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Menstruation and menopause
Changes in hormone levels the week before
and during menstruation can result in significant
fluctuations in blood sugar levels. And in the
few years before and during menopause,
hormone changes may result in unpredictable
variations in blood sugar levels that complicate
diabetes management. Also, the similarity of
some symptoms of menopause and low blood
sugar can result in errors in adjusting what you
eat.
What to do:
Look for patterns
Keep careful track
of your blood sugar readings from month to
month. You may be able to predict fluctuations
related to your menstrual cycle.
Adjust your diabetes treatment plan
as needed
Your doctor may recommend
changes in your meal plan, activity level or
diabetes medications to make up for blood
sugar variation.
Check blood sugar more frequently.
If you’re likely approaching menopause or
experiencing menopause, talk to your doctor
about monitoring blood sugar levels. You may
need to do so more often or when you’re
experiencing symptoms that you normally
interpret as low blood sugar.
Stress
If you’re stressed, it’s easy to abandon your
usual diabetes management routine. You might
exercise less, eat fewer healthy foods or test
your blood sugar less often — and lose control
of your blood sugar in the process. Additionally,
the hormones your body produces in response
to prolonged stress may prevent insulin from
working properly.
What to do:
Look for patterns
Log your stress level
on a scale of 1 to 10 each time you log your
blood sugar level. A pattern may soon emerge.
Take control
Once you know how
stress affects your blood sugar level, fight back.
Learn relaxation techniques, prioritize your
tasks and set limits. Whenever possible, avoid
common stressors.
Get help
Learn new strategies for
coping with stress. You may find that working
with a psychologist or clinical social worker can
help you identify stressors, solve stressful
problems or learn new coping skills.
The more you know about factors that influence
your blood sugar level, the more you can
anticipate fluctuations — and plan ahead
accordingly. If you’re having trouble keeping
your blood sugar level in your target range, ask
your diabetes health care team for help.
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