Cortisone steroid injection and increased insulin sensitivity

Has anyone else had a shot of cortisone steroid before? I was told 8ish hours after it would likely raise my blood sugars. Which it did, but now I’m noticing I have massively increased insulin requirements. A meal that I would have blouses 4 units for previously I’m now giving 12-16!

I had the injection on Friday, so I’m not sure how long I should expect this to happen for?

It can really last a while in some people. It can vary on the person. For a lot of us only a few days though. I had to take extra insulin for a couple of days.

What you also have to be careful of is a possible crash when it suddenly decides to wear off.

When I had the shot it took 2 days to get back to normal. Did not need to take a lot more insulin. Where the shot was given, like a finger joint versus a need joint could also effect the reaction.

Interesting, it was given in my wrist.

I didn’t even think about pushing my basal rate up! That probably would have been better.

Today is two days so I’m hoping it starts going back to normal tomorrow.

For me it lasts about a week. I definitely had to increase my Tresiba dose considerably.

I get these sometimes in my feet, in the sesamoids (big toe “knuckles”) The steroids creep up on me slowly, and I don’t really notice a change in insulin needs for several days, but the effect lasts for weeks. I don’t know if it’s so slow because the shots are right between the bones, because the shots are in a far extremity, if it’s a different type of steroid, it if it’s just because my body likes to be difficult.

FYI, you may want to edit your title as it’s a bit confusing. You’re describing increased insulin resistance or decreased insulin sensitivity.

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Thanks Robyn, updated. Always get those mixed up for some reason -_-

For anyone playing along at home, I noticed a need for higher levels of insulin for about 5 days after the injection. The 6th day it seemed to basically be back to ‘normality’.

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