Blood Tests Coming Up... Very Anxious

[Bella P 75]

I have PCOS so I have to get my blood checked every 3-5 months to make sure I haven’t become pre-diabetic, diabetic (PCOS makes your chances of becoming diabetic a bit higher), monitor my insulin levels and other things and I hate it. I hate having PCOS for so many reasons, I could rant about it for a long time, but I won’t right now. I especially hate the blood tests. I hate needles and I’m terrified of developing diabetes. 

I’ve noticed that a few weeks before I know the blood tests are coming up I start having some of the symptoms associated with diabetes. These are mainly the numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. I know that these symptoms are likely in my head since I’m trying to be careful with my diet to prevent it and my blood tests previously have been fine, but I can’t help but fear that this time the symptoms could be real, and the doctor is going to tell me that I’m diabetic or prediabetic  My next blood test is coming up the day before Valentines Day and I lapsed in my diet around Christmas so I’m scared and I’m starting to have those symptoms. Anxiety can also cause these things, too, I know, but I still can’t shake the fear. 

[Shanowl80 73]

You are probably right. I have an appointment tomorrow for my sinuses and tonight I am having awful sinus symptoms. The mind is a crazy strong thing. 

[mollyfin 366]

I've noticed that if I think about a symptom enough, even one I didn't previously have, I can start to feel it.  It's crazy!  Good luck with your blood tests; even if you're prediabetic it can be managed.  My gf has PCOS and has cycled between prediabetic, diabetic and normal for years (though she's lost a lot of weight recently and that's helped a fair bit).  It can be daunting, but it can be dealt with; it's not a sentence to imminent doom.  Two months off your diet probably won't make much difference, though, especially if you're not presently diabetic.

[Bella P 75]

Thank you so much :) Honestly, it is terrifying, and the closer the blood tests get the more anxious I seem to become. I was fairly recently diagnosed and I’m still trying to get used to it all. It’s very overwhelming. 

[Bella P 75]

Not very long ago I woke up and my left toe felt kind of numb and tingly. I got up and my knee felt funny, not exactly numb or anything but funny, but it scared me. The other day I learned about a woman who lives up the road from me who is a Type 1 diabetic who lost her leg due to her illness, so I wonder if these symptoms psychological and due to what I learned as well 😕 I hope they’re just in my head, or I just slept wrong.

[mollyfin 366]

From my understanding, diabetic neuropathy isn't like your foot falling asleep.  It's severe pain that can keep you from sleeping in the first place!  If you experience true numbness (as in, literally can't feel anything) talk to your doctor, but pins and needles is usually just one of those things.

[Bella P 75]

On 2/7/2019 at 3:02 PM, mollyfin said:

From my understanding, diabetic neuropathy isn't like your foot falling asleep.  It's severe pain that can keep you from sleeping in the first place!  If you experience true numbness (as in, literally can't feel anything) talk to your doctor, but pins and needles is usually just one of those things.

No, it’s not numbness like that. It’s more like my feet or hands falling asleep. They feel fuzzy or it’s like a pins and needles. Other times it’s just a weird feeling I don’t know how to explain that’s kind of similar to those, but a bit different. They don’t hurt, but it’s scary and uncomfortable 😕 The fact the symptoms do tend to go away when I take my anxiety medication tells the logical part of my brain it’s my mind playing tricks on me, but there’s still that illogical part of my brain that refuses to let me rest. Especially since sometimes it still sometimes happens without reason and even when I’m not anxious. I do realize that sometimes that just happens, though, and I keep telling myself this as well. Thank you for being so kind about it