Diabetes and hypoglycaemia with a pancreatic ductal carcinoma

Hi squodgeling welcome to the forum..I cant help wondering if anyone other than a medical person can answer your query..With that in mind I'm.suggesting that you either copy and repost your post into the ask an expert section of this site and that will take you to Ask a Nurse..The other thing you can do is to give the Macmillan Line a call and have a chat with one of the Advisors there 08088080000.  Hope that's useful and sorry it's not been of more practical use in response to your query..Best Wishes.Gailx

Hello

Like you I have also developed what is known as chemo diabetes (diabetes 3c).

It is very hard to deal with both the affects of the chemo by maintaining weight but also deal with how this affects your blood sugars.

The main problem was around the steroids they give you, my team have reduced the number of days this cycle with the hope it gives me more days to have them more normal which can be controlled by a reasonable level using insulin.

Good luck on your journey

Hi.  I share your pain.  I developed the 3c diabetes due to my cancer but the hyperglycaemia was originally attributed to jaundice from the blocked biliary duct and infection.  I had not had a confirmed cancer diagnosis at the time.

i was sent home with an insulin pen and blood sugar testing kit.  I was initially able to keep my blood sugar levels reasonably in the range.  Once i started on chemo (FOLFIRINOX), my sugar levels went very high, especially when taking dexamethasone too.  My dietitian referred me to endocrinology but I have not heard anything.  The oncology team told me that I should focus on eating and putting on weight and not worry too much about blood sugar.  This is in preparation for Whipple surgery which I’m expecting to have in two weeks time.

I contacted my GP surgery because I really needed help and my blood sugar was regularly over 30.  High blood sugar combined with cancer and needing Creon to digest food meant I was losing weight despite eating lots and also taking high calorie and protein supplements prescribed by my dietitian.  My situation was too complicated for the G practice diabetes nurses but the pharmacist took up my case and her advice was really helpful.

Each person will be different and need different solutions but my advice is too be persistent.  Raise it with your MacMillan nurse, your dietician, GP, oncologist etc.  It’s too difficult to manage without help and I wish I’d reached out sooner.  My six chemo sessions are now finished and I have been told that I will see a diabetes specialist after surgery.  I also have a lifestyle libre blood glucose monitor from the NHS.  This is really helpful and also spares my fingers.

good luck with the chemotherapy and all the other things that pancreatic cancer throws at you.  Keep strong 

Hello, both above- yes- halfway through now 6 FOLFIRINOX and yes the same- the dexy steroids make my blood sugars go high. 
The rest of the time I have hypoglycaemia still, like you say it’s a nightmare trying to manage it all- especially with the blood sugars on top of everything else.

foodlover, if you can let me know how your whipple surgery goes. They do not know if I am stage 4 or stage 1/2 I am hoping for a whipple but they will not do if I am stage 4.

Your g.ps should prescribe you libres like said above which will alarm if you hypo. 

I was also stented for jaundice for a blocked biliary duct, it’s still in there but would obviously come out if I had a whipple.

yup, endocrinology have been hopeless with me.

how are you guys dealing with your chemo?

Hi yes i have type 3 diabetes. I am now on insulin which after playing around with doses is reasonably controlled apart from treatment day and the following day due to the steroids.