Janet Wilder > wrote:

>Julia Altshuler wrote:

>> Goomba wrote:

>>> Steroids raise the blood sugar, but with *most* folks it is just
>>> temporary as they don't take them routinely. This isn't "diabetes" per
>>> se, but in the hospital we'll often treat them with some insulin
>>> anyway as evidence is that controlled blood sugars lessen infection
>>> and help healing progress.

>> Thanks for the info.
>> Other than poison ivy, what are steroids used to treat?

>bronchial and other breathing problems, joint pains, severe allergic
>reactions...

Gout.

The induced diabetes may or may not be temporary. It may
be a small risk, but given the huge volume of steroid prescriptions
(and non-prescriptions) it is not beyond the realm of belief
that they are adding to diabetes incidence.

Steve