
December 12, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Plano, Texas, USA:
I am 37, not overweight, and I was just recently diagnosed with diabetes. I am suspicious of prescription drugs I just started taking just before symptoms began to appear. I have been taking Pulmacort and Serevent for asthma, Aciphex (and Prevacid previously) for reflux, and prednisone for a short period. Could these drugs have caused diabetes to occur?
Answer:
Steroids, such as prednisone, can affect blood glucose, but the glucose goes back down after you stop. So, it can’t cause diabetes. it is unlikely the inhaled steroid caused the glucose to go up unless you need a lot. If you are worried, ask your doctor, but I expect it is diabetes, especially if it stayed up.
LD