Diabetes ?

[sgrammied]

Type II Diag. right after I was diag. with MS.
Question - Can MS effect the blood sugar? For the past year even with meds, my sugar levels have been out of control. A1C is now in the 9s. My fasting level the other day at the doctors was 223.
My MS is not in complete control either. Since last Oct. (had cervical surgery) bad balance issues. leg pain daily, etc.
Dr. wants me to go to classes. But I was wondering if MS has issues with my levels?
.

[hunterd]

I am type I diabetic, I was diagnosed at age 4, I am now 46. My MS does not affect my diabetes. As a matter of fact, I would say my diabetes affects my MS. When my blood sugar is low, I have one heck of the time with my MS.

So to answer your question directly, I do not think that MS affects diabetes ( I very well could be wrong as I am not a doctor).

[MSer102]

Type I juvenile diabetes and MS are both autoimmune conditions and there was a report published about a dozen years ago where the researchers said the two diseases can be linked because of the way both diseases develop. But it didn't say that MS affects blood sugar in those people.

And I've never read anything that says that type II diabetes is related to MS or that MS itself affects blood sugar.

I have a couple of thoughts that go along with that.

First, medications can affect blood sugar. Steroids are notorious for causing a rise in blood sugar so if you have been on steroids recently for an MS flare that could be a cause of your elevated blood sugar. Gabapentin can cause a rise in blood sugar so if you are taking it your doctor might need to adjust your diabetes medications. Have you gone over your medicines with the doctor who is treating you for diabetes to see if one of them is making your blood sugar go up?

Food is also chemicals so what you eat has a tremendous effect on your blood sugar levels. If the classes your doctor wants you to go to are diabetes classes then by all means go! You will probably find out some things that will amaze you. My doctor sent me to a kidney class and I definitely learned things I didn't know.

Second, diabetes causes nerve damage and other symptoms that you might think are from MS but are really from diabetes. Diabetes can cause fluctuating vision that goes along with fluctuating blood sugar levels. People with MS tend to think that everything is caused by MS but that's not true. The fluctuating vision is a well known side effect of diabetes.

Diabetes also damages peripheral nerves and causes peripheral neuropathy and polyneuropathy. Leg pain and burning can also be caused by diabetes. It's possible that what you think are symptoms of MS are really symptoms of diabetic damage. And diabetic nerve damage can definitely make MS other symptoms of MS worse by adding to them.

Does your neurologist know about your high blood sugar? Have your talked with your neurologist about your MS medications and how they might affect blood sugar? Have you talked about the possibility of diabetic nerve damage?

It can all be very confusing when diabetes, a back problem and diabetes can cause some of the same symptoms. I hope you get it all figured out soon.

[sgrammied]

Thanks MSer and Huntered. Both Drs. know about the suger levels. I am going to go to the classes. I go next week for the first of 4. And my meds have been looked over. My sugar levels were great until about 6-8 months ago. Believe it or not, that is about the time I stopped my IViG for liver problems. Waiting to get back on it.
Thanks again for your replies.

[onlyairfare]

Activity level also affects your blood sugar - when you are more active, blood sugar is lower. If you are a couch potato your blood sugar may be higher, even given the same diet.

Since you mentioned surgery, I wonder if your surgery decreased your activity level? Or maybe your MS worsened in a flare, so you were less active? You mention leg pain and balance problems, either of which could make you less active. That could be the connection.

It's also possible that your liver problem (depending on the nature of the disease) affects your blood sugar or how your body metabolizes your medications, in tunr affecting blood sugar.

I hope you find an answer to controlling both your DM and MS.

[sgrammied]

Thanks Onlyairfair.
This am my fasting level was 130. A far cry from over 2220.

Even with the apin and balance my activity level is up as I am painting my bathroom. Had to take wall paper off first. Been working on it a little bit at a time for 2 weeks now. Top half white, bottom half ocean blue. Granddaughters pick. I have the door to do and the trim around the door. Then done in that room.