Diabetes and Mood Swings

[RockStarMom]

My partner is diabetic and has severe mood swings...I was talking with a friend tonight and he mentioned the connection. A quick search online came up with a lot of info, but mostly anecdotal. Has anyone dealt with this before? I don't know much about diabetes and it sounds like this moodiness aspect of the disease is largely unacknowledged in the medical community. The accounts I read were very disheartening...has anyone had luck finding a way to stabilize the mood swings?

[LaughingHyena]

Interesting, I have problems with mood swings and have just been diagnosed with diabetes.

[ALittleBitCrunchy]

You didn't mention Type 1 or 2 so I'm not sure which he has, but here is my story...

My daughter is still young so I don't have experience with diabetic adults, but it's definitely a component of of diabetes for her. In fact, when she was diagnosed, life was rough. She was horribly erratic, prone to fits of temper and just all around difficult. We attributed it to being two (the 'terrible twos') but learned at the hospital that it was because of her blood sugar. Sure enough, once she was on insulin, life got a lot calmer for her. Whenever she would get mean, we would test her bg and soon discovered the link. It was the only reliable symptom when she was 2-4 - she'd hit us, we'd test her. She's six now and the mean-ness has gone but the emotions are still there. Now it's tears and sadness when she's very high or very low and we get manic behavior when she's dropping or climbing really quick.

Now, Type 1s can have crazy bg numbers and I don't think Type 2s are as extreme, but she can be 450 and 45 in the same day. It's the extremes that give us the moods. So...for what it's worth, that's my story...

[Tilia]

Yes, when my blood sugar is high I get very crabby. Plus, all the highs and lows just makes me exhausted, which also makes me crabby.

[RockStarMom]

Thanks for the replies so far. ALittleBitCrunchy, he has Type 2.

[logansmom109]

Depending on how long he has had the diagnosis, it could be depression. Many, many men especially , but also women who are diagnosed in the 40/50's age time frame get very angry and depressed, but it doesn't present as typical depression. Mood swings can definately be a sign of depression and should be addressed by his doctor.