Chemo Elevates Sugar Level?

stephilosphy00

I have completed 10 rounds of Taxol so far, I just surprisingly found out my blood sugar was elevated to 168, while one month ago it was 69 (it was 126 right after dx). I haven't gained any weight since started chemo and I have been keeping a healthy diet for a long while.

Does anyone have similar experience? Will it go down after chemo? I am kind of worrying I will develop chemo-induced diabetes.

Thanks!

Anonymous

Are you getting decadron? Increased blood sugar level is a side effect. I don't measure mine so I can't say if they dropped since I stopped chemo. Before cancer treatment I know it was normal.

stephilosphy00

I had steroid infusion before chemo.

kcat2013

stephilosphy it's most likely the steroids, it's a well known side effect. Mine skyrocketed during chemo and my MO kept a close eye on them, doing occasional fasting glucose checks about a week after steroids--to make sure the numbers were trending down during that time. My numbers then stayed down after chemo was completely done but have never quite recovered to where they were before. I now have an endocrinologist added to my team of "ologists"

KayaRose

I'm pretty sure it was the steroids. I had my blood tested each time before my chemo treatment. One time it was 95. After chemo that day I had to go downstairs to have blood drawn for pre-op mastectomy purposes (of course, they wouldn't use the blood work my MO had just done). My glucose level after chemo was 200. I had nothing to eat during chemo. 95 before, 200 after. My MO said it was definitely the steroids. It all went back to normal after chemo ended. It was not permanent.

ksusan

Probably steroids. I have type 2 diabetes and my blood sugar was higher in the chemo period. It is now back in the normal range.