How can you keep from getting diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition that is not uncommon in adolescents and young adults with cancer taking certain medications like steroids.  When taking steroids, a patient's blood sugar rises to a level much higher than normal.  The level is so high that the patient can no longer store the blood sugar for later like usual.  The extra sugar in the body can cause very high levels in the blood and urine, excessive urination, excessive thirst, and even dangerous changes in the chemical balance in the body.  Fortunately, a doctor specializing in diabetes (called an Endocrinologist) can work with cancer doctors to help control the blood sugar and bring the levels back to normal.  This is usually done with insulin.

Diabetes is a problem that doesn't just happen in cancer patients.  It also happens in adolescents and young adults who are overweight and have inactive lifestyles.  If your body is out of shape, it has difficulty processing and storing the extra sugar.  This will lead to the same problems with increased blood sugar that happen when a young person takes large doses of steroids.

If a cancer patient is overweight and inactive, then his or her chances of having high blood sugar while taking steroids is increased.  Although there is no way to prevent diabetes from happening in cancer patients, eating healthy and exercising as much as you can tolerate will help reduce these chances.  Also, it's important to remember that the diabetes that happens while taking steroids will almost always go away when the steroids are stopped!