Diabetic w/ breast cancer ?

lemonjello

I have always been warned as a diabetic that cancer was more likely.  However, i have not seen any posts that mention a member also has diabetes.  I am insulin dependant, have had type 2 diabetes for 21 years, age 65.5 now, and would like to hear from you if you have gone thru rads or chemo with diabetes and what it took to manage your blood sugars while surviving.  I feel a bit overwhelmed with all of this. 

lemonjello

Noone here with diabetes?   Incredulous!  Well, I suppose that's good news for diabetics.  Breast cancer doesn't seem to strike diabetics more than non-diabetics after all!

GEECH

I never heard as a diabetic that cancer was more likely.  I am Type2 and have been thru chemo and rads. The first time my blood sugars would go really high because chemo but this time I try to be really careful and sugars have been good.  What next??

Take care,

Geech

AmryAnn47

Hi!

I am back on the boards after a long absence and pleased to find this forum!

Lemonjello, I am on the other side of this issue having recently been diagnosed with Type II diabetes and having a heck of a time accepting the Dx.  My blood sugars went skyhigh during chemo everytime I took the steroids but settled down during rads and remained ok.  Now, four years post treatment, they have inched upwards slowly and I can't keep them down with diet and exercise and don't want to take any more medication!

I hadn't heard of the cancer/diabetes connection which is even more disheartening since my mets have been stable since treatment.

Thanks for letting me vent!  Maybe this forum is too new to have many more responses.

kmccraw423

I hadn't heart that either.  I am a Type II diabetic for over 20 years now (I am 62) but it wouldn't surprise - everything else is linked to diabetes.  I didn't do rads or chemo because my sugars would definitely go up on steroids.  This is an insidious disease whicih I have more trouble with than the breast cancer.  I feel like I am walking a tightrope trying to keep sugars under control.

BTW, there are others on here with diabetes.

spar2

Diabetes was discovered when I was going through the surgery for cancer, so have been a diabetic for 5 years that I know off, no telling how long I had it without knowing it.

mbsoxr

Unfortunately, I am back again...  I am 69, and have been a diabetic for nearly 30 years.  In 2003, I was diagnosed with DCIS (turned out to be IDC). had lumpectomy right breast followed by rads and tamoxifen. In 2005, I was Dx with ADH - same breast - another lumpectomy, and med onc changed me to Femara.

I was just diagnosed with DCIS in left breast, and meeting with surgeon tomorrow.  7 months ago I had a mild stroke, and am now on a blood thinner.  Biopsy with no bleeding after missing 1 dose and delaying that morning's dose.  Took many phone calls to get my neurologist to agree to that dosage change - can't imagine what will happen now!  I had promised myself a BLM if it ever showed up again, but I am certain no anesthesiologist will agree to that level of my "being out".  In my area, most lumpectomies are done under local anesthesia and a light IV sedation.

I feel as though I am a train wreck meeting this breast surgeon tomorrow - I requested a new surgeon after finding out the supposed "specialist" who did my other 2 was only a general surgeon - and he refused to see me when the double lumped breast became hot, red, and very swollen after the 2nd time - said on the phone it was all my imagination!  Thankfully, my med onc gave me antibiotics and took care of me for several months till the drainage system got back to normal...

Has anyone here had BC surgery after a stroke?  I have recovered fully, but have concerns...

Thanks for listening and for being here!

Mary 

hollyann

I was prediabetic before my cancer dx and had had gestational diabetes before.......i found that both my mother and grandmother had bc and my mother had gestational diabetes while my grandmother had type 2.........I am now type 2 diabetic....My doc said it was brought on by stress....But since cancer supposedly feeds on sugar it makes sense that diabetes (high sugar) would be a contributing factor........Just my humble opinion......

hollyann

Welcome back mb!..Good to see you....Sorry to hear about your stroke......i have no experience with surgery after a stroke but I am sure someone will be along soon.......Wow sweetie you have been through some tough times.......Hope you are feeling better today........I was wondering where you had gone off to.......So good to see you back.......Good luck with the surgery......

kmccraw423

Mary - I had a mini-stroke in October 2003.  I had to have emergency angioplasty when my heart stopped on August 20, 2004 and 6 months later needed another angioplasty.  I was diagnosed at the end of 2008 with a large area of DCIS.  Had a bilateral mastectomy which is just as well as they found DCIS in the 'good' one but only at pathology.  It did not show up on any test.  I take two medicines for my heart, a blood thinnner for my stroke (plus an aspirin), insulin for diabetes and an antidepressant.  I did fine - would have done better had my blood sugar been under control but when I was diagnosed with breast cancer I went right to the refrigerator.  I am back on track now but what a journey!  And I consider myself relatively healthy!

mbsoxr

Thanks, Kathleen!  You have made me feel SO much better!  My neurologist is leery about my having the deep anesthesia a BLM would require, but I was pleased when I saw my surgeon earlier today - he told me I was far from being his '2009 train wreck', and that he will deal with whatever we have to deal with.  He is leaning toward a lumpectomy, but will wait till after I have an MRI to decide.  I know what you mean about going to the fridge - comfort food really does it for me  - but sometimes we just have to do it!  I have been keeping my sugars in good control since the little stroke, much different than I had done most of my diabetic life...  I had a silent heart attack at some time in my prior days, and had 2 coronary stents put in 6 years ago.  My neurologist is carefully watching one of my carotids, but the narrowing is stable right now.  Waiting now for the MRI...

Hope you are doing wonderfully with your total health now! 

Mary 

mbsoxr

Lucy - you were right - Kathleen came along with her story!  Truth is, we ARE all in this together, and together, we will triumph!  

Had a marvelous appt with surgeon today - he talked WITH me, not TO me...  Ordering an MRI on both breasts, and then we'll decide best approach - remembering that the first year after a stroke I am not totally stable, and I have known that from other issues...

 Hoping you are doing well!  I will keep you all posted!  It feels better just to be with you all again - such incredible support and most of all, understanding!!

Take care, everyone!  Big hugs!

Mary 

kmccraw423

It looks like it has been very quiet on this topic.  Any news?

mbsoxr

Kathleen - it HAS been quiet here!  I had the MRI yesterday. and other than a bruised lung from too much padding on the table - long story, there! - I had a great report from the surgeon , so now I am just waiting for a surgery date... Surgeon still thinking MammoSite rads!  YAY!  Stay tuned!

Hugs, Mary 

kmccraw423

Mary, I am so happy for you.  Its hard for me to type so will be brief responses.

jai1950

Hi hope you don't mind me joining you.  I too have type 2 diabetes.  Was dx with BC early this year.  Had right mastectomyI have been blessed not to have to do chemo or rads.  Just Tamoxifen.  My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you.  Judy

kmccraw423

Judy-welcome! 

jai1950

Thanks for the welcome .  I will try and stay active on this site.  It is nice to know some others are going through the same thing.

mbsoxr

Judy - sorry you had to join us (for both reasons), but it is sooo nice to have you with us!  Together, we are going to make it - that's a given!

Hugs, Mary 

kmccraw423

One week ago last Friday I shattered my shoulder and had to have a shoulder replacement - my posts, therefore, will be brief.

Tonight I had a weird experience with my diabetes - it sank to 71. 

I ate a yogurt.  It went up to 87.  I started getting clammy and sweating.  It had dropped to 56!  After trying different foods and glucose tablets it went up to 101 and dropped to 86 just 15 minutes later.  We finally got it stabilized.  How odd is that?

jai1950

Hey kmccraw it sounds like you have been having a really rough time.  How did you shatter your shoulder?  Did you fall?  I feel for you with the blood sugar craziness. I haven't had a problem like that in a long time but I still remember how bad it was.  Makes you feel horrible.  I hope your shoulder heals quickly.  My prayers will be with you.  Judy

mbsoxr

Oh, Kathleen!  I am so sorry you have shattered your shoulder - I will be praying for a great recovery and a quick respite from the pain I know you are suffering!  You have really had a time, haven't you?  I definitely feel like a wimp compared to you!  As to the blood sugar drop, I would guess it may have been because of your current situation with your shoulder - the pain, the surgery aftermath, the discomfort trying to do things for yourself, etc.  I usually wake up feeling fine with morning #s most days in the 60s nowadays, but have gone down to as low as 42 & 33 - was passed out and hubby called rescue squad both times - transported to hospital with glucose IVs, after fighting with EMTs trying to start IVs.  (baked them brownies after I was discharged out of embarrassment!)  After those experiences, doc put me on Lantus insulin - once a day, no spikes or lows, and I have been fine on it.  I do make sure I m around 140 at bedtime - eat a 15 carb snack if I am lower.  Just be very careful while you are ill, injured, or out of sorts for any reason - lows are not fun!  And I have other times experienced trouble getting the BS back up if it goes below 50 - could probably eat a quart of Ben & Jerry's and still have trouble getting it up...  Diabetes is weird!

Take care of yourself!  Hugs, and prayers for better days ahead for you!

Mary 

kmccraw423

thanks for your responses.  thankfully the home health physical therapist was there to help me.

i shattered my shoulder when, for no apparent reason, i fell in a hospital corridor.  the pain was beyond excruciating and its pretty painful now so i will go

hollyann

I have a question...My BS has been high in the mornings around 119........How do I get it to where it is 90 or lower when I get up?........I think I may be having episodes of low sugar in the night even though I have a snack before bedtime.........Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.......Thank you in advance........

kmccraw423

I am starting to think I'm clueless about this disease.  Having it go too low scares me but it needs to be controlled.  They are sending a diabetes nurse for home health care - I will let everyone know what advice she may have to help better control it.

kmccraw423

Where is everyone?

mbsoxr

Hi, sisters for 2 reasons!  I have had this peculiar disease for nearly 30  years, but only in recent years have I been able to get a handle on it - the main reason was denial, for which I have been, and am still, paying the price with complications - my excuse for the denial is that, even though I saw an endo doc during the 80s and 90s, nothing much was told to me about control - no home testing, basically just DIET, DIET, DIET - the word we all hate to hear and really don't understand.  Finally, several years ago and many complications later, my PCP sent me to a diabetes nurse specialist who worked in conjunction with a nutritionist... Aha - there is so much to understand about balancing carbs, proteins, fats, timing of insulin (I have been on Lantus - once every 24 hours) insulin for several years...  in the early 2000s, I was the queen of lows, but now haven't gone low in several years - hardly knew how to act.  I now know that the lows I so often experienced were part of not being in good control - and as you all know, lows are an awful feeling...I have an A1c summary test every 3 months, and am pretty stable below 6%.  I think that test is a better tracker than the finger stick, which I do 3 or 4 x a day, which varies from 60 to 170, but really seems to have no rhyme nor reason.

 My grandfather and father were diabetic, and now my oldest son has been diagnosed - he is getting excellent training and will probably never have to take insulin;  I applaud his efforts at this, but I think doctors just plain know more about diabetes these days,  Sorry I left this topic for a couple of days - let me know how this older, but wiser, diabetic can help you avoid the pitfalls!  Get help, ask questions, and most of all, if you cheat, don't give up!  You can gain control - believe me, diabetes no longer controls me - it guides me...

Hugs, Mary 

katsOK

Just to add to the role call, I have been a diabetic for around four or five years but pre-diabetic for many years before that.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer this spring.    I had a A1c of 6.4 a few days ago, usually run around 5.9% but have been having steroids during this time.  My friend who also is diabetic is also a breast cancer survivor, but my sister in law  and my sister have both been a diabetic for several years and neither one has had cancer.  I do not know how much stock to put into a diabetic/cancer connection.  It did seem strange on the PET scan it finds the cancer by giving you a marker with sugar in it.  I do know when I get over the chemotherapy and onto the other drugs, I hope to get my blood sugars steady and my weight under control.  Hope more join this site so we can see the association between the two drugs.  

mbsoxr

Lucy - the nurse practitioner & nutritionist in the diabetes clinic that I saw for nearly a year told me never to go to bed with a blood sugar less than 140.  If it is lower than that, I have a 15 - 18 carb snack and make sure there is protein in it - at least 5 -8 grams, as protein helps to stabilize the carbs (keep the carbs from dissipating)...  My morning sugars since I have followed that rule usually run between 60 & 80 with no low symptoms.  I keep South Beach or Special K snack bars on hand for that nighttime purpose, or eat a graham cracker - natural peanut butter 'sandwich'.  Remember to check the fiber grams and subtract the fiber from the carbs if there are more than 5 fiber grams...

Mary 

jai1950

Hi all -- it is good to read of others who have had a hard time controlling blood sugars.  I don't usually have problems with going to low.  I have trouble keeping my blood sugars below 200.  Doctor is adjusting my meds to help regulate this.  My last A1c was 7%.  I don't currently take insulin but I think that is my next step.  I go see the nutritionist next week.  Judy

kmccraw423

lantus user here too.  Mary - I am the queen of denia!  Just grateful I am not dealing with more complications than I am - that is sheer luck certainly not being in compliance!  My maternal grandmothers both died of the complications of diabetes and even that knowledge did not keep me on the straight and narrow.