Cortisone spikes blood sugar

FINN58

It has been four years since I had my last shot and they didn't inform me at the doctor that this might happen. There are some diabetics here so watch out. There is a numbing agent ahead of the steroid. Is was uncomfortable is the worst it felt. Now
wait and hope sugar falls in a day.
Back to riding tomorrow

Florida_bound

I didn't have diabetes back when I had my last cortisone shot. Thanks for letting us know. For me, riding would lower the blood sugar quickly.

FINN58

I am SO GLAD I didn't bring it up to the doctor that I wanted a shot in the right knee as well...

Jrobiso2

So you recommend doing only one knee shot at a time?

FINN58

If you are a diabetic, yes. Online yesterday I read if your A1C is above
7, not to get one at all. For some reason, steroids spike your sugar. Had it down b4 bed, and it was 87 this am.
Wife wanted to take to emergency last evening. So we can pay someone
to do what I did at home. Check sugar
every hour. Every 1/2 hour. I think she
was relieved when she saw it had started to fall.

Florida_bound

Doctors should check your health records first. There are many things that can affect existing health issues.

Florida_bound

Well, guess who got a cortisone shot? I've had shoulder inflamation for about a year so this should help.

Do I need to check my sugar every few hours? Right now I usually only check it some mornings and after riding if my toes are tingling.

Jrobiso2

I am debating asking my doctor for cortisone injections. I'm not diabetic, but I'd like to hold off any surgery as long as possible.

FINN58

Keep tabs on it. If u have enuff test strips, watch it every hour. You may not see what I did. Mine went from 179 after lunch to 557 about 5-6 hrs later. Did not check it in between. Going riding shortly. Blood meter is with me. Will check it at start, mid point and when we Finnish. Upper arms gives me quicker action than if I inject into fat
tummy.

FINN58

If u have a great A1C, nothing may happen. Below 7.

TrikeBirder

Jrobiso2 wrote: »

I am debating asking my doctor for cortisone injections. I'm not diabetic, but I'd like to hold off any surgery as long as possible.

Without exception, the dozen or so folks I know (in addition to me personally) who have received one or more artificial joints, have all regretted not having their surgeries sooner. Personally, I suffered for more than a decade with bad knees, hips, and shoulders (bad motorcycle accident years ago) before getting my 1st joint replacement- left hip. It went great as did rehab, and since then I have replaced both shoulders, and my right knee.

My experience with cortisone injections is thus: they took about 1-2 weeks before they started to be truly effective, then they lasted at best for about a month, and then things started hurting more than before the shot for the next several months, and because each injection creates scar tissue (which causes even more pain and other problems over time) and doctors refuse to give the shots more than once every 4 months. I even went to an elite pain clinic where there idea of a solution was to have a series of 8 injections that would kill all the nerves in my shoulders and thereby stopping my pain. They told me that I had less than a 1 in 200 chance that I would be left paralyzed. I opted for joint replacement and have been sooooooo glad I did. Just wish I would have started replacing these bad joints earlier. Now, just two more to go- the other knee and the other hip.

FINN58

When I was working , was on my feet 7-8 hrs a day. Left knee tried to go out
on me a couple of times. Had a
MRI done a few years back on that left
knee. Is was told I have 1/2 the cartilage left. I said great. Should
Have nothing left on my dying day. Perfect timing!!!

Jrobiso2

I'll be working until lunch on the day of my funeral, so . . . I guess I'll talk to my doctor about replacement.

Florida_bound

TrikeBirder, I'd love to see when you walk through a metal detector at the airport. You would set off sooo many alarms!

I was told you could only have two shots in any joint. I also had a friend who go many in his spine and the medication deteriorated the discs.

My experience has been 6 months pain free. Otherwise, I would not have gotten one. There is no problem with the bones in my shoulder so the muscles just need to heal. It's feeling better today but not yet pain free.

TrikeBirder

@Florida_bound, At airports I always just request the hand-wand & pat-down because they always do it after the alarms go off anyway. Interestingly, earlier this year I flew into Belize, and then did a domestic flight while there. When I told them I would set off their alarms with my joint replacements, they just waved me through without a scan and without a pat down. They said they were in a hurry... go figure?!

Glad you have been pain free now for 6 months. My orthopedic doctor told me he didn't want to give me cortisone in my shoulder because he said about 1/2 of those who get them end up tearing their rotator cuff without even knowing until it's too late. He said about half just end up having to go through rotator cuff surgery. My rotator cuff was torn on one side and shredded on the right side. I had massive buildups of arthritis in both shoulders that caused constant pain. But now, with two total shoulder replacements, I rarely have any pain in my shoulders. But I still need to develop more upper body strength.

With the wonderful results trike riding has had for my weight, knees, & hip, maybe I need a trike setup with arm-cranks in place of pedals?!

Florida_bound

I came up with a solution. In the 2000's, my boys and I discovered kayaking. It's great for your arms, shoulders, and core. If a kayak had pedals, it would be perfect for exercising the entire body.

Now with triking, I'm using the lower half of my body. So, I went and bought another kayak. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to use it until the shoulder feels better.

Good news! I never saw a blood sugar higher than 136. Fasting numbers were higher than I want but they usually are. I haven't had time to ride to see how far they would fall. Maybe this morning!

FINN58

Hobie makes a pedal kayak. Floats
in like 5" of water. Manatees can't go
that shallow to come check it out.