Prednisolone and BG levels

[Paul_c]

Just been put on a short course (7 days) of these for a bad chest infection (I'm also asthmatic) and my BG levels are up quite a bit... what's annoying me is that there was NO mention of this as a side effect on the leaflet only to inform your medical practioner when being prescribed it if you had diabetes which I did and was told not to worry about it after she heard I was on diet and exercise...

normal level pre meal is about 5.5, pre dinner today I had a reading of 8 :shock: post meal was back to 7.0 as I had no carbs at all in that meal

It doesn't help either that the cough suppressant medication I've also been put on (and it does work), is 80% sugar as well... 4 grams per dose...

this website has the details abot prednisolone's effects on blood sugar and how it can "unmask" people as being diabetic:

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medther/tayendo ... solone.htm

Steroids produce other metabolic side effects (i.e. interfere with the chemical balance of the body). They alter salt and water and potassium and calcium balance and increase blood sugar levels (diabetes may be unmasked in susceptible individuals). There is often an increased appetite, weight gain and susceptibility to infection and poor healing of injuries or wounds.

PS. this elevated BG hassle is also just before my HbA1C is due as well so nursey is going to think I've been a naughty boy...

 

[Superchip]

I was put on Prednisolone as a fix after being given Sirolimus as the main immunosuppressant because of my heart transplant. Well the Sirolimus was a disaster, it put me at deaths door so a new drug CellCept ( £83 a box ! ) was prescribed, along with Prednisolone. Sorry this is a bit long winded but the point is that my BG's were all over the place when on these steroids, on a VLCHF diet at the time,so 18 months ago I stopped taking them and the BG's normalised within a quite short time. This really ticked off my consultant but what the hell he doesn't have to live with the consequences. At my last MOT at Papworth all is good, all systems are go.

Thanks for the info and link Paul_C, and blooming well done on the weight reduction, impressive !

Keep calm eat meat and sat fat and carry on !

 

[catherinecherub]

7 days is a very short course of Prednisolone and you have to weigh up the pros and cons. It may skew your blood sugar readings but it will make you feel better. Sometimes diabetes has to take a back seat.

I have to take this drug for 6 weeks at a time sporadically due to a condition and it is difficult to manage blood sugars during that time but I would rather get this other condition under control than worry too much about my blood sugars.

You don't umask diabetes overnight if you are taking steroids, it is usually if you are on them for a length of time.


http://www.asthma.org.uk/about-asthma/m ... medicines/

 

[duranie]

I was given IV dexamethasone with chemotherapy last year...on one occasion I took my BG levels just before infusion 6.8 and after infusion - ie 4 hours later...they were 28.7 & this was with a 100% increase in my basal insulin..thank god for my pump, there's no way I'd have coped without it...