Steroid injection

[AngieNorth]

i had a steroid injection for arthritis 6 weeks ago. Since then my sugar levels have fluctuated enormously on the high side and the insulin does not seem to be very effective any more. Only had a tiny injection in my thumb joint. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Amigo]

i had a steroid injection for arthritis 6 weeks ago. Since then my sugar levels have fluctuated enormously on the high side and the insulin does not seem to be very effective any more. Only had a tiny injection in my thumb joint. Has anyone else experienced this?

I’ve had a couple of steroid injections into the busted rotator cuff in my shoulder and it had a temporary effect on glucose levels. However I’m not on insulin.

Doctors always seem to say it will have a very minimal systemic effect but I’ve read a fair bit of research that disagrees. Usually however, it’s a small effect and temporary. The benefit on pain relief can make it worth it.

Good luck!

 

[mikeyB]

Hi Angie, welcome to the forum.🙂

Yes, it can affect BGs. It’s a very concentrated dose. As Amigo says, it will settle down, so don’t panic. I had my hip joint injected with steroid, and my BGs were up and down like a bride’s nightie for a month or more. A small price to pay for pain relief, in my opinion. And that’s your excuse ready made if your next HbA1c is a tad higher🙂

 

[AngieNorth]

Thank you. I’ll let you know when it goes down. It has been worth it as I can now use my hand again.