My surgery are doing Blood tests to check for for diabetes, possibly because l am elderly, at 87. My results showed that l did not have diabetes but that l was pre-diabetic. I was rather surprised because l have never been overweight and have a reasonably healthy diet. However l was curious to see if there was a link with PMR. I went online and found that sure enough there was, through a reaction with steroids. I’ll quote “ Steroids make the liver less sensitive to insulin so it carries on releasing glucose even if the pancreas is releasing insulin. “. I wondered if anyone else has experience of this.
truly scrumptious : My surgery are doing Blood... - PMRGCAuk
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DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer
I think you find many are shown to be pre-diabetic - but that doesn’t necessarily become diabetes…most patients sugars return to normal as the Pred is reduced.
Had you put the wording diabetes, diabetic or pre-diabetic in your title you would have brought up a lot of related posts…
Thanks Dorset Lady. I’ve been on 5mg for ages (diagnosed in 2016) and can’t seem to get below that. I haven’t posted for ages and actually had trouble finding how to do it! I didn’t see anywhere to put a title.
yes. Was diagnosed type 2 3 months after my PMR diagnosis. The steroids certainly spike my sugars by a fair bit. I was put on meds for 5 months and taken off the diabetic meds as I had put my type 2 into remission by cutting carbs and upping my exercise. Still in remission but once labelled diabetic you are always diabetic. Steroid induced diabetes is quite common
Thanks for your reply. I have been put on a Diabetic Prevention programme so will certainly be cutting my carbs. Excercise is more difficult because dueto a bad result of hip replacement l need a walker and get a back spasm after about 10 minutes and have to sit and wait for it to go.
I thought that it was recommended that those on long term steroids should have an HbA1c blood test for diabetes. I have had a test every year since being diagnosed with PMR.
Well l’ve managed to avoid anyone even mentioning it, after 8 years. Now they’ve caught up with me l will have blood tests every year.
Did they offer you a Dexascan and vitamin D with calcium?
No. I take Sunvit-D3 with calcium, to prevent osteoporosis. Is that the same thing?
Yes that is vitamin D with calcium. Was it prescribed for you as you were taking steroids? Did you get offered a Dexascan?
Yes l was put on it when l was diagnosed. I wasn’t offered Dexascan. Noone ever mentioned the risk of biabetes, and l certainly wasn’t offered a test for glucose levels. Moreover l haven’t seen the rheumatologist since that first visit 8 years ago. I haven’t even seen my GP for a review. Thanks to this wonderful forum l have just decided for myself about reducing pred and flares.
My doctor did apologise to me that she had not checked my glucose levels. Mine was picked up at a trip to the gynaecology department from a urine test and acted upon very quickly
I had to request one on 2 occasions! The last one was 2 years ago following an email to GP, and I’ve just asked for another one as I’ve been on up to 15mg in this last year and I’m concerned I may have Type 2. Although my diet is pretty good and low carbish .. exercise levels are poor as MTX makes me so weary but it works for reduction in my case.
yes, it is a common side effect. I was able to normalise mine by diet but I still seem trapped in a world of overwhelming help via email and a diabetic nurse, diet recommendations etc. I do need to move more though.
I love the concept of being trapped in a world of overwhelming help. I am beginning to run out of days for drs apts. I collect consultants, wish I coukd auction them off. But seriously I am thankful I get reasonably good care even though nothing seems to work.
I have had steroid induced DM three times now, happening when I have a bad flare and have to go back to 20mg pred. 3 times with diet and tapering my HbA1c has normalised and I have stopped my meds. I am tapering again. I think i will stay on my Metformin as it seems to have other positive effects. So, in my opinion it’s not a big worry, enjoy your healthy food and have a treat now and again.
Does it help the weight loss?
It did at first but then levelled out. I am not too overweight but I “could do better” with my diet.
Thanks Nightingales, l haven’t heard of Metformin, is it an alternative to Pred?
It’s a drug for diabetes …
Thanks Nightingales, that’s reassuring.
I hope all goes well for you.
I think I’m at risk of steroid induced DM, as been on 15 - 13mg Prednisolone this year due to flares and had a vitrectomy 6 months ago which is going well, but has been challenging and not driving either still. MTX makes me very weary, and exercise is not adequate although reduced to 11mg now and dropped 8 lbs in a month all of which is encouraging I guess. Although overweight and need to lose a stone. (sigh!)
Your post is very helpful.. thank you! 💐
Well done! So far so good
I was overweight and pre-diabetic before steroids. Now diabetic. Brought A1c down with diet and weight loss. But have half three brothers with Type 2 who have never been obese.
I love your name tag !
Yes, l had a friend who always called me that!
I used to deal with a company called that for our catering !
Lovely friend!
We were with a walking group and l did the catering.
Yes me too. It went as I came to the end of my PMR journey
My experience of being prediabetic is that it occurred about two years before I was diagnosed with PMR. However, being pre-diabetic doesn’t mean you’ll stay prediabetic. I changed my diet and when I went back for the next test my results were fine. The management of prediabetic conditions seems to have been subcontracted out to various health companies. After being diagnosed as prediabetic, I asked the woman (not a doctor), whom I had my appointment with whether this could be reversed, and she said no. Since then I’ve found, it’s not the case.
As regarding a link I am still not prediabetic, but I was diagnosed with PMR a few years later. I would say then there probably not a link in my case but I’m just one isolated case. I’m not aware of any studies on the subject.
For goodness sake - even Type 2 can be reversed! By diet ...
I think whilst I was lad up in bed with PMR and my husband was getting over a fractured ankle he was looking after me. To make me feel better he got me grapes, biscuits, chocolate, ready meals and that certainly didn’t help
That’s interesting. Thanks
Its making me realise that l must be firm about keeping to a diet.
There are times when need a bit of tlc!
And you have to eat a lot of good stuff to prevent the munchies! Also a bit of chocolate everyday for quality of life 😂
I tested as pre-diabetic nearly a year ago, but I was overweight and had developed a small cake/biscuit habit, so that is just as likely to be the reason as the pred - I am tapering very gradually from a very small dose, currently 2/1.5. I really, really didn’t want to take the offered healthy diet course and be lectured on what I already know (I’ve struggled with my eating and my weight all my life: believe me, I’m an expert); plus I don’t do group therapy, so I put myself on a low(er) carb diet [which is recommended for PMR anyhow].
I am lucky that the threat of the course, plus the fact that I needed to lose weight for an impending hip operation, gave me the motivation; and the cake/biscuit habit meant there was some slack I could take up without having to completely starve. I’m proud to say I’ve lost over 1.5 stone and am now lighter than I’ve been for about 20 years, and feeling better for it. I recently had my annual check up: it seems my cholesterol is still a bit high (I’ve booked an appointment to discuss that); no contact so far about the blood sugar but I assume no news is good news. I will ask for that result too.
At my check up, my BP was also a bit raised, but the nurse said not to worry; that they see that with pred 🙄, and it should come down when (if) I finally come off it. My question is, I’m very grateful still for the relief pred gives me from debilitating pain, but, with all these side effects, why are they surprised we don’t want to add other drugs - statins, whatever - to the mix?
Thanks calibriel, well done on losing so much weight, and good luck for the surgery. A little tip for all surgery is to take Arnica 6 , 2 tabs twice a day, for 6 days either side of the op. I’ve found it amazing for quick healing, the nurses said they couldn’t believe it! But a warning- don’t tell any of the medics , l took my tablets in , in my mobile !
Thanks for the tip
She’s right about homeopathy.!
Yes, I had steroid induced pre diabetes. I think if you use the search field you will find lots of info. I went onto the keto diet, lost a stone (but I realise you don’t need to!) & my pre diabetes went away. It’s oftenage related, though, & may not be connected with steroids. Both my aunt & my husband had the problem, & neither had PMR. It’s easy to ‘blame it on the pred’ for a lot of associated things, which happen to a lot of people who don’t have PMR!! I think it’s all written up in the FAQs, too!
Thanks Prix, interesting information.
Thanks. I have never been overweight, but my age, 87, may be significant and also l eat too many carbs! So definitely diet. I’ll look up the keto diet.
The keto is all about reducing carbs! Good luck!
l just want to thank you all for such a wonderful response, and such helpful advice. This Forum is great.
Yes. In my case the solution was to severely restrict carbohydrates, particularly grains and "white" carbs. My blood sugar didn't return completely to normal until pred was at a low level, but it didn't go into the diabetes level. It had been fine for a couple of years, then I had a serious flare needing a somewhat higher dose of pred to deal with (10mg at highest) and even that was enough to send the blood sugar back up, so definitely related to pred dose. Also I had relaxed my carb intake by then, so no wonder! Last bloodwork was fine again, pred has been low for a while, and my current doctor monitors me more carefully than former one did.
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer
You replied to me… but guess you meant it for Trulyscrumpious … but no matter, they should it as the originator.
Thanks I've deleted and replied to the right person 🤦♀️
No probs -they would see it anyway…. It was just to let you know really. 😊
Easily done…
I to am pre - diabetic but now and have been for 2 years or more I live on a permanent keto diet and I feel the best I have for many years ...I get my meals delivered from a local keto shop who do nationwide deliveries ...look up keto and diabetes...and how it can turn pre- diabetes round...The steroids give us a decent pain free life but they do have a knock on affect on our internal organs but it's better than being in a wheelchair which was the next step before I was diagnosed and started on prednisolone....xx
Yes after 3 yrs of steroids I became pre diabetic like you not overweight and normal weight Since May 2023 I have macular degeneration treated by injections and caused by diabetes
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