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Hello
- Thread starter Dunji19
- Start date
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rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome from me too.
Would you like to tell us a bit about your diabetes as a starting point.
Things like....
How long have you been diagnosed?
Have you been given any medication?
Do you know your HbA1c result? This is the blood test used to diagnose and monitor your diabetes and will usually be a number in excess of 47. How much higher will depend on how poorly your body is currently managing your blood glucose levels. Some of us where in 3 figures, myself included, so don't be shy or embarrassed if it is high. It just helps us to tailor our advice to you better if we know where things currently stand.
What if any dietary advice are you following?
Please feel free to ask whatever questions you have. There is a goldmine of practical experience here on the forum and we all have reaped the benefit of peer help and support here on the forum and are keen to help pass that support on to others coming behind us, like yourself, so don't be nervous. You are amongst people who have been where you are
and face the same challenges.
Would you like to tell us a bit about your diabetes as a starting point.
Things like....
How long have you been diagnosed?
Have you been given any medication?
Do you know your HbA1c result? This is the blood test used to diagnose and monitor your diabetes and will usually be a number in excess of 47. How much higher will depend on how poorly your body is currently managing your blood glucose levels. Some of us where in 3 figures, myself included, so don't be shy or embarrassed if it is high. It just helps us to tailor our advice to you better if we know where things currently stand.
What if any dietary advice are you following?
Please feel free to ask whatever questions you have. There is a goldmine of practical experience here on the forum and we all have reaped the benefit of peer help and support here on the forum and are keen to help pass that support on to others coming behind us, like yourself, so don't be nervous. You are amongst people who have been where you are
and face the same challenges.
AceFace
Forum Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Donna and a big warm welcome from me, there is no need to be nervous, if there is anything you need to know, you have certainly come to the right place.
Hi Martin62, Thank you. I do have a question ... Is there anyone on the forum who has Steroid-Induced Type 2 Diabetes? I'm finding it a very lonely place as alot of people don't understand the difficulties I face with this type of Diabetes. TIA
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If you use the search in the top right corner and put steroid induced diabetes there are lots of posts form people, some quite recently diagnosed.
Don't know if it will give you anything positive but at least you will know you are not alone.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
It might help to discuss the specific problems you are facing with your steroid induced diabetes, so that we can perhaps help you find ways around it or push for different medication to help you manage it.
The more you can tell us about your particular situation, the more likely we are to be able to give appropriate advice. All diabetes is quite individual, regardless of the reason for it, so there are a number of different approaches and strategies depending upon your particular circumstances. Whilst I appreciate that you will want to compare notes with other steroid induced diabetics, the high BG levels that come with diabetes are our common challenge and as a group, we know an awful lot about that and how to tackle it. Sometimes more than medical professionals, particularly at primary care level ie GP surgeries.
If you can tell us the medication, if any, you have been prescribed for your diabetes and what particular challenges you face we may be able to point you in the right direction, for strategies to try or medications to request.
The more you can tell us about your particular situation, the more likely we are to be able to give appropriate advice. All diabetes is quite individual, regardless of the reason for it, so there are a number of different approaches and strategies depending upon your particular circumstances. Whilst I appreciate that you will want to compare notes with other steroid induced diabetics, the high BG levels that come with diabetes are our common challenge and as a group, we know an awful lot about that and how to tackle it. Sometimes more than medical professionals, particularly at primary care level ie GP surgeries.
If you can tell us the medication, if any, you have been prescribed for your diabetes and what particular challenges you face we may be able to point you in the right direction, for strategies to try or medications to request.
Hi, Thank you. I've had Steroid-Induced Type 2 Diabetes for about 6 years now.
Hi Rebrascora,
Sorry, I'm still getting used to using a forum. There's a first time for everything.
Okay, so I've had steroid induced type 2 diabetes for for about 6 years. My initial medical problem is pulmonary sarcoidosis for which I take steroids, diagnosed in Sep 2016. Up until a couple of months ago I was taking gliclazide, metformin & empagliflozin but I stopped taking gliclazide & that was replaced with insulin. I do a finger prick every morning before I have breakfast. Before I changed from gliclazide to insulin, my last HbA1c was at 67 or 69. I'm having my bloods taken next week.
My diet is a huge issue. I get so many conflicting pieces of advice that I'm left confused, frustrated & angry & that leads me to comfort eat & then I'm angry with myself because I feel I'm letting myself down. I hate cooking & I don't have a support network around me. I'm extremely unhappy. I don't know anyone with this kind of diabetes. I don't even know anyone with any type of diabetes. It would be great to speak to someone who understands my daily challenges.
Thank you.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Sorry to hear you are feeling so frustrated and confused, but good that you now have insulin. Can you tell us the name of it and when you take it and what sort of BG readings you are getting?
Do you just test your levels once a day now or was that when you were on Gliclazide?
Once you are on insulin., it should be possible to eat normally, but what is normal for one person may not be normal for another. I was a sugar addict and Olympic standard comfort eater prediagnosis, so I understand how challenging that can be. I certainly go back to that "normal" For me adopting a low carb approach helped both my diabetes management and my cravings/comfort eating. It wasn't easy in the beginning but it has become my new normal and it definitely suits my body and mental health better. I also use insulin so theoretically I could eat a normal diet, but I have tried and I rapidly lose control of my eating and the cravings start again and before I know it I am hitting the chocolate and sweets and back to battling my demons. Added to that my gut gets upset, my migraines come back and my joints ache. On a low carb diet these conditions all improve quite miraculously, so I now stick with it and expect to continue to do so for the rest of my life and surprisingly that isn't a concern anymore. I eat lots of tasty food, just not the foods I used to eat. I do however find that I need to cook quite a bit and sometimes I can be bothered to do that and even enjoy it, but other times I can't be bothered. On those occasions, I try to have have plenty of low carb treats that I can pick at in the house. On a low carb way of eating, you need to be able to adjust your insulin doses to match what you eat and if you are on a mixed insulin like NovoMix 30 you might have to be a bit careful and test more frequently.
Finding a way forward which works for you is important, so read about other people's approaches and see if there is anything which sounds like it is more your thing. Maybe it might be a meal replacement shakes based diet if you have weight to lose (but maybe your don't have any weight to lose) This would obviously be easy and convenient if you don't like or are not able to cook but not exactly enjoyable or perhaps you don't need to lose any weight. Perhaps intermittent fasting might be something that appeals particularly if you are one of those people who don't like breakfast... I don't know if you are such a person, but if you are on a mixed insulin, that would not be an option, so you might need different insulins. Or maybe it is continuing to eat the way you do now but being able to adjust your insulin better to cover what you want to eat. So if you are on a mixed insulin, then perhaps ask for a basal/bolus regime, where the mealtime isulin is separate from the long acting insulin and you can increase or decrease the dose depending upon what you are going to eat. This does however involve carb counting and calculating doses. meal by meal, which is what most of us on insulin learn to do because it gives us the flexibility to eat or skip meals when we want to rather than follow a quite regimented meal time structure with a mixed insulin.
Not sure if any of this is making any sense to you but all I can do is list possible options. Most would need some consultation with your nurse because of your insulin therapy and the implications of potentially overdosing (ie hypoing) if you reduce your carb/food intake.
Perhaps you are losing weight and need to eat more to put it back on but don't know how to do that with your current insulin doses. Knowing what you need from your diet and which insulin(s) you are using would give us more insight.
Do you just test your levels once a day now or was that when you were on Gliclazide?
Once you are on insulin., it should be possible to eat normally, but what is normal for one person may not be normal for another. I was a sugar addict and Olympic standard comfort eater prediagnosis, so I understand how challenging that can be. I certainly go back to that "normal" For me adopting a low carb approach helped both my diabetes management and my cravings/comfort eating. It wasn't easy in the beginning but it has become my new normal and it definitely suits my body and mental health better. I also use insulin so theoretically I could eat a normal diet, but I have tried and I rapidly lose control of my eating and the cravings start again and before I know it I am hitting the chocolate and sweets and back to battling my demons. Added to that my gut gets upset, my migraines come back and my joints ache. On a low carb diet these conditions all improve quite miraculously, so I now stick with it and expect to continue to do so for the rest of my life and surprisingly that isn't a concern anymore. I eat lots of tasty food, just not the foods I used to eat. I do however find that I need to cook quite a bit and sometimes I can be bothered to do that and even enjoy it, but other times I can't be bothered. On those occasions, I try to have have plenty of low carb treats that I can pick at in the house. On a low carb way of eating, you need to be able to adjust your insulin doses to match what you eat and if you are on a mixed insulin like NovoMix 30 you might have to be a bit careful and test more frequently.
Finding a way forward which works for you is important, so read about other people's approaches and see if there is anything which sounds like it is more your thing. Maybe it might be a meal replacement shakes based diet if you have weight to lose (but maybe your don't have any weight to lose) This would obviously be easy and convenient if you don't like or are not able to cook but not exactly enjoyable or perhaps you don't need to lose any weight. Perhaps intermittent fasting might be something that appeals particularly if you are one of those people who don't like breakfast... I don't know if you are such a person, but if you are on a mixed insulin, that would not be an option, so you might need different insulins. Or maybe it is continuing to eat the way you do now but being able to adjust your insulin better to cover what you want to eat. So if you are on a mixed insulin, then perhaps ask for a basal/bolus regime, where the mealtime isulin is separate from the long acting insulin and you can increase or decrease the dose depending upon what you are going to eat. This does however involve carb counting and calculating doses. meal by meal, which is what most of us on insulin learn to do because it gives us the flexibility to eat or skip meals when we want to rather than follow a quite regimented meal time structure with a mixed insulin.
Not sure if any of this is making any sense to you but all I can do is list possible options. Most would need some consultation with your nurse because of your insulin therapy and the implications of potentially overdosing (ie hypoing) if you reduce your carb/food intake.
Perhaps you are losing weight and need to eat more to put it back on but don't know how to do that with your current insulin doses. Knowing what you need from your diet and which insulin(s) you are using would give us more insight.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Dunji19
Hope you find the forum helpful and supportive.
Some members who also have steroid induced diabetes who have posted fairly recently include @SacrificedSin87 @Dartmoor @mattski and @Kathleen68
Hope you find the forum helpful and supportive.
Some members who also have steroid induced diabetes who have posted fairly recently include @SacrificedSin87 @Dartmoor @mattski and @Kathleen68
mattski
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Steroid Induced Diabetes
Hi @Dunji19 Welcome, I too have steroid induced diabetes, I usually have 40g of prednislone for prolonged periods and up to 16 hits of fostair a day.
I would guess that maybe like myself, when somebody finds out you are diabetic and asks if your type 1 or type 2 and you say neither I'm steroid induced, you are met with either blank or puzzled expressions?
I have had so much help and support from users of this site, not only in terms of explaining things, emotional support but also in terms of information and helping me to ask the right questions with diabetologists and endocrinologists.
There is much support and kindness to be found here, if you have any questions or just want to chat, I'll do my best to help in any way I can, take care of yourself, Matt
I would guess that maybe like myself, when somebody finds out you are diabetic and asks if your type 1 or type 2 and you say neither I'm steroid induced, you are met with either blank or puzzled expressions?
I have had so much help and support from users of this site, not only in terms of explaining things, emotional support but also in terms of information and helping me to ask the right questions with diabetologists and endocrinologists.
There is much support and kindness to be found here, if you have any questions or just want to chat, I'll do my best to help in any way I can, take care of yourself, Matt
SacrificedSin87
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Steroid Induced Diabetes
It’s sort of strange how a lot of people think that it’s so clear cut, T1 and T2. I was having this chat with my oxygen nurse and she said that most of the time, steroid induced doesn’t act or respond like everyone expects T2 to as it’s own thing. I’ve been on insulin now since September and it’s been so much better.
Only tricky thing is that at the moment, I have a chest infection which means antibiotics and more of those horrid little white pills.
mattski
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Steroid Induced Diabetes
Yeah, I 100% agree!!!!
The shocking thing for me was how many medical professionals had that approach to it.
I was hospitalised for a week and a half with hypoglycemia, then when back on steroids it shot the other way and went hyperglycaemic, it quite unpredictable, and of course there are so many complications that come with those horrid little white tinkers, I've got retinopathy, spinal stenosis, bone issues in my legs and am back at hospital on the 15th for a synacthen test as they think I am suffering from adrenal insufficiency, all caused by prednisolone, but I guess breathing always takes president.
I'm pleased to hear that the insulin has made things better for you. Did you find that a tricky thing to get sorted?
I hope you recover from your chest infection as quickly as possible.
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