Pred induced diabetic
Posted , 8 users are following.
I was diagnosed with PMR in nov 2016. By my check up in January 2017 I was diagnosed with diabetes and put on metformin . I was told that it was prednisone induced and would probably go away when off the prednisone. Fast forward to March 2018 I am in remissionand weaned off the prednisone. The PMR gone but left a couple things behind. I now have rotator cuff tendinitis mainly in my left arm and I can deal with that but the diabetes has actually gotten worse instead of going away. My blood readings in the morning had always been about 95 but when I stopped the prednisone they went up.they are now averaging 107 in the morning. My docs explanation is that I am getting older (65). I don’t buy it since it certainly seemed to go hand in hand with going off the prednisone. I am certainly happy about the PMR but confused about the diabetes.
0 likes, 9 replies
Anhaga Lindalee77
Posted
That does seem counterintuitive. If you weren't diabetic before pred you would have expected to recover, not get worse, once pred was out of the picture. You say you are on medication. What kind of advice were you given regarding dietary control of blood sugar, etc., or was the doctor expecting your reliance on metformin to so sort everything? i know a lot of people, myself included, have been able to control pred-induced increased blood sugar by severely restricting our carbs, especially those from grains and sugar. I've also recently learned that it's important to maintain a healthy level of sodium (from table salt) in spite of decades long recommendations to reduce sodium intake to practically nothing. Low levels can apparently increase the likelihood of developing diabetes. One has to maintain a good level of potassium as well, but that's present in many healthy fruits and vegetables.
Lindalee77 Anhaga
Posted
Anhaga Lindalee77
Posted
Lindalee77 Anhaga
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EileenH Lindalee77
Posted
Fasting BS levels are no true indicator of diabetes - my husband does not have diabetes and is as skinny as a rake but his fasting BS is about 110. Some people just have high readings. You need an Hba1c level done to see if that is running high - it reflects the average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. You may have a slightly raised fasting level but the peaks after eating may be falling again OK.
As Anhaga says one way to help control BS is to cut carbs drastically and it is recignised by the American Diabetic Association as a method of managing Type 2 diabetes. It is something we tell everyone on the forum to try if they are gaining weight with pred or becoming pre-diabetic. There is not a lot of logic to me in continuing to eat carbs and using medication to sort out the problem when cutting the carbs in your diet reduces the problem anyway.
And if that doesn't help - it needs to be investigated properly. I get so annoyed at doctors who put EVERYTHING down to "your age"!
Lindalee77 EileenH
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Michdonn Lindalee77
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Lindalee, I have been a diabetic since 1962, still on Prednisone . As I have tapered down from 30 mg my BS reading have gotten better but much higher than your's. The most important reading for you is your A1C.
An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent signals prediabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the A1C is over 6.5 percent. I hope that helps you, think positive and try to smile. ?? Stay active!
Lindalee77 Michdonn
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Michdonn Lindalee77
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A1C will give you a good average reading, that is most important.
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