Type 2 Diabetes

Public Archive
1

Is there anyone on Tamoxifen with T2 Diabetes? I think I am about to be diagnosed. help!

2

Dolphin I’m sorry to hear you think you might have type 2 diabetes, but if you are diagnosed, you should ask your onc about Metformin. Metformin is a well known diabetic drug that is showing great success in reducing breast cancer recurrence, and is in Stage 3 clinical trials and likely to be licensed soon as a treatment for breast cancer. Even if you are borderline, there might be significant benefit from Metformin - do ask.

finty x

3

Here’s a link to some of the research on Metformin, but there is quite a lot more:

foodforbreastcancer.com/studies/6610

finty x

4

Oh that’s a bummer Dolphin.

I’m currently having chemo, will be starting Tamoxifen shortly, and I have type 1 diabetes. Apart from the need to take insulin for type 1s, the day to day management of T2 is much the same.

Most of it will come down to diet.

If you need any help or advice, fire away (either on forum or by private message).

I may just want to pick your brains when I start Tamoxifen.

Good luck!

5

Hi Dolphin,

Only three days ago - I am in the same position and found this by searching the forum. I either have prediabetes or diabetes. I also have a fatty liver which is apparently from Tamoxifen. I am postmenopausal, so I am thinking of changing to an aromatase inhibitor.
The articles on Metformin are interesting, but it looks as if they have yet to prove that it prevents recurrence.
I too would be interested on diet advice. From all I can find out, it depends a bit on the individual.
I went for a glucose intolerance test last week and I think the results were borderline, but I have yet to talk to a diabetologist about the results. Also have chronic lymphoedema in breast and trunk, and I gather Tamoxifen may have a bad effect on that too.

Margaret

6

I have pre diabetes which has been made worse by chemo and steroids. The steroids sent the blood sugars wild. On a brighter not you might get metaformin and there is a lot of research going on with cancer and metaformin.

7

Hi

I found out I had T2 diabetes when having the Pre-op tests for my first WLE.

Thankfully I didn’t need Tamoxifen or Chemo; I read the article referred to with great interest as I now need to take Metformin for the forseable future any additional benefit as regards BC recurrance is welcome.

I hadn’t realised the effect of T2 had on your body if left untreated; & have to say after 6 months of diabetes treatment I feel healthier. It may be that doing more excerise than before has helped both T2 & BC I don’t know. I already watched my diet & not overweight.

I was concerned as you tend to take longer to heal with diabetes; but 4 weeks post rads (touch wood) I seem to be doing ok. Onc confirmed this last Friday & no more treatment onto monitoring.

Looking fwd to waking up & not thinking about BC; but that will take sometime.

Regards
Lynne

8

Thanks for your replies. I have had more blood tests and am expecting to need an oral glucose tolerance test also as I think I am in the borderline range for pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance). I am a diabetes nurse!! and can’t believe how much this is freeking me out.

9

I was interested by Hatty’s comment about steroids. When I was taking them a comment I made to one of the oncologists about wanting to eat chocolates all the time set all the alarm bells off. I had to have my chemo suspended for a week whilst they got the local diabetic clinic to check me out as I was displaying all the symptoms of Type 2 and it had to be investigated as my brother has had it for over 10 years. The diabetic consultant told me the steroids sometimes mimic it, but I was given a blood monitor and some tablets to take if my blood sugars went into 2 figures. Thankfully, 6 weeks after I finished with the steroids I returned to normal.