Type 2 Steroids and effect on Type 2 diabetes

[SheeshG]

Am a male in my 70s and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 6 months ago. Was under control with oral metformin.
Was a week ago diagnosed with temporal arteritis which can seriously affect vision and was advised steroids.
Within 3 days of starting steroids, blood sugar has gone haywire -- doubled for post prandial and 25% increase for fasting sugar.
Am informed that steroids side effect is to cause this increase and have been asked to increase metformin dosage. Have done so but hardly any effect.
Any suggestion/comments?

 

[margaret58]

Hi there I have been on oral hydrocortisone for over twenty years now and I was told that the steroids can put your sugar levels up higher than they should. Hope this helps .

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes, steroids do push blood sugars up, and often quite substantially. There is a sub-condition known as steroid-induced diabetes.

Increasing Metformin may help a little with the fasting readings as its job is to reduce the amount of glucose the liver dumps mostly in the mornings (but also during brisk/strenuous exercise) However, it won't help reduce the actual amount you increase post meal. For example, if your normal increase post meal without steroids is 2mmol/l but has risen to 3mmol/l Metformin won't do a thing to help with that.

 

[Nicksu]

I know they do this from experience - I have steroid induced diabetes. Steroids when taken in the morning cause your BS levels to rise in the afternoon and evening. Metformin won't do much to counteract spikes like this. How long a course of steroids have you been prescribed? You may need something like Gliclizade or something else to counteract the effect of the steroids on your BS levels. Talk to your GP about it.