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Prednisolone (steroid) induced diabetes

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Hippylippylou

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Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
Hi everyone
I'm Lucy, 49. I've got an autoimmune disease called psoriatic arthritis and have been on steroids for 3 years, low dose but causing havoc as my adrenal glands aren't producing enough cortisol. I dropped to 2mg for a year, symtoms of adrenal fatigue so for the last month up to 4mg.

My Hba1c has been checked last year as 41. Steroids increase blood glucose. I've been having horrible symptoms - dizziness and a weird intense thirst sensation that drinking doesn't improve, almost like a craving sensation. It starts about an hour after my breakfast with meds and feels dreadful. Definitely worse after food. Am weeing for England, shaky too. Sometimes blurry vision (though not sure if that's relevant)

So I'm getting another hba1c in morning and have been armed with a glucose monitor.

Anyone else experienced this?

I'm feeling really nervous about it all - GP mentioned there's different things that could be going on related to my adrenals affecting blood sugar, etc, and that as I have one autoimmune disease Im more likely to develop another. Sigh.

Sorry for long post - wasn't sure where to turn for info and support.

Thank you all
 
Hi @Hippylippylou and welcome to the forum 🙂 My dearest friend who I've known for 45 years suffers from psoriatic arthritis as well as Parkinsons and other complications, so although I don't know what the pain is like myself, I know how bad she can get so you have all my sympathy.

It sounds like you have an excellent GP who is exploring all options. Certainly the symptoms you describe are what I was having before being diagnosed with Type 2: thirst which couldn't be slaked, weeing all hours of the day and night and feeling shaky. I never developed blurred vision but I'm pretty sure that can also be a symptom.

Have you been instructed in how to use the glucose monitor? Most of us take a reading first thing in the morning, just before a meal and then 2 hours after eating. You should be aiming for no more than 2-3 units more after eating. If diabetes is diagnosed you may need to reduce your carbs, although that may be difficult as my friend needs carbs in the morning for her meds and if she tries low-carb she is sick and can't keep the meds down.

Please ask away with any other questions and let us know what your hba1c is after your test tomorrow.

Best wishes
 
Vonny said:
Hi @Hippylippylou and welcome to the forum 🙂 My dearest friend who I've known for 45 years suffers from psoriatic arthritis as well as Parkinsons and other complications, so although I don't know what the pain is like myself, I know how bad she can get so you have all my sympathy.

It sounds like you have an excellent GP who is exploring all options. Certainly the symptoms you describe are what I was having before being diagnosed with Type 2: thirst which couldn't be slaked, weeing all hours of the day and night and feeling shaky. I never developed blurred vision but I'm pretty sure that can also be a symptom.

Have you been instructed in how to use the glucose monitor? Most of us take a reading first thing in the morning, just before a meal and then 2 hours after eating. You should be aiming for no more than 2-3 units more after eating. If diabetes is diagnosed you may need to reduce your carbs, although that may be difficult as my friend needs carbs in the morning for her meds and if she tries low-carb she is sick and can't keep the meds down.

Please ask away with any other questions and let us know what your hba1c is after your test tomorrow.

Best wishes
Click to expand...
Hi
 
Hi Vonny, thanks so much for your reply and your empathy.
Firstly - congratulations on your incredible weightloss and health improvements, it sounds like you've kicked diabetes backside! Brilliant. I'm also resisting statins for a 5.2 🙂

I bought an easier testing thing - accu check mobile, with cartridges instead of fiddly bits because of my puffy arthritis hands. My reading was 6.8 before lunch (6 hours post breakie) then 10.5 2 hours later. My symptoms are at their worst an hour or so after breakfast and meds. I'll do tests again in morning.

I'm same as your friend, need substantial breakfast to take meds.

I'm going to try low carb. I need to lose 4 stones :-( Do you have any suggestions for plans/books? I don't want to do ww or sw.

Thank you
 
I bought the Carbs & Cals Pocket Counter book which is really handy for finding out carbs in portion sizes. My weight was largely lost by cutting out the main carbs in bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. I was a complete carb monster before. You will have to be careful though, as you need to take your other conditions into account.

If you can walk, that is also excellent for cutting blood glucose and losing weight.

If you are anything like my friend you shouldn't get weighed until you've had a big poo 😱 Hers can back up and she can put half a stone on! (sorry, probably far too much information there!) 😉
 
Welcome to the forum @Hippylippylou

Sorry to hear about the impact the steroids have had on your diabetes, and the symptoms you are experiencing. Steroids do have a bit of a reputation I’m afraid :(

And yes - autoimmune conditions do seem to come in flocks for some people :(
 
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