Sugar 2; This time its personal
Posted , 11 users are following.
I thought I'd give an early report of how my sugar is doing since I've switched to night time. Its only been a week, and that means its too early to say my prednisone (currently at 10mg but reducing to 9mg DSNS) is weaker during the day when I need it. So far so good, but I believe at least 2 or even 3 weeks will tell the take better.
Two set the scene up, I used to take my pred at 7:30 AM sharp ( I take it at 10 PM now). I ate like a good little diabetic, and exercised a LOT, especially after meals. It worked...mainly, but occasionally the carpentry would poke through the upholstery, and I'd get a spike in the 170's or so. Very naughty when you're trying to keep post prandial blood tests under 140 at all times to eliminate organ damage.
Now, I never have bad morning spikes. Its rare for post prandial tests to be over 120...very rare, and that means my readings are pretty darn normal. I'm speaking in mg/dl here as Americans do (normal fasting 75 to 92, post prandial normal just under 120), but take my word for it, my numbers are good, and nothing ANY doctor would take a second look at. That means my next A1C number should also be good.
Or would be BUT....there's trouble right here in River City. My night time numbers used to be within normal limits, or at least low enough limits not to cause damage. Now however, it seems that Pred and my liver are coluding to have a sugar party in the middle of the night. Initial readings were hitting as high as 170 or so by 4 or 5 AM, settling down to a disappointing, but acceptable 120 by morning.
I've therefore added in a 15 minute treadmill session at 9:45 just before I take my dose. It helps. My sugar sometimes drops from the 90's to as low as 75. Then my night numbers don't get higher than 140 or so. Barely acceptable, and that's not what I'm working hard for. So....I'm adding back in a medication I'd stopped taking: Metformin. You might know it as Glucophage, but I suppose it has 10 other names too, especially over seas. Its the first line of defense for Diabetes Type II here in the US. I'm trying to see now if Metformin can compete with pred at night well enough to bring my numbers a bit lower.
That's it, but I've a final word of caution: my Rheumy wasn't even SLIGHTLY interested, nor is he still in my blood sugar. Even though he well knows pred can cause this issue, he left it completely up to me to find out about it, and deal with it, which I ultimately have with my GP. I know have some...I believe its called...neuropathy in my feet. Thank you doctor "I don't care". The lesson, take your health into your own hands. Make sure you don't have a sugar problem from your pred. Find out what your sugar looks like, and learn what it ought to be. Why put PMR in remission only to have a heart attack or a stroke, or lose kidney function?
mark
2 likes, 32 replies
robby6859 mark9992
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mark9992 robby6859
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Anhaga mark9992
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robby6859 Anhaga
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kup47 robby6859
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Buffy61 mark9992
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i am a type two diabetic on insulin. I split my Lantus into a morning dose and evening dose and have found this works for me. I wake with a BSL of around 5 (101 in your measurement). My Hba1c is 6 so my diabetes is pretty well controlled. Going on insulin was so much easier for me to control my BSL. On Metformin I struggled and my Hba1c was around 9 I think. Being on insulin means I can have a life to enjoy and not stress out about BSL numbers! Going on prednisone made no difference to my blood sugars at all. In fact, I have come down on my basal dose.
mark9992 Buffy61
Posted
Buffy, all that thinking is the reason I know post prandial results are important. I don't have a problem with low blood sugar, so testing lows isn't helpful, it isn't informative. What I need to know is how high and why, so post prandial measurements are the most important. What is more, those high post prandials will directly effect your blood sugar. Numbers above 140 over time will cause kidney, arterial, heart damage, and more. Its worth a little extra thinking time to figure out how to stay below those numbers. One of the numbers you want to stay below is an A1C of 6. 6 and above is where damage tends to occur over time. My research shows that staying below 6 is the sweet spot. You can even be above the normal numbers of 4 to 5, but 6 and above means you're likely taking some damage. I don't take insulin. My diabetes type II is medically induced. I did have pre diabetes, and I'm working (and thinking) very hard on how I can put that to rest when I finally get off pred. So I've lost 30 pounds, I'm losing another 30, getting my waist under 40", and building muscle mass so that I'll have more efficient uptake of sugar into them (as pred allows). Am I enjoying my life? Absolutely, I feel better WITH PMR that I did without it, and I'm heading out on Friday for a cruise in the Bahamas. While i'm there I'll be watching what I eat, taking walks after meals, and otherwise enjoying myself. I do promise to take a break from most of this thinking while I'm on the ocean, but when I'm back, my thinking will turn towards my health again. Is there something more important I should be thinking about?
EileenH mark9992
Posted
Actually it doesn't matter WHY you have diabetes, whether it is Type 1, Type 2 or medication-induced. If the current method of managing BS levels isn't working - the eventual resort is likely to be insulin and there are now many Type 2 diabetics who are far better managed on insulin than they were ever managed any other way. But frankly - if you were in a position to lose 60lbs then that may be the real crux of the question. Pred has very likely been an add-on - but not the entire story.
mark9992 EileenH
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