Help my sugar is spiking!

[Hunter134]

I am a controlled diabetic but the prednisone is causing spikes in sugar for hours aft taking it.I have tried very low carbs no sugar but without exercise its been hard.Should i go on a diabetic pill?

[HeronNS]

This is a question for your doctor. However, if it's any help, when my blood sugar tended rather high when I started pred my daughter, a dietitian, told me to always have some protein when I had any carbs. I wonder if having a high protein snack with your pred might help? I in fact cut out nearly all carbs from grains for a long time - no bread, no breakfast cereal, no refined rice, sweet treats were only that, treats and certainly not every day, and only a small amount of fruit, never juice, but lots of vegetables, nuts, seeds, cheese, yoghurt, eggs. Levels came down but it wasn't until pred also came down that it was completely normal again.

[Hunter134 in reply to HeronNS]

So there s hope it may come down when i lessen the dose?

[Koalajane]

I have the same problem but also have macular oedema. My steroids spike my sugars between 1200 and 1600 so I don’t eat between theses times. I have a larger breakfast and dinner at 5pm. Speak to your diabetes nurse and see what she says.

I should add my hba1c without any meds is 41 and I wouldn’t have worried about the steroids spiking my sugars but a few months ago I was on 5.5. Mg of prednisolone when I had a flare and put them up to 9mg for about 5 days. My ophthalmologist said my eyes had got worse due to the spikes from the prednisolone so I have gone down to 4.5 mg and stopped having lunch. There was some improvement last time I saw the ophthalmologist so fingers crossed.

[Hidden]

Hi hunter134, I have had type 2 diabetes for years and used diet and Metformin to control in last few years. I had to go on insulin after 12mo on pred. No matter what I did I couldn't get it in hand.

I think you need to check how it's actually effecting your hba1c which should be checked more frequently now. Then perhaps you need some meds to help. But it will probably start with metformin and if that doesn't work something to support it.

Try to get referred to a hospital diabetes clinic rather than let your gp manage it. My hba1c was 114 when I went on insulin and am now @54. The nurse from the clinic was much more helpful and supportive than my GP has been in nearly 20yrs. I fully expect to get off insulin once I am off pred, so don't feel like it's the end of the world if you need meds just now. Just don't leave it climbing though. 🌻

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It may seem a silly question since you must know a lot about diet to control diabetes, but are you sure you are eating very low carbs? There have been people saying they eat low carb but they are eating enough fruit to bring the level up quite high in combination with the other things they are eating.

The spikes are due to the pred making your liver release glucose from the stores and nothing will make a difference to that but less pred. I would say you need advice from the diabetic clinic - and close monitoring of your BS and Hba1c. Poopadoop has given good advice - this is too much for most GPs and practice nurses.

[Blearyeyed]

This is definitely a question for your doctor as changes may be required in your diet or medication to resolve it before it causes you new issues.

You should make an appointment , probably allowing about 5 days if you haven't been recording systematic blood sugar levels to show your doctor the change in your sugar levels .

You need to do a blood sugar test just before taking your Pred and approximately 20-30 mins after to show the spike in blood sugar. If you find it useful do another one after 1 hour to see if the spike is sustained.

You should also note any symptoms or changes in your diabetic symptoms that you have experienced around taking your Pred and through the day too to tell the GP.

Diabetics , especially ones who are controlled via diet management or pills rather than injection , should really be encouraged to do this when beginning any new medication to make sure adjustments can be made to their routine.

It is usually something that can be easily monitored and adjusted by doing these sorts of tests and making changes either in the time and way you take non diabetic medications or an increase or inclusion of diabetic medication often taken a short time before taking the medication that causes a blood sugar spike.

Sometimes it can take a few attempts , just like with changes in diet when you intially suffer from diabetes , or get an infection, but the sugar levels are soon rebalanced.

Occasionally , it may need a change in medication.

But all of this needs to be assessed correctly by your GP or Diabetic Specialist , even if the changes you are requested to do are ones for you to do at home , as trial and error by yourself on this one is more likely to cause longer delays to you getting blood sugar balance again.

They may tell you to change the time of day that you take your medication to make sure that it is taken with an actual mealtime rather than a snack , and request that that meal is small, very low carb and higher in protein. Or request you eat a protein based snack .

Sometimes , you may need to increase your insulin to compensate for the changes .

My husband is Type 1 , and generally needs to make diet adjustments or take medication with specific meals to prevent these sorts of spikes , and the need to increase his insulin, but it is quite simple to do and just part of diabetic self help that you need to do.

[Waterfeature]

Hi, I was glucose intolerant for 15 years by avoiding sugar and keeping my weight down and keeping fit.

I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia and was put on prednisone, within weeks my sugar had spiked so high I am now a type 2 diabetic.

I was immediately prescribed Metformin to bring the sugar level down.

I have to take four tablets a day. I have a blood test this week to see how I’m doing.

My vision has been affected so it is worth getting your sugar levels sorted ASAP.

Good luck

[sennetta]

Read The Diabetes Code and The Obesity Code both by Dr Jason Fung and google his name coupled with diabetes. T2 diabetes is a reversable disease for most people and not a slow death sentence. I am walking proof!