Blood/glucose readings/ steroids

[carry on Ken]

Hi, i was diagnosed back in April as type 2. Was given Gliclazide 40mg which i take first thing. most of my readings using a jazz finger prick monitor is allways between 4.6 and 6.1 which i believe is good and so i dont check now. However i continue to use the monitor every day usually last thing at night. Readings have been between 5.0 and up to 10.1 averaging aroud 8.1 Now when its gone to 10.1 i have actually broken my resolve and eaten... lets say forbidden fruit. So i would like to know is, Is this reading of 10.1 is acceptable on an occasional basis.?Is it still seen as a dangerous level?. I would have thought that if i revert back to my old eating habits (and drinking habit), and thats not saying i had an issue with drink but i did drink a lot of full sugar cola over a week of between 2 and 7 cans. I also enjoyed a glass or 3 of Baileys(still do). So am i worrying unduly? when i do have a sugary drink or a nice slice of cake? Yes it might shoot up the readings and go over 10 or above, but its never going to be a regular occurance. I dont want my diagnosis to rule the rest my life. Im 65 this month and pretty much set in my ways. Like most people,being informed you are pre diabetic, its a wake up call and although down the line it was eventually confirmed i am type 2 i have changed, my diet and reduced my intake of sugary and high carb foods. I have tried to keep my intake to smaller portions i now avoid sugary fizzy drinks which i feel was my main downfall. Ive also tried and failed to lose weight and do more excersise (walking etc) Physical activities are a no no as i also have an autoimmune disease which is another health battle i fight. It affects my muscles which fatigue quickly, if i do anything too physical. Im on Prednisilone which forms part of the management of my disease. This is a steroid known for weight gain, and unfortunately my consultant neurologist wont take me off this because it does help with my myasthenia gravis. Ive since learned that my type 2 diagnosis, could have been as a result of taking long term steroids, my g. p. calls it steroid induced diabetes. However my neurologist does not agree and says as the steroid is a small dosage it wouldnt have caused the onset of diabetes, but as ive been on the steroid for over 2 years and gone from 40mg a day down to my current dosage of 5mg ive still got it in my system and i get the usual symptoms of someone on long term steroids, i bruise and bleed easily if i knock myself, my skjn is very thin., ive put on weight even though ive cut down drastically on many foods i used to eat, So its a vicious circle. I have began to fall back on what i shouldnt be eating, but i am concious of the affect it has on my readings, but like i say its only occasionaly that i break my stance on forbidden foods, so why worry so much and let the type 2 diagnosis beat you up with constant worry? P. s I am being monitored by my GP practice, ive already had an eye test for diabetes (still awaiting for the results) Had a three month blood test which came back fine so i must be doing something right.

 

[Deleted member 475901]

Others may have different ideas about allowing the occasional BS rise above normal levels, but I don't want to take that risk for my eyes or legs having seen my mother and a friend both prefer to eat cake but over time lose much of their eyesight and struggle to walk (even worse the friend has twice had toes/bits of my feet amputated).

 

[ianf0ster]

It's a personal choice. Most things we find pleasurable, not just food/drink items, carry a certain risk.
Do you know how long these excursions above 8.0 mmol last? It's both how high the Blood Glucose is and for how long it is high that creates the issues.
On one extreme I have heard of people who fully accept the risk (even the actuality) of amputations because they get so much pleasure from eating what they eat. yet there are others who 100% 'deny' themselves those pleasures for fear of a risk which may well not materialise.

I personally tend to stay on the cautious side.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

Things maybe slightly different for.me because I have Type 1.
I often remind myself I am more than a diabetic. For me, it is important to manage all of my health, including my mental health, not just the diabetes.
I could eat "safe food" every day, count my carbs meticulously, do the same amount of predictable exercise, avoid stress, check my blood sugars every 30 minutes,...
My blood sugars may be better (I don't expect perfection because there are so many things that can affect blood sugars), but I would not be happy and I would not be me.
"Balance" is the key word for me and management of my health.
I experience some short term highs and some short term lows and I treat them.
After nearly 20 years since my diagnosis, this has worked for me with no diabetic complications and a fitter body than most my age without diabetes.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Hi, i was diagnosed back in April as type 2. Was given Gliclazide 40mg which i take first thing. most of my readings using a jazz finger prick monitor is allways between 4.6 and 6.1 which i believe is good and so i dont check now. However i continue to use the monitor every day usually last thing at night. Readings have been between 5.0 and up to 10.1 averaging aroud 8.1 Now when its gone to 10.1 i have actually broken my resolve and eaten... lets say forbidden fruit. So i would like to know is, Is this reading of 10.1 is acceptable on an occasional basis.?Is it still seen as a dangerous level?. I would have thought that if i revert back to my old eating habits (and drinking habit), and thats not saying i had an issue with drink but i did drink a lot of full sugar cola over a week of between 2 and 7 cans. I also enjoyed a glass or 3 of Baileys(still do). So am i worrying unduly? when i do have a sugary drink or a nice slice of cake? Yes it might shoot up the readings and go over 10 or above, but its never going to be a regular occurance. I dont want my diagnosis to rule the rest my life. Im 65 this month and pretty much set in my ways. Like most people,being informed you are pre diabetic, its a wake up call and although down the line it was eventually confirmed i am type 2 i have changed, my diet and reduced my intake of sugary and high carb foods. I have tried to keep my intake to smaller portions i now avoid sugary fizzy drinks which i feel was my main downfall. Ive also tried and failed to lose weight and do more excersise (walking etc) Physical activities are a no no as i also have an autoimmune disease which is another health battle i fight. It affects my muscles which fatigue quickly, if i do anything too physical. Im on Prednisilone which forms part of the management of my disease. This is a steroid known for weight gain, and unfortunately my consultant neurologist wont take me off this because it does help with my myasthenia gravis. Ive since learned that my type 2 diagnosis, could have been as a result of taking long term steroids, my g. p. calls it steroid induced diabetes. However my neurologist does not agree and says as the steroid is a small dosage it wouldnt have caused the onset of diabetes, but as ive been on the steroid for over 2 years and gone from 40mg a day down to my current dosage of 5mg ive still got it in my system and i get the usual symptoms of someone on long term steroids, i bruise and bleed easily if i knock myself, my skjn is very thin., ive put on weight even though ive cut down drastically on many foods i used to eat, So its a vicious circle. I have began to fall back on what i shouldnt be eating, but i am concious of the affect it has on my readings, but like i say its only occasionaly that i break my stance on forbidden foods, so why worry so much and let the type 2 diagnosis beat you up with constant worry? P. s I am being monitored by my GP practice, ive already had an eye test for diabetes (still awaiting for the results) Had a three month blood test which came back fine so i must be doing something right.

Fellow Myasthenic here been on prednisolone about 20 years now 40 mg not a low dose though glad to see you have managed to step down to 5 mg I'm on the lowest dose my neuro will allow 15mg a day I was told that preds induced my diabetes by a diabetes consultant I was put on Azathioprine for some time hoping it would enable me to come off preds but it had some pretty dire side effects for me so was taken off it, there are other alternatives to preds but you would have to discuss that with your neurologist did you know that some recent studies have shown that high blood sugars can make MG worse and other studies have also shown that Metformin can have a beneficial effect on MG.