Somewhere in this thread, I noticed someone mentioned how difficult it is to find any information on mood swings and diabetes. I have searched a few times and for whatever reason I found this exchange today, much to my relief. My husband and I have been married for 15 years but together since high school over 20 years ago. A few months after our first child was born about 10 years ago - he developed suddenly diabetes. Without getting into the details and confusion, it was not clear if it was Type 1, Type 2 but he is insulin dependent. To his credit he immediately adjusted his lifestyle and is under tight control, but of course it is virtually impossible, even being very vigilant, to avoid all lows and highs. He visits his 2 doctors regularly, follows a good diet (most of the time, we are all human) and is very aware of the long-term effects to avoid. However, since being diagnosed and even more so over the last 5 years it seems to me that he has very severe mood swings, is irritable and impatient - a completely different person than the one I married. We now have 3 children and I can only explain the drastic personality shift on his diabetes. I can see his lows and I sympathize with those who say their husband is defensive and angry at the suggestion that he check his bloodsugar. I also am concerned that he is able to detect them less and less. Last night though, I am certain that it was a sudden increase that was the reason for his mood - I could hear his mood change in the way that he spoke to the kids and basically fell apart. I convinced him to check his blood sugar being certain it was low, but it was high.
I am less and less tolerant, and more and more angry, he refuses to acknowledge it, and none of this is good.
Does anyone else have this experience? Or maybe, he really is a different person now and there is no link.
I was recently (six months) dianoysed type 2 diabetes. I too have mood swings, depression, crying without cause. My daughter who is a nurse noticed it and accompanied me to my doctor whose only solution was to increase my Xanax for panic attacks. Apparently there isn't a lot of research on this side effect of diabetes, it is bad enough to have check my sugar level numerous times daily and carry around an emergency kit of insulin for the highs and glucose tablets for the low levels. That is enough to cause a certain amount of anger and depression. I made an appointment with a counselor to discuss my feelings about the limititations this puts on my life. My best wishes and prayers to you and your husband because this isn't an individual disease, it effects everyone who loves you.
Annie
Thank heaven finally after fifteen years I have found the asnswer to what I have been looking for. Diabetes does come with personality change, mood swings and a general not understanding that the diabetic paerson has been outragious, rude,unpleasent, hateful and spiteful. All these things I have experienced swince my dear husband became diabetic. The first I notice years ago was when he screamed abuse at me over something trivial, I had never been spoeken to by him like that before and a rather nasty argument took place. That was the beginning after that I truly though that he may have had a rather nasty mental illness, but I insisted that he go to see his doctor after rpeated bouts of getting up and going to the toilet in the night and being thirsty. Low an behold he was told that he was diabetic and then the nightmare began and has only got worse I am afraid.
Various medications because he till not toe the line and cheack his blood or basically diet. I am to walking on eagg shells now and I too lie low and try to escape his eye when he is in a visciousw mood. What can be done, I am now in my sixties and honestly feel at the end of my tether with all this bad behaviour, then loving, then acussing me of starting an argument, not even remembering I just try these days to get by. Now I have a man that only worries about his health, does not even mentions mine, where has my lovely man gone. I am still in there with a fight, but goodness me we careers because that is what we are, need a medal.
So yes mood change does take place at regular intervals and the doctors do lie when they say, there is not such a thing as a bad mooded diabetic.
Thank heaven finally after fifteen years I have found the asnswer to what I have been looking for. Diabetes does come with personality change, mood swings and a general not understanding that the diabetic paerson has been outragious, rude,unpleasent, hateful and spiteful. All these things I have experienced swince my dear husband became diabetic. The first I notice years ago was when he screamed abuse at me over something trivial, I had never been spoeken to by him like that before and a rather nasty argument took place. That was the beginning after that I truly though that he may have had a rather nasty mental illness, but I insisted that he go to see his doctor after rpeated bouts of getting up and going to the toilet in the night and being thirsty. Low an behold he was told that he was diabetic and then the nightmare began and has only got worse I am afraid.
Various medications because he till not toe the line and cheack his blood or basically diet. I am to walking on eagg shells now and I too lie low and try to escape his eye when he is in a visciousw mood. What can be done, I am now in my sixties and honestly feel at the end of my tether with all this bad behaviour, then loving, then acussing me of starting an argument, not even remembering I just try these days to get by. Now I have a man that only worries about his health, does not even mentions mine, where has my lovely man gone. I am still in there with a fight, but goodness me we careers because that is what we are, need a medal.
So yes mood change does take place at regular intervals and the doctors do lie when they say, there is not such a thing as a bad mooded diabetic.