Can Lymphoma affect your levels?

[MillieT]

Does anybody know, can having Lymphoma affect my bloods and such?

I read somewhere that the Pyorrhea can and I am finding it so upsetting that they are taking so long to help me with it, the gp shall not help because it is dental, my local dentist leaves a lot to be desired and has not helped so i am waiting to see the NHS dentist, i think it is disgusting that i am left like this not only having anxiety but also this gum disease along with everything else which is going on, i am just told to stay strong :/

I am so embarrassed because I have pus in my gums and the nhs said 4 weeks ago the earliest appointment they can give me is the 30th October, but i can only go in and see what they say because I shall be having the radiotherapy and am not allowed to have any teeth taken out or anything which may affect the shape of my mask..

And then the diabetic team tells me off for having high sugars and that I am obviously eating things that I should not- like food!! yet THEY tell me to eat the carbs and porridge and stuff.. a few strong tablets is how I am starting to feel, please, i am not feeling sorry for myself but I am not eating anything THAT bad so as to affect my sugars so badly, I managed through diet alone for 2 -3 years for goodness sake, I feel like I just don't want to be here anymore due to lack of help.

 

[SimonCrox]

I am sorry that you are having such a bad time.

I think that it is possible that the lymphoma could raise your glucose levels. I would also be aware that the oncologist might want to give you steroids which will definately raise your glucose levels. If they give you big dose steroids for a while, they will also want to add in a bisphosponate to protect your bones, which might cause dental problems. I am not sure if other oncology drugs upset glucose levels.

Your gum disease is probably putting your glucose levels up; devastated to hear how long you have to wait, and the lack of interest etc from medical staff. I would get in touch with your oncologist and ask if the gum disease is relevent to his/her treatment, and if they say yes, see if they can expedite an appointment at the local dental hospital. I wonder if you could ask your diabetes specialist the same question - I suspect that the gum disease is putting up your glucose levels and to improve your diabetic control (which is their job), expediting dental help seems appropriate.

A mouth wash antibacterial might help your gums, won't harm, but I guess that you are already trying this

Best wishes

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

And then the diabetic team tells me off for having high sugars and that I am obviously eating things that I should not- like food!! yet THEY tell me to eat the carbs and porridge and stuff.

It's interesting that they have identified food as being behind your elevated blood glucose, but then don't believe that the food is actually the food they advice you to eat. They obviously think you're lying. Do you take them a food diary? If they think you're eating things outside their advice ask them what benefit would you have in lying to them, you want to have good health. Not only that why you you want to waste your time as well as theirs? Have you thought about calculating how much carb is in the food thay suggest. I bet it's the standard 1/3 of total calories must come from carbs, put another way about 200 gms of carb. Being diabetic means you can't handle that amount of carb without medication. The solution in my mind is very simple, don't eat that amount of carbs. Different people on this forum manage on different amounts, some, more strict than others, but one thing we have in common is good BG levels and also the feeling that we are in control.

I don't know much about Lymphoma but I have read that sugar feeds cancers of all sorts. I was also told by my dentist that high sugar levels affect the health of my gums and teeth.

You've probably read on a lot of the message threads on this forum that a lot of members follow a low carb high fat diet. Personally I follow a low carb diet and the fat part only goes high when I eat cheese and yogurt. For me personally that has enabled me to throw away Gliclazide, Januvia and Atorvastatin and all I had to do initially was stop eating bread, potato, rice and pasta. That brings total carbs down to less than 50gms and my last HbA1c was 46 and total cholesterol was 4, without any medication.

Like you I was told to eat carby things that wholemeal bread and porridge and actually told to definitely under no circumstances cut back on carbs. I was persuaded to "try it" by a Nutritional Therapist because I was trying to lose weight. It took just 2 weeks to realise I was over medicated (statins took a bit longer). So, my blood glucose came down and I lost weight. A "No brainer", I've kept my carbs below 50 gms most of the time for 5 years. I haven't felt out of energy or hungry and I keep asking myself why did it take me so long? It was the first thing I asked my doctor after diagnosis in 1997. I didn't start ignoring his advice until about 5 years ago when I also changed my doctor.

Try cutting out the bread rice, pasta, and potato for a start, see how it goes.

All the best.

 

[MillieT]

It's interesting that they have identified food as being behind your elevated blood glucose, but then don't believe that the food is actually the food they advice you to eat. They obviously think you're lying. Do you take them a food diary? If they think you're eating things outside their advice ask them what benefit would you have in lying to them, you want to have good health. Not only that why you you want to waste your time as well as theirs? Have you thought about calculating how much carb is in the food thay suggest. I bet it's the standard 1/3 of total calories must come from carbs, put another way about 200 gms of carb. Being diabetic means you can't handle that amount of carb without medication. The solution in my mind is very simple, don't eat that amount of carbs. Different people on this forum manage on different amounts, some, more strict than others, but one thing we have in common is good BG levels and also the feeling that we are in control.

I don't know much about Lymphoma but I have read that sugar feeds cancers of all sorts. I was also told by my dentist that high sugar levels affect the health of my gums and teeth.

You've probably read on a lot of the message threads on this forum that a lot of members follow a low carb high fat diet. Personally I follow a low carb diet and the fat part only goes high when I eat cheese and yogurt. For me personally that has enabled me to throw away Gliclazide, Januvia and Atorvastatin and all I had to do initially was stop eating bread, potato, rice and pasta. That brings total carbs down to less than 50gms and my last HbA1c was 46 and total cholesterol was 4, without any medication.

Like you I was told to eat carby things that wholemeal bread and porridge and actually told to definitely under no circumstances cut back on carbs. I was persuaded to "try it" by a Nutritional Therapist because I was trying to lose weight. It took just 2 weeks to realise I was over medicated (statins took a bit longer). So, my blood glucose came down and I lost weight. A "No brainer", I've kept my carbs below 50 gms most of the time for 5 years. I haven't felt out of energy or hungry and I keep asking myself why did it take me so long? It was the first thing I asked my doctor after diagnosis in 1997. I didn't start ignoring his advice until about 5 years ago when I also changed my doctor.

Try cutting out the bread rice, pasta, and potato for a start, see how it goes.

All the best.

I have not eaten anything like those for at least 6 months- pasta maybe a year ago, potatoes 6 months, i am on low carb and fat diet, i have made the odd mistake error when I have been out and there is nothing else available at the time, it is like i was seriously ill a couple of weeks ago, had acid from hell and upset tummy all afternoon and evening from eating one sausage roll, it was honestly all i could lay my hands on at the time and i felt if i did not eat i would pass out, anyway, i said never again after than as would sooner starve.

I do not care what they say about eating porridge as the minimum it spikes me to is 28mmol every time without fail and it makes me feel awful, now 3 years ago when i was managing through diet alone i lost loads of weight and my Hba1c were down under 54 i had porridge every day, it was only when I went through the roof last December (Hba1c 107+) that I have never managed to get it down since not matter what i do and i am now on insulin and that does not work very week either, at the moment I think i am losing a pointless battle what with the NH Lymphoma, Candida and Pyorrhea going on and not being resolved yet...

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

I think i am losing a pointless battle

I wonder if your GP would allow you to use a constant glucose monitor for a few weeks. My surgery will lend a CGM sometimes. I've been using the Freestyle Libre for a while and although not technically a CGM it has provided me with information that I couldn't possibly have collected by just making holes in my finger.

My low carb approach had worked well for 3 or so years and then went bonkers, BG all over the place and no carbs to blame. With the Libre I could see that my BG would start to rise when I was waking up (Dawn Phenomena probably), but would still be in the low teens before lunch around 1pm. I've had to really cut back on protein and be careful about fat. A VLCD has enabled me to straighten out the DP, but I still can't be too complacent even with good daily results.

I hope you find your answers soon, don't let the bar stewards get you down.

 

[enzina]

Hi Miffli,

I'm sorry you are having such a hard time. The wait to see the dentist seems totally unacceptable, even for a healthy person with pus in their gums it would be way too long.
I believe your gum infection is responsible for the high glucose levels.
I hope you'll get this problem sorted much sooner than in four weeks time.

All the best, good luck for all your treatments!

 

[MillieT]

i'm now on 20 units in the morning and 20 in the afternoon, i had two boiled eggs for breakfast and then at around 2pm a handful of nuts, got home and am on 15.5mmol- that's 5pm, i can't see how unless the radiotherapy is making it go up, i was hoping it would not affect me but it is making me so exhausted, i can't understand why i have not heard from any of the diabetic team, perhaps i scared them off with my rants about carbs :/

still got bad gums and can't have the sorted until I have finished the RTP, the hospital dentist put my appt back another month as is obviously not urgent..in his opinion and i do not have any fight in me right now :/

 

[Pipp]

i'm now on 20 units in the morning and 20 in the afternoon, i had two boiled eggs for breakfast and then at around 2pm a handful of nuts, got home and am on 15.5mmol- that's 5pm, i can't see how unless the radiotherapy is making it go up, i was hoping it would not affect me but it is making me so exhausted, i can't understand why i have not heard from any of the diabetic team, perhaps i scared them off with my rants about carbs :/

still got bad gums and can't have the sorted until I have finished the RTP, the hospital dentist put my appt back another month as is obviously not urgent..in his opinion and i do not have any fight in me right now :/

@miffli I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time. Do you not have an advocate nurse within your Haematology team? Surely there ought to be someone within the consultant team who can assist you in finding the right treatment for your gum infection, as it will have an effect on your health both for Lymphoma and blood glucose levels.

 

[MillieT]

well i finished the radiotherapy, feeling sunburned or even nuked... sugars are still high and what is odd is that every time i jab myself it hurts, i have lumps and bruises all over my tummy now...when it rains!

 

[Pipp]

well i finished the radiotherapy, feeling sunburned or even nuked... sugars are still high and what is odd is that every time i jab myself it hurts, i have lumps and bruises all over my tummy now...when it rains!

How did you get on with the dental problem, @miffli ? Have you had any support and advice from any of the team treating your lymphoma?

 

[MillieT]

How did you get on with the dental problem, @miffli ? Have you had any support and advice from any of the team treating your lymphoma?

No, she called and put my insulin dose up and that was it, i already told her that i upped it from 10 units per day to 20 on a morning and 20 afternoon and she said add 6 and 4 units respectively, not that it has done anything, not sure if this is why i am getting lumps and bruises on my tummy? Ha, I woke up on 15.3mmol... i said i would.

My dental appointment is not until the 30th Nov either so I can only wait and i still have all I can think of is a bad Candida infection in my tummy- but every time i take a sample it comes back normal...now, How is this possible in this day and age, a urine or other sample with jelly lumps in them for goodness sakes..normal...Really?!! I give up.