Does anyone else have steroid induced diabetes?

[BeeThere]

Hi guys,

I haven't been on in a long time, but I used to come around her a lot for the great support. About two years ago in Summer I developed necrotizing pnemonia, and was in the hospital 2-3 times. It took about 4-6 months for me to recover.

Anyways, in the middle of this I was diagnosed with severe high blood sugars (over 500 for a week), and they could have admitted me for that. But they actually sent me home to see my GP. So I was on high doses on insulin for about 6 months.

Now I've had this bad sinus infection for 3 months, with asthma, on 40 mg of pred. multiple inhalers and nebs. But I had to go back on the insulin because my blood sugar was again over 500.

It's much better now- in the normal range. But I was reaching out and wondering if anyone else here with asthma and taking the steroids has dealth with this?

I've needed large doses of steroids for a long time, so it's not really suprising, but you never really expect to be the one to have a complication like that.

Thanks,

BeeThere

[Suze4212]

I, fortunately have not had diabetes but when on high dose prednisone in hospital was having finger pricks to make sure I my blood sugar didn't go high. Apparently it can happen when on high dose steroids.

[Piglets2]

Hi I have extremely difficult to control Asthma. Been on steroids since approx 1989/90. Also have fowl sinus problems have had 8 Sinus ops.

Anyway I went and saw my Rhumatologist 2 weeks ago who said your blood sugar levels were high, I said oh my GP said same regarding there blood test results so now being sent to Diabetes Clinic ( bloody great) I said what's caused this as my diet is restricted. And was told Steroids are the cause

[BeeThere in reply to Piglets2]

Thanks so much for the comments. Yeah, so I think my blood sugar was high a bit on steroids (I'm on them all the time with very difficult to control asthma and psoriatic arthritis). My doctors always say don't worry about it though, because it will get better or go away when you're off the steroids.

But seriously- I'm never off the steroids! So I don't follow what they're thinking. So I was on a lot of insulin about 1 1/2 years ago when I had severe pneumonia, and got off all of it, but then they told me not to test my blood sugar.

Come to find out, it was extremely high, and it's harder to heal when that's not right. So now I went to a specialist and am back on insulin while I'm on high dose steroids. I'm also seeing a different GP on Tuesday, so hopefully I can have a better plan when this happens.

Not to whine, but it just seems really unfair to have both. And then people when they find out ask me what I eat, but apparently it is pred.

They also said I could have sinus surgery, but I'm thinking if my body were healing better, maybe I could avoid it. Grrr