Type 2 steriod induced type 2 diabetes, recently diagnosed and have very high blood sugar meter readings

We are not medical experts here but I know that 15 would not be classed as an acceptable level by the majority of members on this forum
My husband at the age of 82 was last year diagnosed as a steriod induced T2 His level was just over 7 at diagnosis and still the same at his 3 month test and his nurse was satisfied with that
You don't say how high your BG level was when you were diagnosed but it sounds like you are on the right path now as you are reducing it so well done with that

Welcome,
what were your levels at the start of diagnosis? as long as they are going down that's good,it can take awhile

Hello and welcome,

A level of 15 is too high and may cause other complications if it isn't brought under control, no matter what caused the diabetes in the first place. Of course, if you come off steroids things may improve on their own, but meantime I would concentrate on getting those levels down to at least single figures, less if you can. The NICE guidelines, used by the NHS, advise between 4 and 7 (fasting and pre-meal) and under 8.5 at 2 hours after eating. These levels are over-generous, and most advice now is under 6 fasting and pre-meal, under 7.8 at 2 hours post meal.

If I were you I would aim to get your numbers down to at least the NICE guideline levels to begin with, then you can try for lower if you wish.

Perhaps we can help with this? Ask any questions you like, and @disy1 will be along with some advice for new members.

Brock33 said:

Thanks for all your postings HBa1C? was 32 at start and blood test meter reading were 29+ at start now reducing to between 5 and 15
I think that I am getting there. Permanently on steroids for another medical problem.

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I was diagnosed with steroid induced diabetes 3 weeks ago, and am on 3 x 500 mg metaformin per day. I'm currently on 40 mg prednisolone per day, after breakfast. I'm testing BS levels as far as possible before, and 2 hrs after meals. I've just started trying to analyse my readings, and have spent the morning googling. I haven't finished yet, so can't at the moment give references, but I will do when I finish.

My readings were puzzling me. I have managed to get my morning readings down to between 5.3 and 6.8, and generally a slightly lower than 2 rise two hrs after breakfast However, after 10.00am the BS level just keep creeping up, and continue to rise through lunch and after, hitting maybe 13 two hours after a very low/non carb lunch.

A bit of Googling hit on something which suggests that this is related to the fact that steroid users take the full days dose in the morning in order to simulate what the body normally does. As the half-life of prednisolone is about 16 hours, this explains ( I think) why the insulin reducing effect of the prednisolone is more marked during the day, and looks like a spike after lunch. I'lll be back in a bit after I have looked into it a bit more, but it does make me think that attempting to hit the Nice post meal targets may well be a touch difficult , as it isn't food causing the problem, but the steroids.

Margaret

Try this Brock.
www.imperialendo.co.uk/Steroids

It's written for medics at Hammersmith hospital, but there is a useful and interesting flowchart at the end. Many of the other references are mainly about people who have only been on very short courses of steroids, but this one does discuss long term steroid use,and does explain why why the blood glucose readings can rise during the day.

Brock33 said:

Thanks for that information Margaret Very interesting site I tried to register to assist with clinical trials in NE England but email was returned as unavailable?

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there is some interesting stuff in here. it's an old thread (2006) and American, so the BS are all in old money, but it does cover some of what we have been trying to find out about eating and BS levels.

HealingWell.com Forum > Diseases & Conditions > Diabetes > coping with steroid (prednisone) induced diabetes

Margaret