ASK THE DOCTOR

by Wesley W. Wilson, MD

NOTE: If you have any questions for "Ask the Doctor," please send them to the VOICE editorial office. The only questions Dr. Wilson will be able to answer are the ones used in this column.

Wesley Wilson, MD is an Internal Medicine practitioner at the Western Montana Clinic in Missoula, Montana. Dr. Wilson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1956, during his second year of medical school.

Q: Since I got promoted to the sales office, I have had real trouble with high blood glucose. Could the stress of my job, which is fast and furious, be interfering with my self-management?

A: Congratulations on your promotion! Often promotion leads to more responsibility and more work. Stress is often also increased, especially when taking on more work and the responsibilities of a new job. Certainly stress can lead to higher blood sugar levels, but other factors may be present as well. With your new stressful situation, have you been able to continue your usual exercise program? Does the need to do more work lead you to spend more time at your desk—cutting down on the regular exercise that may well lower blood sugar levels? Does your new job require more desk time—and less walking? Does the job cause you to change your meals, perhaps eating a fast food snack at your desk, rather than a more carefully planned home-packed meal? Yes, stress can make a difference in your blood sugar, but you must also think of the other possibilities, particularly changes in diet and exercise.