Insulin resistance

Havoc

New member
So, I was just put on prednisone after the bronch I had yesterday. I always get really insulin resistant on steroids, but my hospital wants to check my BSG and base my sliding scale on my BSG before dinner (96mg/dl this time). That seems kind of stupid to me, as I know I will probably ecclipse 200mg/dl after a meal. Does anyone else's hospital check BSG before meals and not after?
Also, I stuck to the diabetic diet to keep things as low as possible.

Thanks,
Jonathan

ETA: I do not have CFRD and do not take insulin or oral hypgerglycemic meds.
 

Havoc

New member
So, I was just put on prednisone after the bronch I had yesterday. I always get really insulin resistant on steroids, but my hospital wants to check my BSG and base my sliding scale on my BSG before dinner (96mg/dl this time). That seems kind of stupid to me, as I know I will probably ecclipse 200mg/dl after a meal. Does anyone else's hospital check BSG before meals and not after?
Also, I stuck to the diabetic diet to keep things as low as possible.

Thanks,
Jonathan

ETA: I do not have CFRD and do not take insulin or oral hypgerglycemic meds.
 
C

cindylou

Guest
Could they put you on something like Metformin for insulin resistance while on the steroids? (No idea if that is really possible, just the thought that came to my head!)
 
C

cindylou

Guest
Could they put you on something like Metformin for insulin resistance while on the steroids? (No idea if that is really possible, just the thought that came to my head!)
 

Havoc

New member
I can ask, It just seems stupid to me to check before a meal and get a WNL value and then probably spike afterward and do nothing about it.
 

Havoc

New member
I can ask, It just seems stupid to me to check before a meal and get a WNL value and then probably spike afterward and do nothing about it.
 
L

littlemisssilly

Guest
If you can tolerate it, check your sugars pre and 2hr post prandial. Use their insulin scale guidelines to start with but check what your sugars are doing 2hrs post meals. That way, you can gague what your sugars are doing under the influence of the presnisone and arm yourself with evidence that the sliding scale they worked out for you is not working. You'll know pretty quickly if you need to change the scale.

This drives me nuts about endo care sometimes, they seem not to listen. To be honest, when preg I often didn't follow the insulin doses I was told to, I just knew that my sugars would be too high and when preg I was aware and terrified of the potential consequences to the baby. So, I just adjusted my own doses and recorded my sugars. When I came back w perfect sugars, I was never questioned why I increased my insulin on my own. I was tired of not being listened to.

You're smart, I'm not telling you not to listen to your dr but, you know your body best. Use your judgment.
 
L

littlemisssilly

Guest
If you can tolerate it, check your sugars pre and 2hr post prandial. Use their insulin scale guidelines to start with but check what your sugars are doing 2hrs post meals. That way, you can gague what your sugars are doing under the influence of the presnisone and arm yourself with evidence that the sliding scale they worked out for you is not working. You'll know pretty quickly if you need to change the scale.

This drives me nuts about endo care sometimes, they seem not to listen. To be honest, when preg I often didn't follow the insulin doses I was told to, I just knew that my sugars would be too high and when preg I was aware and terrified of the potential consequences to the baby. So, I just adjusted my own doses and recorded my sugars. When I came back w perfect sugars, I was never questioned why I increased my insulin on my own. I was tired of not being listened to.

You're smart, I'm not telling you not to listen to your dr but, you know your body best. Use your judgment.
 
L

littlemisssilly

Guest
Just wanetd to add, I think the purpose of doing pre prandial reading for the sliding scale is for some level of consistency. It would be too confusing and 'messy' adjusting insulin doses post meals. If you spike post meal (which sounds like you will), your pre meal reading for the next meal will most likely be elevated therefore, that is when your sliding scale should kick in and you will dose a higher level of insulin which in theory should balance you out a bit more until the dosages are right. It is always better in diabetes managment to does insulin according to pre meal readings then adjust the insulin at the next meal if the bgl is elevated. If you start dosing post meals according to those levels then your next pre meal reading will not be a true reflection of how effective the insulin dose was in metabolising your glucose levels.

Like I said, maybe check pre and post to arm yourself with more knowledge for a few days to really see how you're responding to the predinsone. Good luck
 
L

littlemisssilly

Guest
Just wanetd to add, I think the purpose of doing pre prandial reading for the sliding scale is for some level of consistency. It would be too confusing and 'messy' adjusting insulin doses post meals. If you spike post meal (which sounds like you will), your pre meal reading for the next meal will most likely be elevated therefore, that is when your sliding scale should kick in and you will dose a higher level of insulin which in theory should balance you out a bit more until the dosages are right. It is always better in diabetes managment to does insulin according to pre meal readings then adjust the insulin at the next meal if the bgl is elevated. If you start dosing post meals according to those levels then your next pre meal reading will not be a true reflection of how effective the insulin dose was in metabolising your glucose levels.

Like I said, maybe check pre and post to arm yourself with more knowledge for a few days to really see how you're responding to the predinsone. Good luck
 
L

littlemisssilly

Guest
oops, just read that you dont have cfrd! sorry, most of my first post is irrelevant. good luck
 
L

littlemisssilly

Guest
oops, just read that you dont have cfrd! sorry, most of my first post is irrelevant. good luck
 

Havoc

New member
I spiked to 281mg/dl after the meal and was given 10units. I'm going to check again in an hour. I remember being on pred a few years ago for ABPA and I was on lantus qAM and a sliding scale of novalog. I think my sliding scale was much higher then.

Thank you all for your input.
 

Havoc

New member
I spiked to 281mg/dl after the meal and was given 10units. I'm going to check again in an hour. I remember being on pred a few years ago for ABPA and I was on lantus qAM and a sliding scale of novalog. I think my sliding scale was much higher then.

Thank you all for your input.
 

ej0820

New member
My hospital checks before and 2 hours after. I too am not sure what the point would be to take it before a meal if not for a check after. Anywho, I DO have cfrd and an insulin pump and when I go on prednisone I have to nearly triple my insulin levels because of HOW resistant I become. One thing that I've found that actually helps, which is never confirmed or suggested by a doc, I found this out on my own and through a family member's experience, is to take cinnamon pills. Cinnamon has been proven to drastically help those who are resistant to insulin, especially Type 2 diabetics. But, it's never been approved by the FDA and it's cheap, so my docs never tell me a definite yes or no to try it. You can get them anywhere. I haven't needed to take cinnamon in a long time, but I think I took 50 mg a day? Just a thought. It's worth reading up on even if you're not into actually using it. Best of luck to you!
 

ej0820

New member
My hospital checks before and 2 hours after. I too am not sure what the point would be to take it before a meal if not for a check after. Anywho, I DO have cfrd and an insulin pump and when I go on prednisone I have to nearly triple my insulin levels because of HOW resistant I become. One thing that I've found that actually helps, which is never confirmed or suggested by a doc, I found this out on my own and through a family member's experience, is to take cinnamon pills. Cinnamon has been proven to drastically help those who are resistant to insulin, especially Type 2 diabetics. But, it's never been approved by the FDA and it's cheap, so my docs never tell me a definite yes or no to try it. You can get them anywhere. I haven't needed to take cinnamon in a long time, but I think I took 50 mg a day? Just a thought. It's worth reading up on even if you're not into actually using it. Best of luck to you!
 

Havoc

New member
I just had mine checked again 305mg/dl now. I'm having a hard time getting the nurse to take this seriously. I'm gonna pitch a fit soon and refuse prednisone until I have an endo consult. It just baffles me how stupid some medical professionals are.
 

Havoc

New member
I just had mine checked again 305mg/dl now. I'm having a hard time getting the nurse to take this seriously. I'm gonna pitch a fit soon and refuse prednisone until I have an endo consult. It just baffles me how stupid some medical professionals are.
 
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