I was diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes and had it under control with medication. My readings were always around 95-110. One day I developed bronchitis and threw up and aspirated. I ended up in the ER and they treated my bronchitis with Steroid Therapy. It helped me breathe but my blood sugar levels went haywire. They were at the 700-800 level and they put me on insulin injections to bring it down.
I left the hospital the next day but my sugar levels stayed at about 350-450. The medication no longer worked. It was then decided that I should go on insulin injections using novolog. I was up to 4 injections a day so I am now on the pump. The Omnipod. My sugar levels are now under control. Finally.
My question is, has anyone else ever had steroid breathing therapy and had it affect their sugar levels like it did mine? I have heard that my story is not that unusual.
Anybody?
Hi Ronny: 
Many of us have been on oral steroids, creams and some on steroid inhalers, if that is what you mean. I was on inhalers for Asthma for many years but not everyday unless I had Bronchititis(sp), etc. I didn’t find that inhalers raised my sugars noticably but I was already on Insulin plus we do tend to react differently to drugs sometimes. Now high dose oral steroids. Those kill me for sure. I hope that you do Well. Most likely others will comment if they can relate to your question.
https://forum.tudiabetes.org/topics/583967:Topic:280704
Here is another discussion:
There are more but I forget what they were titled.
Thanks for the information, Terrie!
I did too. I was in fact diagnosed after asthma and pneumonia and a 2 week stay in the hospital on high dose steroids. I was started on metformin then apidra and NPH (as we are trying to get pregnant any my endo won’t allow Lantus or Levemir) currently pumping with the Medtronic Revel and CGM sensor. I wound up on steroids for about 4 months and despite being off them and a 45 lb weight loss from my pre illness weight almost at goal, the D didn’t go away.
I take low dose inhaled steroids daily for asthma and chronic bronchitis and really don’t notice much of an effect on BG from them although I control with insulin. However I did have a bad spell with the bronchitis and did a medrol med-pack for a week and my sugar was nearly impossible to control during the treatment. Once the medrol cleared my system, control did return back to normal
Ronny, I don’t get steroids for breathing, but for pain control for my arthritis. The first couple of times, my numbers were up to 300 - 400 for a couple of days. But this last time, they went to 500+ and didn’t come down for about a month…scary. We stayed with what meds I had been taking, drinking LOTS of water, and watching the carbs even more carefully, while adding an extra 30 minutes of peddling on the bike. I’ve learned that this is not exactly the best way to go for me, anymore, but somedays…it has to be, and I have to combat the affects by really being more diligent.
Hi Ronny, Last Dec I had heart surgery and they had a hard time keeping my BP up and I was given steroids in my IV for that, Yes my BG went up, I had been running upper 80s to 120 but with the steroids I was running 165 with as close to 0 carbs as I could, my surgeon let me control my meals totally, I was receiving insulin injections while in the hosp but everything settled back down about a week or so after the steroids were discontinued.