Who has experience with steroid injections?
I know the obvious blood sugar implications with them, but I’d like to hear actual accounts of this.
I have a disc issue in my lower back and my nephrologist has advised me to strictly limit NSAIDS because of my kidneys, but they are the only thing that works. (have started physical therapy and yoga but no results just yet)
Help!
I researched in 2014 right around the time the FDA came out with a warning that epidural steroid injections had never been tested… steroid injections into the shoulder and knee underwent testing, but epidural injections did not. The FDA said that there could be severe complications. Here is the article
As I result of reading the article, I went for non-invasive surgery.
What kind of surgery? Like orthroscopic? I have inflammation and a slightly bulging disc
It was called a non-invasive laminectomy. Very small incision–cut away a small portion of a vertebrae to get inside and scrape away area of bulging disc and stenosis inside the spinal column. Out patient procedure performed by a neurosurgeon.
There is a .001% chance that a hematoma can form after the surgery and put pressure on the spinal cord. Happened to me so a lot of people after me were safe, right? 
I had to have a second surgery a few days later to remove the hematoma.
I have had the steroid injection that you speak of. I had no problem with it and it brought very welcomed but temporary relief from the pain of my ruptured disc.
I can’t really speak of the effects it had on my blood glucose. It was many years ago before I was diagnosed with Type 2. As a matter of fact it was while I was seeking help that my D was discovered but not till after I had the injection.
I recently had steroid injections in both my knees. Because of my D I was given only half of the normal dose. Even at half dose my blood glucose soared, I could not inject enough Novolog to bring it down. I experienced BG over 300 for a couple of days.
I don’t know if Epidural injections will have the same effect. You would certainly be wise to find out.
Good luck, I know the pain associated with a disc problem, I hope you can find the relief you need.
I can’t tolerate steroids either injected or taken orally. Even on triple amounts of insulin, my bg’s soar skyward for as long as I take the orals, or for many days following an injection. I just don’t let docs rx that stuff for meany longer. I explain why and they understand.