Diabetes and Fatigue: Do They Go Hand-In-Hand?

Diabetes and fatigue are often experienced together, but do they always go hand-in-hand? Or, are there ways to reduce chronic fatigue if you have diabetes?

Studies show that patients who suffer from both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes frequently struggle with feelings of fatigue. This type of exhaustion goes far beyond feeling “a little sleepy;” instead, most patients describe it as feeling “tired to the bone” or completely wrung out and exhausted.

But what exactly causes these feelings – and is a diabetes diagnosis always synonymous with fatigue? We’ll tell you the answers in today’s post.

What Are the Causes of Diabetes and Fatigue?

The prospect of keeping up with your diabetes sure can feel mentally exhausting sometimes, especially when you’re newly diagnosed. But it can be hard to identify how much of the fatigue is physiological, emotional, or even drug-related.

Here’s the problem with figuring out the cause of fatigue in most diabetics. As a symptom, it can be a result of everything from poorly controlled blood sugar to the foods you eat and how they affect you.

While we can’t tell you exactly what’s causing your fatigue, we can help you better understand the most common triggers. Just remember that you are unique, and that means you shouldn’t try to self-diagnose; see your physician instead.

1. Mental Health Struggles

Some patients even experience fatigue secondary to mental stress caused by the stress of dealing with a chronic illness. In fact, there is a correlation between being diagnosed with diabetes and being diagnosed with other comorbid mental health problems.

Nearly all of the following can cause diabetes-related fatigue:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic
• PTSD as a result of medical trauma

2. Complications and Linked Conditions

In rare cases, fatigue may also be a sign that your diabetes is becoming worse or causing complications to other areas of your body. For example, patients who struggle with low kidney function from uncontrolled blood sugar may experience intense fatigue. This is a result of the kidneys failing to clear the blood of toxins.

There is also a risk for heart disease in patients with either subtype of diabetes. You should schedule an appointment with your physician immediately if you begin to:

• Feel breathless
• Have chest pains
• Have “spells” of dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
• Heart palpitations

Don’t forget that diabetes is an endocrinological disorder, and the endocrine glands directly influence wakefulness and quality of sleep. Your diagnosis can also make it more difficult for your body to produce energy, which can have the added side effect of making you feel fatigued or exhausted.

Diabetes patients are also more likely to suffer from certain health conditions that cause fatigue, including thyroid disorders and anemia. These conditions can lurk under the surface for years until they finally become obvious after your doctor runs a general blood panel for another reason.

3. Medications

Medications prescribed for symptoms associated with diabetes can also cause fatigue. For example, the following often relate:

• Gabapentin, a nerve-blocking drug
• Metoprolol, a beta blocker

Sometimes, changing or adjusting dosages is enough to eliminate the exhaustion without limiting benefits. In other cases, medicines may need to be changed to a different drug altogether.

Fatigue Shouldn’t Be Your “Normal”

Fatigue itself can also make patients less likely to connect with care providers when they probably should. It is possible for exhaustion to become so common and so “normal” in day-to-day life that the patient simply begins to adapt to it at home.

This is exacerbated by the fact that most people assume fatigue is “just a part of the diabetes constellation of symptoms.”

But just because it is connected to diabetes doesn’t mean you have to suffer from it without ever finding a fix. Nor does it mean there aren’t any options to help you feel well again, either – you just have to reach out for help.

Ultimately, you should think of new fatigue as a warning sign, especially when it crops up suddenly and intensely.

• It means something is, or has, changed in your body; the symptom is trying to tell you something.
• Sudden, intense fatigue is often the very first symptom of uncontrolled blood sugar in patients who have maintained relatively stable control in the past.

Even if you have struggled with fatigue for years, and haven’t found many answers, you should still reach out to your care team about fatigue symptoms. New medications and treatments, many of which have been approved in the last few years alone, may be able to help you turn things around.

Lifestyle Changes May Help With Diabetes-Related Fatigue

For diabetic patients with chronic fatigue, lifestyle changes can often help to turn things around. This is especially true if there are no symptoms of poor blood sugar control and/or the patient has Type 2 diabetes.

• Don’t sweat the small stuff:

You can’t control everything in life – nor should you. Try to identify the things and situations that stress you out, and work on finding ways to reduce or eliminate that stress. Try yoga, deep breathing, Tai Chi or even just enjoying a favorite hobby now and again to help you relax.

• Consider psychotherapy:

Dealing with any chronic illness is hard, but diabetes can be especially frightening and frustrating. If you find yourself feeling helpless, depressed, or anxious nearly all of the time, consider seeing a therapist. It might seem strange to turn to emotional wellness to treat a physical symptom, but the better you can cope, the better you’ll feel.

• Work on weight loss:

Work on exercising, if it’s right for you and recommended. Being more than 30 pounds overweight can make it harder for you to control blood sugar levels and diabetes symptoms.

If you are significantly overweight, you may be experiencing fatigue because your muscles have to work harder to support you, too. Your care team can help you find ways to eat healthier and exercise without further risking yourself or exacerbating your condition.

• Get enough sleep:

Sleep on schedule whenever you can. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and have a nighttime ritual to help you wind down.

If you find yourself waking often during the night, or you wake up feeling unrested, talk to your doctor about testing for sleep apnea. This common symptom can interfere with your quality of sleep, as can some medications prescribed for diabetes symptoms.

• Stay hydrated:

Intense thirst can actually be a sign of high blood sugar levels, but not everyone experiences it. For those who don’t, dehydration can occur, and this can make you feel confused, foggy, or fatigued, too.

Keep a bottle of water by your side throughout the day and sip on it whenever you can unless your doctor otherwise indicates you should limit fluids.

Common Questions:

Conclusion

Overall, striving to live a healthy lifestyle, with lots of clean eating and exercise, is one of the best ways to feel more awake and alive. But it certainly isn’t always easy to get there, especially on your own without the right support.

Stay in contact with your care team, including your pharmacist, your endocrinologist, and your GP, regularly. If you have diabetes and fatigue, speak up and ask for help finding a solution. There is no reason to suffer in silence.