1. < Diabetes & Endocrine System

Prednisone and blood glucose levels

Posted by lanieg @lanieg, Feb 14, 2023

I was recently diagnosed with PMR and put on 20 mg prednisone. It has almost eliminated the inflammation/pain but my BG levels have skyrocketed thus increasing my insulin intake. My endocrinologist put me on a sliding scale for insulin dosage but it's not working. I can't really taper off the prednisone yet but am concerned about the significant increase in BG levels. Any thoughts or comments? Thanks.

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Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor | @astaingegerdm | Feb 15, 2023

@lanieg
Have you had diabetes treated with insulin prior to starting prednisone?
The huge jump of BG levels has happened to me briefly a few times when I was treated with high dose steroids for asthma in hospital and I was treated with sliding scale insulin. Once I was on oral prednisone the levels would go down. I have Type 2.
Are you on other diabetes drugs?
What are the plans for treating PMR after the initial prednisone?
Have you told the endocrinologist about the difficulty maintaining a good BG level? Maybe they can fine tune the sliding scale?

REPLY
1 reply
lanieg | @lanieg | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @astaingegerdm "@lanieg Have you had diabetes treated with insulin prior to starting prednisone? The huge jump of..." + (show)
@astaingegerdm

@lanieg
Have you had diabetes treated with insulin prior to starting prednisone?
The huge jump of BG levels has happened to me briefly a few times when I was treated with high dose steroids for asthma in hospital and I was treated with sliding scale insulin. Once I was on oral prednisone the levels would go down. I have Type 2.
Are you on other diabetes drugs?
What are the plans for treating PMR after the initial prednisone?
Have you told the endocrinologist about the difficulty maintaining a good BG level? Maybe they can fine tune the sliding scale?

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I've been on insulin since I was diagnosed in 1984. I am Type I. I'm on novolog, tresiba and trulicity. I see my rheumatologist next week. We haven't even talked about PMR post-prednisone. I have a call in to my endo re another insulin adjustment. Thanks for your input.

REPLY
1 reply
Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor | @astaingegerdm | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @lanieg "I've been on insulin since I was diagnosed in 1984. I am Type I. I'm on..." + (show)
@lanieg

I've been on insulin since I was diagnosed in 1984. I am Type I. I'm on novolog, tresiba and trulicity. I see my rheumatologist next week. We haven't even talked about PMR post-prednisone. I have a call in to my endo re another insulin adjustment. Thanks for your input.

Jump to this post

@lanieg
Now I understand how worried you must be.
Let’s just hope you can switch to another PMR drug in the near future if needed.

REPLY
1 reply
lanieg | @lanieg | Feb 16, 2023
In reply to @astaingegerdm "@lanieg Now I understand how worried you must be. Let’s just hope you can switch to..." + (show)
@astaingegerdm

@lanieg
Now I understand how worried you must be.
Let’s just hope you can switch to another PMR drug in the near future if needed.

Jump to this post

Thanks for your concern. I'm planning on talking to the rheumy about that.

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