Arimidex - cause of high blood sugar?

I don't know about sugar, but my cholesterol is high since being on Aromasin. It has always been on the low side before this.

Do you have increased appetite for sweets? That can happen too--

Hi,

My blood sugar went up with Arimidex too.  I found out when I had stomach flu and they did a blood test.  I guess I will see what the Onc thinks about that next month.  I am just so sick of doctors and medicines that I try to ignore it since I feel fine.  Good luck!

Take care,

Nancy

Add me to the list  After 4 1/2 years - my fasting blood glucose went up about 10 points a year.  THEN, it rocketed about 20 points, which I attributed to all the NIACIN I was taking to try to get my cholesteral levels down.

 Well, the cholesteral did drop by a large amount. BUT, then I read that taking large amounts of Niacin could contribute to a rise in blood sugar.

DAMN.  Sorry, but I feel like being caught between the proverbial BRICK and a hard place.  SO, I'm taking LOTS of cinnamon, alpha lipoic acid, cutting all high glycemic carbs ( I've been gluten free for years, so very few carbs anyhow) and my blood glucose is dropping.

ALL THAT BEING SAID- I THINK ARIMIDEX CONTRIBUTES TO HIGH BLOOD SUGAR - and with all the other hideous SE's we have to deal with( being on what I call the A Team) the docs just haven't worked their way to learning about blod sugar, YET!!!!

I too have had my blood sugar increase on arimidex. I was normal my whole life - about 80 glucose level and now its 100. My diet and excercise regime have not changed.

Interesting question- did you chat with your Onco about it. I'm about 2 years out from diagnosis and at my next appointment will ask.

If your level is about 120 you'll want to chat with the doctor to ensure you dont have diabetes. They should do a fasting blood glucose level on you. Do you fast before your blood tests.  I don't eat before as that will increase blood sugar in our bodies.

Keep us posted on your update.

Bevin

Blood tests.  Hope you all know that the Fasting ( 12 hour) Blood Glucose test is just a "snap picture" and if you are over 100 on that test, you SHOULD ASK FOR AN A1C blood test.

The A1C( some call it an hbA1C) is a blood test that goes back 3 months and shows the level of glucose in the body NORMAL on this test is 5.6 or below.  Prediabetic is 5.7 to 6.4%

On the Fasting Blood Glucose test below 100mg/dl is considered fine.  From 100 to 125 is considered prediabetic.

I bought one of those little home testing thingies - and my numbers are ALL OVER the lot during different times of the day. The only thing I am sure of, is that Arimidex DOES effect the blood sugar levels.  Now waiting for oncologists to catch up on what WE KNOW

Since my 40's my glucose started hovering in the 102 fasting. I lost weight and added low-carbing and itkept it normal. Since arimidex, I added herbs and my fasting was actually 100 this time.

 Just a reminder that the 100 as pre-diabetes has only been "approved" the last several years.

When I went to dietetic school, the fasting was 110 (this is still the normal fasting limit in Europe) and 100 was reserved for pregnant women.

I can't wait to see what happens after arimidex.  I suppose if this is due to low estrogen, at some point, those of us predisposed, will end up with the same issues.  

Damn is a very good exclamation!

Editing to add: the only bright side to this is that the drug of choice is metformin, which is in clinical trials to reduce risk of breast cancer/recurrence.

I personally think that some of us are predisposed (genetically/heredity) to get some of these chronic, age-onset type "conditions" because our bodies react to the lack of estrogen as if we are aging unnaturally.  Of course, I would much rather deal with some of this stuff in my 70s (and hope I live that long) rather than in my 50s. Ah well.

 I don't OD on cinnamin but if I think of it, I sprinkle it on things I will eat.

Green Tea supplements have shown to cause some liver issues, so I stay away from that as well.

I take a multi that contains alpha-lipoic acid, grape seed extract, and a bunch of other stuff.

I also take bitter melon (supposed to be good for glucose and cancer).

I take L-taurine for blood pressure, magnesium (up to 1000mg or so broken up am/pm), a potassium supplement (99mg)..i started this with the tamoxifen because of the horrible leg cramps at night. I also take hawthorne for blood pressure.  I take about 7000IU of vit. D and I take milk thistle (standardized)--it is supposed to help lower glucose but I also think it helps cleanse out my poor liver of any effects from the meds.  I take a full aspirin at night with all of these.

The once/day is really a twice/day but I only take it once..it also has coq10, resveratrol and L-carnitine. 

So, I just transitioned to anastrozole (Arimidex) one month ago. I was on tamoxifen for about 2 years. I have a family history of diabetes and I'm overweight. I did 2 fasting blood sugars this week: 133 and 149. My hemoglobin A1C is 6.1. I also have polycystic ovarian syndrome and was close to getting gestastional diabetes when I was pregnant with my twins. So, all that combined......I have diabetes now.

Sadly, I have a HUGE sweet tooth. That is what bothers me the most......that I now have to give up all those simple carbs. I have started to walk 45 minutes a day, which has helped me lose some weight. I'm hoping if I get to my ideal weight, my sugars will improve. I also have high blood pressure - and I know that I could probably get off my blood pressure meds as well if I got to my ideal body weight. It is just so hard. I have struggled with my body weight for all my adult life.

Anyway, it is just one more thing to deal with.....

I've had the same experience. My blood sugar has been borderline high (110 fasting, spikes above 140 after meals) for several years. I stopped eating carbs, which controlled it until I started anastrazole. Now my fasting levels are 120-150 all the time. Because I'm on Ibrance, which causes artificially low A1c ratings, I can't get treated for diabetes -- my A1c levels are not above the level where doctors will prescribe anything. My feet burn all the time and I'm wondering whether the anastrazole is worth it.