One of the side effects of hormone treatment for prostate cancer is difficulty controlling blood sugar levels. Recent studies suggest that using a common diabetes medication is beneficial in countering this effect. It isn't, however, part of an approved therapy for prostate cancer - yet.
My recent blood tests show that even after really careful diet control I have a problem. We have been on a no sugar, no high GI carbohydrates, high protein, lots of fibre diet for 8 weeks, and although weight loss has been noticeable, my blood sugar has been high while my energy level has been low.
Thus I am now officially diabetic, which is being treated with Metformin, the drug mention in the study linked to above. I have to admit the results so far have been subtle, but I think I'm noticing a difference.
Breakfast in preparation
I'm kind of enjoying my diet, although it is rather egg, cheese and meat heavy. Breakfast is a problem, unless I want to start having serious cholesterol issues. Thus if you're reading this soon after it's published I'm probably eating porridge oats with oat bran and Greek yoghurt, sweetened with a small amount of no added sugar apple pulp. It's better (just) than it sounds, and I refer to it as breakfast stodge. Susan has been cooking some really interesting diabetes appropriate meals, but we're still looking for a snack food that is tasty without being problematic.
Still - the cancer is being held at bay, and once the hormone treatment stops my pancreas should regain normal function, and we'll have killed two birds with one stone. (But hopefully not another kidney stone, because that's no fun.)
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