How long for side effects

[Ticktac]

Hi 1st post, I was put on metformin after and week came of as side effect where to much, I will just say the wet room look very nice, so then went on to fox tablet sorry can’t remember full name, but it was slow release, after 2 weeks I stopped taking it because of side effects again very bad, 52 and never had problem down there, now on Sitagliptin 100 mg a day, have been getting side effects from this aswell, how long do I give this med before I stop taking due to side effects? I am typ 2 Last blood test was 64, any help advise would help, nurse said if I don’t do this 9ne then it is insulin injections?

 

[ziggy_w]

Hello @Ticktac and welcome to the forum. I will tag @daisy for some really helpful information, which she will post on this thread for you.

Many of us here control blood sugars by diet. My blood sugars were a lot higher than yours and by changing the way I eat, I have been able to come off all medications and now have non-diabetic blood sugar levels.

As you are on Sitagliptin, you would probably want to talk to your GP or nurse before embarking on this. A low-carb diet can be very effective and combined with the effect of your medication could get you into hypo territory. Do you have a meter to measure your blood sugar levels?

Have a read around the forum and fire away if you have any questions. There are lots of knowledgeable, friendly and helpful members on this forum, who will be eager to help.

 

[Ticktac]

Hello @Ticktac and welcome to the forum. I will tag @daisy for some really helpful information, which she will post on this thread for you.

Many of us here control blood sugars by diet. My blood sugars were a lot higher than yours and by changing the way I eat, I have been able to come off all medications and now have non-diabetic blood sugar levels.

As you are on Sitagliptin, you would probably want to talk to your GP or nurse before embarking on this. A low-carb diet can be very effective and combined with the effect of your medication could get you into hypo territory. Do you have a meter to measure your blood sugar levels?

Have a read around the forum and fire away if you have any questions. There are lots of knowledgeable, friendly and helpful members on this forum, who will be eager to help.

Thanks for getting back, I don’t have a meter nurse said I don’t need one, she was not happy that I stopped the other med, I do take a lot of other medicine and I don’t think nurse really understands.

 

[Mick1959]

Hi Ticktac, and welcome to the forums.

I was diagnosed in February, and have undertaken the low carb high fat diet, and can attest to its effectiveness, it takes a bit of getting used to, and I made some small modifications to suit my life style, but I have now lost over 8kg's.

As for the meter, it is worth investing in one, even if you have to self fund, because, without one it hard top determine how your levels respond to different foods, exercise, and so you can adapt to provide the options for you and see the results accordingly.

This will not happen over night, and is a long learning curve, but I have found it a meter a very useful tool in helping me control my levels.

Without one it will be all guess work.

 

[ziggy_w]

Hi @Ticktac,

I agree. This is what most of us are told by GPs/nurses.

However, to understand what is going on and how our bodies react to different types of food it's invaluable. The rule generally is to measure right before food and test again two hours after the first bite. The rise should be no more than 2 mmol. As you do this, you will probably find that foods containing too much sugar or too much starch will lead to much higher blood sugars. We are all different though and you might find you can get away with some foods, I wouldn't be able to get away with.

Maybe, it would be an option to ask your nurse if you could try for a period of three months to lower your blood sugars by diet alone and to come off the sitagliptin for this period -- especially since you say you have problems with it anyway. She might agree. I have found that going low-carb has also helped with weight loss, blood pressure and better cholesterol ratios (overall cholesterol stayed the same). This also might help you to get rid of some more medications in the long run.

You might want to have a look at the following thread:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/page-690#post-1764347.

Here some of us post what we eat on a daily basis and what works for us.

 

[Ticktac]

Hi Ticktac, and welcome to the forums.

I was diagnosed in February, and have undertaken the low carb high fat diet, and can attest to its effectiveness, it takes a bit of getting used to, and I made some small modifications to suit my life style, but I have now lost over 8kg's.

As for the meter, it is worth investing in one, even if you have to self fund, because, without one it hard top determine how your levels respond to different foods, exercise, and so you can adapt to provide the options for you and see the results accordingly.

This will not happen over night, and is a long learning curve, but I have found it a meter a very useful tool in helping me control my levels.

Without one it will be all guess work.

I did think that about meter but nurse said no, she is not very helpful, I have other medical issues which I don’t think have been taken into account, eg, walk with 2 sticks, can walk about to the road, I do try also I am on 10 mg morphine patches, so pain is a factor, it just seems like hay have another illness , take this and done. The nurse even tried to take blood pressure with small cuff lol I need the large one I ended ripping of the small one half way though , sorry for sounding like a moan head

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Do get hold of a meter if you can and ignore the standard NHS advice on this; it's about money. It's a pity about the Metformin SR as most people do tolerate that well. Sitagliptin is usually fine but again you are unlucky. It can be taken with any diet approach as it stops working as your blood sugar reaches a good level. It works by blocking an enzyme that the body produces to switch off the pancreas after a meal. The drug therefore extends insulin production but doesn't cause hypos. There are a few other tablet approaches such as Gliclazide which is commonly prescribed. This stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin and a small dose might help you? It's worth trying the other tablets before insulin assuming you really are T2 and not late onset T1. Discuss options with the DN. I had to suggest Gliclazide to my diabetes expert (!) GP which he agreed to when Metformin didn't do anything for me.

 

[Ticktac]

Thank you fo r replay, I was put on the si tablet c ant remember name that did not agree, now I start injections onc e a day they called Victoza, the pen will be pre-filled , they say this will help with heart aswell, I feel very lost, the nurse could no5 answer how does this work, as not heard anyone hav3 T2 injections

 

[Stronggirlsclub]

Thank you fo r replay, I was put on the si tablet c ant remember name that did not agree, now I start injections onc e a day they called Victoza, the pen will be pre-filled , they say this will help with heart aswell, I feel very lost, the nurse could no5 answer how does this work, as not heard anyone hav3 T2 injections

Victoza works in a similar way to sitagliptin. It is essentially a synthetic version of a hormone which works after a meal. It encourages the pancreas to produce insulin as well as stopping the liver from producing glucose. It also signals to the brain to make you feel fuller. These type of drugs are extremely effective for type 2 diabetes at lowering blood glucose and weight reduction and there are some studies which have shown long term cardiovascular benefits.

Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects, but if you can tolerate them for a few weeks, it usually eases up.

 

[Ticktac]

Victoza works in a similar way to sitagliptin. It is essentially a synthetic version of a hormone which works after a meal. It encourages the pancreas to produce insulin as well as stopping the liver from producing glucose. It also signals to the brain to make you feel fuller. These type of drugs are extremely effective for type 2 diabetes at lowering blood glucose and weight reduction and there are some studies which have shown long term cardiovascular benefits.

Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects, but if you can tolerate them for a few weeks, it usually eases up.

Thank you, I just hope something works as the tablets are not for me, I am surprised because never had side effects from any drugs before, and am on a lot so have to be careful what I take. I am very nerves about the injections as I don’t do painat all, already on morphine patches but still have a range of pain, I know I will get used to it well I will have to, I have a irregular heartbeat as it is and on beta blockers for that so this one sounds a good one for me, let see what next Thursday bring x