What’s the Connection Between Diabetes and Menopause?
If you’re a woman approaching “that certain age,” you know menopause can be tough—and even more confusing if you have diabetes. That’s because some menopause symptoms can easily be mistaken for issues related to blood sugar management.
For those managing diabetes with medication, keeping blood sugar steady is a delicate balancing act. When blood sugar drops too low—a hypoglycemic episode, or a “hypo”—you might feel shaking, irritability, sweating, or faintness. Many diabetics recognize these symptoms and quickly fix them with a sugar boost, which usually works within 5–10 minutes.
But some menopause symptoms can feel very similar. Hot flashes (which I like to call “power surges”) can feel like the sweating from a hypo, and mood swings can mimic the irritability you feel during low blood sugar. It’s easy to confuse the two.
When I first started menopause, I often woke up in the early hours drenched in sweat and thought I was having a hypo. I’d take sugar to fix it—but actually, my blood sugar was fine, and this just pushed my levels higher than needed. Not great!
After talking with my doctor about these unexpected “hypos,” I learned I was actually entering menopause. (I was in my late 40s, a bit earlier than most women who usually start in their early to mid-50s.)
If you’re a woman with diabetes controlled by medication, and you start having frequent, unexplained “hypos” in your 50s, be sure to check your blood sugar before treating it. Be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor—menopause may be a key factor affecting what you’re experiencing.
And to the men reading this: If your partner has always had good diabetes control but suddenly seems to be struggling with symptoms that look like old diabetes troubles, be patient and supportive. She’s going through a challenging time, but with care and understanding, she’ll come through it and be her wonderful, loving self again.
