycemia is dangerous and needs to be treated by medical personnel immediately. This happens when there is very little glucose or sugar in the blood stream. Some symptoms of severe attack are unconsciousness and seizure that may lead to coma and death. It is therefore important to treat low blood sugar at its early stage to avoid reaching life altering and threatening severity.
Hypoglycemia happens in three stages, mild, moderate and severe. But a severe attack can happen any time, often rendering the patient unconscious or debilitated in such a way that they cannot get help themselves. A type 1 diabetic patient or insulin dependent type 2 diabetic is more prone to incidents of severe hypoglecemia. This is because their pancreas is no longer able to produce the hormone
Symptoms and Complications of Hypoglycemia
When blood glucose falls too low, the body releases adrenaline.
During a seizure a person is unaware of their surroundings even if they may seem alert on some level. If the seizure is a result of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) do not attempt to feed the person who can easily choke. Severe hypoglycemia should always be treated as an emergency Instead, give a shot of glucagon and call 911 if necessary.
Symptoms
There are several symptoms of insulin shock. While the sufferer may not be responsive, it is imperative that someone recognize the signs and call 911 immediately. The early onset is often an increased heart rate, palpitations, sweating, dizziness, headache, feelings of extreme hunger and being unaware of surroundings. As symptoms progress into shock, the skin begins to cool and become pale. The sufferer could also experience a seizure. The sufferer will experience extreme weakness, slurred speech and will eventually pass out.
When too much insulin is present blood sugar levels will drop too low. Cells don’t get the sugar energy that they need because not enough glucose is present in the bloodstream and cells can eventually be damaged.
Symptoms of insulin shock (hypoglycemia) include
hunger
nervousness and shakiness
perspiration
dizziness or light-headedness
sleepiness
confusion
difficulty speaking
feeling anxious or weak
Hypoglycemia can also happen while you are sleeping. You might
cry out or have nightmares
find that your pajamas or sheets are damp from perspiration
feel tired, irritable, or confused when you wake up
Treatment
The treatment for the symptoms leading to insulin shock should be to get pure glucose into the bloodstream as soon as possible. This could be by having the patient eat a sugary snack combined with high
Complications
The main complication from insulin shock is death. Before the sufferer dies, he will likely slip into a coma in which all of the major organs will begin to shut down. Because the brain is often the first organ to suffer in an attack, brain damage can result once it stops receiving nutrients and glucose from the bloodstream. Cardiac arrest can also result once the body has slipped into shock.
Diabetes is managed by the external administration of insulin, the internal stimulation of insulin production by oral medications, or a combination of both. Diabetes management entails a minimization of constantly fluctuating blood-sugar levels. Yet, the attempt to match non-diabetic blood-sugar levels (i.e., "tight control" by multiple injections of insulin each day) is often accompanied by a higher risk for insulin reactions. Several studies indicate that recurrent insulin reactions can cause permanent cognitive impairments in individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes (Langan, Deary, Hepburn, & Frier, 1991; Wredling, Levander, Adamson, & Lins, 1990), because brain cells die when deprived of glucose. Therefore, knowledge, awareness, and action concerning insulin
Adaptation to Insulin Reactions and Diabetes
Most available diabetes research has focused on the medical aspects of diabetes or has elaborated on the overall pattern of psychological responses to diabetes (Hamburg & Inoff, 1983; Jacobson et al., 1986; Johnson, 1995). Research has not investigated the range of psychological reactions to insulin reactions, other than examining the specific fear of hypoglycemia (Cox, Irvine, Gonder-Frederick, Nowacek, & Butterfield, 1987; Green, Wysocki, & Reineck, 1990; Irvine, Cox, & Gonder-Frederick, 1994).
Two research projects studied mood states during an artificially induced hypoglycemia in a laboratory setting (Gold, MacLeod, Frier, & Deary, 1995; Merbis, Snoek, Kanc, & Heine, 1996). Both observed alterations in moods with the onset of hypoglycemia (low blood-sugar). Merbis et al. (1996) concluded that "there is an overall negative changing of mood during a gradual decline to severe hypoglycemia" indicating that there is a physiological basis for mood changes during hypoglycemia. Research is needed to distinguish between physiologically-induced mood changes and negative appraisals of the situation, in addition to research on psychological reactions due to hypoglycemia that was not artificially induced in a laboratory.
Powerful psychological reactions may occur during insulin reactions,
If you are a diabetic Things you should be aware of.
If you have a number of the symptoms over a period of time you need to get help with controlling your blood sugars
Mental symptoms:
At times my mind goes blank.
I become easily confused.
I am forgetful.
Occasionally I have difficulty with concentration.
I am an underachiever now in school or in work.
Emotional symptoms:
I lose my temper easily.
I have difficulty in controlling my emotions.
I have excessive sexual desires.
(Male:) I am impotent. (Female:) I am frigid.
I neglect cleanliness and appearance.
I have difficulty in keeping my jobs.
I am very impatient.
I cannot get along with others easily.
Certain things irritate me very much.
I am depressed, blue.
I lost my interest in my work.
I am tired of living.
I am very nervous.
My life has become aimless.
I am anxious and afraid but I do not know why.
I have a feeling of impending danger.
I feel very tense.
I have groundless fears (phobias).
I have crying spells.
I feel very restless.
I have suicidal tendencies.
I easily become violent.
I have a desire to cause damage to others.
I want revenge on society.
Bodily symptoms:
Vision:
My vision occasionally becomes blurred or double.
Sunlight hurts my eyes.
I feel dizzy or black out, especially when I stand up suddenly.
I am dizzy, stagger, or weave, especially in the morning, or before meals.
I have fainting spells.
Tiredness:
I am very exhausted, especially in the morning.
I generally feel very tired and weak.
I am very weak both in the morning and mid-afternoon.
I feel best after a good meal.
I feel very stuffy or sleepy after eating sweets and other starchy food.
I am very sleepy during daytime.
I cannot sleep well during the night.
I wake up and cannot go back to sleep.
My sleep is deep but not refreshing.
I have cold sweat during night.
I have no muscular strength upon awakening.
I need the stimulation of alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, or drugs.
I feel well after eating candy, cakes, or drinking soft drinks.
Digestion:
Alcohol sweets and coffee makes me feel very bad. I can't tolerate them.
I have constipation.
I have alternating constipation and diarrhea.
I have abdominal distress.
I suffer from motion sickness.
I lost my appetite entirely.
Occasionally I am ravenously hungry.
I am overweight.
I suffer from continuous indigestion.
I have frequent bloating.
A little alcohol makes me drunk.
I crave salt.
Pains:
I have terrible headaches.
Occasionally I feel a pain across my left shoulder in the direction of my collarbone, or in the back of my neck.
I suffer from heat exhaustion.
I have swelling in my hands and feet.
Skin:
My mouth is very dry.
I have a skin disease.
My hands and legs feel cold.
I sweat exceedingly.
My hands perspire when I am excited.
My skin is dry and scaly.
I perspire very little, except underarms, and the palms during stress.
My limbs feel numb.
I have a tingling feeling of my lips or fingers.
Sometimes I wake up in a sweat at night.
Important Medical Disclaimer
All material found on this site is intended for general informational purposes only. This site should not be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for professional medical care. I recommend that you seek the advice of a competent health professional for diagnosis and treatment options, or before making any changes to your current diabetes care plan.
Michael J Cole
Langley BC Canada
Aboriginal peoples Black and Hispanic Back grounds the chance of developing diabetes are a shocking 1 out of 2
Thanks for helping Giving the Silent Killer a Voice. Michael Cole
Did you know ? Diabetes causes 90% of blindness
4 out of 5 diabteics Die from heart and stroke disease
Diabetes Costs U.S. Economy $218 Billion Per Year
Diabetes, pre diabetes, gestational diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes cost the U.S. economy approximately $218 billion in 2007 in treatment and lost productivity associated with the disease , according to a recent articale published by Endocrine Today.
It breaks down like this: $153 billion was attributed to higher medical costs while $65 billion was due to reduced productivity, including absenteeism, diminished efficiency while on the job, disability andearly death. Diagnosed diabetes made up the largest chunk of the cost, accounting for $174.4 billion, while pre diabetes was responsible for $25 billion. Undiagnosed diabetes, which accounts for as many as one-quarter of all cases of Type 2 diabetes, is responsible for $18 billion of the overall cost, while gestational diabetes, which occurs only during pregnancy, accounts for $636 million.
On a case-by-case basis, Type 1 diabetes appears to be the most expensive, checking in at almost $15,000 per case. That is followed by $9,677 for each case of Type 2 diabetes, almost $3,500 per gestational diabetes case, $2,864 for undiagnosed diabetes and $443 for pre diabetes.
Come find the group Thunder Roads on Face book to see more video Add me as a friend and watch for daily up dates
For children in the developing world with type 1 diabetes, the picture is bleak. Close to 75,000 children in low-income and lower-middle income countries are living with diabetes in desperate circumstances. These children need life-saving insulin to survive. Even more children are in need of the monitoring equipment, test strips and education required to manage their diabetes and avoid the life-threatening complications associated with the disease. A child's access to appropriate medication and care should be a right not a privilege.
"The stark reality is that many children in developing countries die soon after diagnosis," said Dr Jean-Claude Mbanya, President-Elect of the International Diabetes Federation. "It's been 87 years since the discovery of insulin, yet many of the world's most vulnerable citizens, including many children, die needlessly because of lack of access to this essential drug. This is a global shame. We owe it to future generations to address this issue now."
In many developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and some parts of Asia, life-saving diabetes medication and monitoring equipment is often unavailable or unaffordable. As a result, many children with diabetes die soon after diagnosis, or have poor control and quality of life, and develop the devastating complications of the disease early.
In order to support some of those children, the International Diabetes Federation created its Life for a Child Program in 2001. The program, which is operated in partnership with Diabetes Australia-NSW and HOPE worldwide, currently supports a total of 1000 children in Azerbaijan, Bolivia, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Fiji, India, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, The United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe.
"The 1000 children that we support represent a pitifully small number of those in need," said Dr. Silink, who co-founded the Program. "It seems unthinkable that diabetes care remains beyond the reach of so many. Solutions are available now to address the issues of affordability and accessibility. The means exist to strengthen health-care systems and provide the diabetes education of health-care professionals and the families of those affected by diabetes to make a significant step forward."
The timing of the London meeting is no accident, falling as it does just ahead of World Diabetes Day, November 14. The theme of the United Nations Health Day is diabetes in children and adolescents. The campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation with the endorsement of the World Health Organization sets out to establish the message that no child should die of diabetes.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 200 member associations in more than 160 countries, advocating for the more than 250 million people with diabetes, their families, and their health-care providers. Its mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. The International Diabetes Federation is an NGO in official relations with the World Health Organization and an associated NGO with the United Nations Department of Public Information. The International Diabetes Federation leads the World Diabetes Day and Unite for Diabetes campaigns. Additional information is available at www.idf.org
The International Diabetes Federation
http://www.idf.org
“Today an epidemic of incredible proportions rages through this country. It directly affects almost half the population and incapacitates almost twenty percent of us. About ten percent of us are completely dependent upon synthetic medication and live under constant medical supervision because of this drug dependence.”
Author andresearcher, Thomas Smith
The Statistics:
• “Diabetes has increased 61% in the past 10 years and 76% among people in their 30’s. One in every three children now being born in the U.S. ultimately will become diabetic.” Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld.
• 1.3 million new cases of Type 2 Diabetes were diagnosed last year alone – that’s 3,562 new cases diagnosed EVERY day!
• 24,000 people in the U.S. become blind each year due to diabetes – that’s 65 EVERY day!
• 100,000 people require kidney dialysis or kidney transplantation each year due to diabetes – that’s 273 EVERY day!
• Each year 82,000 need to have a foot, leg or arm amputated due to diabetes – that’s 224 EVERY day!
The above statistics from the US Center for Disease Control This produces symptoms similar to anxiety, such as nervousness, sweating, faintness, fast heartbeat, tingling, nausea, trembling, and sometimes hunger. If the brain can't get enough glucose, you may feel weak, dizzy, tired, drowsy, and confused, and you may have a headache and trouble concentrating, speaking, or seeing clearly. You may act in ways that make people think you're drunk. Severe hypoglycemia can also lead to seizures and coma, and prolonged hypoglycemia can lead to brain damage.
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A seizure (or convulsion) occurs as a result of a burst of simultaneous, contradictory signals from brain cells. There are many causes of seizures in the case of people with diabetes, both hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) and hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) can cause seizure, convulsion, coma, and even death.
