Yahoo Lifestyle This Life-Threatening Issue Is Often Confused With Anxiety—Here's How to Spot It
You’re going about your day when you notice that your heart rate has crept up, even though you’re sitting still. You start feeling hot and sweaty and might even start shaking a little. Is it anxiety rearing its ugly head? Maybe. Or it could be a sign that your blood sugar is dangerously low.
Anxiety and low blood sugar have overlapping symptoms, but being able to identify which one is affecting you is important for treating it properly. Ignoring signs of low blood sugar can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
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How Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar and Anxiety Overlap
Blood sugar that dips to a lower than the standard range is called hypoglycemia. Dr. Chhaya Makhija, MD, an endocrinologist with Unified Endocrine & Diabetes Care, explains that people with diabetes are most likely to experience hypoglycemia, which is why they take medication to prevent this. However, people who don’t have diabetes can experience hypoglycemia too, though it is rare. She says that someone who recently had bariatric surgery or metabolic surgery can also become hypoglycemic. Certain medications, underlying health conditions such as liver disease, kidney disease, pancreatic disease and excessive alcohol use can also cause low blood sugar.
Here’s what’s so tricky about low blood sugar: It’s often misdiagnosed as anxiety. “The flight-or-fight response seen in anxiety is the same system triggered during a hypoglycemic event. The body is quite literally causing anxiety to signal imminent shut down,” says Dr. Akhil Shenoy, MD, an endocrinologist and diabetes medical advisor at Aeroflow Diabetes. In other words, low blood sugar actually causes anxiety as a way to sound the alarm that something dangerous is happening to the body.
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Dr. Shenoy says that symptoms of low blood sugar include ѕweating, tremors, palpitations, a rapid heart rate and hunger. As you can see, some of these symptoms are the same as feeling anxious, specifically sweating, palpitations and a rapid heart rate. Dr. Shenoy adds that severe low blood sugar symptoms include lethargy, confusion, irritability, loss of consciousness and seizure.
How To Know If You Have Low Blood Sugar or Anxiety — and What To Do About It
If you feel confused or like you might faint, Dr. Makhija says to call 911 and seek immediate medical care. It bears repeating that hypoglycemia can be life-threatening, so if you are experiencing any of the severe signs of it, the best way to take care of yourself is to get medical help immediately and not waste time trying to figure out if your symptoms are actually due to anxiety.
If you have diabetes, your symptoms are more moderate and you aren’t sure if you are experiencing low blood sugar or anxiety, Dr. Makhija says to check your blood glucose levels. If it’s below 70 mg/dL, that means you are hypoglycemic. Next, she says to consume something with 15 to 20 grams of simple carbohydrates, such as a glass of orange juice or a candy bar. Then, recheck your blood glucose levels in 10 to 15 minutes. If your blood glucose levels remain low, seek out medical care for further intervention.
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Even if your symptoms end up being due to anxiety, eating a snack can still be beneficial. Foods with protein and complex carbohydrates are linked with helping with anxiety and feeling more calm. It can also be helpful to take long, deep breaths, which can help bring your heart rate down.
If the episodes you are experiencing are happening frequently, both doctors recommend seeing your healthcare provider. If they are caused by anxiety, you can talk to your doctor about if going on an anti-anxiety medication is a good fit for you and also ask for a therapist referral. Dr. Makhija says that if the episodes are due to your blood sugar dropping, treatment could involve an adjustment in the medication you are taking.
Experiencing a rapid heart rate, palpitations and sweating isn’t pleasant no matter what the cause is. Instead of ignoring it, see your healthcare provider to pinpoint the cause and to figure out what course of treatment is best for you. That way, you can get back to living your best life ever, without anything holding you back.
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Sources
Dr. Chhaya Makhija, MD, endocrinologist with Unified Endocrine & Diabetes Care
Dr. Akhil Shenoy, MD, endocrinologist and diabetes medical advisor at Aeroflow Diabetes
