since I’ve been on steroids for PMR, for just over 2 months, my blood sugar tests have increased from between 7 to 10, taken 3+ hours after meals, to between 8.5 to 12.5, taken 3+ hours after meals.
Can I expect this to improve (lower) as I taper?
Was on 20mg, now on 17.5, plan to be on 15mg from this weekend, then reduce by 1mg per month to 10mg, then reduce by .5mg per month to 5mg, then reduce by .25 per month.
Hopefully it will get better with lower doses. BUT, I wouldn’t be waiting for the revolution as it could be a long time before that happens and ample time to become insulin resistant or diabetic and rapid weight gain. The issue with Pred is that it forces the blood sugar up by inducing the liver to break down its glucagon stores into glucose. This happens before you eat anything so any foods that are easily metabolised into glucose just fan the flames. Healthy eating in the usual sense usually isn’t enough when one is taking Pred. Many of us deal with this successfully by drastically cutting down on carbohydrates and at the very least cutting out any white or beige carbs. It can be individual and some have to cut carbs more than others. I had to stop eating all pasta, bread, rice, flours and maize.
You say you are checking blood sugars, so are you already diagnosed with diabetes? Or is it routine testing from your doctor?
I have diabetes type 2, for many years. Looks like very strict diet watching is my only option. Thank you for your response 👍
Some on this forum have reported favourable results in getting their type 2 under control by watching their diet like a hawk. It’s also the little bits that have caught some people out.
Following careful consideration of the replies here, I decided a week to go on a ‘Liver Reduction Diet’ which is NHS approved for 3 weeks. I have lost 9 lbs already (From my 21 stone 10 lbs) and my blood sugar levels have reduced significantly. Additionally my Blood Pressure has also improved to lower levels. I plan to follow this 3 week diet, with a balanced diet, with particular attention to low carbs and fats.
Very well done - but remember, you can't go back to your previous diet, it will just go back on! You need to be somewhere inbetween for long term success
I understand that very clearly! Thank you.
It may improve as the dose falls - but as Snazzy says, get on it now and control what YOU can control and cut your carbs drastically, especially any processed carbs and any remaining added sugar.
It may also be worth checking more often during the day - some people find the spikes are related to eating and by changing their eating patterns they can avoid the worst spikes, Some foods are worse for some than others. even Tim Spector found that the perceived healthy breakfast option of porridge caused him to really spike blood glucose.
I am now convinced you are right. I must get on top of it through diet. I certainly do not want insulin injections with my type 2 diabetes, even if it’s temporary, it could be years! I can test as often as I wish to monitor my sugar levels.
Though food plays the primary role (what & how much), I find exercise really helps me with my numbers
A walk straight after a meal is supposed to help reduce glucose peaks. Also eating vegetables first. A bowl of salad say before the rest of your meal. It also fills you up so you don’t tuck into the carbs
I was borderline diabetes before prednisone, glucose went up significantly, started 5 mg Glipizide,60 mg pred. Now after almost 1 year, glucose got too low, making me dizzy, etc....now at 2.5 mg Glipizide and much better. I am still on 17.5 pred. I'm in US
hopefully but this is another reason I don’t take the steroids.
High risk of developing type 2 diabetes
PMR + type 2 diabetes 
PMR with type 2 diabetes 
