Blood sugar levels when taking Prednisolone

[Bayleaf1]

Since starting my steroid journey last September I have tried to minimise my sugar intake and haven’t managed too badly seeing as though I have a very sweet tooth but I’m struggling a little now. I know that I should try to avoid jams, honey, marmalade etc but don’t know if there is anything out there that I could eat a little of without causing too much of a blood sugar spike. Anything anyone can suggest?

[JaiSea]

I have also struggled with a sweet tooth and taking Prednisolone, being a very disciplined type 2 diabetic, but the Pred sent my blood sugar spiralling up . I have tried many different products , some good and some bad, but everything that has trace sugars or carbohydrates increases my blood sugar. It seems that discipline and vigilance has been my only salvation, and compensating for any particular sweet treat with increased exercise or going without something else. It has been a hard journey, and absence of sweet treats makes it no more pleasant, but diabetic complications keeps me on the straight and narrow. To answer simply, I don’t think there are any good products that won’t have an effect, however, care and moderation can add the ‘sparkle’ and apply incentive to discover a better balance.

[Bayleaf1 in reply to JaiSea]

I probably knew that this was the case. I will just have to get over it and look forward to a time in the future when hopefully I won't be so restricted.

[Bluey-1]

I had quite the sweet tooth prior to GCA and pred. On advice from a friend who’d had PMR and from everyone on here, I changed my diet and my cravings have diminished. Start the day with a smoothie - Greek yoghurt, avocado, cucumber, mint, almond milk and a tea spoonful of a flaxseed mix. This is very filling. A few handfuls of nuts, usually almonds and brazils as a snack later, a couple of cubes of very dark chocolate also. A friend introduced me to the very tasty Montezuma range, you only need a couple of cubes at most. I eat a healthy diet of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, mostly chicken, generally low carb. I love boiled eggs and have one with a slice of seeded brown bread several times a week. I don’t deprive myself of a pudding if we’re eating out or the occasional red meat casserole or lamb chops. It’s low carb not no carb but I notice my taste has changed.

[Bayleaf1 in reply to Bluey-1]

That sounds like a very sensible approach. I will try to make some changes to my diet.

[Bluey-1]

I feel better on it, like giving my body the best chance of dealing with GCA.

[SnazzyD]

Pred takes you into a different league for diet and a usual cutting back doesn’t normally help much. It’s carbs overall that do it, not just the obvious sweet ones. Pred forces your liver to release stores of Glucagon which spikes your blood Glucose. That is before you put anything into your mouth. From 60-10mg Pred I had to cut out bread, pasta, flours, rice, maize etc. on higher doses I was ravenous but was able to stuff my face as long as it was protein, fats or veg with a little fruit, especially berries. My treat was a couple of squares of very dark chocolate daily and 1-2 small glasses of white wine weekly. My weight stayed the same and my blood sugars (Hba1c) were normal My sweet tooth reduced with the better diet. When I did treat myself to a pud, I usually felt afterwards that it wasn’t worth feeling like my body really didn’t want it.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I fear it is a question to learning to live without those things on a regular basis. Once you cut out the simple carbs and sugars it does result in a change of taste and it becomes easier. But it does take a few weeks of being quite strict before your taste buds and your gut flora adjust to the change. Once you get there it becomes much easier and you don't miss them.

I find plain Greek yoghurt or Skyr with some berries added is a comfort when you need something sweet and to me Skyr is like fat-free cream! It has a lovely mouth feel too.

It is best to avoid artificial sweetners if you can but you will find suggestions on the internet

dietdoctor.com/low-carb/rec...

[Bayleaf1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for the tips. I will take a look at the link. For the occasional treat I’m going to try a square or two or a really good dark chocolate that another poster mentioned.

[Bluey-1 in reply to Bayleaf1]

I am quite addicted to Greek yoghurt now. I also like to make a sweeter smoothie with kefir, blueberries, half a banana and ginger with a little almond or skimmed milk. My favourite dessert. You can change the berries to suit. As Pro says, it takes a few weeks for your tastes to change but I’ve been very surprised. I feel fuller for longer on this diet.

[SheffieldJane]

When I was young I used to start the day with PLJ, a pretty sour lemon juice cordial. It made all sugary things sickly sweet over time. I wonder if it would work again?

[Bayleaf1 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Oh yes, I can remember PLJ cordial however sadly I wouldn’t be able to have it as most acidic things such as oranges, lemons some berries and tomatoes give me awful mouth ulcers.

[SheffieldJane in reply to Bayleaf1]

On reflection, Yes, this is a non-starter for me. It would hurt my digestive system. 😬

[HeronNS]

Although I don;t have a particularly sweet tooth I had the same problem with refined carbs. Very strictly gave up all of them for a time, and ate more protein and lots of dense salads! I did continue to eat an orange or clemi at breakfast time and filled up on pumpkin seed (high in iron and protein) and eggs. Put on no weight and did keep blood sugar under control. Not diabetic but do have tendency to run slightly too high blood sugar.

I think it gets easier after the first couple of weeks, as one's gut microbiome rebalances. My theory is that food cravings can be explained, at least in part, by a microbiome which makes you think you want a certain kind of food. Your microbiome may have a sweet tooth!

[Bayleaf1 in reply to HeronNS]

That’s a good way to look at it. Although I have a very sweet tooth I don’t have a problem cutting out the refined white carbs and not even chocolate which was always my life saver. ( My sister and I have always said that our liking of chocolate goes back to our childhood when there was no money for sweets and chocolate.) My problem is solely missing a little sweetness on an occasional slice of seeded whole meal toast. For some reason I feel really deprived.

[HeronNS in reply to Bayleaf1]

I think I know what you mean. After a meal it would be nice to have just the taste of something sweet. Not wanting a hunk of cake or anything filling. Lately that has been satisfied by very slowly dissolving one of those small chocolate Easter eggs in my mouth. Laugh if you will, but I always feel completely satisfied by that. Sometimes I have on hand a bar of dark chocolate and limiting myself to a single square but making that square last as long as possible seems to do the trick. I think I remarked elsewhere one day that I had just finished a bar of chocolate from Christmas, and had even shared that bar with my housemate! I forced him to have just have one square at a time. His own bar having vanished in one evening.... Possibly the ability to do this stems from several years of giving up chocolate for Lent. (Eventually that became so easy, no deprivation at all, that I now give up playing stupid computer games.)

[Shiv14]

As an alternative to jam I buy frozen raspberries, allow them to thaw or zap in the microwave at a low heat, mash up and it looks like jam. My eyes see jam so my head seems to accept this. I also put a small amount into natural yogurt to add flavour without the sugar.

[Bayleaf1 in reply to Shiv14]

Yes, I could give that a try. Thank you.

[Bluey-1 in reply to Bayleaf1]

A teaspoon full of Manuka honey in Greek yoghurt is tasty. It supposedly has anti inflammatory properties

[Bayleaf1 in reply to Bluey-1]

sounds delicious but all the info suggests not even eating honey. ☹️

[Bayleaf1 in reply to Bayleaf1]

That’s an option certainly.😊

[Bluey-1]

Oh dear, what about half a mashed banana on whole meal toast?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bluey-1]

That's a lot of carbs!

[HeronNS in reply to Bluey-1]

Maybe the banana without the bread? Or with 4 oz plain 2% yoghurt - 9 g carb as opposed to about 40 for a slice of bread.

[Bluey-1]

The kefir, blueberry, half a banana, ginger almond milk smoothie is the best. Really filling.

[Bluey-1]

Report back in a few weeks Bayleaf. Would like to hear how you get on.

[Bayleaf1 in reply to Bluey-1]

Will do.

[Hidden]

I just found this interesting thread from a year ago. I've been thinking about my diet, since being diagnosed with PMR 7 weeks ago. Thanks for the input. I have IBS quite badly and quite a lot of fruits and veg unfortunately cause bloating and cramps, especially acidic ones. However I love lean meat and fish, especially oily fish.When we get back home the week after next I will give this some thought and do some dietary research. Meanwhile I will do my best to limit sugars and carbs. It's a start. Are potatoes bad and are sweet potatoes better?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

They are both about the same in terms of carbs. I roast squash and courgette for lower and low carb veggies. This site is good to learn the basics of low carb from:

dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods

Nice picture guides - easy to remember!!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you