Steroids :(

[WEEHOTTY]

I guess a word that us diabetics fear !

Just coming to the end of my prescription .. 30mg Prednisolone, taking at lunchtime.

Having blood sugars kicking 27mmol at bedtime even with my Glicazide , I also started getting ketones ++ first thing in the morning. Im assuming thats because my sugars were high for longer during the night.

Sitting at 19.6 the now - no ketones .
Today is my last day on the Steroids.

How does everyone else manage?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

Have you made any dietary changes along with taking Gliclazide to manage your levels? Lowering your carb intake can have a very significant impact. So much so, that with Gliclazide you would have to be careful to lower your carbs slowly to avoid the risk of a hypo.
Not sure if you are aware (many people aren't and the NHS is poor in respect of dietary advice for diabetics) but all carbs raise our BG levels.... some more than others... so it isn't just the sweet stuff that you need to cut back on but also reduce portion size and frequency of bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals, pastry etc and even fruit needs to be selected carefully for lower carb options.
Apologies if you are already aware of this and implementing these dietary changes.

 

[WEEHOTTY]

Thanks for your response.
I have made changes to my diet - I rarely eat pasta, I get 3 dessert spoons of rice instead of half a plate , I dont fill my plate with potatoes ( just one or two ), dont eat breakfast cereals ... I do have porridge maybe once or twice a month, brown seeded bread ( 2 a day if that) cut back on sugary fruit.. I try and eat homemade when I can. luckily not a sweety fanatic !

I do have allergies to certain nuts and certain fish so increasing healthy fats can be problematic.

Last night I made a Fish Pie , had petite pois broccoli a wee bit of Mash and cheese on top ( still managed to sky rocket my sugars) Portion was a small plate.

Tonights meal is 2 slices of roast beef, baby potatoes ( 2 for me ) carrots brocolli and green beans and maybe just maybe a home made yorkshire pudding ( levels dependant).

Its so hard , moreso when I do want to stuff my face and all I want is carbs ... ( only on special occasions)

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I guess a word that us diabetics fear !

Just coming to the end of my prescription .. 30mg Prednisolone, taking at lunchtime.

Having blood sugars kicking 27mmol at bedtime even with my Glicazide , I also started getting ketones ++ first thing in the morning. Im assuming thats because my sugars were high for longer during the night.

Sitting at 19.6 the now - no ketones .
Today is my last day on the Steroids.

How does everyone else manage?

Whoever told you to take steroids at lunchtime should be shot at dawn yesterday. They need to be taken first thing in the morning.
As you are not on insulin all you can do is reduce the amount of carbs you are eating. As you have ketone are you sure you have type2 diabetes as it's not usual for a type2 to have them?

 

[WEEHOTTY]

Hi Sue ,

Thanks for your response

Yes I am defo a wee type two - had a cpeptide done not long ago and it shows I do tend to produce insulin - Ive been doubting the quality of my insulin because its slow to work and sometimes just isnt cutting the mustard. My Nurse seems to think my pancreas is tired, as the Glicazide is maxed out and im still not going low

I have had a few instances when DKA was suspected and pulled into hospital and put on a drip ... I think im just one of the minority that gets them from time to time.. To be honest that one of the main reasons why I dont go too low carb, im scared that the ketones ( which I know will then be dietary) will build up and ill end up ill... ( whether dietry ketosis will have that effect, im not sure but im too scared to try).

So I try to hold my sugars with a sensible diet and some exercise. As for the Steroids, whenever I have had to take them, Ive always done so mid afternoon .... This is because the steroids make me super hungry and im less likely to over eat and nibble when im fast asleep in bed.. tactical planning on my side

 

[janw]

I have a steroid inhaler, I always check my BG first thing in the morning before I use the inhaler as they raise my BG. Sometimes I use it at bedtime, but it seems to have "settled" by the morning. I have some Prednisolone in my emergency pack (as well as antibiotics) in case I have a huge COPD flare up, but never had to take either yet. Hopefully your BG will return to its regular level once the last one is out of your system.....dang steroids do raise our BG.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

So I try to hold my sugars with a sensible diet and some exercise. As for the Steroids, whenever I have had to take them, Ive always done so mid afternoon .... This is because the steroids make me super hungry and im less likely to over eat and nibble when im fast asleep in bed.. tactical planning on my side

Sorry I hadn't noticed you are on insulin, my bad.
Rule of thumb is 2 units of insulin for 1 mg of pred, so I was told by an endo many years ago. So this includes basal and bolus.
If you take your steroids at lunchtime or the evening they will mess up your body clock and stop you from sleeping. Also as you noticed your blood sugars are a lot higher as well this is due to lack of exercise and insulin. If hungry could you drink more water and eat carb free stuff like meat and cheese just so you are feeling fuller.