Prednisone and Diabetes ????

[tankerB25]

Hey Debra C, don't remember the Dove but Englewood was never really my stomping ground I usually lived outside of town Baily, Parker, Castle rock, Broomfield, etc. I do love the mountains and hope to be able to walk well enough (WG has caused me to lose feeling in my feet, just recently worked my way from a wheelchair to braces and crutchs to no braces and a cane but my feet still suffer from the nerve damage) to hit some of those trails in the foothills. I'm also in remission and scheduled to have infusion of rtx tomorrow and another 2 weeks from now. My Doc says it's "likely" I can stop the insulin after the pred is reduces to almost nothing or gone completly. Yes the metformin is to control the blood sugar he has said he thinks I need that forever. I think a lot of this stuff is, lets just see how it goes and adjust acordingly because everybody is different! I think ingemlb's post is really spot on, great info ingemlb, family history, lifestyle and possabily enviromental issues all contribute to health issues.


Thanks for the comment on the bike I used to love to ride through the mountains. Don't have it anymore but everytime one goes by on the road I remember the freedom! That your bike?

Steve

[Debbie C]

Steve if you are in remission why are they giving u infusions of rtx,that's usually used as a hard hitter for this disease or some have used it for maintence so I thought?! Sorry to hear all the trouble you are having with your legs but you seem to be improving and hopefully soon u will be back to " normal "
No that's not my bike, I was thinking about getting it, I'm so short that was the only one I could actully sit flat footed on. But my boyfriend has 3 Harley's and a custom chopper that he built and shows so right now I just enjoy being the passenger.

[tankerB25]

Debra, the rtx infusion is something that is used every 5 or 6 months in a lot of cases or so I'm told. I think I have seen people on this site who also are on a maintenence of rtx once or twice a year. I think that after a while that will stop but for now it that's what it takes to keep the flair's down...hook me up doc! Wow 3 Harley's and a custom bike...nice...I used to love to go to the big swap meet at the stock show complex here in Denver...tons of great stuff but leave most of your cash at home it was all to tempting!!

Steve

[Auntie TooToo]

I have been what my pcp diagnosed as "pre-diabetic" for several years and was well controlled by diet and exercise. But that was before WG and pred entered my life Now, for the last 6 months my BS has been extremely high; at one point it would not even register on the meter. My pcp ended up referring me to an Endocrinologist {just what we all want right, another md} for this and a thyroid bx as well. Now, I am on glucophage 500 mg bid & Insulin 4 x day to control BS ... but it is getting better thanks to an excellent md! It's difficult sometimes when rheumy or pulmonary change pred dosage, but we just have to adjust the sliding scale of insulin to keep it down. I believe you also mentioned you lipid profile {mainly your triclyerites} being elevated; my endocrinologist has noticed same with my blood work. He mentioned that pred can also affect these levels and we just have to keep a watch on them; in the mean time do what we can by diet to keep down.

[tankerB25]

Hi Auntie tootoo it wasn't me who mentioned the lipid profile but my triclyerities have been high. I was controlling that with diet and exercise, like you, and like you pred did a number on that! Being down to 7.5 o pred I have reduced my insuliln to about 5 units and my BS had been pretty good. I'm getting a little exercise now and that is helping too. And of course having a good Dr. or Drs. makes all the difference in the world!