type 2 diabetes

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LOUSWIFT
LOUSWIFT Member Posts: 371 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I just found out one of my neighbors is being treated with folfox for stage 3c. He goes to a different hospital than I and doesn't own a computer. Anyway he asked me to ask you guys if folfox affects his glucose levels. He says he has always been well managed but now he is showing over 200 3-5 days a week. True he doesn't exercise much but he never did he is 63 and is kind of worn down since he is on folfox treatment #6. But he watches his diet and takes a tab of glyburide (sorry don't know if I spelled that right). He is scared the cancer may have gone to pancreas or liver... any insights? Insurance he has won't allow for another pet scan until after he completes his treatments about 4 months.

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  • HollyID
    HollyID Member Posts: 946 Member
    #2
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    Probably not the Folfox itself...
    but the pre-infusion steroids would make the blood sugar go wacky. I strongly suggest he either talk to his endocrinologist or his oncologist about his blood sugars.

    I'm only guessing here... But still have him see his doctors...
  • HeartofSoul
    HeartofSoul Member Posts: 729 Member
    #3
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    HollyID said:

    Probably not the Folfox itself...
    but the pre-infusion steroids would make the blood sugar go wacky. I strongly suggest he either talk to his endocrinologist or his oncologist about his blood sugars.

    I'm only guessing here... But still have him see his doctors...

    Steroids certainly will
    Steroids certainly will increase blood glucose levels and for that reason I chose not to have any steroids during my chemo treatments which totaled 23. Lou, I would suggest to tell neighbor not to get overly concerned that because his blood sugars are running higher, his (colon) cancer spread to liver or pancreas. Have him see Endo or med onc anyway
  • menright
    menright Member Posts: 256 Member
    #4
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    Chemo triggered diabetes
    I have a similar issue. My glucose levels were as high as 308. My oncology team told me not to be concerned. The steroids given before chemo will drive the glucose levels up. I did visit an endriconoliogist and they now me taking Januvia to control my glucose level.

    I did not have diabetes issues before cancer, so I hope once chemo and the pre-meds are done, I will go back to normal.

    Good Luck,

    Mike
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #5
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    Glucose goes high during
    Glucose goes high during chemo is not abnormal.My husband's glucose was at border line without medication before chemo,but the chemo made his glucose all over the place no matter what he ate.One day he said he was starving to death but his glucose was still high.

    My hubby's glucose went back to normal within a month after the chemo was over,he was also in the same chemo region.Now he is doing fine,as long as he wathes what he eats,his glucose is really under good control.Please let your neighbour know he is going to be fine after chemo is over,it is just the stress caused by chemo and how the body responses to it.My husband just got his 1st post surgery(surgery was done in Sep,2009) ct-scan results,everything is nice and clean.Hope your neighbour will calm down after he knows my husband's experinces.Good luck with his chemo.
  • daydreamer110761
    daydreamer110761 Member Posts: 487 Member
    #6
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    Fight for my love said:

    Glucose goes high during
    Glucose goes high during chemo is not abnormal.My husband's glucose was at border line without medication before chemo,but the chemo made his glucose all over the place no matter what he ate.One day he said he was starving to death but his glucose was still high.

    My hubby's glucose went back to normal within a month after the chemo was over,he was also in the same chemo region.Now he is doing fine,as long as he wathes what he eats,his glucose is really under good control.Please let your neighbour know he is going to be fine after chemo is over,it is just the stress caused by chemo and how the body responses to it.My husband just got his 1st post surgery(surgery was done in Sep,2009) ct-scan results,everything is nice and clean.Hope your neighbour will calm down after he knows my husband's experinces.Good luck with his chemo.

    way wacky!
    I was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes on about the same day, and immediately started monitoring the glucose. when i started treatment, the first time I saw the numbers I freaked out! my oncologist told me not to monitor during treatment, as the numbers will always be crazy. I was also told that it was caused by the sugar water mix (hello...)they dripped along with the oxy....hmm....I would monitor on the off week and was fine.
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #7
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    daydreamer110761 said:

    way wacky!
    I was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes on about the same day, and immediately started monitoring the glucose. when i started treatment, the first time I saw the numbers I freaked out! my oncologist told me not to monitor during treatment, as the numbers will always be crazy. I was also told that it was caused by the sugar water mix (hello...)they dripped along with the oxy....hmm....I would monitor on the off week and was fine.

    That sugar water (Dextrose)
    The first thing they asked me before hanging it was if I was diabetic because they said they hang saline instead of dextrose for diabetics. ???
  • coolvdub
    coolvdub Member Posts: 408 Member
    #8
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    Lori-S said:

    That sugar water (Dextrose)
    The first thing they asked me before hanging it was if I was diabetic because they said they hang saline instead of dextrose for diabetics. ???

    Normal
    Being type 2 myself, I can say this is normal. Many of the meds they give such as steroids and anti emetics can and do affect blood sugar levels. My solution, I just didn't test while going through chemo. I can't and don't recommend that, but it is how I handled it. Currently I am off meds and don't do daily testing. I lost so much weight, went from 240 down to 138 and am now at 175 that Doc says to test A1C every three months. As long as it stays at 7.0 or below with diet and exercise the Doc is happy, me too!

    Don

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