My AIC is at 6 which is borderline to diabetes. I am taking steps to modify my diet and lose the weight I gained during COVID and while on PRED. I tapered off PRED THIS June. I have a family history of diabetes so I am aware that while my siblings were diagnosed in their 50's I have postponed the problem to my mif-seventies.
My question is does PRED have a role in diabetes,,?
Thank you for all that you do.
Mewy
Pred can cause steroid induced diabetes, but it does seem that once you have stopped the steroids, things can revert to normal. It seems Pred increases blood sugar levels in people who do not have diabetes. This seems to happen because the liver produces more sugar during steroid treatment.
Thank you this helps a lot. I feel more optimistic about the possibly that my blood sugar levels get down to normal. I have lost 15 lbs over the summer (4months) and now I am paying attention to Diabetes Canada's recommendations.
It definitely does while you are on Pred because it forces blood sugar up even before you eat. This effect reduces with dose. I had to have a very very low carb diet on Pred to control this and my weight. As I got to the end of Pred taking, whilst my carb control wasn’t required to be as strict, I noticed that my metabolism was still quite reactive to carbs and also salt. This effect improved over some months after the end of Pred. Still now a bit over 3 years later I still can’t routinely have carbs like pasta, rice, potato on my plate without weight quietly creeping on in a few weeks. I can’t be certain whether Pred has irrevocably changed my metabolism or if it is ageing of 6.5 years or if it was going to happen anyway.
One of the listed side effects is an increase in blood sugar... and many do find that happens, mine did initially, but as I reduce steroid, the sugars went back to normal, As my GP said at the time, pre-diabetic doesn't automatically mean it will be become full blown diabetes.
But as you say you are aware, and are doing what you can...
Yes I am really stepping into managing my carbs and reducing my weight. Thank you so much. Mewy
I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes about 4 months after I started Pred - so now a very low carb diet and that seems to have dealt with the problem. I wonder if it makes you more carb intolerant, even after you've come off pred, as SnazzyD indicates.
Only steroid-induced diabetes because pred can trigger the liver to release random spikes of glucose from the liver and muscle stores. That tends to raise the average Hba1c reading.
You cannot influence that but you can modify dietary carb which also contributes to blood sugar levels and that is what we repeatedly recommend here. It also helps avoid weight gain with pred - due to the excess of insulin which is released in response to these spikes which are not followed by a meal to use up the insulin - so it deposits excess glucose in the form of fat in the expected places,
I really appreciate your explanations as to the mechanism of action of PRED on the body. For some reason this reduces my anxiety. Many thanks. Mewy
Yes! When I was on higher dose of prednisone my A1C was in diabetic range. Once I tapered to single digits, my A1C changed to normal range. Thanks Sharon Mc.
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