hello.
I’ve been told that my blood sugar is slightly high — borderline— which makes me pre-diabetic. Doctor says nothing to worry about as it’s just on the border (44 instead of 43). I’m wondering if this could be brought on by heart meds — bisoprol, amliopodine, Losartan, atorvastatin, ticagrelor, aspirin.
Thanks
Hello 
I would not have thought the medication we would take would make us pre diabetic but others with more knowledge may be able to help more if this could cause this , I hope not though as I take some of those meds
Over the years they have changed the marker on what they class as pre diabetic as well as we used to have to fast before a test where now we don't which can cause more higher readings
My husband he is fit and healthy not an ounce of fat on him a couple of years ago he went for a blood test and it came back he was pre diabetic we were shocked
He went back a few months later had another blood test and they were concerned it was to low !
So I am not sure what happened there he was pre diabetic one minute and the next he was to low
A few changes watch what sugar content are in things as you will be surprised the things you feel are healthy even like fruit can have a high sugar content be aware of this and if you have to cut back on a few things then do and you may find your next test could come back normal
Been told you are pre diabetic can give us a good chance to change this and reverse that result
Fingers crossed with a few changes your next test could come back ok when you have one x
The doc said not to worry. Another test in a year (!). I spend 45 minutes a day on my exercise bike but I put on weight during the lockdowns and during inactivity after my HA and stent insertions — struggling to lose it. The Atorvistatin leaflet lists high blood sugar as a side effect. The other meds don’t.
Hello
Well if your Doctor is not concerned and they are happy to leave it for another year then they cannot think it is that bad
I take Atorvastatin and my bloods are due will be interesting what mine come back as but I would mention this next time you speak to your Doctor as there are different one's we can go on
At the moment I am having a lot of pain in my joints so have with the Doctors say so come of them for a week to see if it makes a difference and the pain med I have to take clearly is well known for putting people weight on and I am on Bisoprolol that can do the same so you feel like you are on a losing battle sometimes as much as you try
I think we all put a little weight on in lockdown and struggling to lose it as putting weight on is easy , losing it is so much harder ( should be the other way round that would be so much better ! )
But you are doing all you can so hopefully you will lose some more weight eventually x
I take Felodipine 5mg (slow release version of Amlodipine) and also Atorvastatin 10mg. I've been taking them for 12 years. My blood sugar is OK. So hopefully they're not causing it. However, we are all different and our dosages and reactions differ so who knows for sure?
Thank you Bekind.
I have learn't something there.
When my mum had it she always had to fast, but when I went for my blood test I didn't! As I was told I was pre diabetic then I did wonder why I hadn't been asked to fast beforehand!
Hello
They have changed the goal posts with all this
I remember some years ago going for the blood test and I had eaten and when they asked me if I had fasted I said no as no one told me to they refused to do the blood test saying it would not be accurate and I had to re book and fast next time from midnight the night before
Now they don't get you to fast and more seem to be diagnosed been pre diabetic than before or so it seems so it does get you thinking is it because we carry on eating and drinking before the test
Would be interesting if next time you needed one if you fast before and saw what that came back like x
The hba1c test measures the glucose levels in the body over the previous 2 / 3 months. Generally it is a non fast test these days.
diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-di...
Yes I know this was just saying how it used to be x
Hello again, sorry for the delay was away last night.
I don't think they will, I have another blood test due the end of this month, but that is for something different.
They said I had annual one last year but as this was the time I was rushed into hospital with something else, I didn't know!
All the nurse told me was I would have another one for the diabetes check in a years time.
Hello
Well if they are happy to leave you a year I don't think it sounds like they are worried so with a few changes maybe your next one might be lower
I am not sure if Boots the chemist do these blood tests but in 6 months if you are concerned or curious you could always ask and get it checked yourself if you felt you wanted to x
In my layman's opinion you are far more likely to be pre-diabetic by lifestyle, diet, body mass , age and possibly genetics. If you are a bit concerned by your diagnosis why not try to modify your situation and see if that improves matters. A few tips here.....
diabetes.org.uk/preventing-...
Thanks. I don’t eat any sugar and I’m vegan. And I do exercise. Need to lose a bit of weight though.
Check what sugar is in the food you eat, you will probably get a surprise.
diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-di...
Have a look here for low sugar meals ingredients.
Also look in B&M shops for the "Skinny" range of snack bars etc
It may not be the meds causing it, but I have put on quite a bit of weight since being on bisoprolol. It was told I was just prediabetic. By getting more exercise and losing some of that weight I have got down to a better reading.
Thanks. I’ve been struggling to lose weight for a while. I’d like to lose 3 kilos or so. Not easy!
It is really difficult. When I cut right down on the calories I actually seem to put weight on!
Beta blockers make it difficult...
I have lost 13kg, down from 83kg my heaviest ever, since Feb this year. All I have done is to cut out any unnecessary sugary stuff, not that I had much anyway, cut down on alcohol including substituting wine for beer, and importantly increase the amount of daily exercise, but nothing excessive. And I am over 70. I know we are all different but I think you have to take a look at what you want to achieve and then have a mindset to do it.So best of luck with it.
I've always said 'eat less, exercise more'. Used to work. Harder as you get older.
While exercise is important for health, it's what you eat that matters. Convenience foods, full of salt and various forms of sugar, are the real baddies.
HiNot only sugar but watch carbs as well
It’s the carbs that raise blood sugar levels
Search reversing pre diabetics their are several zoom 9 month courses Around . Run by Diabetics Uk . All free just 1 hour every three weeks.
That's interesting, as I have just been put on a 9 month NHS course for the same thing (awaiting my start date).
Not sure if the NHS are trialling this but they be so because currently it appears to me to only being run in 3 parts of the country.
I think mine must be genetics, as my mother had it, (Mind you I am 6ft 5 and just over 11 stone) and exercise and don't eat a lot of what I call rubbish.
I have replaced a lot of stuff like bread, wheat pasta, cereals with wholewheat alternatives.
I do like my potatoes but my nurse said I could have them alternative days.
Sounds like the same course it’s done on zoom and is very interesting Diabetics runs in my family both my Mum and Brother I am border line at present due to n
Being a long term Steroid user.
I am going to sign up and redo it .
Good luck
These courses generally cover the whole UK going by my experience of the participants on mine recently.The idea is sound, educate people while they still have a good chance of reversing glucose levels and potential health problems later in life.
You hit the nail on the head rose, im a diabetic, i always thought it was the sugar contents in sweets and foods but was i was told by my gp and diabetic nurse that it's also the bad carbs in which i was eating such as bread pasta biscuits rice etc.. so i cut out all the sugar foids and bad carbs and my diabetes is now in remission, i can honestly say it was cutting out all the bad carbs that done it which in return made me lose a lot of excess weight i needed to lose, almost 20kg within a year, also i am taking amlodipine, losartan and atorvastatin but i was diagnosed with diabetes way before starting those medications so i wouldn't say they were the cause of my diabetes, but more hereditary my sister was type 1 insulin from age 5 and mother tyoe 2
You have done brilliantlyMy Mum was on insulin and now my Brother is on insulin .
I am on long term Steroid use and that makes your liver process carbs differently .Plus having under active Thyroid make it difficult to lose weight . . But l will keep on trying .
Once again we’ll done
Thank you, thats good and you will get there, good luck 👍
Oh forgot to add, i cut out a lot of red meat too, too much is not good for diabetics either and as another was saying i cut out all booze only have non alcohol now 😅
Wow! Thanks
It may be the statin. The patient information leaflet for atorvastatin lists raised blood glucose levels as a common side effect.
Yes, that's what I found.
Being borderline, my GP offered me the pre-diabetes on-line course. I got a lot out of it, despite having thought I was pretty well informed , before I started! Rose54 is right, it’s the carbs that matter, not just sugar. Tho’ 2 years later, I’ve still given up sugar, kept off all the weight I lost (the hardest bit for me). I exercise regularly, manage my stress better, and drink more liquid each day. My angina is a lot better.
Hi and thanks to everyone. I am overwhelmed with responses. This forum is sooo great! Where can I access the online course? My (ignorant?) GP said ‘statin wouldn’t do that’ and didn’t offer the course which I would like.
Mine was called The Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, I’m not sure it’s the same everywhere.I’d ask your GP directly, to refer you, or perhaps contact your local Public Health Department who seem to be responsible.
Good luck.
Hi unfortunately not everyone gets referred to the course i was offered to do it by my gp and referred by my diabetics nurse but at the time i was already doing a diabetic course as part of my work and also found diabetic site really helpful too, it may help if you go on the diabetic uk website they have loads and loads of information, menus, advice, foods to eat and avoid it is a really useful site, hope this helps.
42-47 is prediabetic, look at your diet, exercise and try to lose weight. They should have offered access to diabetes support in your area.
I am pre-diabetic also. However I've been on all meds since 2012, so I couldn't say.
A couple of years ago everybody I knew was pre diabetic including myself.I lost a few pounds not much and have been fine ever since.Other friends who were thin were also ok at the next check so not sure what’s happening.Wait for your next check up.I wouldn’t concern yourself just be aware and eat sensible.
I am also pre diabetic (44) now & am also on Astorvastatin 80, which I didn’t realise raised glucose levels, so I’m going to contact the GP tomorrow to see if my statin could be changed.Last Wednesday I started the NHS prevention course when I went to the first meeting. It was very interesting & I think it will be good to attend every few weeks as it will be the same group all through the course.
My weight isn’t a problem but I am going to increase my daily steps & try to watch my diet.
Jean
Have a look not just at what you eat - less sugar and less carbs, etc...., more protein and long-lasting low glycemic foods, and good exercise, but also when you eat...... intermittent fasting, and not eating late at night were recommended to me when one of my annual tests showed slightly raised pre-diabetic levels.... it's gone back down now.
The BHF lists the drugs that can increase blood sugar. I was prediabetic but now within range. I am on 5 of the type of drugs that can increase blood sugar. (Afib and DCM) however I did decrease my statin to 20mg and go on Dapaglaflozin which I believe has made the improvement.
The first thing I looked for on your profile was whether you were taking a statin. I see you are.I also developed pre-diabetes while on Atorvastatin following aortic valve replacement. Fortunately my GP was aware that pre-diabetes can be triggered by statins in older women (maybe not as applicable to you but it’s not something one can avoid) and the risk is substantial. As Michael Caine would say: "Not a lot of people know that." GP advised me to stop the statin and presto! next set of blood tests indicated I was no longer pre-diabetic. Do check it out; the jury's out whether or not the benefits of statins outweight the pre-diabetes effects.
Now is the time to make changes to your diet and exercise - pre diabetic is usually reversible Your Dr shouldn’t say it’s nothing to worry about - the worry is it can change to diabetic if changes aren’t made now
See a practice nurse if you need help with do’s & don’ts re diet & exercise before it’s too late
Don’t wish to be the doom & gloom prophet but diabetes has serious consequences which is why I’d love you to kick it out the door now 😊
Has anyone ever heard of Statins causing MND ?
I dont know since taking bisoprolol after my aerotic valve surgery suddenly became pre diabetic, doctor enrolled me on diabetes prevention course
I'm a pre-diabetic with loads of other meds. I am sure if they could have played a part my GP would have known. What concerns me is that having been diagnosed I am told to control by diet. The dietary advice was to eat healthily. I have been trying to do that for more years then I can remember. Unsuccessfully of course. I am on the register for eye and feet tests but nothing has been said about tests for my blood.
I am diabetic and have been for many many years. First thing you have to do is throw away the stereotypes. Yes being very overweight can make you more likely to develop diabetes but it does not mean that it necessarily will or that all diabetic people are. It is one of the risk factors.
Sugar and simple carbohydrates can also either be a risk factor or if you are tending towards it can make it worse. Cutting out sugar and simple carbohydrates or more realistically reducing them can and does help enormously. Look at labels on foods, check on websites etc. Not all carbohydrates are bad. Dietary fibre is carbohydrate and helps sustain a healthy gut biome which will help control blood sugar. I eat wholemeal bread for example, and if I wan't a fizzy drink I go for the reduced or zero sugar options.
When we exercise our body burns carbohydrates, so try to build some more exercise into the daily routine.
And remember you are looking to make lifestyle changes that are sustainable, avoid faddy diets which only work for a while, if at all. Let me give an example, I tried very low carb diet, and found that during the night my blood sugar would drop low, this either led to me waking up and having to eat snacks, which led to higher blood sugar in the morning, or if I didn't wake up with it, the bodies normal defence mechanisms came into play. Your brain can only use glucose, so you imagine what a very low glucose level can do, and so the liver produces glucose and releases it into the blood stream. This leads, again to a higher blood sugar level in the morning. How do you beat this paradoxical situation? Well I have a controlled amount of carbs with my dinner, just a few potatoes, or brown rice. Porridge is a great breakfast. It is digested slowly, giving the trickle of needed carbs, it is great food for the gut bacteria and it can help control of cholesterol,
Interesting
The problem I find with reduced/ no sugar fizzy drinks etc. are the sweeteners used to replace it. Ever since the 'sugar tax' came into being sugar has been reduced in a lot of soft drinks and other food stuffs you would never have thought of, but artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame and Asculefame K (spelling?) added. This introduces Phenylanaline into the equation. Not good for those with an intolerance or those who just hate the after taste myself included.
Yes, the after taste is gross.
After a blood test early this year I was told I had type 2 diabetes. Partly my own fault as the previous year I been told I was in the pre diabetic range and did nothing about it. Have been on statins for six years as well as other meds since op to insert 3 cardiac stents.
Followed a strict three month 5/2 fasting regime and upped exercise - blood sugar back to normal!
I was told border is 47 and diabetic is 48. I am 46, Yet had low sugar issues all week until forxiga was reduced. Best to have low carb diet to prevent you going diabetic. There is a clear correlation between heart disease and diabetes.. Saying this. Before taking heart meds last year I was at 41 and now 46, rises with each blood test. That trend is ominous. I had some awful dangerous hypo's (low) this week. Forxiga takes glucose out of the body but good for heart failure with reduced EF.
I think beta blockers lower metabolic rate and you can put on weght at first. I certainly put on a stone in three weeks and was on low carb diet at the time. Was awful. Every day my weight was going up then suddenly stopped. Been hard to get it off, but it is slowly coming down again. That was early this year. I now just eat mostly salads. Porridge at breakfast for the bit of stuff I need. Exercise is very important too.
I had same results as you 44 I was offered a place on the funded second nature
It was the best thing I could have done.
So supportive
I cut out sugar completely and reduced my food consumption
I lost 41/2 stone in three months and got my sugar down to 36
It was not difficult to maintain the food control
Maybe ask you surgery if they have access to SECOND NATURE
Am sure you can manage it
God luck
I am lucky to live in an area where the NHS course, run by WW, the new name for Weightwatchers, is available. I was very dubious when asked to do it because of who was running it but it has been brilliant. I have a family history of Type 2 diabetes and had already shed weight that I had put on after having my mitral valve repaired, possibly as a result of the Bisoprolol I was then on. I was concerned diabetes would “get” me now I’m in my 70s. However I have never been very overweight overall, let alone obese, but I was overweight round the tummy. It was a shock to see my score had actually gone up in November and I was then pre diabetic. However I am delighted to say I am no longer pre diabetic. I was retested after 6 months and I have also lost more weight as a side effect. I thought I knew about healthy eating but I was wrong. The course has put me on a path of eating more healthily for life but allowing treats. It also stresses the importance of mental health and exercise. There is a private app which you use to keep track of everything and you have to check in with WW at least every 2 weeks, so the NHS can see you’re not wasting our money! I do mine on zoom and several members on there are a healthy weight. As I understand it, it’s how you respond to sugar spurts that is the issue. As I’m not on many meds nowadays, just Diltiazem and Edoxaban, I can’t comment on the effect of drugs but sadly I think it is type of diet, genetics and reaction to sugar spurts that can lead to diabetes. Sorry if I’ve gone on a bit but I haven’t noticed this option mentioned so far in the forum. I would stress that I’m not in favour of slimming firms generally. After all they make their money by people failing! There are aspects of the course, which I’m not keen on too. I am also not happy at a private firm making money from the NHS. However this specific pre diabetes course is closely supervised by the NHS, who do not have the resources and expertise to do it themselves.
Most importantly though, and provided you stick at it and then take on board for life what you have learnt, the course WORKS .
There is an association between statins and the development of diabetes.
Post op...I was told I was pre diabetic..and was given a NHS number to call..I did and after discussing my lifestyle they told me to ignore the blood test results...( I hike mile, cycle hundreds of miles a month)😊
I think there are weight loss and healthy eating forums on here that you could look at.
I'm same as you by the way and I'll get anothet
review on a year's time.
Read up on the Low Glycemic diet. I tried it about 8 years ago and went from pre-diabetic to normal. The hard part is losing the bread - although it turns out that sourdough bread isn't as bad as the others which is why I developed a starter and began to make sourdough bread.
I may sound a little sarcastic but Iv seen quite a few figures for stuff get altered over my lifetime. Sugars, bmi, cholesterol etc etc.
Is the government really interested in our health.???
They don’t seem too interested in caring about some other stuff in our daily lives that have a greater impact on us.?
I’m wondering if it’s all about keeping the money flowing in from the pharmaceutical companies who are providing the doctors with all the medications and trying to frighten us all to death.
I’m probably going go get a lot of negative replies which is fine but it does make me wonder.!!
Well, if you’re over 74 (I’m 78) you can’t get a health check. And breast screening and Bowel cancer screening stop even earlier. So I agree, Jetcat. They’re writing a section of the population off. Just when we’re most vulnerable. Very ageist and unfair.
Yes I agree, my 81 year old mother has had the same.!!
I've put on 2 stone and become T2 diabetic since my HA 4 years ago, and I was on all the same drugs as you to start with. That was despite changing my diet and getting as much exercise as possible.
I believe , but cant remember wher I read it (Ive come across it more than once) that diuretics like furosemide can affect blood sugar readings, how much Im unsure of. Hope this helps.
Hello,
I can see some of the comments here and beg to differ. I have been told I am pre diabetic too. My long term blood sugar showed it was 47.according to the guidelines followed by the GP 48/49 would tip me in to been diagnosed as diabetic .
One of the tablets I was on was Atorvastatin . If you look at the patient information leaflet, it clearly tells you diabetes IS a side effect of taking it. You can also google it.
Unfortunately as I had my heart attack four years ago, my Gp said I had to take this tablet regardless of what I had found.
I am not trying to scare anyone, but it does say it, in the side effects part of the leaflet and that’s a fact.
You are absolutely right. But the good news, as I explain just below in the next reply to the main post, it's possible to turn it round and still take the meds. In my case with a few minor changes to my eating habits. Don't despair 😊
Sorry if this repeats anything above as I haven't had time to read it all. But if you look on the BHF website it reveals that several heart drugs raise blood sugar including statins and beta blockers.
I am in both and had a reading of 44 like you but am now OK at 39.
It's due to what I learned on the NHS course the GP referred me to. I learned a lot over the 9 months, lost a stone and 2 years later it's not returned !
They offer lots of ways to tackle weight. I wasn't that overweight to be honest. Bmi was 25.5. But now it's 22.9.
I now limit the carbs I eat through an app called CarbsAndCals. Eat more protein, nuts and good fats, (which are filling). Also time my eat breakfast late around 9.00 -10.00 and supper early by 7.00 if possible. Not much more exercise than walking the dog and Pilates to be honest! Anyway it works. I don't feel hungry. Love my food. And still taking the tablets.
Good luck to you.
My advice would be to have a look at the carbohydrate level in your diet. As others have said fruits are high in sugar so be careful not to overdo the portions. Berries of most kinds are lower carbs than other fruits. Obviously bread, cakes pastries all break down to sugar on digestion and breakfast cereals are also high carbohydrate content though always marketed as 'healthy'.
Hi harefieldfan
The 100% guaranteed way to address your pre-diabetic status, is to lose weight.
Try and get your BMI to under 21 or so and it’ll be History.
All the best with that!
Persevere99
Hi all. My GP has made a phone appointment for me with a pharmacist to discuss my medications,
Pericarditis as a result of pre-eclampsia
Pre Christmas Drinks and Party
Pre Angiogram Symptoms
bicuspid pre op advice 
Aortic Stenosis pre-op symptoms
