Can Steroids Have a Lasting Effect on Blood Glucose?
Three years ago, when I was 65, I was prescribed prednisone during a very bad cold. I have type 2 diabetes, which I controlled then with diet and exercise (no medications). After I started taking prednisone, my blood sugar shot up to 300 mg/dl, and it took me three weeks on Actos to bring it back down. My blood sugar has never been the same, and now I am on diabetes meds. Could the prednisone have caused a lasting effect?
Ray White, Stormville, N.Y.
Roger Austin, MS, RPh, CDE, responds: Prednisone is a commonly prescribed corticosteroid (steroid, for short). These drugs have also been called "glucocorticoids" because of their effects on glucose metabolism: Increases in blood glucose are common among people taking prednisone and other steroids. Prednisone is a synthetic steroid that is used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions, such as bursitis and arthritis in the joints. It's also prescribed for its immunosuppressive properties: for allergic reactions, acute flare-ups of asthma, autoimmune conditions, anti-rejection treatment after transplant surgery, and cancer chemotherapy, among many other uses.
People with diabetes receiving steroid treatment should be informed that their blood glucose will increase while they are on the steroid. Doctors should help patients determine what adjustments are needed to keep blood glucose levels within the target range.
In your case, since you weren't already taking any medication for lowering blood glucose, Actos was prescribed. Actos, a thiazolidinedione, can take as long as four to six weeks to have any measurable effect on lowering blood glucose. Treatment with a faster-acting diabetes medication such as insulin, or a sulfonylurea such as glipizide, will control the elevated blood glucose during steroid treatment, and may have worked better for you.
Steroid treatment is usually prescribed for short periods of time, and your blood glucose should return to pre-treatment levels a few days after the steroid is stopped. So, it is unlikely that your continued high blood glucose levels are due to the short course of prednisone treatment you had three years ago. If you still have high blood glucose, you should discuss other options for long-term control with your doctor.
Comments
Comments are subject to review and will not be posted immediately. If you have an urgent medical question, please consult a health care professional. If you have a question for the staff of Diabetes Forecast, please send it to replyall@diabetes.org.Long Term Steriods and DM
I am 46 years old, and starting the end of 2005 to early 2007 I was on prednisome for ulcerative collitis until we got it under control. While I was on extended Steriod use I gained alot of weight and had high blood glucose readings. Now fast forward to 2010, and I ve been off steriods for almost three years, taking 200 mg imuran daily for my UC and now have been diagnoesed with Dm. Is it likely the these medications aided in causing my DM. Thank you
Steroid Cream
My glucose was fine 9 months ago, was on oral steroids for 3 weeks for bursitis, then two months later have been on a steroid cream everyday from my OBGYN. Now out of no where, my glucose has gone up and I am pre-diabetic. (Also started HBP medication within the last six months also.) Could my high glucose be due to steroid cream and/or HBP meds?
Response
I can only answer for myself. I was using a steroid cream (clobetasol) for intense itching in the vaginal area given to me by my gyn. I must have been scratching myself raw and taking benadryl just to be able to sleep at night. The cream helped only somewhat.
Within 2 months I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2. With medicine and a correct diet, the itching stopped IMMEDIATELY.
Just yesterday I was told by the RN educator at my endocrinologist's office that oral steroids will increase your blood sugar. I can't tell you how long or how high the effect will last. Talk to your GYN or family dr. and ask the questions you need answered.
I am a recently diagnosed diabetic. I suspect it was the oral steroids that initially raised your glucose. But don't forget that stress, being ill, not feeling well, etc. will also affect your glucose. It's a trial and error issue for everyone and their body.
Again, talk to your dr. or a nutritionist. Many are trained in diabetes education. My insurance co has someone trained in diabetes.
My tip: When my blood sugar is higher than I want it, I am substituting a little more protein for my carbs. I test before each meal.
Good luck.
Intense vaginal itching is
Intense vaginal itching is often a sign of a yeast infection, which are more common and more sever in people with diabetes. You likely had diabetes before you started on the steroid cream, but hadn't been diagnosed yet. It is common to not be diagnosed until you have had diabetes for years because the symptoms aren't always obvious and your sugar is usually only tested if you have symptoms or have fasting blood work as part of a physical.
Yes, definitely! Read side
Yes, definitely! Read side effects of any type of steroid and it will say, causes high blood sugar and diabetes!
Prednisone and Diabetes
I was born with Asthma and before the inhailed steroids were developed I was on and off of Prednisone alot of my life. After I turned 40, I was officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes induced by Prednisone, not to mention countless other health problems. Now 46 years of age, I think I would have to really way my options before I would ever take Prednisone again. Long term usage of this medicine will negatively affect diabetes as well as countless other side effects. Len Smith, Clarksville, AR
Prednisone & diabetes
I was born with asthma but went away as I got older untill I came down with COPD as well that cause a flair up on my asthma. I was put in the hospital just a few weeks ago for my breathing wasn't good at all, and I was put on high does (shots) at that of prednisone, I have taken prednisone many times for long peroids of time over many years this was the first time I ever had to be put in the hospital for the high does was going to be so high they had to monitor it very closely for they knew it would incress my sugar levels and that would need to be kept under controll. My father was a diabetic and I was told years ago that i was boarderline but never really had many problems I was active and ate the right foods. This time I had to have insulen shots because of the prednisone. I was told when I came home from the hospital and was drop to 40 mg. per day for 4 days then 30 mg. for 4 days then 20 mg. for 4 days then 10 mg. for 4 days then off. I also was told that my blood sugar levels would also drop as the lower the prednisone. Wrong my sugar levels got higher & higher, the lowest it got was 104 and that was only once, it mostly stays around 160 to 190 but does get alot higher alot. Im not taken any medication to reduce this because the doctors are still waitting for it to come down on its own, so tell me how long should I wait with feeling like death warmed over before the doctors should put me on something to controll this high levels of sugar? Think it could have cause me to be a diabetic now? Do you think it will come down on it's own sometime or another, and if so how long should it be?
What's your sugar level now?
What's your sugar level now?
insulin to treat high glucose level following steroid shot
i was treated today with steroid injections for bad back pain
is their any way to reduce
high blood sugar i am already uaing insulin thanks
EPIDURAL STERIODS AND DIABETES
ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO I RECEIVED AN EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION FOR AHERNIATED DISC AND HAVE HAD PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FASTING SUGARS FOR ME. INITIALLY, THEY WERE AS HIGH AS 150'S AND MORE RECENTLY WERE 130'S. IT SEEMS THE TREND IS DOWNWARD, BUT I AM WONDERING HOW LONG I WILL HAVE THIS INCREASE. MY NORMAL FASTING IS 80 TO 90.
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