Has anyone become diabetic from taking prednisone? I am on a low dose, alternating between 5mg and 2.5mg . My recent blood work indicated that I am now pre diabetic. My BMI is 24.5 and I rarely eat complex carbs, never drink alcoholic beverages or carbonate sodas. I am very careful with my diet. I recently read that if you are on prednisone long term, ( 2 yrs for me), you can become diabetic
Does anyone have an opinion about this ?
Thank You !
Pred changes the way the body metabolises carbs and into the bargain triggers the liver to release spikes of glucose from the body stores of glycogen in the liver and muscles and that contributes to the Hba1c level representing the average blood glucose level. There is nothing you can do to influence that but you CAN help by restricting dietary carbs. If you were to keep a food diary and use google (or an app will do it for you) to be honest about how much carbohydrate you eat, I suspect you might be surprised.
Do you really mean you rarely eat complex carbs? It is simple carbs that are the greater dietary problem but if you mean you eat complex carbs - carbs are carbs in this context. Do you eat fruit and root veg? Most fruit and root veg are high in carbs and it does help to restrict fruit.
But on the whole - I don't think i would panic about being pre-diabetic. it will improve as you get lower on the pred - and you probably can improve your diet in that sense.
Thank you for your response ! I misspoke about my diet... I stay away from simple carbs.
Your suggestion to keep a diary or download an app to track my diet is good. ]
I agree with you that if and when I can come off the prednisone my body will adjust, but I am a tad concerned because of my age. I am 82 yrs old. I have been fortunate to have good health for many years. PMR was a big surprise a couple of years ago ! My goal is to get off of prednisone asap, and continue my life in relatively good health !
My goal is to get off of prednisone asap,
PMR may have different views on the getting off asap…but you can still have relatively good health on Pred.. particularly lower doses.
Again, I appreciate hearing that I will probably not become diabetic by staying on a low dose of prednisone for a while longer...Thank You 😍
I have been on pred for heading for 14 years now - no sign of raised Hba1c, last time it was 36. The last 3 months I have been very lax about my diet (long story) so I won't be surprised if it is up. But I won't stress about it - I know what to do ...
EVERYONE wants to get off pred asap - however it isn't your choice or anything you can do about it. PMR calls the tune now. If it is there, you will need pred, It has cured nothing, it is a management strategy.
You sound knowledgeable and comfortable with your pmr and prednisone challenges. As you say, we can only manage it. Keep our cool and stick to positive thoughts.
Sadly, unless you want to cope with PMR, getting off Pred won't be up to you but when your PMR decides it is going to go. Taking Pred doesn't necessarily involve an increase in your Hba1c, that is possibly in your control,mine actually went down from 41(before Pred) to 37 on last tests, after two plus years of Pred. Very little if any change in diet. Before anyone else here says it, yes, I know I'm odd!!!!
You are certainly right about pmr doing what it will do ! Good news that your Hba1c results are lower than before Prednisone!
I will continue to be cognizant of my diet and hope my next bloodwork may come down. In the meantime I’m not going to stress about it. Thank you for your response 😘
Being pre-diabetic doesn’t necessarily mean you will certainly become diabetic… many on long term Pred and/or on high doses for GCA don’t.
Thank you ! That is good to know !
Depends what you mean by diabetic. Consistently raised blood sugar but able to produce your own insulin or not able to produce insulin so your sugars are raised. Pred makes your liver release glucagon that becomes glucose in your blood stream and that’s before you take a bite of anything. Some of us have to eat hardly any carb to keep this in check, complex or not complex. It worked for me but I clamped down right at the beginning. I expect for some it would make no difference and diabetes happens anyway as it might have done even without Pred.
Thank You for your response. I soooo appreciate your and everyone's feedback about prednisone and diabetes ! I have tried to stay away from simple carbs since my twenties, when I became health conscious. I will be even more careful with my choices from here on out.
Prednisone is good and bad. We PMR people are kind of caught between a rock and a hard place, you might say. We just have to keep a handle on things and think positive thoughts 😍
I have been on Prednisolone now for 6yrs. I have very regular blood tests and my Hba1c levels have always been just below the level of being diabetic. I don't eat a lot of sweet foods but I do regularly eat homemade soups with various root vegetables. I have been monitoring the level for 6yrs now and t never goes up into the danger zone. I think I was at that level anyway before I went onto Prednisolone.
Thank You for your response. I eat root vegetables, too. I have never had a problem with my blood sugar until now.
I feel more relieved to hear positive feedback from you and others about prednisone and diabetes. I appreciate your responses and wish you all good health !!!
what test did they do for your blood sugars?
A1C 5.9% is in the pre-diabetes range, as of Jan 31 2023
Hemoglobin AIC normal range is 4.2 - 6.3 mine was 5.9%
I'm getting there. I was doing okay until the last couple of months. First, there were the holidays, then I had a major flare (upping my pred), and finally hurt my hip (so, no exercise). Endo visit next week - pretty sure I'll be in diabetic range. 😒
My best thoughts for you !
I've been on Prednisone since 2019 and have often skirted with higher glucose levels. Even though I have been on 4 mg for almost a month now (I believe) a recent hospital stay (asthma) requiring Solumedrol IV sent my sugar over 350 requiring insulin shots prior to eating. I've been home for a month now and my reading is 100. I'm ok with that.
Though my rheumatologist talks about continuing to taper he has also mentioned that I may need a low dose, so we'll see. I'm OK with that. I have a friend who also had GCA and has been taking 1 mg for about 25 years now. She just can't do without that l mg. I'm not a get to zero gal~GCA will call the shots. Take care and good wishes. 💞
Thank You for sharing your experience with Prednisone and diabetes. My goodness you have had some scary moments. So glad to hear that your sugar levels are coming back down!
Interesting that your friend is still on 1mg of prednisone after so many years. I so appreciate learning about other people’s experiences with prednisone, pmr and gca. My very best wishes for continued improvements in your health! 😘
The same friend in NH is undergoing chemotherapy; she is 86. After 5 months of chemo her GCA symptoms returned full-blown and she had to be put on 60 mg. per day. They held the chemo for two weeks before resuming her regular schedule. She has now is down to 20mg per day and will soon go to 10 mg...then slowly. So far so good. She is an inspiration to anyone who knows her. She beat the same cancer 4 years ago. 💞
I was prediabetic before I got on steroids. I am now a full-blown diabetic and taking 2x the bp meds as before.
yes, I was diagnosed with GCA in august 2022, started 50mg prednisolone by November I was diabetic. Am now taking 2 metformin a day for it & will soon have to take 3 daily as still cannot control the blood glucose levels. It also brought on high cholesterol so am now on a statin. I am down to 15 mg of prednisolone. Also hair is very thin & falling out. This whole thing with GCA is a nightmare
ThankYou for sharing your experience with prednisone!! I have heard that GCA is a nightmare! My rheumatologist warned me if I didn’t take prednisone to treat my pmr that the pmr could cause the loss of my eyesight!. If he had not told me that, I might not have taken prednisone. I am anti - medication prone !
I only take 25 mcg of Synthroid per day to keep my tsh low. I take no other meds. My blood pressure is normal, usually on.the low side. I stick to veggies and fruits, old fashion oatmeal, a little bulgur, very little white flour, rice , or pasta. No sugar, except for a little 100% maple syrup or a smidge of coconut sugar. I.cook every day, rarely eat out, or eat prepared foods or fast foods. I am probably the only one of my family or friends who still goes to all of this trouble to try and stay healthy. For the most part my husband and I are healthy. He will be 85 in a couple of weeks. I turned 82 last December.
My PMR was not diagnosed until I was 80 and all of a sudden i had aches & pains that I had never experienced before, No one seems to know if pmr is an inherited disease or what ! I tend to think that it is inherited, more so with Northern European ancestry. My dna indicates that I am of this heritage, 3% Swedish and a mix of Northern European.
I have rattled on way more than intended! Healthunlocked is full of generous people who are willing to share their knowledge and health experiences. You cannot get this from healthcare providers (they don’t have the time).
I appreciate your feedback to my question about prednisone and diabetes. My best to you for continued improvements in your health! 😘
My rheumatologist warned me if I didn’t take prednisone to treat my pmr that the pmr could cause the loss of my eyesight!.
Not strictly true, the PMR itself doesn’t cause sight loss, but if left untreated your PMR can develop into GCA, which again if left untreated may result in sight loss.
Most sight loss occurs when the patient has not been diagnosed, and therefore not treated with steroids.As was my situation ..
and despite losing sight in right eye, I cannot say my GCA was a nightmare. Not saying it was a walk in the park, but there are a heck of a lot of illnesses/disease that are considerably worse.
Whilst the exact cause of PMR and GCA is unknown, they are thought to be caused by an interaction between several genetic and environmental factors, so are said to have multifactorial inheritance… but not directly inherited as some diseases are.
"No one seems to know if pmr is an inherited disease or what"
De[ends who you asked I suppose. It is not inherited, there is no single gene or group of genes that can be inherited that cause the disorder. It is the result of a whole load of things that affect the immune system that you experience through life such as illness, infections, mental, emotional and physical stressors, environmental and chemical influences. Eventually one is the straw that breaks the camel's back and the immune system goes haywire, is unable to recognise your body as self and start to attack various tissues as if they were foreign bodies. This causes inflammation which results in the symptoms you experience. All autoimmune disorders are similar in that sense. But no two people have the same backstory and there is no single common factor - for some the final straw may have been shingles, for another the shingles jab, or flu or the flu jab - or someone may never have had any of those.
There IS a genetic component in that certain genetic backgrounds make it more likely it will happen but it requires a lot of other pieces to fit into the jigsaw as well. People with Scandinavian genes are more likely, those with African or Asian ancestors are less likely.
I’m exactly the same as you, it’s an absolute nightmare. Cholesterol through the roof so on statins and now diabetic so metformin. How are you finding them?
2 metformin daily 500 mg lunchtime & teatime not keeping blood glucose levels low enough. It’s a nightmare, I don’t know what to eat or not to eat. If I cannot get the levels down soon I will have to take 3 metformin daily. My glucose levels are always too high before bedtime
It is a life-changer, for sure. My hair used to be like one of Monet's haystacks, I keep it short now and fluff it around the thin spots. Hopefully, your cholesterol and glucose will decrease as you taper. I wound up on a statin also. I was diagnosed in 2019 and am now down to 4 mg. 🥴🥴I have more hair now than a year ago. My saving grace was finding this forum and having companions and getting answers from those who have 'walked the walk'. I hope it helps to know you aren't alone.💞
Yes I was diagnosed pre diabetic (reading of 44) after about 5 months of Prednisolone. I cut out just about every carb possible (never drink sugary drinks etc and can't have alcohol or chocolate anyway ☹) and managed to get down to 38 reading (non pre-diabetic) but lost a lot of weight, so have gone back to eating more normally except for no sugar in tea and no cakes/biscuits etc. Am hoping for blood test in next few weeks to see where I am now! Fingers crossed.
My diet is limited, like yours, that’s why I was taken by surprise by my last bloodwork results.
I am so grateful for the responses to my question about prednisone and diabetes. A big Thank You to you and everyone who has responded to me !!
Hopefully you will have good results with your upcoming bloodwork! 😘
I became diabetic and was put on insulin when I started on Prednisolone.Plus everything else went out of wack.
My sugar levels have normalised upon reducing but I am careful what I eat and I check it regularly.
Thank You for sharing your experience with prednisone and diabetes. I am sure you have had some trying times! Wishing you all the best in the future, dealing with your various health issues. We definitely need to stick with a restricted diet. Worth it in the long run! 😘
Yes - when I started on pred about 4 years ago- at 25mgs initially, I developed what is termed "steroid-induced diabetes", with classic signs of thirst and peeing a lot. Quite common apparently. Put on metformin, and tried to modify my diet. Now on 2mgs pred and Hba1c back to normal level.
Thank You for sharing your experience with prednisone and diabetes. Amazing the people who have had your experience or a similar one. I soooo appreciate the many responses to my question ! My very best to you in your endeavors to improve your glucose levels. It should be worth it in the long run ! 😘
I was pre diabetic when I started on Pred but after two months I became full diabetic (stage 2). However, once I started tapering and changed a few things in my diet, I am on my way down to pre diabetic stage once again.
Thank You for sharing your experience with prednisone and diabetes! You and many others seem to be having a similar reactions to prednisone. Watching our diets seems to be helpful. I have been health conscious for many years and thought I was ahead of the game until pmr hit me at 80 ! It’s been a challenge to say the least! I am very grateful for the many generous responses to my questions about prednisone and diabetes. My best to you in being able to see even more improvements in your diabetes! 😘
If you can look up Glucose Goddess - there is a book and also instagram posts about how to manage and lower glucose spikes throughout the day.
Thsnk You so much for this information. I will follow up with Glucose Goddess. My best to you and continued good health! 😘
yes unfortunately I have now been diagnosed with steroid induced diabetes and on top of all my other ailments am entering a whole new challenge, I’m very unhappy. I started Pred Jan 2022 for GCA/PMR so just over a year. My level shot up to 41 pre diabetes and I was begging for help!! Within 3 months I was 47 and then 52 it went up fast. Everyone is different of course and I have gastric issues so that has contributed.
Thank you for responding and sharing your experience with GCA and prednisone. You have, and are enduring some serious health challenges! I will definitely continue to be aware of any changes in my health. My best thoughts for you ! Good to hear that your sugar levels are coming back down !
Thank you, sadly my levels are going in the wrong direction. I wish you well and hope your struggles improve, all the best to you.
It’s funny you mention gastric issues. In 2018 when I was diagnosed but not told, I had pre-diabetes, I also had IBS which lasted 4 months. I went on a pro-biotic called BioK and it got rid of it completely.
I was recently found to be "just" qualified to be called diabetic. My doctor said get off the sugar and the carbs, which I did "fairly" well. Next time I had my bloods tested, I was considered PRE-diabetic. My doctor seemed thrilled (plus I lost a few pounds!) And, yes, it was blamed pretty much on the prednisone. Just do a little research to find out how to eat, and hopefully you'll be fine.
Simple answer, not diabetic but with a number which did concern my doctor. The highest you can be before something needs to change. However I've recently learned that taking glucosamine (which I have for decades for osteoarthritis) can raise blood sugar levels so that could also be a factor. My BMI since being on pred has been around 18 (even lower for a time), so weight had nothing to do with it. I did eliminate practically all "white" carbs for a couple of years and am still fairly strict.
Sorry I'm a bit late to the party on this post. Are you really yo- yoing between 5mg and 2.5mg Pred? If so, do you feel ok with that?
My Rheumatologist suggested this treatment for a while, with the intention to reduce to 2.5 mg
eventually. So far I’m ok with it.
I was pre-diabetic in late 2018, although my fill-in doctor didn’t tell me. She didn’t tell me anything about the A1c test and what it meant (I didn’t know I was getting one), or gave me the result of the test. She told me my blood sugar was too high even though I ate something before the test.
In 2021, I got the A1 c test again. I don’t recall having an in depth discussion with my regular family doctor on what it meant. Covid probably played into it. She had sent a note to my patient portal telling me it was 6.0, (exactly the same as in 2018), and that I shouldn’t go any higher. No intervention on how to not make it go higher.
I still didn’t pay any attention to it, what it meant as no one had told me I was pre-diabetic. I thought since my random glucose tests were fine then it wasn’t a problem. I knew prednisone was going to spike your blood sugar, but I was under the impression, it wouldn’t stay there.
In early 2023 my blood sugar was 6.0. I still got the same response from my doctor about “not letting it go any higher.” I didn’t really change my diet all that much but I was getting some exercise, at least walking and some yoga.
By May of 2023, I started having unexplained weight loss. I lost 10 pounds. The doctors could not make the link between diabetes and weight loss. They ran a bunch of tests.
It is not very common to lose weight when you are pre-diabetic. I also had some mild neuropathy symptoms in my left foot (burning sensation in one spot on my foot) dating back to 2020. It always felt like there was something in my shoe. I was taking alpha-lipoic acid and co-enzyme q10 at the time and the neuropathy symptoms seemed to be kept at bay.
In August of 2023, it went up to 6.1. I had had also lost 5 more pounds. Over the summer I looked more deeply into it. I was still told by doctors it would reverse itself when I am off the medication. I have been on prednisone for 7 years now. Long term use even at low doses, can increase your risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
In September 2023 I was diagnosed with gout. I had it twice. Gout is an increased risk when you are diabetic.
Fast forward to March this year and it was 6.4. Diabetes is 6.5. I panicked. I finally started changing my diet, removing refined sugars and refined carbs, but still finding it challenging to stick to low carbs. I didn’t really keep track of how many carbs. I also lost 4 additional pounds but at that point could attribute that to the new meal plans.
It’s the sugar spikes that are the problem, and can also affect your mood as well. I was sent to mental health services in late 2019, but it would have been helpful to be told I was pre-diabetic and that can affect mood swings, If I had known that, the focus would have been on reducing sugar spikes and that may have been all that was required to help me with more pronounced symptoms of anxiety and depression.
In addition to this, I had 2 frozen shoulders, issues with my neck and knees. I had cortisone shots in my shoulders and knees but really only worked in my left knee (lasted 10 months).
I’ve also had worrying results of my bone density scans. Each scan was an increase in loss of bone density in the moderate range. Last result was 7 per cent increase.
I am currently alternating between 3.5 and 4 mg of prednisone. I hope I can finally get off of it in the next 6 months.
I will be getting an A1c test at the end of June.
I have a glucometer but I have been reluctant to use it. It was given to me from a family member.
I will be seeing an endocrinologist and a specialist for osteoporosis. The latter won’t be until October.
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