Type I Diabetes and Chemo

lisasinglem

I was just diagnosed last week, and I don't even know for sure if I will be getting chemo (although the nurse practitioner who gave me the news thought it was likely because of the high proliferation rate).

But I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who has Type I Diabetes and is going through this.  I've had Diabetes for 33 years, since I was 7, and have been under good control, but I understand that chemo can wreak havoc with blood sugars.

Anyone out there?  Thanks.

Lilah

I have Type II Diabetes and the chemo is not what wreaks havoc -- it's the steroids they give you to help with the side effects.  That said, I found that while on chemo my sugar would spike on the first day of treatment but then would come back down (you only take the steroids for a few days starting on the day of the transfusion and in my case I had them once every two weeks).  It was manageable.  You just have to watch it.  I'm not sure if a spike is a bigger issue for you as a Type I diabetic... but I imagine you could use more insulin to combat the issue (I only take pills and control diet).  I have good control and my A1C after the three months of chemo treatment was very good (around 6.3, if I remember right, which is normal for me).  I found that chemo made me lose weight because nothing tasted very good (for what it's worth) and no doubt that also helped.  Feel free to PM me if you have other questions.  Sorry I'm not exactly what you were looking for but I'm happy to help.  Your Oncologist will probably tell you what mine told me: it's the steroids, not the chemo.

lisasinglem

Thanks Lilah - That makes sense.  I will definitely have problems with spiking, but I guess like everything else, I will see what happens when I get there.  Thanks for the info, and when I know better what my treatment is going to be, I may get in contact again.