Steroid injections

[KeithinHerts]

Earlier this week I had to have a number of steroid injections in the back. I was warned that being diabetic (type2) I ought to keep an eye on my blood glucose levels. My diabetes is managed by diet and no medication. It is very much under control as was evidenced by my last tests. But the blood glucose levels have certainly gone up since the injections and I was wondering as to what figure I should seek medical advice as I was told at the hospital I might need insulin.

 

[tim2000s]

I guess the question is how much has it affected your glucose levels?

 

[Lazybones]

Steroids as you have discovered do cause problems with maintaining good diabetec blood glucose control irrespective of what type of diabetes you might have.
It's difficult for any of us to say at what level you would need additional diabetic medications (Insulin) to combat these rises and such things should really be left to your medical practitioners to decide. Most probably if this Steroid treatment is simply a one of or if it's administered infrequently then you would not general be given additional Insulin.
Under such circumstance a high level for a couple of days after the Steroid treatment (ie 20 mml/L or above) should fall back relatively quickly after this to what you expect to be you normal day to day averages.
If you are worried then I would suggest that you ask the Hospital for more advice as each individual can be different.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I agree with Lazybones. Generally you can go into the mid-20s for a few hours without ill effects but not if sustained and if you go above 30 or Hi on the meter then insulin may be needed. Keep the carbs down whilst on the steroids to help to hold the sugar down.

 

[CarbsRok]

Just having one steroid injection like you have had will cause a massive rise for at least 10 days.

 

[Alzibiff]

Wish I had furtled through this forum before I had my steroid injection yesterday morning although as I wrote here http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/steroid-injection.80609/#post-909493 I DID ask the GP who who administered the injection for his advice first and to be honest would have most probably have gone along with it anyway- it was just a shock to find that those who are supposed to know about the effects of the drugs they give to patients are not always aware of how they affect a particular group of patients ...... Which is most disconcerting.
Yes, we should question everything but how on earth can you have confidence in the answers received?

Alan

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Wish I had furtled through this forum before I had my steroid injection yesterday morning although as I wrote here http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/steroid-injection.80609/#post-909493 I DID ask the GP who who administered the injection for his advice first and to be honest would have most probably have gone along with it anyway- it was just a shock to find that those who are supposed to know about the effects of the drugs they give to patients are not always aware of how they affect a particular group of patients ...... Which is most disconcerting.
Yes, we should question everything but how on earth can you have confidence in the answers received?

Alan

I suggested in the other thread making a complaint about this GP and seeing a different one in future. Apart from the few like him, doctors do know the effects of drugs on patients, and they almost always make sure the major risks are mentioned beforehand and any serious issues that arise are dealt with. Unless it's an emergency, I typically do some online reading about a treatment before I agree to it. Then if I have concerns I ask the doctor about it. I'm not aware of long term impacts of steroid injections on diabetes control. Daily steroid pills, yes. When we have a steroid injection it's to treat a serious problem, and it's a trade-off between benefits and risks.