Breast Cancer and Diabetes

Anonymous

I have noticed a number of women on these boards have not just breast cancer, but other complicating diagnoses as well.

How has having this additional diagnosis affected your treatment choices, your treatment decisions, and how have your treatments for breast cancer affected your ability to keep your diabetes in control?

Anonymous

I found out I have diabetes in the pre-op area on the way to my bi-lateral mastectomy when my pre-op testing showed a high blood glucose reading which was confirmed with another quick on the spot test.  The staff had to quickly switch me from a glucose drip to "ringers".  Talk about getting a surprise diagnosis.

My numbers were high at first, and within a few weeks, I was able to bring them into a "normal" range using diet and exercise.  Then I started Tamoxifen, and my numbers were consistently running about 20 points higher than they had been.  Now I am on Metformin, and my numbers are better again. 

I have noticed that anytime I am stressed, or fighting off a cold, or dealing with even a very minor illness, my blood glucose numbers zoom up.  I wasn't testing those numbers before my surgery, so I have no way of knowing if they became higher as my tumor grew and lower after it was removed, or if the lower numbers were strictly a result of lifestyle change.  For those of you who were testing on a regular basis before surgery, did your numbers go lower after your tumor was removed? 

Halah

I'm diabetic as well and on metformin. I'll certainly let y'all know my experiences with having the two diagnoses. Was wondering about that myself. Glad to hear about the "ringers" or whatever that is. Didn't know there was glucose in saline solution.

LuvRVing

I am glad to see this discussion thread.  I have tried to start one on a couple of other forums and have not been able to gain any traction. 

I have Type 2 diabetes, diagnosed 9 years ago.  I found a 3 cm lump at the end of May and just had a lumpectomy on Wednesday.  I am awaiting the hospital pathology report to determine if I can have Mammosite radiation and waiting for the Oncotype score .

 My glucose numbers were running 30 - 40 points higher in the last few weeks, so I am now taking 1000 mg of metformin twice a day.   They are settling down a bit, although still a little higher than I would like them.  I like my fasting number to be under 120.  Hopefully as I heal, the numbers will come back down. 

My hospital used ringers lactate during my surgery and my numbers stayed under 160. 

Anyone considering chemo?  I would be very interested in your thoughts about chemo for a diabetic.

Michelle

Anonymous

Winterstorm, when I arrived at the hospital, I had not been diagnosed, so I was hooked up to the glucose solution that they use for most people, not a saline drip. 

Halah

Oh okay, I didn't know there was a difference; just assumed there was glucose in saline. Thanks.

EDIT: Saw surgical oncologist today and asked him about diabetes and BC and he said it is a non-issue. Although high stress can raise your blood glucose, I do know that. But for the CT I need to quit taking metformin for the day of the CT and the day after. Other than that I'd just let it be known that you have diabetes. I wear a medical id bracelet. If you still have concerns, I'd talk to your doctor.

LuvRVing

Mindy,

The hospital staff and my breast surgeon didn't consider my diabetes a "non-issue" and for that I am grateful.  They monitored my glucose levels before, during and after surgery and we had discussed with the anesthesiologist a plan of action in case I got too high (which didn't happen, fortunately).  It would be a bigger issue for someone on insulin as you have to fast after midnight.    During my pre-op, I had asked about the IV "drip" and was assured it wouldn't be a glucose solution. 

Good planning was the key!

Michelle

208sandy

Very interested in the diabetes and bc subject.  I have never had any hint of high blood sugar and no symptoms - also was married for 35 years to a diabetic so my diet is very, very low in bad carbs, sugar, etc. BUT after almost two years on Femara and Arimidex (I am now off both of them) by blood sugar reading skyrocketed as did my chloresterol - I am now waiting out a three month period before I have my blood tested again - my primary care physician is my biggest strength through all of this - I now have suspected recurrence in other breast and possibly a tumor growing under the scar tissue on the original breast (site) - will be having a least one mastectomy in next few weeks and possibly two - so much for taking AI's they don't work for everyone for sure and I was so sick on them it was like I was allergic - my very best friend in the world has been on Arimidex for five years and is now on Femara for one year and has never had a single se so for those of you who can take them they are truly a miracle drug for me they were poison - oh yes I am being tested for heart problems I have a very unstable heartbeat never had problems before the chemo, radiation and AIs - oh well.....

LuvRVing

Sandy - I am so sorry for you, this has to be totally disheartening!  You threw the book at your cancer and yet it returns?   I wish you the very best and know that I will be sending positive thoughts your way over the next few weeks.  I do think that BC and diabetes don't coexist very well.  My glucose levels have been 30 - 40 points higher over the past couple of months. Hopefully yours will settle down once things are resolved.

Take care!

Michelle

mollyann

Patmom, there is a lot of research leading to using Metformin as a kind of "adjuvant therapy to adjuvant therapy." You are very fortunate to have discovered this. If you can control your blood sugar it may be more powerful than almost anything else.

We all want to know why we got breast cancer and how we can change the body's metabolism so we don't make it hospitable to cancer. I wish we had more researchers pursuing the "insilin connection."

LuvRVing

I also take metformin and I am very interested in this research. 

Halah

well  maybe my doctor doesn't want me to worry so remains optomistic for my sake until all the test results come in. I can't tell when they are just being nice and sensitive and when they really mean what they say. But I shall find out later what my reality is. Y'all have captured my attention and will continue to follow this thread. Thx. ...Mindy

Halah

I know a lady on another forum who is a cancer survivor and a diabetic. She said that both stress and high blood glucose levels can feed the cancer. I believe in this woman and she is very wise. I've been thinking about surgery and I already know that when I have sores, they are very very slow to heal. So I have concerns with healing after surgery.

It is good to know how the treatments affect blood glucose levels.

Anonymous

bump

LuvRVing

Stress and illnesses can raise glucose levels, it's really quite normal for that to happen.  My levels are coming back down but we also doubled my metformin to be sure.  Another big consideration is that excess insulin is known to feed cancer cells.  Typical Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant, so the body tries to produce more and more insulin to get the cells to "receive" the insulin to lower glucose levels.  Metformin helps with this process, which should then result in lowering excess insulin. 

This all makes sense, especially since there is evidence that "sugar" feeds cancer.  Well, if you eat too much sugar or refined carbs, your body makes more insulin to try and lower your blood sugar level.  If you do this often enough, your cells become resistant to the insulin and the pancreas kicks up the insulin production.  Eventually, your insulin levels are too high because your cells aren't using it properly.  This leads to Type 2 Diabetes and a happy environment for feeding cancer cells, along with other damage.

Michelle

Halah

As we ladies who have had bilateral mastectomies, we can't use either arm to test our blood glucose due to lifelong risk for lymphedema. I'm trying to find a good alternate site other than my arms but so far have to prick myself multiple times at another site in order to draw blood.

What are y'all doing to test your blood glucose? Where is a good alternate site so that you don't have to poke multiple times at the same site? Maybe the toes, but to take your shoes off every time you need to test! Might not be very sanitary from there.