Anxiety over hypoglycemia fears.

[Leejo]

About a year ago, I had a panic attack while exercising at the gym. My mind for some reason thought I was having a low blood sugar episode, and that's when I got all panicky, since I was alone and had to drive home. Before that I had suffered an allergic reaction from an antibiotic and I was also on my period at the time. After that I went to a naturopathic doctor who "prescribed" some supplements that really helped (I was able to drive to college and do all my normal activities), but in December we had a little quake where I live and the anxiety came back, this time even worse. This past semester I barely attended classes, also I've spent most of my summer at my home. I am a pretty active person, 23 years old and this thing is ruining my life. I went back to the doctor and I'm taking more supplements that have helped a bit, one of them is called "Natrol Stress Anxiety Formula", "Serezec with SAMe" and others, plus I'm on a gluten & lactose free diet.


The thing is, the root of all my anxiety is the fear that I will have a low blood sugar attack, faint or die in my sleep. I had my blood sugar checked a few months ago "post prandrial" and my levels were OK (89 fasting and I believe the same number 2 hours after eating), so that is not a problem I should be concerned with, but the "what if?" is always there.

Most of my anxiety symptoms are: weak arms & legs, stomach ache and an overall weird feeling. My vision never gets blurry.

Any tips and suggestions will be appreciated; please don't recommend any medication because I won't go that route. I'm going to a therapist soon but school starts next week and I don't know what I'm going to do.


Sorry for the long post, but I needed to vent.

[jar4u]

Hi Leejo,

You are have anxiety and nothing else, also your idea of being off gluten and lactose is great as that will surely help you reducing your anxiety sensations, Again the low sugar fear had also gripped me sometimes back and i actually felt crazy...but when i checked my sugar levels it was totally normal...From then on just to keep my anxiety off and also for healthy reasons i started eating bananas after every meal and ever since i have felt great and also my stomach churning and irritation has gone away...

Anxiety is a crazy disorder..but once you accept it and understand that all this is due to anxiety and not fear it by paying less and less attention to it all your sensations and thoughts will be gone for good as only positive diversion and doing something creative and new can change your thinking habits and it will take little time....So hang in there and stop buying what your anxiety is trying to sell you simply divert your mind and make it your new habit...All will be fine soon!!!!

[Leejo]

Thanks for replying jar4u, appreciate it :).

[jessed03]

I'm on the same diet really, I cut out lactose and gluten some months ago. Jar4u is right about the anxiety side of things. I've had similar problems myself with possible hypoglycemia. I've found a good way to test if it directly affects anxiety levels, is to drink a glass of water with two teaspoons of sugar in it, and if my anxiety settles soon after, I know then that theres some problems regarding blood sugar. It's like anxiety is a poison Ivy, you cut away one problem e.g. social anxiety, and it will just then find a way to grip you into hypochondria, cut that away and it clings onto something else. I agree with jar4u, stop buying it :) Simply reply to these thoughts "Ah, this is anxiety" and no more.

There are some great diets regarding blood sugar levels, that I've found have helped. I could point you to them if you needed any help. But if your tests came back fine, then there's honestly nothing to worry about. Unless you're seriously diabetic (which you'd know about), the most low blood sugar will do to you is make you slightly light headed, in which you can simply rectify it by eating a meal.

I think I'll do as you do jar4u, and include some more banana's in my diet. I know the potassium levels in them can really help some things.