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Hi from Mississippi: Steroids gave me diabetes

5K views 22 replies 6 participants last post by  lethabjones 
#1 ·
Hello, everyone. I was diagnosed as diabetic in 2009 following a severe asthma attack which required an aggressive steroid (solumedrol) regiment. In the days following the attack, I had an insulin drip 24/7 to help combat the elevated blood sugar. I was in the hospital for a total of 15 days, during which time I was told that when the steroids were out of my system, my sugar would return to normal. That was six years ago and not only has my sugar never returned to normal, it's virtually impossible to control. I diet to the point of fasting because I'm afraid that what I eat might raise the blood sugar even more. I've been scared away from white foods and carbs. I exercise like clockwork every morning. I'm on Novolog, Metformin (1,000 mg twice daily), and Levemir and am even trying the cinnamon cassia bark. My doctor recently increased my Novolog injections to 30 units 3 times a day and Levemir to 60 units twice a day. In the meantime, I just had one cardiologist call me fat and out of shape, but when I called him on it, he said I'm just "too heavy for a diabetic" and told me that with the amount of insulin I'm on, it's hard to control weight. I've relied heavily on my faith to try to help me through this. I'm a bit overweight, but am not obese, yet my body hurts all the time. But I push through it and exercise in hopes helping me get better. I know I didn't have diabetes prior to my asthma attack because I'd just had extensive bloodwork and tests done two months prior because I had bronchitis. I was active, thinner, and healthy until that one fateful day. I don't know what else I can do about my diabetes which starts each day in the middle 200s, before I've even thought about eating anything. Whenever I've been in the hospital recently, they had me on an 1800 calorie per day diet. When I'm at home, I don't eat nearly that much because I only eat once a day and it's only a small portion to keep me from starving to death. I just don't know what else to do. If anyone has any advice or similar experience, please share it with me. And I'm really pleased and honored to make each of your acquaintances.
 
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#2 ·
Welcome to the forum.

You've landed in the best place you could be for learning how to control your BG - without resorting to starvation methods.

I would suggest that you give a good read through Blood Sugar 101 to help you understand diabetes better - and to be able to make education decisions about its management. The key to management is diet. It is carbohydrates that raise BG, as you already know. What you may not know is that fats do not affect BG. So those of us who restrict carbs endulge in fatty foods - you know, the foods your grandparents ate: butter, cream, bacon, cheeses, well-marbled meat. Eating fats will not cause you to gain weight - in fact, it will cause you to lose weight (as long as you're not eating a lot of carbs in addition). Eating fats keep you full and satisfied. Low-carb/high-fat (LCHF) keeps your BG low and steady. (Caution, if you decide to try the LCHF way of eating, you'll need to test your BG often and begin reducing insulin so that you won't go hypo).
 
#3 ·
The LCHF way of eating is described well here LCHF Diet Doctor

As I read your post again I didn't see where you mention counting carbs and/or using a glucose meter to test your BG. Are you doing this?
 
#4 ·
Hi Mississippi....my son graduated from MSU and his wife came from Starkville! So I can relate...although by birth I am a Yankee...!

Welcome to the website that saved my life. Having diabetes is a pain, but if you take control of this disease, you can move forward with you life with limited impact on your life and long term health! The people on here will walk you though the steps to get you knowledgeable and motivated to take control of your own life. This disease cannot control you, unless you let it. You do not have to starve yourself, in fact you will find you can stuff yourself on foods that you love, but to do this you need to knowledge! Read what the old timers on here tell you and do your own research....then you will be ready!

Good Bless and Go State beat Ole Miss!
 
#5 ·
Howdy!

I was also diagnosed immediately after a prescription of steroids for a weird rash/hives that wouldn't go away. I can't truly say the steroids caused the diabetes, but I do think they hastened its onset. (My BP was high for the first time in my life during the steroid use!) A lot of doctors think cessation of steroids will correct BG numbers, but a bit of research shows that that is not always true. I won't let them give me steroids again.

I wish you didn't have such a struggle. The good people in here will steer you right.
 
#6 ·
Thank you so much for your reply. Actually, I can't thank you enough because I had been advised to stay away from fats and proteins. I couldn't really understand that because my cholesterol is perfect. I thank you and everyone on this forum and I thank God for directing me here to you all.
 
#8 ·
div2live, thank you so much! I have taken your advice to heart and will heed it. I'm so happy you're doing better with your diabetes and pray that I will be able to do the same. I'm more optimistic since I've found this forum than I've been since being diagnosed in 2009. I really do appreciate you so much for taking time to share with me. BTW, I hate Ole Miss too and LOVE State. Dax Prescott is something to watch, isn't he? BUT, I am an LSU fan by nature. Don't hold that against me though.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Well heck, if you love American football you have to love SEC football and LSU is one of the best.....but I am a MSU fan by having spent my life savings there to get my son through graduate school....so you understand my dedication!

I had my first doctors appointment last week since I stared following this Low Carb High Fat life style. My blood pressure was the lowest it has been in many years at 125/75. My Ac1 was at 6.0 after being at 7.3 three months ago. My cholesterol good and bad was much improved...my doctor was flabbergasted....! LCHF did all for me everyone told me it would. For the first time since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I feel I have control of it, it does not have control of me! by the way my weight dropped from 320 to 295 and still dropping, and that is a big deal, as I have been around 318 for over 15 years! I also back off on my daily injections of Lantus insulin dropping from 126u to 70u since May 1, 2015....What's not to like?

The sun came up and a lot of people who were hear before me led me to the promised land. I can live with this disease....Thank God and all here who helped me!
 
#9 ·
mbc1963, thank you so much for the warm and gracious welcome and thank you for sharing your experience with me. Unfortunately, I had another severe asthma attack this past January and ended up in the hospital on steroids again. I guess the worst part of this whole thing is that no matter what I do, I can't get this thing under control and I suspect my continued need for the steroids has a lot to do with it. I have hope and faith though that one day I will have it under control. At the present, my A1C is a whopping 11! I'm on so much diabetes medication and high blood pressure medication (which also came with the steroids) that my hair is coming out in handfuls and my body is just in turmoil. I don't even feel like myself anymore. But I don't let any of it stop me from working out so that I can help my body out in any way I can. You all here in this forum have given me a renewed sense of hope and encouragement and I thank God for all of you. Your concern really means a lot.
 
#13 ·
Oh no sir, I am suggesting the Razorbacks are not going to be the whipping boy of the SEC this year as they were a couple of years ago. Just not sure what is going to take the place of the HF pork that used to be served. Gator, war eagle, elephant????
 
#15 ·
Well my room mate in College was a Razorback fan....this was back in 1968 when they still played a pretty strong game....

I always thought that Razorback Pork tasted pretty good....but you may be correct...they are due for a comeback, as they did show some good stuff last year...but you just never know in the SEC....

Time will tell....maybe a friendly wager after the season gets rolling....
 
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