Cancer diagnosis

Hi @busygardener and welcome to the forum. I'm very similar, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer last year and completed my treatment at the end of August. It wasn't pleasant but it is completely doable. If you need any personal info then feel free to message me. Do you know what treatment you will be having ? There are some other cancer survivors on here who I'm sure will post some support too.
Great that you have good control of your diabetes. LCHF was definitely the way for me. You might find chemo and steroids will affect your levels for a while but this soon return to normal.
Be strong and be kind to yourself. You can beat it xx

Welcome to the Forum. Sorry to read your news. You sound to be a sensible type, reference to rants being not so hopeful.
Glad to see you're controlling your DB, that's nice work.
Only thing I would add is my wife discovered a lump in her breast, had it out, confirmed cancer, radiotherapy and pills. In the same month her mother had a double mastectomy and her sister a single. All three are in good shape 12 years later. It's not an easy thing to live with, like DB, it's always with you. I wish you well and hope the forum is a support to you.. and that the snow has not put a stop to your gardening... my snowdrops are covered.... in snow.

Hello and welcome to the forum. No wise words from me as I have not had to deal with your situation but I wanted to say that we will be with you as you face this. Best wishes.

Hey busygardener, sorry to hear of your parents' passings and all the stress you have been under....glad to hear that retirement has helped to ease some of the physical manifestations - BP and diabetes better controlled... Sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with breast cancer....I have had breast cancer twice with mastectomies and chemotherapy....in those days I wasn't offered any radiation, just super blasted with chemo. That was 33 and 28 years ago respectively and still going strong! Wasn't diabetic at the time....

There will be so much info thrown at you and some of it in medical-speak that I would strongly suggest that someone goes with you to all your appointments and treatments as two sets of ears are better than one! You may think that you are absorbing it all, but it is surprising how much you can miss! So glad you have supportive family and friends that will journey with you.....as you know from your parents, it is an arduous one depending on the treatment protocol...

You will be in my thoughts and prayers......just warn the Hubby that if you have one, that if you are put on prednisone, you may be stripping wallpaper at 3 in the morning or something else crazy as it can make you a bit manic (Know from experience!!) Blessings/Stay positive as that is truly half the battle/L

Hi @busygardener, so sorry to hear your news. It’s such a shock to hear the C word isn’t it? I completely understand the feeling of unfairness, I know it doesn’t help but you can’t help feeling it!

I also took early retirement last Jan, and in Feb was diagnosed T2 diabetic AND cancer ( sarcoma in my pelvis). Not how I’d planned retirement!

I started trying to tackle diabetes with diet and exercise but as things progressed with cancer I just couldn’t do it. The only things I could cope with eating were fruit and the odd ginger biscuit. Not the ideal diabetic diet but I figured I could only fight one battle at a time. My bg was all over the place while I was in hospital.

Now one year on I’m starting to get my fitness back and thanks to the Royal Marsden Hosp and Macmillan I’m looking forward to life again, and I’m determined to get to grips with diabetes.

You’ve done so well getting BG and BP sorted and reducing your meds. Even if it all goes a bit off track during treatment you will be able to bring everything under control again.

I’m so glad you’ve got supportive family and friends around you, I sometimes think the worry is worse for them. They may be more concerned about the cancer at the moment, but there are lots of new friends here who can help support you with diabetes.

As daisyduck says, be strong and be kind to yourself.
Big hugs

I'm another that had breast cancer. I was diagnosed a couple of days before Christmas in 2012 with an aggressive grade 3 HER2 positive tumour. I went through surgery (lumpectomy), chemotherapy for 6 sessions, Herceptin infusions for 12 months and 3 weeks of radiotherapy. A few days after my first annual review in January 2014 I was diagnosed with T2, and still had 4 months of Herceptin infusions to go. I have recently been given the news I am officially in remission and have been discharged from the Breast Care Unit.

It isn't pleasant, but is nowhere near as bad as films make out and is very doable. Cancer care, especially breast cancer, is second to none. They really look after you. Medications are prescribed to help with any potential side effects, and the Breast Cancer Care website and forum is wonderful. I urge you to join. https://forum.breastcancercare.org.uk/

One thing as you go through the cancer treatment, you must make that your priority and put diabetes firmly in second place.

I wish you all the luck in the world on your journey. x

busygardener said:

Hi all. Have just posted an introduction to myself on the intro page but will give a brief summary here.
I have been diabetic since 2007, diagnosed with a level of 30mmol - yes you read that correctly, 30! Initially docs thought I was T1 as it came on very quickly after years of chronic stress. Eventually decided I was T2. I took early retirement from teaching in 2012 and BG levels and BP under control since. Was taken off gliclazide last year since discovering low carb and now only on metformin 500mg twice a day.

However, just as things have been going swimmingly, I have received a diagnosis of breast cancer - caught very early and completely treatable apparently but still seriously worrying. I am staying positive and have lots of love and support from family and friends but none of them have diabetes as well.

Not entirely sure what I am looking for from the forum - reassurance, support, don't know. Maybe just a few wise words - always plenty of those to read.

I could have a serious rant about the unfairness of it all but I know it won't help. I'm sure you people out there will.

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Sorry to hear about the awful time you've gone through and I hope you completely turn a corner and can kick this cancers butt into history where it belongs and looking at some of the other replies to your post I hope you know that you're not alone in this and there will be a lot of support for you if you keep on talking whether it be your good days or your worst.

Si

@busygardener so sorry to hear your news. I am currently recovering from an operation (Total Hysterectomy) for womb cancer which was diagnosed just after the New Year which was a shock as I have not had any serious illnesses before and had concentrated on my husband's heart problems rather than my own. I am lucky as the pathology results indicate that I will not need any further treatment so have escaped chemo and radiotherapy. as you will find out the support of family, friends and colleagues is invaluable.

Hi there, I'm a Type 1 diabetic of 30+ years treated now with an insulin pump. I was diagnosed with breast cancer three weeks ago and will need chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. I've been told I will need steroids but want to find alternative ways to keep my immune system up as steroids will ****** my blood sugar levels. Any advice?

busygardener said:

Just reading all these positive comments makes so much difference to me. I have been having a wobble today as I have an appointment with the surgeon on Friday. Knowing so many people out there have survived this is incredibly helpful and there is plenty of wise advice in your posts.

I am determined to beat this. Thank you all.

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Your surgeon will know his/her stuff. Take someone with you. 4 ears are better than 2. Take a list of questions with you, and don't leave until you have all the answers! My surgeon was wonderful and filled me with a great deal of confidence.

Hoppy59 said:

Hi there, I'm a Type 1 diabetic of 30+ years treated now with an insulin pump. I was diagnosed with breast cancer three weeks ago and will need chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. I've been told I will need steroids but want to find alternative ways to keep my immune system up as steroids will ****** my blood sugar levels. Any advice?

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The steroids are given for the chemotherapy and are essential because the help prevent allergic reactions. You take them for 3 or 4 days prior to and after the infusion. I had Dexamethasone steroids 8mg morning and 8mg afternoon. They wouldn't give them if they weren't necessary. Yes, your blood sugars will be all over the place, but they probably will be anyway - and your eating habits will change drastically. I think it will be a question of just putting your cancer first and diabetes second.