Steroid treatment effect on Type 2

[JeanBBell]

I have just discovered that I probably have polymyositis, unrelated to my Type2, and that I shall soon have to start big doses of Steroids. I know this is likely to raise blood glucose levels but do not know how much, I believe I shall be on the steroids for months. Has anyone else has big doses of steroids and how did you control blood sugar?

 

[Lazybones]

Steroids as you rightly say interfere with Glucose metabolism. Diabetics should discuss their Steroid medication dosages with a suitably qualified medical practitioner, who might recommend the common practise of increasing the Steroid dosage and the patient only taking that revised increased dosage on ALTERNATIVE DAYS so as to help in stabilising the B/G levels to a compromised mean level.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hello and welcome

Yes, steroids can increase them, but maybe you could offset some of that increase by tweaking your diet and eating lower carbs.
What are your BS levels like now?

 

[JeanBBell]

Thank you for this. My current bs levels are usually pretty good. The rheumatologist and GP offered only very general advice, but I do plan to reduce carb intake more than usual and test bs more frequently t least for the first few weeks. I have not started the steroid yet, still have to get muscle biopsy to confirm diagnosis, but I was told that I would have to start on the highest dose that would be gradually reduced, so I think the beginning will be the worst. Nothing is simple is it!

 

[rowan]

Is there no alternative to the steroids? They send my levels sky high, over 30 last time I had them in hospital and that was after not eating for days. They stopped them after 4 days because of it and my levels went right down again.

 

[JeanBBell]

Is there no alternative to the steroids? They send my levels sky high, over 30 last time I had them in hospital and that was after not eating for days. They stopped them after 4 days because of it and my levels went right down again.

There is no alternative if I want the debilitating muscle weakness of polymyositis to be sorted out and to avoid permanent muscle damage. So this is going to have to be damage limitation so far as the bs levels are concerned

 

[rowan]

That's a shame, I'm lucky that there is an alternative for my illnesses, better for blood sugars but still some life threatening side effects, seems the treatment for many illnesses are almost as bad as the illness itself
Good luck with it, hope you manage to get the meds sorted

 

[JeanBBell]

That's a shame, I'm lucky that there is an alternative for my illnesses, better for blood sugars but still some life threatening side effects, seems the treatment for many illnesses are almost as bad as the illness itself
Good luck with it, hope you manage to get the meds sorted

Thank you Rowan. Times like this really show up how fragmented the medical profession is don't they? The rheumatologist prescribing the steroids doesn't fully grasp their effect on diabetes and tells me to think about it. At least we have this forum and other sources of reliable information.

 

[Daibell]

It may be necessary to go onto insulin whilst on the steroids. There are posters here who have done that.

 

[JeanBBell]

It may be necessary to go onto insulin whilst on the steroids. There are posters here who have done that.

Thank you, I hadn't spotted that Daibell. I shall have to talk to the GP about all this.