I need your help ladies!

[kansasrose]

Ladies: I need your help! I have had several episodes of, what feel like small seizures over the last few days. I called my onc. and a head CT was scheduled. I had that yesterday, and it didn't show anything. But, of course that doesn't answer the question as to why this is happening. I feel like I am asleep when these happen - arms, legs, face muscles twitch uncontrollably. Then, I wake up. I am exhausted. I have suspected that I have diabetes, as I have a number of symptoms. My onc. did bloodwork a few weeks ago, as I went to her with some concerns about how I was feeling. She said that the blood work was fine. But, isn't there a more definitive test involving fasting and drinking something sweet, or something like that, to test for diabetes? I have excessive thirst, excessive fatigue, my feet are tingly all over and hurt, and now these weird seizure type things. I am fearful of driving as I don't know if I should be alone if I am having this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Esther]

kansas rose, are you on any medications? Any supplements or anything that could have side effects?

[kansasrose]

I take effexor, zyrtec and levoxyl. No changes in meds recently.

[Alice]

Hi,

There are other tests for diabetes or related conditions.I think it would be worth persuing further.What you are describing sounds like it could be sleep paralasis.
Have you asked your dr about that. I don't know if there are any tests that can be run to determine if that is what it could be.

Good luck Alice

[Sheila]

Rose
Get a glucose tolerance test done...you are experiencing many symptoms of diabetes...also ask for a brain MRI to rule out anything there...keep checking until they find what it is.

[kristen]

KansasRose,

Did they do an EEG? I know my neurologist ran one of those before we did the MRI. It was supposed to determine the biorhythms of the brain and help determine if there were any seizure activity. It was a very easy test. Your in an easy chair with the lights off, and a bunch of electrodyes hooked up to your head and you just relax. It might be a starting point if it something other than diabeties.

I sure hope you find out soon what is causing this, nothing worse than the "not knowing". I know I wish they could just put a name to it, rather than I don't know, that is more frustrating than anything. I wish you well soon.

[jojo]

Kansas Rose,

I do not mean to scare anybody about this, but I would like to share a fact with you.

Diabetes do not run in my family, although there are a few of us known to have low blood pressure. Anyway, after all this chemo I have had and now I am on Xeloda, my blood sugar has been affected. I am considered "borderline", meaning that I fall in the pre-diabetic range. Just a few points higher, I turn diabetic. Ask for a glucose tolerance test, which you would have to fast overnight prior to your bloodwork appt.

Good luck!

[Lolly]

Rose, a more accurate test for blood glucose levels (rather than the fasting glucose test), is the A1C ( A One C). It measures your AVERAGE blood glucose level over the last three months, in one blood draw. My husband and I had this test done and he found out he was borderline diabetic; by changing his diet was able to bring his level down into the normal range. If you ARE diabetic, this test will show it.

<3,
Lolly

[al from Canada]

Dear ladies, (wow, JOJO...twice in one night),

Funny that JoJo should answer this post just minutes away from me starting a new thread. I have been watching Linda's blood counts and have noticed a steady rise in lood sugar. She is also on Xeloda. In fact, at the next onc. appointment we were going to ask for metformin as it has been shown to have anti-tumor action when combined with chemo (sugar feeds the tumor of course) and there is a direct connection with insulin resistance and tumor growth.

I was JUST going to post asking how many members have noticed elevated blood / sugar levels. Intuitively, I have the feeling that controlling blood sugar may have a significant positive impact on tumor reduction. There is a very strong relationship with diabetes and some cancers, erp. pancreatic. We should try to dig into this deeper!

Al

[Leslie S]

I am diabetic, diagnosed only by the glucose tolerance test. My A1c's, as well as my fasting blood sugars have always been normal. I had peripheral neuropathy for several years prior to diagnosis so we were really looking for a reason. Explained only after the glucose tolerance test was done. I have high blood sugar spikes after eating and then my blood sugars return to normal. Not the typical presentation. My diagnosis of diabetes was 6 months prior to my breast cancer diagnosis.

[kansasrose]

Well, have had a brain CT with contrast, bloodwork and have discovered that the CT does not show any abnormality, but that the bloodwork shows that my thyroid is, again, way out of whack. I saw the neurologist today, and next week I have an EEG and MRI. The neuropathy I have in my feet, I guess is a result of the chemo. I have weakness on my left side, (had had a left mastectomy) but no signs of recurrance.

I appreciate very much everyones' responses. It is apparent that I know more than most of the doctors, about the way that my past history has affected my body. I'll keep you posted.

Rose

[AlaskaAngel]

The "A1c" is known as the hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c, or glycohemoglobin.

A.A.