Enbrel and High Glucose Numbers

Symptoms & Treatments
1

Hi everyone,

I am a type 2 diabetic with PA and vascular inflammation. I am on my 5th week of Enbrel injections via epipen and was wondering if there is a connection between using Enbrel and high glucose numbers? I had a lab test done on February 4th and got my results yesterday. My glucose number was 155, fasting....ouch.

Just wondering if there is anyone else out there having the same issue?

Looking forward to interacting with the group.

Thanks......bluesky

2

Hi bluesky,

Hopefully someone with a closer profile to you will answer.

I’ve not had issues either before or after Enbrel, (but no diabetes), and it’s not a known effect that I’ve read.

With numbers like that, have you asked your doc ?

3

I have not had this happen on Enbrel. Have you by chance recently been on Prednisone or had a cortisone injection? Those will raise blood glucose levels ( you probably know this, already). I’m sorry I don’t have anymore insight. Good luck. By the way, is the Enbrel helping?

4

I took a quick look, and didn't find a connection. You can call the drug company, but more importantly you should be talking with your doctor about this. If you were diagnosed with diabetes in the last few years, you may not be making as much insulin any more, and your treatment plan likely needs to be adjusted. The honeymoon may be over.

If you're not testing your blood sugar at home, this is something else to talk to your doctor about. The key thing is that you need to talk to your doctor. That's WAY too high for a fasting glucose, if you're being treated already.

5

Hi Bluesky

I have been told the inflammation from PsA can cause higher glucose in some people. In my case this has been so since my teens. Since having an Enbrel and prednisone( 6mg) mix I put on weight and this also caused it to rise.

I have been on a restricted calorie intake (600cals) every second day for 6 weeks and combined with 10000 (painful)steps most days I have lost 1 1/2 stone and my glucose levels have dropped to normal for the first time for as long as I can remember.

Losing weight has also increased the efficacy of Enbrel and I have reduced the prednisone to 4 mg a day with the prediction I will go off it altogether when I lose another stone in another 10 or so weeks.

hope this is useful

6

Hey Allan,

Congratulations! 600 cals a day - and 10000 steps, particularly when you are already damaged and hurting, are both a big achievement. And I’ve got to tell you, that taper from the last5mg of Pred can be truly awful (though I think maybe you’ve done it before?). I’d prefer to give up cigarettes three times over than do that again.

So I apologise for the little hijack, but you are welcome to pm me later when you cross that bridge.

7

Hello all,

thanks for the responses. I did lab work again on Saturday, Feb 8th for my PCP and will see him on Feb 20th to follow up. I have been experience pain in my lower right side of my back for a couple of weeks now. My right leg seems to be affected as well. This is probably affecting my gluclose level. Not sure if the pain is a related to the arthritis or not, my luck probably is...lol

I will update y'all after my appt on Monday......:)

8

Hi all,

Well, my a1c was up from 6.4 to 6.9. The doctor started me on metformin (yay) on Monday, twice a day (500mg). So far, so good. No major reactions. I am, however, having reactions to the enbrel pen injection I do once a week. My injection site from last week, swelled up to the size of a softball, was very hot and was painful down to my ankle...ouch, and itched like crazy....no fun. The site where I injected last night is starting to present the same symptoms. I will call my rheumy if it gets worse. Other than that, life is good. Hope all of you are having a great day.

9

I know this is probably an inactive thread, but felt I had to reply. I’ve been diagnosed with PsA for three and a half years, but have been a Type 1 Diabetic for thirty years. I started Enbrel around nine weeks ago, and my blood sugars have skyrocketed. I’m Australian, so I wont put the numbered values up, as they are different to those of you in the U.S., but I’ve been chasing my tail trying to bring them down, and have increased my insulin injections by 40%…well, consequently, I’ve put on an awful lot of weight in a short time. Although I cant find any link online, that is the ONLY thing I’ve done differently, to take Enbrel, so in my case, I do think the two things are linked. It would be interesting to see how you are going now. Cheers!