VIRUSES, STRESS AND
HYPOGLYCAEMIA
STRESSAny kind of stress, whether emotional or physical, makes hypoglycaemic symptoms worse.
The adrenal glands respond to stress and/or low blood sugar by producing adrenalin and releasing it into the bloodstream. Adrenalin produces symptoms of anxiety, trembling and or panic attacks. Adrenalin triggers the liver to release Glycogen (the stored form of sugar). This in turn raises the blood sugar levels. The raised blood sugar levels stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin. A high output of insulin by the pancreas induces new low blood sugar episodes(hypoglycemia). This state of hypoglycemia again induces the Adrenals to release adrenalin into the bloodstream. The cycle starts again.
It is, therefore, particularly cruel to prey upon the vulnerablility of hypoglycaemics by subjecting them to rows and emotional upsets, which cause them direct physical illness.
Chronic stress leads to adrenal exhaustion, liver stress, pancreatic over-stimulation and hypoglycemia.
VIRUSES
Contracting a virus causes a rapid drop in blood sugar. While the virus inhabits the body, hypoglyacaemics need to eat two hourly to stabilise their blood glucose.
All my life I used to think I was a particularly "bad" patient. Colds and similar virus-linked illnesses seemed to affect more more than other people, leading me to think I was just not good at suffering as other people. Furthermore, I used to get panic symptoms every time I developed a flu-type virus. I assumed this just meant that, along with all my other phobias, I also had a fear of illness.
I now realise that my symptoms were caused by low blood sugar.
"Normal" people seem to already know instinctively that when they have a flu type virus, they need to raise their blood sugar. The sick person typically drinks fruit juices, Ribena and Lucozade, and visitors bring grapes. Uncanny?