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Blood Sugar issues

Tberg14_
Tberg14_ CSN Member Posts: 1
in Esophageal Cancer #1

I had surgery for my Esophageal Cancer in October of 2017.  Like others, I have had issues with gaining weight.  I have also had blood sugar issues.  I have spells of dizziness and other symptoms.  I did not have these issues before surgery.  Has anyone else experienced this?

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Comments

  • Deathorglory
    Deathorglory CSN Member Posts: 364
    #2
    Hello

    Hello,

    I am an insulin dependent diabetic.  When I had my esophajectomy, the hospital did not use the same insulin as I used.  My sugar was very high the whole time I was in the hospital.  They couldn't get it under control at all.  As soon as I went home and started using my own insulin (Humulin 70/30), my sugar was under control again.  Gaining weight is REALLY difficult after the surgery.  It took me eight and a half years to regain the weight I lost.  And that was being a maniac who overate to stretch my stomach back out.  I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, though.  There was a significant price to be paid for doing things that way.

    Best Wishes,

    Ed

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  • paul61
    paul61 CSN Member Posts: 1,392
    #3
    "Low Blood Sugar" events are fairly common

    As Ed said above it takes a long time to gain weight after surgery. It took me almost 4 years to gain back a small percentage of the weight I lost during chemotherapy and surgery. I never have reached the weight I was at before I was diagnosed.  I weighed about 150 lbs. prior to surgery and 9 years later I weigh about 130 lbs. which I think is my new “normal” now. 

    Many of us have “low blood sugar” events with sweating, dizziness, shakiness, and sometimes nausea from time to time. I have learned to carry a small snack with me at all times. The snack I use is a package of cheese and peanut butter crackers. If I start to have a low blood sugar event, I eat my crackers and within 10 minutes or so I feel better again. 

    Best Regards,

    Paul

    McCormick, South Carolina
    DX 10/2009 T2N1M0  Stage IIB - Ivor Lewis Surgery  12/3/2009
    Post Surgery Chemotherapy 2/2009 – 6/2009 Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU

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