Will Taking Hormone Tablets affect my blood sugars?

[ijcrowland]

Hi there, I need your help/advice please.

I am Type 2 and have just finished treatment for breast cancer. I am currently taking Letrozole tablets (hormone tablet) and my blood sugars have gone up. I believe and have had it confirmed that these will alter my blood sugars. The diabetic nurse however doesn't seem to want to know. They are all threatening to put me on insulin which I don't want. I currently take Metformin slow release, Gliclazide and just added to the list Linagliptin.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

I'm gonna tag in @donnellysdogs . She's T1, but may have first hand experience with this sort of thing...?

 

[Bluetit1802]

There isn't much you can do about the raised blood sugars caused by the Letrozole, and you will have to take the Letrozole for either 5 or 10 years. The stress of the breast cancer and the initial treatment, whether it was surgery, chemo (with steroids of course), radiotherapy or all 3 will have contributed to raised levels at the time.

If you want to avoid insulin, maybe it is time to have a serious look at your diet. The fewer carbs you eat the lower your blood sugar will become (and the less medication you will need). Reducing or eliminating potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, cereals and flour will help enormously, but if you go down this route you need to speak to your nurse as your medication may need adjusting downwards to avoid hypos.

 

[ijcrowland]

There isn't much you can do about the raised blood sugars caused by the Letrozole, and you will have to take the Letrozole for either 5 or 10 years. The stress of the breast cancer and the initial treatment, whether it was surgery, chemo (with steroids of course), radiotherapy or all 3 will have contributed to raised levels at the time.

If you want to avoid insulin, maybe it is time to have a serious look at your diet. The fewer carbs you eat the lower your blood sugar will become (and the less medication you will need). Reducing or eliminating potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, cereals and flour will help enormously, but if you go down this route you need to speak to your nurse as your medication may need adjusting downwards to avoid hypos.

Thank you so much for your reply. You are very understanding of my situation. Happy New Year.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Agree with @Bluetit1802.

I am on letrozole (currently) and it hasn't altered my blood glucose or insulin requirements.

Agree ref food etc. Your body will be in shock and more than likely also coping with you being less active for a while and it will be overloading in all different directions to cope with everything that you have had done.

to aid cancer recovery as well is protein rich food is meant to help. So reduce your carbs and eat more protein and healthy fats for recovery.

Incidentally, I wonder if admin would ever consider a cancer part to forum.

With the increase of cancer in the population and diabetes too.. there will be more and more of us with questions like this...

Wishing you a good recovery and sending best wishes to you..

 

[donnellysdogs]

Ps.. letrozole big side effect is raising cholesterol.. see if you can get your cholesterol checked and monitor it.

Mine went haywire...

 

[donnellysdogs]

Hi,

I'm gonna tag in @donnellysdogs . She's T1, but may have first hand experience with this sort of thing...?

Thanks @Jaylee...

 

[ijcrowland]

Thank you so much for your advice. Happy New Year.

 

[donnellysdogs]

You are welcome. It can be a bit of a strughle.

I dont know whatsurgwry you have had done but if it is to go flat and no reconstruction then there is a terrific, absolutely brilliant face book group called flatfriends..

Its for any woman that has alhad a mastectomy without reconstruction or for persons that have been forced to go flat due to implants failing.

They have helped me enormously with queries, as have Macmillan.

Amalways here if you with to private message.

I'm only 15 months on from my journey with cancer starting.. and theres good and bad through it all.

I hope that you have more good days in your journey..

Best wishes...

 

[AndBreathe]

Agree with @Bluetit1802.

I am on letrozole (currently) and it hasn't altered my blood glucose or insulin requirements.

Agree ref food etc. Your body will be in shock and more than likely also coping with you being less active for a while and it will be overloading in all different directions to cope with everything that you have had done.

to aid cancer recovery as well is protein rich food is meant to help. So reduce your carbs and eat more protein and healthy fats for recovery.

Incidentally, I wonder if admin would ever consider a cancer part to forum.

With the increase of cancer in the population and diabetes too.. there will be more and more of us with questions like this...

Wishing you a good recovery and sending best wishes to you..

DD, I'm just tagging @Administrator here to bring your suggestion to his attention.

Hoping this finds you well.

Welcome to the forum @ijcrowland . It's just a shame you join us under your trying circumstances. Good luck with it all, and here's hoping for a healthy 2017 and beyond for you..

 

[donnellysdogs]

Thanks @AndBreathe

Totally agree that I hope too that 2017 and beyond gets healthier...

 

[Energize]

@ijcrowland

Hi, I had 'Wide Excision', aka lumpectomy, and subsequently, after radiotherapy, had Tamoxifen and then changed to Anastrozole. Although I wasn't testing so regularly then, I don't remember any particular increase in blood glucose levels. Sorry, but I can't be much more specific due to having such a poor memory and it's coming up to the 5 years since diagnosis and surgery so seems quite a while ago now. I haven't taken the Anastrozole for a couple of years now as I had too many issues with joint pains etc being exacerbated while on this medication.

I do hope your recovery progresses well and without any issues. Well done for getting this far. Sounds like you're doing OK

 

[donnellysdogs]

I too have horrible pains with all the tablets I have tried. letrozole is getting increasingly worse and so is my memory.

I am giving them a break for a month to see if it is definitely the Letrozole.

I am deliberating on whether to stop the hormone tablets... I do however have alterations going on in my uniboob and this was how my mx boob started. So I am hugely scared of stopping hormone tablets.

I have run out of choices as I have tried them all.

Lots of ladies are okay though. My GP jyst advised for me on Friday that I have to decide on quality of life or quantity of life.....

As with all meds, some gr side effects, some dont. I get side effects to every drug..... hopefully and prayers that you are ok on it.

 

[lindisfel]

Hi there, I need your help/advice please.

I am Type 2 and have just finished treatment for breast cancer. I am currently taking Letrozole tablets (hormone tablet) and my blood sugars have gone up. I believe and have had it confirmed that these will alter my blood sugars. The diabetic nurse however doesn't seem to want to know. They are all threatening to put me on insulin which I don't want. I currently take Metformin slow release, Gliclazide and just added to the list Linagliptin.

Hi there, I was on the male version of hormone therapy for three years. It is absolutely vital your priority is to follow the course of treatment tailored for you by your oncologist. Diabetes and other issues are secondary to your cancer treatment. I do hope it goes well and you get back to full health then you can think about your diabetes. Some therapies can be very tiring I travelled 150 miles each day for eight weeks radiotherapy. May you find strength in good friends, family, physicians and if you are a believer, in God's sustaining power. best wishes. Derek

 

[JohnEGreen]

Yes as my neurologist said when I inquired about coming of prednisolone that the diabetes is less important than the consequences of the myasthenic crisis that would likely happen if I came of them.

You have to deal with the most immediate and serious danger first.

 

[ickihun]

Pain increases bgs.
I also agree life saving drug consumption is more important than naughty bgs. One fight at a time.

 

[ijcrowland]

Thank you to everyone who has given me their thoughts on my problem. Just a shame my diabetic nurse is not as understanding as yourselves. I will carry on coping with my recent cancer treatment and view my diabetes as secondary to that. You have all given me strength to carry on with that thought too. A Happy New Year to you all.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you to everyone who has given me their thoughts on my problem. Just a shame my diabetic nurse is not as understanding as yourselves. I will carry on coping with my recent cancer treatment and view my diabetes as secondary to that. You have all given me strength to carry on with that thought too. A Happy New Year to you all.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment. Tomorrow is my 4th review mammogram following my breast cancer diagnosis. The first 3 were clear and fingers crossed this one will be, too. The fear disappears but returns when it is review time!

 

[Energize]

Good luck with the rest of your treatment. Tomorrow is my 4th review mammogram following my breast cancer diagnosis. The first 3 were clear and fingers crossed this one will be, too. The fear disappears but returns when it is review time!

@Bluetit1802
Yes, I'm coming up my fifth annual review around March. It's always a tense appt as, like you say, all seems fine until you get to the appt and then all the emotions seem to surface yet again.

I wish you the very best for your scan tomorrow. {{{Hugs}}}

 

[Energize]

@ijcrowland
Such a difficult time for you. It sounds as if you are doing so well. Keep it up, eh?
{{{Hugs}}} for you too