What to do about high blood glucose level?

[Bearrules]

What to do about high blood sugars? I tested 12 yesterday this is new to me. I’m not diabetic and not obese etc. I had a test in December and was at 10 which is borderline but my HbA1c was normal.

I’m a previously fit 48 year old woman. Asthma since having children 10 years or so. This past year I’ve been on prednisolone 4x so I’m not well-controlled (purple 2504x day works great but I lose my voice and get secretions in my throat so I tapered it too much apparently)

I’ve had a virus and PEF was way down so I’m struggling to get back to normal. Back on the purple. On prednisolone. Will continue this despite side effects for 3-6 months as I need to breathe.

I had a finger prick yesterday and my glucose was 12. I don’t know what that means or what I can do. I wake up 5x a night with a dry mouth. Presumably this is a type 2 ? Thank you

[Singinglouder]

Was the 12 a fasting reading, or had you just eaten? It makes a difference. If it was fasting, then you need to talk to a doctor or diabetes specialist nurse about it. If it was within an hour of eating, you need to keep an eye on it. You can have another HbA1c done after 12 weeks - if you're worried, worth asking to have it repeated, especially if, in addition to the dry mouth, you've got blurred vision or are thirsty and peeing more than usual.

Re the type of diabetes: there is something called steroid induced diabetes, which can go away again when the steroids stop. Unfortunately, steroid induced diabetes can turn into Type 2 diabetes - rather like the gestational diabetes some women get when pregnant. There's so much in the media about obesity and Type 2, it tends to get forgotten that 20 - 30% of Type 2s are not obese - it's just more common if you are, not impossible if you're not.

What can you do? Whether you have diabetes or are at risk of diabetes, the initial advice is always the same - diet and exercise. Cut down carbs (sugar, flour, potatoes etc.) and do whatever exercise your asthma allows (running around after kids counts!). diabetes.co.uk has lots of information, as does the NHS website. I would also talk to whoever's been doing the testing.

Should say that I'm not medically qualified - just an experienced diabetic! (23 years and counting - and no, I wasn't obese either, so as I was under 40 they weren't sure initially if it was Type 1 or Type 2, but Type 2 it is)

Hope that all helps - sorry it's so long. Good luck!

[Bearrules in reply to Singinglouder]

Thank you! It was first thing in the morning (fasting) but I had had some honey not long before to help soothe my cough.

[Singinglouder in reply to Bearrules]

The honey would probably affect it - I know rubbing honey on the inside of the cheek is one of the things you can do if someone's having a hypo, as it gets into the system quickly - so worth doing a fasting without the honey and seeing how that goes.

[Poobah]

While you're taking prednisone it will enhance your body's ability to turn foods into high blood sugar. If you Google "prednisone diet" there's quite a lot of info on what foods to avoid while taking oral steroids.

[Bearrules in reply to Poobah]

Thank you I’ll look that up. It’s a new and worrying thing to think about ... :/ Grateful we can support each other, best to you.