Lupus & new diagnosis of Diabetes: uncontrolled blood glucose came on suddenly. Anyone else diabetic?

[Sarah_H]

Hi folks, after years of blood tests where my blood glucose level was in the low 5s, I seem to have suddenly (over a few weeks) started with full blown diabetes. My blood glucose was in the mid 20s & I was drinking litres of water as well as dashing to the loo several times a night etc. before it occurred to me that I could be diabetic, I'd put it down to yet another lupus flare as I felt really poorly.

My GP put me on Metformin (850mgx2 daily) a week ago & my glucose levels are dropping significantly.

I know that being vastly overweight has always put me at risk of type 2 diabetes but I'm wondering how much it may be down to being on steroids for 5 years? I had asthma flare ups at the beginning of the year which meant a higher dose for a few weeks rather than just my normal 5mg/day.

Has anyone else with lupus & diabetes found any link with their steroid dose? Any tips for me in managing diabetes? I'm trying a balanced carbs & protein/higher fibre/no sugar/lots of veg diet.

Thank you 😊

[loopieloo]

Yes in almost identical circumstances! After what I thought was a nasty flare I ended up in A&E and was asked what I took for my diabetes (!) I was diagnosed with steroid induced diabetes, tried Metformin and now on Sitagliptin. Diabetes UK have a great website and forum with loads of advice. Personally I did high fat, low carb to kick-start then moved to just watching carbs. As a bonus I lost about 6kg over 3 months! I also persuaded my GP to give me a glucose meter which was a great help in seeing which foods make my bg spike. Take care. X

[Sarah_H in reply to loopieloo]

Thanks Loopieloo, it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one. Weight loss would be a bonus for me too as it all seems rather scary at the moment. I'll talk to the diabetes nurse prac about a meter. I've just watched the BBC prog about carbs from earlier tonight, & low carb but lots of veg seems the way to go, just like you've said. Thank you x

[Fezzywig]

Wow, Sarah. Almost exactly same thing is going on with me right now. I’m In the states and moved from the south to the north for a couple of months to escape the unbearable heat. 2 week’s ago I received a notice from my endocrinologist that my recent blood work had come back indicating what we were both dreading, well mostly me really, which was type II diabetes. Like you, my body just made a rather sudden jump right into full blown disease from a rather early pre stage in terms of lab numbers. So now back down south I will go to find out what to do.

It so happens that I also have Addison’s Disease which requires daily steroid use for life. My daily dose is 25 mg. Daily and double that during times of illness or flaring. I’m screwed basically. Last summer I was on the high dose for approximately 2 months non stop. I’m sure that didn’t help matters. Do you have any chance of getting off the steroids? I’m hoping to learn a hell of a lot from my doctor this time cause I am going to press hard. If I need to I am going to find the very best doctor I can to get me through this. If there are answers I feel like I deserve to get them.

Since we do share some similar issues here, I will share every relevant, important morsel I can capture along the way. I’m sorry that I’ve turned out to be someone who knows less than you now and cannot offer you any answers. I will still try to help, I just need a little time.

[Sarah_H in reply to Fezzywig]

Thanks Fezzywig, I hope you get lots of info & a good plan going forward from a doctor, I feel like you at the moment, I need to know how everything affects everything else. Fingers crossed we both find a solution. I want to see if I can get off my steroids, I know it will have to be very slow though as I'm on such a low dose. Take care x

[Cas70]

Hi Sara - I have Lupus and Sjogrens- Iwas told at the end of last year that I was diabetic. I am not overweight but did consume lots of cake, bread and biscuits. I cut them from my diet and watch sugar content in all things. I have not lost much weight BUT have dropped a dress size and have so much energy. As loopieloo says Diabetes Uk have a great website. My sugar levels are much lower but watch out for “pure fruit only juice” still high in sugar. Make a list of the things you can eat - it helps - plus Protein Porridge is an excellent start to day.

[Sarah_H in reply to Cas70]

Hi Cas, some great tips there thank you! I'm going to spend tomorrow looking through the Diabetes UK website (between napping!) & making sure I know what to avoid. We generally eat quite healthily but it's the additional toast, biscuits & puddings on top that make the difference 😳

Take care x

[kayraw]

Hi, my diabetes type 2 was diagnosed after I'd had cortisone steroid injections, boy did I feel ill after them, my fasting blood test came back ok though, when I still felt so ill I saw a GP and right there and then he did a skin prick test and my sugar level was 13 ! He said the fasting blood tests were unreliable and that they should always check by reading your blood sugar level via blood. It turns out mine was caused by the injections, I only had two, one in spine and one in hip and was only expecting the spine one, I've been told never to have two injections at the same time again; so yes, definitely some connections in blood sugar levels and steroids. Good luck as you try a new healthy way of eating, together with that and the metformin you should see good results, all the best x

[Sarah_H in reply to kayraw]

Thank you! Have your blood sugar levels returned to normal? Or was it permanent? x

[Krawlins]

Yes they did, I was put on metformin and monitored, gradually it came down with each blood test for HbA1c it got lower each time and I'm no longer on metformin and I really didn't change my diet at all or lose any weight. I'm still monitored 6 monthly and have been told that if you are told you have type 2 diabetes then you will always be labelled diabetic even if your blood sugar levels return to normal. My mum and my nan got it but only late onset when in their 70s. When mine started after the injections I felt like I was having a panic attack 24:7, my heart was racing and I was on edge all the time, I was burning up like hot flushes, incredibly thirsty, I had to be signed off work till it gradually settled after two to three weeks. I will never have cortisone injections again , seems I can't tolerate them. I googled it of course and found the same thing had happened to many others, the steroid had sent their blood sugar levels high and erratic!

I hope yours may do the same and maybe return to normal after a while but I've heard it said you can get drug induced diabetes, its a terrible shame when you need those drugs to control your disease symptoms.

Best wishes to you x