Newly diagnosed T2 steroid induced......still in shock!!!

[Kathleen68]

Hi everyone I have been having liver function blood tests for several years now as medication and prednisolone which I take for lung conditions (inc. Asthma) can affect the liver. Results have always come back within normal range. Last test in August showed 53mmol and GP rang me to say I was T2 and it’s most likely caused by prednisolone.......he gave me no advice whatsoever other than “cut down on all sugary foods, we‘ll organize another test in 3mths”. I feel blindsided by this as it came totally out the blue. I’m probably about 7lb overweight, my BMI is 26, my diet is healthy and I try to walk 30-45mins every day. Please can I have some ideas on how to proceed with this ?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hello @Kathleen68

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear that your steroids have raised BG enough to put you into the T2 zone. An HbA1c of 48 is usually the cut-off for a diagnosis with diabetes, but we have members who were diagnosed in the 100s, so you are only just over the threshold.

Steroids certainly have a reputation for raising blood glucose, ans sometimes this is sufficient to cause a diagnosis of T2 to be made. The most immediate and effective thing you can do is to act on the other major modifiable cause of elevated blood glucose - the food you eat.

While there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits. It can be very helpful to keep a food diary of all meals and snacks, and to squint at the back of packets and get your kitchen scales out to add up or estimate how much carbohydrate is in what your are eating - it’s the total carbohydrate figure you need, rather than ‘of which sugars’ since all carbohydrate will be broken down to glucose in the blood. This will allow you to see where the main sources of carbs are in your current diet, and may help you to see which meals could do with a tweak to reduce the carb load.

Adding some daily or regular exercise and activity into your week is another very helpful strategy. It doesn’t have to be marathon running, but just something that raises your heart rate for around 30 minutes a day.

It’s best to make changes to your menu (and activity levels) gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

 

[Leonora]

Hi there Kathleen. I was exactly where you are 2 1/2 years ago. But my readings were higher! Prior to steroids my HBA1C readings were always in the mid 4s so you can imagine how cross I was, too. The secret is not to scared. Your most important tools are reading around this site and purchasing a meter to check your readings throughout the day. Last year my reading was 36 so I know it can be done. Next, as Mike said, is to cut those carbs, and as he also said, do it gently. The good thing you'll find is that you find new foods that you never ate before and grow to love eating a wider variety. I know I did. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions. You'll get a lot here, and no question is silly. I've asked the stupidest questions and without the kind replies from this lot, I wouldn't be where I am today.

 

[Kathleen68]

Hello @Kathleen68

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear that your steroids have raised BG enough to put you into the T2 zone. An HbA1c of 48 is usually the cut-off for a diagnosis with diabetes, but we have members who were diagnosed in the 100s, so you are only just over the threshold.

Steroids certainly have a reputation for raising blood glucose, ans sometimes this is sufficient to cause a diagnosis of T2 to be made. The most immediate and effective thing you can do is to act on the other major modifiable cause of elevated blood glucose - the food you eat.

While there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits. It can be very helpful to keep a food diary of all meals and snacks, and to squint at the back of packets and get your kitchen scales out to add up or estimate how much carbohydrate is in what your are eating - it’s the total carbohydrate figure you need, rather than ‘of which sugars’ since all carbohydrate will be broken down to glucose in the blood. This will allow you to see where the main sources of carbs are in your current diet, and may help you to see which meals could do with a tweak to reduce the carb load.

Adding some daily or regular exercise and activity into your week is another very helpful strategy. It doesn’t have to be marathon running, but just something that raises your heart rate for around 30 minutes a day.

It’s best to make changes to your menu (and activity levels) gradually - partly because they need to be sustainable long term, but also because very rapid and sudden changes to blood glucose levels are harder on the fine blood vessels, and changing things more gently will give your body time to adapt.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Thanks Mike, that’s managed to calm me down a bit , I’ve already made some changes to my diet and shall continue to make more ..... I‘m finding chocolate the most difficult to give up but quite enjoy the occasional piece of 70% dark so I’ll try and learn to enjoy it even more . This is a fantastic site, so glad I found it.

 

[Kathleen68]

Hi there Kathleen. I was exactly where you are 2 1/2 years ago. But my readings were higher! Prior to steroids my HBA1C readings were always in the mid 4s so you can imagine how cross I was, too. The secret is not to scared. Your most important tools are reading around this site and purchasing a meter to check your readings throughout the day. Last year my reading was 36 so I know it can be done. Next, as Mike said, is to cut those carbs, and as he also said, do it gently. The good thing you'll find is that you find new foods that you never ate before and grow to love eating a wider variety. I know I did. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions. You'll get a lot here, and no question is silly. I've asked the stupidest questions and without the kind replies from this lot, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Thanks Leonora , yep I certainly am cross but as with all my health issues, I go nuts in the beginning then eventually get a handle on it and deal with it . Getting your reading down to 36 last year was a triumph, hope I can manage that at some point !! A couple of people have recommended the Michael Mosley book ‘The 8 week blood sugar diet’ which puts you on 800 calories a day for 8wks, drops your weight rapidly and also your levels.........bit extreme, but seems successful. So glad I found this site, there’s so much info and support on here

 

[Leonora]

Yes that has been very successful but I couldn't do it. If I only ate 800 cals a day I feel like I'm going to faint and I hate that feeling. I'm also a slim diabetic so it wouldn't take me long to look like a bean pole. Slow and steady by reducing carbs worked better for me but there's no harm having a go. I still lost weight by reducing carbs but this lot advised me what to eat more of to stop the weight loss.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

quite enjoy the occasional piece of 70% dark so I’ll try and learn to enjoy it even more

Lots of members here enjoy a square or two of dark chocolate - a much bigger chocolate ‘hit’, and many find barely troubles BG, especially if enjoyed after a meal 🙂

 

[Kathleen68]

Yes that has been very successful but I couldn't do it. If I only ate 800 cals a day I feel like I'm going to faint and I hate that feeling. I'm also a slim diabetic so it wouldn't take me long to look like a bean pole. Slow and steady by reducing carbs worked better for me but there's no harm having a go. I still lost weight by reducing carbs but this lot advised me what to eat more of to stop the weight loss.

Hi Leonora, I think the slow and steady approach will be better for me too. I’m around 7-8lb overweight and I think if I suddenly lost 14lb or more I’d look like a beanpole too !! Also , because I have several other health issues which are well controlled at the moment (I say that with fingers tightly crossed)I don’t want to shock my system with a rigid 800 calorie a day diet . Take care, stay well

 

[Ditto]

I had regular checks on my liver for decades it felt like, then they stun you with news that you are doomed. Why couldn't they have given me the heads-up sooner? I feel betrayed and let down. Mind you, it's all my own fault, don't even have steroids as an excuse, it was pigging out that did for me.

Slow and steady seems like a good idea. 🙂

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi Kathleen68, That idea of an 800 calorie diet or worse still an 800 calorie shakes only diet were enough for me to buy a Blood Glucose meter and 'eat to my meter'. Which despite me also being only a little overweight, was steady but not that slow!
Apart from the complication of the steroids and things like Statins, infections, stress etc. Blood Glucose reacts to carbohydrates within 2hrs - so the effect of cutting down on the carby food is much more immediate than any starvation diet !

 

[Kathleen68]

Hi Kathleen68, That idea of an 800 calorie diet or worse still an 800 calorie shakes only diet were enough for me to buy a Blood Glucose meter and 'eat to my meter'. Which despite me also being only a little overweight, was steady but not that slow!
Apart from the complication of the steroids and things like Statins, infections, stress etc. Blood Glucose reacts to carbohydrates within 2hrs - so the effect of cutting down on the carby food is much more immediate than any starvation diet !

Hi Ian, thanks for your reply - fellow TOFI . Sorry to sound so stupid but what is a Blood Glucose meter? I know zero about diabetes - prior to my diagnosis my lifelong problems have been , and still are, respiratory (hence the long term steroids). My GP was useless - he told me to “carry on as you are but cut out sugar, you’re only just over the normal range, we’ll do a repeat hba1c in about 3mths” I feel a bit annoyed that I haven’t been offered more support , however I am wading through online info and I’ve looked at Michael Mosley’s 800cal blood sugar diet but I feel it could be counter productive given my health issues?

 

[grovesy]

Hi Ian, thanks for your reply - fellow TOFI . Sorry to sound so stupid but what is a Blood Glucose meter? I know zero about diabetes - prior to my diagnosis my lifelong problems have been , and still are, respiratory (hence the long term steroids). My GP was useless - he told me to “carry on as you are but cut out sugar, you’re only just over the normal range, we’ll do a repeat hba1c in about 3mths” I feel a bit annoyed that I haven’t been offered more support , however I am wading through online info and I’ve looked at Michael Mosley’s 800cal blood sugar diet but I feel it could be counter productive given my health issues?

You have to find what works for you and you can maintain. When you have other condtions it can be sometimes tricky to find what works for all, it is not always possible. A blood glucose meter is machine that is used to measure Glucose/Sugar levels.