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Prednisone induced diabetic

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Lindalee77
Lindalee77

I was diagnosed diabetic about 15 months ago. I had been on prednisone long term, about 18 months total. I have now been off the prednisone for about 5 or 6 weeks. I had expected the diabetes to go away when I quit the prednisone. I had been averaging morning readings of 94. When I went off the prednisone my readings are now higher, averaging about 105. I am and have been on 500 mg. Metformin twice a day. No change in eating. My docs explanation was age, 65. Seems very strange to me that the rise coincided with the lack of prednisone. My a1c is 5.5, that was about three weeks after quitting prednisone.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • jane243
    jane243 Lindalee77

    Posted

    As I understand it an HbA1c of 5.5 is not a diabetic level but it is possibly the Metformin that has lowered it. I don't understand the other numbers. Are you in the UK or America as I know the numbers are different there.

    • Lindalee77
      Lindalee77 jane243

      Posted

      I know 5.5 is good but I figure thAt is the metformin at work. I am in America as you guessed.
  • jane243
    jane243 Lindalee77

    Posted

    Are you low carbing? I'm new to all this too having been a borderline diabetic since last October and needing a good kick up the bum to prevent a shift into full blown diabetes.  I find that diabetes.co.uk is a really good helpful site and  you might be interested in checking them out? Do you use  a meter as all the members of the site recommend that people use one. We are all different and you cannot know what spikes your sugar levels without testing.

     https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/a-new-low-carb-guide-for-beginners.68695/

  • jane243
    jane243 Lindalee77

    Posted

    Sorry Lindalee 77 but the moderator seems to have struck again. If one adds any links that could be helpful they delete them. So stupid, it makes them look as though they cannot stand anyone not following their out of date high carb advice. Which frankly doesn't work anyway.

     

  • gill70346
    gill70346 Lindalee77

    Posted

    As someone who has been on prednisolone daily for 10 years, I have to say 18 months isn't actually that long term. I had been on it for 6 years before diabetes was diagnosed and within 2 years was put on insulin as well as the metformin.  I have been told by my diabetic nurse that, now that I have got diabetes, going off prednisolone would not make any difference. 

    • jane243
      jane243 gill70346

      Posted

      Do you consider that is good advice from the diabetic nurse? Doesn't sound that helpful to me.

    • gill70346
      gill70346 jane243

      Posted

      Actually it was very helpful as I was considering giving up the prednisolone if it would help the diabetes. I take prednisolone because of a rare eye condition and when I spoke to my opthalmologist he said the same thing. If I give up taking the prednisolone I may well lose my sight. Things are not always straightforward if you have more re than one long term health condition many of which interact.
    • Lindalee77
      Lindalee77 jane243

      Posted

      Since he had been on the prednisone for six years before he developed it I think it was good advise. Not everyone’s blood sugar goes up and you would think it would have gone up prior to six years in.
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