Type 2 Blood sugars and antibiotics

[Lizzie2]

Hi,
I've just been given a five day course of Prednisolone 30mcg a day along with 500mcg Amoxil 3x a day. Took my steroids at lunch time yesterday and two of the antibiotics and woke up with my blood sugar at 7.2! That's really high for me, normally a bad result would be 6.0 - I've always had a tendency to have a highish morning reading.
I became T2 eighteen months ago after being on a 3 month course of Prednisolone for RA but I discovered LCHF, bought a blood sugar meter and ate my way out of it. I'm really worried now that I become T2 again.
When I was grumbling about the steroids my other half reminded me of someone we know who is T1 and whose bloods were wrecked ( I think only for a while) when he was given antibiotics.
Does anyone have experience of this and if so what happened. Any advice would be more than welcome. All I can think of is to be really strict on the LCHF.
Thanks in advance, Lizzie

 

[Pipp]

Hi,
I've just been given a five day course of Prednisolone 30mcg a day along with 500mcg Amoxil 3x a day. Took my steroids at lunch time yesterday and two of the antibiotics and woke up with my blood sugar at 7.2! That's really high for me, normally a bad result would be 6.0 - I've always had a tendency to have a highish morning reading.
I became T2 eighteen months ago after being on a 3 month course of Prednisolone for RA but I discovered LCHF, bought a blood sugar meter and ate my way out of it. I'm really worried now that I become T2 again.
When I was grumbling about the steroids my other half reminded me of someone we know who is T1 and whose bloods were wrecked ( I think only for a while) when he was given antibiotics.
Does anyone have experience of this and if so what happened. Any advice would be more than welcome. All I can think of is to be really strict on the LCHF.
Thanks in advance, Lizzie

Hi @Lizzie2
Sorry you are not feeling well.
I have to take Prednisolone sometimes. As often as 3 or 4 x five day courses a year. Sometimes with antibiotics. I find that for a while, ( up to 3 or 4 weeks after) I have higher blood glucose readings, particularly in the mornings. I think it important to keep to low carb diet, and to drink plenty of water, whilst taking the meds, but just accept for a few weeks BG will be higher than I like. The need for steroids and antibiotics is sometimes greater than the need to keep BG numbers low.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Lizzie2]

Hi @Lizzie2
Sorry you are not feeling well.
I have to take Prednisolone sometimes. As often as 3 or 4 x five day courses a year. Sometimes with antibiotics. I find that for a while, ( up to 3 or 4 weeks after) I have higher blood glucose readings, particularly in the mornings. I think it important to keep to low carb diet, and to drink plenty of water, whilst taking the meds, but just accept for a few weeks BG will be higher than I like. The need for steroids and antibiotics is sometimes greater than the need to keep BG numbers low.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thank you for your good wishes and thanks for your reassuring reply. Know what you mean about the need for steroids, I always felt I would never have them ever again after my first experience with them but I've got some sort of infection and it hurts to breathe in then it hurts to breathe out and when the doctor asked if I'd ever had steroids, I said that I had but I'd ended up with T2, she said this would only be for five days etc and I actually felt glad to get them knowing that last time I had them I felt like Super Woman. I'm kind of needing to feel like that again, I've got a huge amount of stress in my life at the moment , two of the men in my family are waiting for major surgery. Then I got up and discovered I was 7.2 and didn't feel quite so chuffed - I think I really need to chill out.

 

[Pipp]

Thank you for your good wishes and thanks for your reassuring reply. Know what you mean about the need for steroids, I always felt I would never have them ever again after my first experience with them but I've got some sort of infection and it hurts to breathe in then it hurts to breathe out and when the doctor asked if I'd ever had steroids, I said that I had but I'd ended up with T2, she said this would only be for five days etc and I actually felt glad to get them knowing that last time I had them I felt like Super Woman. I'm kind of needing to feel like that again, I've got a huge amount of stress in my life at the moment , two of the men in my family are waiting for major surgery. Then I got up and discovered I was 7.2 and didn't feel quite so chuffed - I think I really need to chill out.

Yes, if you can relax and accept that for a few days you will be having higher BG numbers it will help. I find that at times when I need steroids ( mine for allergies which cause breathing problems which can become chest infections) it is annoying, but I have to take time out and do nothing until recovered. If I try to carry on as usual I take longer to recover.
One thing I have noticed, as have my nearest and dearest, is that I have much less patience than usual. Whether that is due to the meds, or just due to me not being well, I don't know. I have been known to get a bit bad tempered when taking steroid meds, so tend to avoid situations that could annoy me, and keep a low profile. Nothing wrong with taking duvet days when out of sorts.

 

[Lizzie2]

Yes, if you can relax and accept that for a few days you will be having higher BG numbers it will help. I find that at times when I need steroids ( mine for allergies which cause breathing problems which can become chest infections) it is annoying, but I have to take time out and do nothing until recovered. If I try to carry on as usual I take longer to recover.
One thing I have noticed, as have my nearest and dearest, is that I have much less patience than usual. Whether that is due to the meds, or just due to me not being well, I don't know. I have been known to get a bit bad tempered when taking steroid meds, so tend to avoid situations that could annoy me, and keep a low profile. Nothing wrong with taking duvet days when out of sorts.

I agree, you've just got to accept it and go with the flow. Hard to tell if it's the steroids or just not feeling well. Think I'd go fir not feeling well because I know I was feeling sore and grumpy before I finally admitted I wasn't feeling good and it wasn't improving and went to the doctor. A duvet day or two and a low profile - especially the low profile - shall be my aim

 

[stiv2us]

Hi,
I've just been given a five day course of Prednisolone 30mcg a day along with 500mcg Amoxil 3x a day. Took my steroids at lunch time yesterday and two of the antibiotics and woke up with my blood sugar at 7.2! That's really high for me, normally a bad result would be 6.0 - I've always had a tendency to have a highish morning reading.
I became T2 eighteen months ago after being on a 3 month course of Prednisolone for RA but I discovered LCHF, bought a blood sugar meter and ate my way out of it. I'm really worried now that I become T2 again.
When I was grumbling about the steroids my other half reminded me of someone we know who is T1 and whose bloods were wrecked ( I think only for a while) when he was given antibiotics.
Does anyone have experience of this and if so what happened. Any advice would be more than welcome. All I can think of is to be really strict on the LCHF.
Thanks in advance, Lizzie

 

[stiv2us]

I agree, you've just got to accept it and go with the flow. Hard to tell if it's the steroids or just not feeling well. Think I'd go fir not feeling well because I know I was feeling sore and grumpy before I finally admitted I wasn't feeling good and it wasn't improving and went to the doctor. A duvet day or two and a low profile - especially the low profile - shall be my aim

I am diabetic taking insulin and oral meds
All seemed to be going well then I get infection which has caused me to have antibiotics. But all of a sudden when testing my sugar's they have now risen up to a level of 27 at each test I have used another meter for peace of mind and still have high level of 27-28. I am now into day 4 taking antibiotics and there is no sign of the level going down.. Do I need to see the doctor or just ride this out and hopefully everything will be OK.. Advise please.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I am diabetic taking insulin and oral meds
All seemed to be going well then I get infection which has caused me to have antibiotics. But all of a sudden when testing my sugar's they have now risen up to a level of 27 at each test I have used another meter for peace of mind and still have high level of 27-28. I am now into day 4 taking antibiotics and there is no sign of the level going down.. Do I need to see the doctor or just ride this out and hopefully everything will be OK.. Advise please.

Your blood sugars are really high, which is more likely to be due to the infection than due to the antibiotics. (Unless you're on steroids as well, those would affect your blood sugars). Don't leave it, call 111 and ask for assistance. You might temporarily need different medication or more insulin. Don't wait, please.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I am diabetic taking insulin and oral meds
All seemed to be going well then I get infection which has caused me to have antibiotics. But all of a sudden when testing my sugar's they have now risen up to a level of 27 at each test I have used another meter for peace of mind and still have high level of 27-28. I am now into day 4 taking antibiotics and there is no sign of the level going down.. Do I need to see the doctor or just ride this out and hopefully everything will be OK.. Advise please.

Can you measure ketones? I didn't want to mention the possibility of Diabetic Keto Acidosis, but I can't just go about my day and not express my worry. Please get help.

 

[DCUKMod]

I am diabetic taking insulin and oral meds
All seemed to be going well then I get infection which has caused me to have antibiotics. But all of a sudden when testing my sugar's they have now risen up to a level of 27 at each test I have used another meter for peace of mind and still have high level of 27-28. I am now into day 4 taking antibiotics and there is no sign of the level going down.. Do I need to see the doctor or just ride this out and hopefully everything will be OK.. Advise please.

Call your GP, or NHS 111, @stiv2us - they are there to help you.

In the meantime, drink plenty of water to help flush the sugar from your blood, but I doubt that's going to be enough to bring those numbers down too much.

Have you taken your medications as usual, or as you have been told to?

Speak to someone stiv2us, those numbers aren't helping you at all. I certainly wouldn't be willing to risk riding those numbers. out

 

[Jaylee]

I am diabetic taking insulin and oral meds
All seemed to be going well then I get infection which has caused me to have antibiotics. But all of a sudden when testing my sugar's they have now risen up to a level of 27 at each test I have used another meter for peace of mind and still have high level of 27-28. I am now into day 4 taking antibiotics and there is no sign of the level going down.. Do I need to see the doctor or just ride this out and hopefully everything will be OK.. Advise please.

Hi,

You realy should speak to someone. This is what the NHS advise. Dial 111. They will dispatch an abulance if need be..
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I am diabetic taking insulin and oral meds
All seemed to be going well then I get infection which has caused me to have antibiotics. But all of a sudden when testing my sugar's they have now risen up to a level of 27 at each test I have used another meter for peace of mind and still have high level of 27-28. I am now into day 4 taking antibiotics and there is no sign of the level going down.. Do I need to see the doctor or just ride this out and hopefully everything will be OK.. Advise please.

Hey, you still breathing?