As some members already know I suffer with type 1 diabetes as well as anxiety. I was just wondering if regular lucozade intakes could be making my anxiety worse? I'm quite an active person and quite often find my sugar levels going low hence needing regular drinks of lucozade. I know lucozade contains caffeine which I know is bad for anxiety, maybe years of drinking lucozade could of even started my anxiety off, I don't know, either way it can't be helping.
I am on mild medication for my anxiety and take regular exercise, which seems to be helping, but when it to things like playing in a league football/soccer match I fall to pieces, my confidence vanishes and I go quiet as a mouse, I know I have good football abilities but because my anxiety kicks in in a match I end up being completely useless and either substituted or dropped for the next match, and rightly so.
Is there any other way for me to up my sugar levels without using lucozade? I carry a bottle of it with me wherever I go as it's quick and convenient, I can't really see any other alternative but thought it would be worth asking anyway.
You could lower your insulin before days you are active and not run so much of a risk of going low. That would help I'm sure. Have you tried this? Or what about eating a bit extra before hand?
Hi, yes I have tried lowering insulin levels but it seems to make my sugar too high, I'm very paranoid about high sugar levels and the health risks they give for later in life, particularly in regards to eyesight.
But what you say does make sense so maybe I can do some trial runs with insulin changes and work out the best amounts for me and for what activities I have planned.
I don't really want to eat too much before exercise as it makes me quite bloated and uncomfortable when exercising.
I have now decided to try replacing lucozade with Glucose +C powder mixed with diluted juice to cut out the caffeine and any other ingredients in lucozade. I've done some research into Glucose +C and it seems to be good, no caffeine content.
If anyone could have a look into this for me just to confirm that would be great!
Another thing you can do to treat lows is just have a couple of hard candies. I keep peppermints with me because they don't tempt me to eat them when I don't need them, but I can get them down when I do need them. Also, here in the USA, we can get glucose tabs, and I would imagine they'd be available in the UK too.
I think it's a really good idea to avoid anything with caffeine if you have an anxiety disorder, as caffeine can really up the level of that feeling. I don't have an anxiety disorder at all, yet if I drink too much caffeine, I can start feeling quite panicky or edgy...sometimes it even makes me feel as if I'm having a low. Good for you for recognizing that you need to treat your lows some other way.
I have heard about taking those sweets before but to be honest I don't like hard sweets (or many sweets at all really) and don't feel like they could work as quick as glucose, but I understand the sugar from them can enter the bloodstream in the mouth by sucking them.
So just goes to show how strong caffeine really is. I started drinking decaf tea and green tea and have almost cut caffeine out altogether now, along with taking a St Johns Wort capsule every day I'm feeling much better for it, just need to completely wipe out lucozade now.
