How likely is diabetes?

[MikeGrant (imported)]

As i get ready to start Androcur, one of the side effects I have read about is diabetes. None of the info I have found states how likely it is, or if its inevitable. Just wondering if anyone has any information. Thanks.

[MikeGrant (imported)]

I have read the old links on here, but most people who posted seem to have had type 2 before castration. I am a vegetarian, slim and active, do eat lots of carbs, but burn them.

[sparkey49 (imported)]

I was no T after castration for 2.5 years and no diabetics at all! Don't know about Andocur.

[Jorge2008 (imported)]

The likely mechanism for this side-effect is 1) weight gain due to castration 2) diabetes because of the weight gain.

[tugon (imported)]

Before I was castrated I was hypoglycemic. Hypoglycemia is a warning that diabetes is just around the corner. On my father's side of the family diabetes was a problem for many generations. Yes weight can contribute to diabetes but there are a lot of skinny diabetics. Castrated or not I believe I would have been diabetic. Hell a number of diabetic medicines will cause weight gain.

I would worry more about family history. Also anyone can buy a glucometer to monitor your glucose levels without a prescription. You can also purchase home A1C test kits which will show your average levels over a three month period. Diabetes is odd because what seems to help one may not help the next. May you have a good and strong pancreas.

As a 20 year no T eunuch my state of being is greater than the small things I have to do to deal with being diabetic. I would not trade my sense of self or the comfort in my own skin that castration has given me.

[Zebedeee (imported)]

Thanks tugon, that's a very useful and inspiring post.

I've just started taking medication to chemically castrate myself a couple of days ago, and the long term potential of things like osteoporosis and diabetes, etc., is a worry. But if like yourself I can find a state where I'm comfortable in my own skin, then coping with any complications will be worth it.

[MikeGrant (imported)]

Thanks Tugon for your input. I think smart watches can give you a warning if you are heading toward hypoglycemia, or simple old pee strips.

[Jorge2008 (imported)]

I think he actually meant to say "hyperglycemia". Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar (also spelled hyperglycaemia or hyperglycæmia) is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma.

Thanks Tugon for your input. I think smart watches can give you a warning if you are heading toward hypoglycemia, or simple old pee strips.

[tugon (imported)]

No damn it I meant Hypoglycemia. You eat the wrong foods and in the beginning your blood sugar spikes and then you bottom out. Your blood sugar goes too low. Blood sugars used to drop to the low 40's or 30's for me while working at a very active job. When a nurse takes your blood sugar after seeing you sweat and your skin is cold then decides you are not to work until you have eaten the sandwich she has given you. You can only return to work when your blood sugar rises. That is hypoglycemia and please do not correct me again.

[Jorge2008 (imported)]

What you're saying just makes no sense. A "

a warning that diabetes is just around the corner

" is above-normal blood sugar readings. It's exactly what happened with a relative of mine: he had high blood sugar readings for years and years (hype

rglycemia), until developing a full-blown diabetes.

No damn it I meant Hypoglycemia. You eat the wrong foods and in the beginning your blood sugar spikes and then you bottom out. Your blood sugar goes too low. Blood sugars used to drop to the low 40's or 30's for me while working at a very active job. When a nurse takes your blood sugar after seeing you sweat and your skin is cold then decides you are not to work until you have eaten the sandwich she has given you. You can only return to work when your blood sugar rises. Tha

t is hypoglycemia and please do not correct me again.

[_g (imported)]

There are too many variables to say if you get castrated or take Androcur you will get diabetes. If you are inactive and gain weight, which will give you a very high probability of getting diabetes!

_g

[tugon (imported)]

What you're saying just makes no sense. A "

a warn

ing that diabetes is just around the corner

" is above-normal blood sugar readings. It's exactly what happened with a relative of mine: he ha

d high blood sugar readings for years and years (hyperglycemia), until developing a full-blown diabetes.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition that occurs when the sugar levels in your blood are too low. Many people think of hypoglycemia as something that only occurs in people with diabetes. However, it can also occur in people who don't have diabetes.

Hypoglycemia is different from hyperglycemia, which occurs when you have too much sugar in your bloodstream. Hypoglycemia can happen in people with diabetes if the body produces too much insulin. Insulin is a hormone that breaks down sugar so that you can use it for energy. You can also get hypoglycemia if you have diabetes and you take too much insulin.

If you don't have diabetes, hypoglycemia can happen if your body can't stabilize your blood sugar levels. It can also happen after meals if your body produces too much insulin. Hypoglycemia in people who don't have diabetes is less common than hypoglycemia that occurs in people who have diabetes or related conditions.

Reactive hypoglycemia

Reactive hypoglycemia occurs within a few hours after a meal. An overproduction of insulin causes reactive hypoglycemia. Having reactive hypoglycemia may mean that you're at risk for developing diabetes.

[zeebster (imported)]

Thanks Tugon for your input. I think smart watches can give you a warning if you are heading toward hypoglycemia, or simple old pee strips.

I think that when you are going to start using an anti-androgen like Androcur or it's generic equivalent, that keeping an eye on your liver function is a much more critical thing to monitor than blood glucose levels.

I was on the generic Androcur for almost a year before seeing Dr. A. There are some online places now to get labs done because you'll need a Doctor's order to get lab work done and these folks have physicians who will write those orders. You just give them some basic information about yourself, they write the script, you pay for it there online and they give you the locations of the nearest facilities to get the blood drawn.

I've always had a blood glucose level hovering around 100 to 105. The medico's keep changing the criteria for pre-diabetic so technically I'm there but experienced no changes there while on the med. You may want to look at getting some Tamoxifen because if you start taking enough of the Androcur to get to castrate T-levels which will be, at least for me at or near the max per day dosage, you're going to get some breast growth and trust me, those damn breast buds really hurt, but the Tamoxifen stopped that growth for me.

Just a few thoughts based on my experience.

[zeebster (imported)]

double post.

[humlind1 (imported)]

I have not been tild anything, from my doctors,nevrolog or any other health personal about higer risk for diabetes. after castration.

So i take it for granted- It is for a good reason.

Yup i have a strong health. (beside adhd/epilepcy)

But generaly sound training-food regime-drink regulary and make surten not to eat to much suggery stuff.

And at the same time watch our vaight we shoud be golden.

If not i am 100% surten i will be imformed about the danger. they gave me a lot of other things to watch out for.

[MikeGrant (imported)]

Its definitely on the list of possible side effects.

[Freddyjack (imported)]

as a diabetic who is precastrated I can say that you can only get diabetes if your geneticly predisposed to it, castrated or not weight gain is one of the main triggers of diabetes, tooth decay is too, I'm sure there are others but I site those as my triggers for type 2 diabetes, and like I said, I'm precastrated.

[MikeGrant (imported)]

Thanks for the info Freddyjack. i started Androcur today, after a medical this morning where i was given a good bill of health.

[Freddyjack (imported)]

unfortunatly the only current indication of diabetes is professional recognition of prediabetes condition by testing

[tugon (imported)]

unfortunatly the only current indication of diabetes is professional recognition of prediabetes condition by testing

There are some good home A1C tests that will tell you if you need to visit your doctor or not. I was bothered by frequent urination and so I purchased a kit and realized I needed to visit my doctor. Thank you for posting about your diabetes since with family history, castrated or not, it was in my future.

[Freddyjack (imported)]

even though family history is an indicator, i'm the only confirmed case, biologically in my family, to have diabetes, so watch for any of the indicators and discuss it with your dr., i put it off for my reasons way to long and have done non reversable damage that could have been long delayed by proper care.

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

My understanding, from reading and talks with endocrinologists, is that testosterone has an influence on blood sugar levels. In my personal experience my blood sugar levels climb to unsatisfactory heights when I am without testosterone and when I have even low doses of testosterone my blood levels return to nearly normal. I have been told that this is to be expected. I have not concluded that lack of testosterone will cause diabetes but that low or absent testosterone will cause blood sugar to elevate in the presence of any defect in a body's handling of sugars. --FLO--