Sertraline and type 2 diabetes confusion

[humaira]

Hello everyone

I've been on sertraline now for three months and I wake up with dry mouth.

I tested my waking sugar today and it's 10.2!!!!

My appetite gone up after the initial 3 weeks feeling nauseous from it.

With depression I didn't take my diabetic meds (on 1 slow release Metformin a day) and I keep forgetting to take it...and I'm craving more sugar

I need tips to bring sugar down please. Safely.
I have doc appointment on Thursday to discuss my hb1ac I got done yesterday

 

[CondorX]

Your high fasting BS is far more likely down to your diet and forgetting to take your metformin than anything to do with sertraline......which is generally a safe antidepressant which doesn't affect BS levels. Dry mouth can happen with any medication, sertraline by no means the worst of them, try to stay well hydrated - sometimes side effects have to be balanced against the value of taking the meds.....there are other options if you find the sertraline intolerable, speak to your doctor. But I suggest carefully looking at your diet and trying to take the prescribed meds. What dosage of sertraline are you on?

 

[humaira]

Would fresh juices also affect sugars? Yeah my diet is bad I admit that. I'll get some advice and review my diet and remember my meds daily

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Would fresh juices also affect sugars? Yeah my diet is bad I admit that. I'll get some advice and review my diet and remember my meds daily

Hi @humaira ,

Juice is basically what quite a few T1's use when they're hypo and need to get their blood sugars up fast. It's a lot of sugar with no fibre to slow down the uptake, and it being liquid, hits the system even quicker. So your dry mouth would probably get worse on that, as your blood sugars would go up really fast, and probably, far too high.

You're not on a tricyclic med for the heck of it, and I know it is really hard to take care of yourself when you're depressed. That said, and I'm speaking from way more experience than I want to have here: High blood sugars feed depression and anxiety. The higher my bloodsugars were, the worse my clinical depression and borderline personality disorder got. Suicidal tendencies and all. Not to mention the panic attacks. Get your blood glucose under control a little, and you'll feel a whole lot better, not just physically, but mentally too. I promise you, it is SO worth it! Life is a lot nicer when you get to enjoy living it. Hopelessness kind of sucks the fun out of everything, and it doesn't have to be like that. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help. Also, the dry mouth thing, it occurs with high bloodsugars and a whole lot of antidepressants, so... Try chewing (sugar free) gum to keep the saliva production going. And maybe always have a water bottle handy for a sip here and there.

Good luck!
Jo

 

[CondorX]

Just to clarify, Sertraline is NOT a tricyclic - it is an SSRI - generally much safer and less side effects than tricyclics, which are not widely used for depression in the UK anymore (SSRI= SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITOR - increases the serotonin levels basically. ). Not usually associated with dry mouth, while tricyclics are bad in this regard.........

 

[TriciaWs]

I avoid any fruit juice these days - almost as bad as drinking sugar stirred into water!
A dry mouth in the morning can be caused by several different things, but sertaline is one of them (check the NHS site for common side effects). https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/
I found the best thing is just water - squish some around you mouth then drink a glassful.

I was put on sertraline at the beginning of this year, after getting into remission for T2 diabetes last year.
At the next round of blood tests my blood fats had increased, high enough for my GP to be trying to get me onto statins.
I explained the only changes apart from losing weight very slowly was the additional drug - so I insisted on coming off it and my blood fats have fallen.
I did a lot of searching, and discovered that sertraline and other SSRIs can impact on metabolic syndrome - on our blood sugar and blood fat levels.

"CONCLUSIONS:
Sertraline-treated patients have to be followed up for blood insulin and triglyceride levels. In addition, their treatment plan needs to be adjusted as necessary to prevent possible metabolic changes." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3434892/

And from the NHS site: "If you have diabetes, sertraline can make it more difficult to keep your blood sugar stable." https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/

 

[TriciaWs]

Just to clarify, Sertraline is NOT a tricyclic - it is an SSRI - generally much safer and less side effects than tricyclics, which are not widely used for depression in the UK anymore (SSRI= SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITOR - increases the serotonin levels basically. ). Not usually associated with dry mouth, while tricyclics are bad in this regard.........

Sorry CondorX but dry mouth is a common side effect: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/

 

[CondorX]

Sorry CondorX but dry mouth is a common side effect: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/

What would I know, hey - only been a Consultant Psychiatrist for 30+ years and have had thousands of patients on sertraline........none of which ever complained about "dry mouth" which is very common with many other anti-depressants, but not, in my experience, and in my cohort of patients over the years, with sertraline. But I guess clinical experience means nothing.........most side effects can happen with most medications, especially those used in mental health. I prescribe a lot of sertraline - and 90% of patients have no issues at all on it. But what would I know?? EDIT: sometimes a very wide difference between Dr Google and what we actually see in clinical practice. Not to say it doesn't happen - just not as common as with other types of antidepressant

PS Metabolic syndrome can occur with many combinations of medication in people with insulin resistance / diabetes esp Type 2........one of the reasons why most responsible psychiatrists do physical health checks before prescribing meds and at regular intervals thereafter

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Just to clarify, Sertraline is NOT a tricyclic - it is an SSRI - generally much safer and less side effects than tricyclics, which are not widely used for depression in the UK anymore (SSRI= SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITOR - increases the serotonin levels basically. ). Not usually associated with dry mouth, while tricyclics are bad in this regard.........

My bad, apologies. I can't remember them all, and should've checked.

 

[CondorX]

My bad, apologies. I can't remember them all, and should've checked.

Antidepressants, always controversial and many negative claims. SSRIs generally safe but not without side effects - they all have some, and some SSRI side effects can be awful. But tricyclics really are best avoided these days.