Type 2 Experiences with Sitagliptin/ Januvia?

[gooseteeth]

I've been on Januvia (one 100mg tablet after lunch every day) for about a fortnight now.

I also take 2 500mg of metformin a day, one after breakfast and one after dinner.

The Januvia was prescribed by my endo after i tried to go up to 3 metformin a day and couldn't handle the GI distress. Combined with eating low carb, i was able to get my sugars under 140 post prandial, but still had fasting sugars over a 100.

Post Januvia, I'm having the best sugars of my life (it feels like). Even post meal, i rarely cross 95. Essentially i am always between 80-95 maximum. I have had a lot of nausea (getting better) and the runs (constant, no respite!), but worth these amazing numbers i am torn between wanting to stay on it vs try something else...

Having said all that, I've been researching the drug more, and the links with pancreatic cancer are really worrying. I read Jenny Ruhl 's 'Blood Sugar 101' and am feeling quite hopeless now. Even with very low carb eating and two metformin a day, i couldn't get my fasting below 100. I don't want to give up these elusive numbers i have now, but I'm also afraid to stay on Januvia given pancreatic damage and the continued GI distress.

Any experiences, thoughts, advice, tips welcome... This is a long road.

 

[Oldvatr]

I've been on Januvia (one 100mg tablet after lunch every day) for about a fortnight now.

I also take 2 500mg of metformin a day, one after breakfast and one after dinner.

The Januvia was prescribed by my endo after i tried to go up to 3 metformin a day and couldn't handle the GI distress. Combined with eating low carb, i was able to get my sugars under 140 post prandial, but still had fasting sugars over a 100.

Post Januvia, I'm having the best sugars of my life (it feels like). Even post meal, i rarely cross 95. Essentially i am always between 80-95 maximum. I have had a lot of nausea (getting better) and the runs (constant, no respite!), but worth these amazing numbers i am torn between wanting to stay on it vs try something else...

Having said all that, I've been researching the drug more, and the links with pancreatic cancer are really worrying. I read Jenny Ruhl 's 'Blood Sugar 101' and am feeling quite hopeless now. Even with very low carb eating and two metformin a day, i couldn't get my fasting below 100. I don't want to give up these elusive numbers i have now, but I'm also afraid to stay on Januvia given pancreatic damage and the continued GI distress.

Any experiences, thoughts, advice, tips welcome... This is a long road.

There is a new FDA warning out on this family of meds (DPP-4)

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA warns that DPP-4 inhibitors for type 2 diabetes may cause severe joint pain | FDA

[8-28-2015] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that the type 2 diabetes medicines sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin, and alogliptin may cause joint pain that can be severe and disabling.

www.fda.gov

I think most meds that interfere with our endocrine system have drawbacks and risks. So it comes down to you and your doctor agreeing on a way forward. currently you have a solution that almost meets your requirements, but at the end of the day you can ask to be considered for a different med. I personally did not find Januvia to be effective because I had severe Insulin resistance, and so it did not work at all. I found dietary changes were much more effective in solving my diabetes problem and do not have the IR issue now.

There is also an issue in the USA for Januvia that has been found to contain carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds due to manufacturing issues. The UK has not reported any being issued in the UK.

 

[Claudia 1961]

I've been on Januvia (one 100mg tablet after lunch every day) for about a fortnight now.

I also take 2 500mg of metformin a day, one after breakfast and one after dinner.

The Januvia was prescribed by my endo after i tried to go up to 3 metformin a day and couldn't handle the GI distress. Combined with eating low carb, i was able to get my sugars under 140 post prandial, but still had fasting sugars over a 100.

Post Januvia, I'm having the best sugars of my life (it feels like). Even post meal, i rarely cross 95. Essentially i am always between 80-95 maximum. I have had a lot of nausea (getting better) and the runs (constant, no respite!), but worth these amazing numbers i am torn between wanting to stay on it vs try something else...

Having said all that, I've been researching the drug more, and the links with pancreatic cancer are really worrying. I read Jenny Ruhl 's 'Blood Sugar 101' and am feeling quite hopeless now. Even with very low carb eating and two metformin a day, i couldn't get my fasting below 100. I don't want to give up these elusive numbers i have now, but I'm also afraid to stay on Januvia given pancreatic damage and the continued GI distress.

Any experiences, thoughts, advice, tips welcome... This is a long road.

I am on metformin 2000mga day. My fasting levels were 117 (6.5) and my low carb diet felt too restrictive. I am slim and fit. Started Januvia 4 days ago and this morning fasting level is 90. I have never seen this number fasting. So I am in love. Endocrinologist said “let’s try Januvia , it is the most indolent medicine I can prescribe “ . To me that means other things are ‘worse’. Damage from diabetes vs small statistics risks. I don’t think the risks are immediate so I can reassess after a while. The metformin alone doesn’t allow me to eat more than 12 g carb in a meal.

 

[Deleted member 574368]

Long term use of metformin can cause B12 levels th crash, get your doctor to test/check

 

[Claudia 1961]

Long term use of metformin can cause B12 levels th crash, get your doctor to test/check

All good on that front. Thanks for the advice though. Reminds me to take my vitamin b