Tests are back, some good news and some bad news…

[Gatorchief]

My first blood test since diagnosis of PMR. The good news is the ESR is 6 and the CRP is <3 . The bad news is Glucose is 112 . Looks like the honey I’ve been putting in the yogurt has to go away. I was surprised by that number as I bought a meter to test my glucose weekly in the mornings. It’ has been 87 -95 since I started monitoring it. Perhaps the prednisone caused a spike when the test was taken? Either way the sugar and carbs have got to go.

big question is if the PMR markers are back to normal, are the pains i sometimes now have related to PMR flare or OA?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

A BS finger prick test is a one off level - and really probably not worth it when you can be having the random spikes any time and they don't annouce themselves. What time was the blood test taken? Had you had anything to eat beforehand - was it supposed to be a fasting BS? You should have been fasting since midnight before the blood sample was taken otherwise it isn;t accurate.

The influence of honey on your yoghurt might affect the Hba1c though I doubt it. And if your Hba1c is 112, leaving the honey off your yoghurt isn't going to get it down to the 40-ish it should be so I really do hope it wasn't the Hba1c ...

[Gatorchief in reply to PMRpro]

Morning fasting test at 8:30 am. I take my prednisone at 11:30 pm now with some yogurt and honey for the nausea I sometimes get. I have to rethink that now. Our glucose tests are different from A1c levels. A1c levels 7.0 is diabetes. Glucose levels are 65 - 99 mg/dl normal . 100 - 125 mg/dl pre-diabetes and > 125 mg/dl diabetes. Reducing the prednisone under 7 mg make any difference in the numbers? If NAIDS help the minor aches and pains is it more likely to be OA then another serious auto immune disease?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gatorchief]

I am well aware that BS and Hba1c are different tests and also what the normal ranges are and what they mean.

My husband's BS ran at about 110 for years - no idea why but it wasn't diabetes or even pre-diabetes. It was just him. There are several criteria before a diagnosis of diabetes is made and at the present following your Hba1c is likely to be more informative because it reflects the average BS level over 3 months.

In the UK we use the units of mmol/mol not mmol/L for Hba1c - normal is up to 42 or 7.0 respectively. Prediabetes readings are very likely when on pred but you can influence them by controlling your dietary carbs - the only thing you CAN control.

Whether getting pred under 7mg will reduce the BS figures depends - it might, it might not. As we keep telling you, everyone is different and diet can have quite an effect on Hba1c.

If NSAIDs are helping pain then they are probably not due to PMR - they MIGHT be due to OA but I think Tylenol/acetaminophen would be preferable. NSAIDs and pred don't mix well.

[Gatorchief in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you as always. I was pretty sure that I would be able to dea with the blood sugar elevation with diet. Carbs and refined sugars are said to be the the culprits. I tend to over think things when it comes to health issues. The health care system in this country has been changing drastically since COVID. There is a shortage of Dr’s now and most of the patients are being see. By PA’s and NP’s. I see my GP once every 6 months even for acute care. I was lucky I had my regular appointment with her shortly after the PMR symptoms started. Hopefully there won’t be too many complications with this disease for the next few years.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

PMRpro has replied re BS, but would just say inflammatory blood test should be low, that’s the Pred keeping them like that… but that doesn’t mean you won’t occasionally get PMR pains… and as we know markers very often lag behind symptoms…

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

What did autocorrect do to that reply???

[1951grumpa]

When first diagnosed in 2011 , started with 15mg prednisone my glucose level went up like yours. My GP said I had pre- diabetes and had me going a daily prick test and kept a record. Sent me to an hour training session with a dietitian. The session was very informative re: carbs. When I was able to stay 10 or less I was back to normal. My fasting blood tests are always in the mid 90’s. They were even before PMR. ….. Because of this I was “Labeled “as having diabetes. Only one hospital system still has diabetes as a condition I’ve been able to get them removed from others

[Gatorchief]

thank you for the comment, I’m counting carbs daily now and the last to mornings I’ve had 86 and 81 readings at 8:00 am. Pretty hard cutting the carbs ( I do like cinnamon toast in the morning) but like you say, if they diagnosis you as a diabetic the medical records people never let it go!