Anonymous Question Type 2 after 3 weeks of steroids, is this the cause?

[Anonymous Question]

I was given 3 weeks of prednisolone steroid 5 per day to treat chest inf . I had a stomach in end but was diagnosed with type 2 after three weeks of steroid. I feel steroid caused this. Is it possible. I was fine prior to this asthma episode.

 

[mist]

Doubt it, I took steroids everyday for five years..

 

[Bluetit1802]

How were you diagnosed? By that, I mean which blood tests did you have for the doctor to arrive at his decision? What was the actual result?

The normal diagnostic blood test is called an HbA1c. This measures the amount of glucose in your blood, and because our red blood cells live on average for 2 to 3 months, the levels measured are a sort of average of your blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months, weighted towards the last few weeks.

It is true that steroids do raise blood sugar levels, but without knowing which test you had, and what the level was, it is impossible for us to say it was the steroids that caused it, although it is possible to say they won't have helped.

 

[AndBreathe]

I was given 3 weeks of prednisolone steroid 5 per day to treat chest inf . I had a stomach in end but was diagnosed with type 2 after three weeks of steroid. I feel steroid caused this. Is it possible. I was fine prior to this asthma episode.

Some people have reported tripping over into T2 as a result of steroids, although, from recollection they were taking longer term steroids.

Steroids do tend to nudge the blood numbers up a bit, so it could be a factor; especially if you were on the cusp of diagnostic blood scores before the steroids.

Do you know what your diagnostic numbers were? That might help you with the likelihood and fill in another piece of the puzzle.

 

[Brunneria]

I agree with Bluetit.
There is a version of type 2 diabetes known as Steroid Induced Diabetes.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/steroid-induced-diabetes.html
I am afraid I don't know the details, except that steroids can and do raise blood glucose, and that different people have different reactions to the medication. Sometimes they stay T2 when they cease the meds, and sometimes their blood glucose goes back to normal.

 

[Nicksu]

I agree with Bluetit.
There is a version of type 2 diabetes known as Steroid Induced Diabetes.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/steroid-induced-diabetes.html
I am afraid I don't know the details, except that steroids can and do raise blood glucose, and that different people have different reactions to the medication. Sometimes they stay T2 when they cease the meds, and sometimes their blood glucose goes back to normal.

That's me - long term steroids unfortunately. If they have used the HBAC1 to diagnose I would have thought you were pushing into the T2 anyway. 3 weeks on steroids I wouldn't have thought would do this by itself. I'm been on the flamin' things for years.

 

[wombat68]

How were you diagnosed? By that, I mean which blood tests did you have for the doctor to arrive at his decision? What was the actual result?

The normal diagnostic blood test is called an HbA1c. This measures the amount of glucose in your blood, and because our red blood cells live on average for 2 to 3 months, the levels measured are a sort of average of your blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months, weighted towards the last few weeks.

It is true that steroids do raise blood sugar levels, but without knowing which test you had, and what the level was, it is impossible for us to say it was the steroids that caused it, although it is possible to say they won't have helped.

Thanks for your prompt answer, I had lots of blood tests over 5 weeks as I was very I'll with a chest infection.one of the tests was done at the hospital was fasting blood sugars test .i drank a pretty rank drink then blood sample taken.i was told it was normal,several weeks later of 5 tablets a day it was repeated and my sugar was 25 needless to say I would have cheerfully shot myself by this point as I felt rough.prior to all this I have full time profession and cycled 25 miles a day on weekends,I have never smoked and drank wine about once a month.

 

[Bluetit1802]

With a result of 25 after an OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test) it showed your body has poor glucose tolerance and puts you squarely in the diabetic category. I believe the upper limit for normal is 11. (Please correct me if I am wrong with this). All those blood tests you had when you were ill with a chest infection - have you any idea whether they included an HbA1c? Or indeed if you have ever had an HbA1c? If you don't know the answer then I suggest you contact your surgery and ask.

If it helps, infections, especially bad ones, will also raise blood sugar levels, not just steroids. Hang on to that thought and keep cycling. Do let us know if you have had an HbA1c and what it was.

To be blunt, it really doesn't matter why you now have diabetes and what caused it. The important thing now is to accept you have it at the moment and to do something about it. Presumably your doctor has now put you on the diabetes care pathway, which involves regular blood checks (including an HbA1c), and allocated you a nurse. The nurse should arrange for all your future tests, explain what happens next, refer you for annual retinal eye screening and foot checks, and put you on the list for a course.