How is steroid induced diabetes treated?
July 6th, 2009 | by The Doc |
Nina asked:
I just started prednisone @ 20mg bid. I just randomly checked and my blood sugar was 255 (a friend checked my blood on his meter). I will be calling my doc in the morn, but am wondering how this is treated. Thanks
I am expected to be on prednisone and cytoxan for at least 2 years. I have churg-strauss syndrome with kidney involvement.
I just started prednisone @ 20mg bid. I just randomly checked and my blood sugar was 255 (a friend checked my blood on his meter). I will be calling my doc in the morn, but am wondering how this is treated. Thanks
I am expected to be on prednisone and cytoxan for at least 2 years. I have churg-strauss syndrome with kidney involvement.
3 Responses to “How is steroid induced diabetes treated?”
By Mike on Jul 7, 2009 | Reply
The same way normal diabetes is treated, although straight insulin is preferred to metaformin and other drugs. You can help yourself in the meantime by going on an insulin-friendly diet (exercise will probably be of little help). How long will you be on steroids? Hopefully not long…
By The Doc on Jul 10, 2009 | Reply
For right now, you don’t need to do anything, it’s not an emergency, and waiting a day or two (or a week or two) will not hurt you at all. And if you need to continue taking the steroids, which it sounds like you may, then the diabetes is treated just like any other sort of diabetes, you may need to take medications and follow a diabetic diet, as well as trying to stay fit and loose weight if you’re overwight. The steroids are definately a huge contributing factor, but if it’s not possible to stop them or lower the dose, then you just have to reduce the contribution from other factors and treat.
By emeraldblonde5 on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
I have the same problem. I can’t take prednisone because it causes my chest to get tight but I am on its cousin Medryl. I didn’t have diabeties before taking steroids. It is a very hard journey because the steriods can make your blood sugar so high! Most steroid diabeties is treated better with insulin, so more like a type one. They might put you on a meal plan (they didn’t with me bc of I have cystic fibrosis, so I need to eat ALL the time.) but finally my diabeties is pretty muich under control. I am also on a very low dose of steroids. I hope you have a better road with SI Diabeties than I did. Also I am being tested to see if I actually have diabeties or if it will go away once steroids are gone…wish me luck!!!