› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Diabetes as a side effect of Pembro
- This topic has 9 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 9 months ago by
_Paul_.
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- April 16, 2015 at 9:01 pm
I've been on the MK 3475 clinical trial for almost two years. It's been pretty smooth sailing, joint pain and fatigue were the worst side effects up to now.
All of a sudden my blood sugar has risen, today's fasting was 346 and I've been on Metformin for six weeks and have been watching my diet.
has anyone else experienced this? I'm very worried they will take me off the study.
thanks,
Holly
- Replies
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- April 17, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Hi Holly,
I was a type II diabetic before melanoma. I did first ipi and now I am on pembro. While on the ipi I lost control of my glucose and ended up on insulin. The folks at my diabetes clinic are now saying I look more like a type I diabetic than a type II.
When I was on the ipi I developed hypophysitis, a swollen pituitary, which was my immune system attacking my pituitary. If you look up type I diabetes, it is an auto-immune issue where the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas. So even though this has not been confirmed by either my oncologist or my diabetes doctor, I suspect that the ipi (and perhaps the pembro) have had an adverse effect on my pancreas.
At the time I lost control of my glucose, my diabetes was being managed by my family doctor, who specialized in internal medicine. I was very fortunate to have found an endocrinology team specializing in diabetes that also work closely with my oncologist. I am on prednisone as a result of the hypophysitis, and that wreaks havoc with your glucose. When I was first diagnosed with the hypophysitis, my oncologist wanted to treat it with a high dose blast of prednisone, and my diabetes doctor agreed to watch over me and adjust my insulin while I was on high dosage.
You need to be careful when your sugar is above 300 because you can get into a condition called ketoacidosis, which can be dangerous and is something you would need to be treated at a hospital for. I would highly recommend seeking out an endocrinologist that specializes in diabetes.
– Paul.
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- April 18, 2015 at 11:13 pm
Paul, thank you so much for your response! I've not had any high blood sugar issues until now. Well, once when I was pre-melanoma I was border line but adjusted it thru diet and exercise.
it seemed to me that this just came out of left field! I also did Ipi prior to Pembro, I've been on Pembro for almost two years. I think the two things are related.
Im terrified they will kick me off the study. I'm also fearful that they aren't going to give me the infusion next week.
I am being treated by my PCP but have asked for a referral to an endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes. I'm glad you suggested it, I was beginning to feel like I was over reacting :/
im going to Google ketoacidosis……
thanks again!
Holly
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- April 18, 2015 at 11:13 pm
Paul, thank you so much for your response! I've not had any high blood sugar issues until now. Well, once when I was pre-melanoma I was border line but adjusted it thru diet and exercise.
it seemed to me that this just came out of left field! I also did Ipi prior to Pembro, I've been on Pembro for almost two years. I think the two things are related.
Im terrified they will kick me off the study. I'm also fearful that they aren't going to give me the infusion next week.
I am being treated by my PCP but have asked for a referral to an endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes. I'm glad you suggested it, I was beginning to feel like I was over reacting :/
im going to Google ketoacidosis……
thanks again!
Holly
-
- April 18, 2015 at 11:13 pm
Paul, thank you so much for your response! I've not had any high blood sugar issues until now. Well, once when I was pre-melanoma I was border line but adjusted it thru diet and exercise.
it seemed to me that this just came out of left field! I also did Ipi prior to Pembro, I've been on Pembro for almost two years. I think the two things are related.
Im terrified they will kick me off the study. I'm also fearful that they aren't going to give me the infusion next week.
I am being treated by my PCP but have asked for a referral to an endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes. I'm glad you suggested it, I was beginning to feel like I was over reacting :/
im going to Google ketoacidosis……
thanks again!
Holly
-
- April 17, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Hi Holly,
I was a type II diabetic before melanoma. I did first ipi and now I am on pembro. While on the ipi I lost control of my glucose and ended up on insulin. The folks at my diabetes clinic are now saying I look more like a type I diabetic than a type II.
When I was on the ipi I developed hypophysitis, a swollen pituitary, which was my immune system attacking my pituitary. If you look up type I diabetes, it is an auto-immune issue where the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas. So even though this has not been confirmed by either my oncologist or my diabetes doctor, I suspect that the ipi (and perhaps the pembro) have had an adverse effect on my pancreas.
At the time I lost control of my glucose, my diabetes was being managed by my family doctor, who specialized in internal medicine. I was very fortunate to have found an endocrinology team specializing in diabetes that also work closely with my oncologist. I am on prednisone as a result of the hypophysitis, and that wreaks havoc with your glucose. When I was first diagnosed with the hypophysitis, my oncologist wanted to treat it with a high dose blast of prednisone, and my diabetes doctor agreed to watch over me and adjust my insulin while I was on high dosage.
You need to be careful when your sugar is above 300 because you can get into a condition called ketoacidosis, which can be dangerous and is something you would need to be treated at a hospital for. I would highly recommend seeking out an endocrinologist that specializes in diabetes.
– Paul.
-
- April 17, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Hi Holly,
I was a type II diabetic before melanoma. I did first ipi and now I am on pembro. While on the ipi I lost control of my glucose and ended up on insulin. The folks at my diabetes clinic are now saying I look more like a type I diabetic than a type II.
When I was on the ipi I developed hypophysitis, a swollen pituitary, which was my immune system attacking my pituitary. If you look up type I diabetes, it is an auto-immune issue where the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas. So even though this has not been confirmed by either my oncologist or my diabetes doctor, I suspect that the ipi (and perhaps the pembro) have had an adverse effect on my pancreas.
At the time I lost control of my glucose, my diabetes was being managed by my family doctor, who specialized in internal medicine. I was very fortunate to have found an endocrinology team specializing in diabetes that also work closely with my oncologist. I am on prednisone as a result of the hypophysitis, and that wreaks havoc with your glucose. When I was first diagnosed with the hypophysitis, my oncologist wanted to treat it with a high dose blast of prednisone, and my diabetes doctor agreed to watch over me and adjust my insulin while I was on high dosage.
You need to be careful when your sugar is above 300 because you can get into a condition called ketoacidosis, which can be dangerous and is something you would need to be treated at a hospital for. I would highly recommend seeking out an endocrinologist that specializes in diabetes.
– Paul.
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