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Posted 10/5/2013 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
The second gift I got from Crohn's and its meds today along w psoriasis was that the eye doctor (ophthalmologist) informed me that my eyesight became better. That's why I don't feel at ease when I wear my eye glasses. This, in turn, is an indication that my sugar blood sugar fluctuates. It should have been high last time and that's why I had eye sight problems. The shock made me speechless. Two gifts of Crohn's on the same day. I asked him does this mean I've become diabetic? He answered I need to undergo tests and this is steroid induced diabetes which may need medication.
This is more than I could tolerate. Why did my immune system decide to rebel that severely in 2013: first a perianal abscess, followed by severe eye dryness and now both steroid induced diabetes and psoriasis?
What is your experience w steroid induced diabetes? Is this going to be life-long? I've always suffered from hypoglycemia. BTW, I started tapering Entocort. In my last visit which was on last Wednesday, my GI insisted I have to go down to 6 mg but I told him that I'll taper first to 7.5 mg and then go down to 6 mg. Should I accelerate my tapering?
Any replies are highly appreciated.
Posted 10/5/2013 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
This is what steroids do to you, minnie. I don't think it is the Crohn's giving you those 'gifts', I think it is the Entocort =/

That's why I had an ileostomy. I did not want a stoma in the slightest, but I decided I wanted Pred destroying one system at a time slightly less than having a stoma, so I went for the operation. There is nothing - I mean, literally nothing - good to come from staying on steroids long-term. The even more ironic thing is that they treat symptoms, but increase the chances of Crohn's complications. Apologies, HW, for posting a link from a 'rival' Crohn's forum, but this doctor explains why steroids are bad for Crohn's disease.

www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=50497

Re accelerating tapering. It's safe to taper rapidly from a high dose to a medium-high dose, so going from 9mg to 6mg would be okay. The time to go more slowly is when you get to a low dose, ie 3mg. I'm not familiar with Entocort dosages, but if there are 1 or 2mg pills available, I would use those to taper more slower from 3mg downwards. (Note: slowing down the last leg of the taper only really applies to those who have been on steroids for a long time and have become steroid-dependent.)

Steroids-induced diabetes is reversible once you come off steroids. So, no, it shouldn't be lifelong.
Posted 10/6/2013 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
NCOT, thank you very much. Was waiting for your reply as you have always warned me against the excessive use of steroids. I know that I am a steroid-dependent patient. I started responding to Imuran and that's why I'm tapering Entocort. The problem is that I was put on Imuran 2 years ago and I developed then a severe flare up and was resistant to it. Honestly, I keep thinking it's my GI's fault as I discussed w him before my prolonged use of Entocort and he reassured me that it's ok. However, he went out of his way and tried every possible med (except for biologics which are medicare related) to help me out. My response to meds really surprises me and so is my disease progress.
Have to have the blood sugar tests and esp that accumulative one and see how things would go on. When I was on pred, I developed reversible high blood sugar which became normal after I stopped it. Hope it's the same case w Entocort.
Take care :
Posted 10/6/2013 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I'm no expert on steroids :-/ But the more I learn about them, the less I like them. I don't know if there an argument to be made for refusing to prescribe courses of Pred more than, say, once every 3 years, but if I was a GI I would be tempted to do just that. Pred is a troll med; it's a sick, twisted joke of a med. Getting into a Pred-induced remission is the Pyrrhic victory of the medical world.

In my non-expert opinion. >_>

Anyway, I have to go to bed now, but you know what I think; I have thought the same thing for months. Get off the Entocort, it is bad for you.
Posted 10/6/2013 2:12 AM (GMT 0)
I also developed type II diabetes after being on Entocort for an extended period. In some cases it goes away when you get off, but at the very least your sugar level should go down if you can do away with steroids.

Entocort is supposed to be non-systemic, and therefore not to cause the serious side effects, but unfortunately that isn't true for all of us. My GI was astounded that I had major side effects from it, and told me it forever changed his attitude toward using it.

The best comfort I can offer you is that with proper care and medication it's very manageable and shouldn't change the quality of your life. It's a combination of diet, exercise and medication in most cases. I limit my carbs (especially simple carbs like sugars), do hard workouts three times a week and do light exercise the other days and take oral medication. All of this keeps my fasting sugar below 115 unless I'm sick or naughty with my diet.
Posted 10/6/2013 1:30 PM (GMT 0)
Judy, thank you very much. Sorry that Entocort did all this mischief. Well, I'm still freaking out. Will go in the morning to have the tests. I have a family history of diabetes so hopefully it does not become a life-long issue.
Take care :)
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