| You might be thinking "What's the connection | | | | menopause, I frequently confused waking at 2 |
| between diabetes and the menopause?"Well, for | | | | a.m. in the morning in a cold sweat as a hypo |
| ladies reaching that certain age, it can be | | | | and took a quick sugar boost to settle |
| very traumatic - especially when some of the | | | | myself. That pushed my blood sugar levels up |
| effects experienced can easily be mistaken | | | | when I didn't need it. Not a good idea!It |
| for those we have to be aware of when | | | | was only after visiting my Doctor to talk |
| managing our diabetes...For a diabetic taking | | | | about these frequent, unexpected hypos I |
| medication, keeping blood sugars at the right | | | | discovered I was starting the menopause (I |
| level is a balancing act. If sugar levels | | | | was in my late 40s, so it was rather |
| drop too low, because of not eating enough or | | | | unexpected, normally it doesn't occur until |
| at the right times, you suffer a hypoglycemia | | | | early-to-mid 50s).If you are a lady, with |
| episode (sometimes called 'hypo' for short). | | | | diabetes controlled by medication, and you |
| For me, this usually manifests itself as | | | | are in your early 50s and you start having |
| shaking; irritability; sweating and a | | | | frequent, unexplained hypos - check your |
| faint-headed feeling. If you are diabetic | | | | sugar levels before 'treating the condition'. |
| and have ever had low-blood sugar you may | | | | And get your Doctor to check your symptoms. |
| recognize some of these symptoms, amongst | | | | You may be confusing symptoms of diabetes and |
| others. A quick 'glucose fix' usually | | | | the menopause.And guys; if your lady normally |
| settles it within 5-10 minutes.Now, compare | | | | has great control of her diabetes and |
| that to some of the symptoms of starting the | | | | suddenly seems to be showing the same |
| menopause; hot flushes [I call them | | | | symptoms when she was getting her diabetes |
| 'power-surges' ;)] - similar to the sweats of | | | | into balance (if you knew her then) please be |
| a hypo; mood swings - akin to the | | | | supportive and understanding, she's going |
| irritability you might experience during a | | | | through one hell of an experience, but I |
| hypo. It's very easy to confuse the symptoms | | | | promise, she will come through and be her |
| you are feeling.When I first started the | | | | normal, loving and charming self once again. |