VICTOZA users

[edshazell]

Hi Lucy

I am no expert but as I have been on Victoza since the end of June I can add a few comments. First I have found that Victoza does not make you loose weight but it helps you change your diet so that you can loose weight. The biggest loss seems to be at the start when your appetite is really reduced and you feel a bit sick now and again, after time you seem to adjust to Victoza and can eat more but by then you will hopefully have adjusted your diet and can continue to loose weight but at a slower rate. Gliclazide when I was on it defiantly made me put on weight, I am off it now but still on Metformin. You may be balancing out the benefits of Victoza with the problem of weight gain due to Gliclazide, maybe ask your Doctor for their opinion and possibly substitute Gliclazide for something that does not promote weight gain.

Good luck Ed

 

[m1dpq]

To All,

Glicazide affects people in many ways in some it can cause weight gain, but normally when taken with pioglitazone, so if you are taking these your weight will definately go up... (mine did i put on 2.5st in 2 months), so i was taken off the pioglitazone)...

Victoza.. it does say that some people do loose weight, but not all... I've ben taking it for quite a while now, I've had no side effects i started at 0.6mg now on 1.2mg but i take 3 x 30mg of Gliclzide MR a day (MR = Modified Release) so it lasts almost all day... why as Im allergic to something in Metformin...

Weighgt loss, well I'm 1lb short of loosing 5st, being 25st some time ago... but i also go to Slimming World... I eat a healthly eating plan, but as a former chef i tend to make a lot of meals from fresh products rather than processed or tinned... Down to the extreme of experimental cooking, combining odd foods to see if they will work together.. if they do then i add the recipes to the next book i'm writing and will have it published...

The first one "Souper Soups" is already in print and on the Kindle with Amazon .co.uk & .com & .de, .....

I took it to my local Endo clinc and asked the specialist what they thought of it, It was welcomed as well thought out and very good as it is designed as suitable for Diabetics...

At present i have 2 - 3 more on the go.. One suitable for folks who are single, a Dessert book, and a main meals book.. everything is costed and gives the servings, so it can save money in these frugal times...

Breakfasts.. well Porridge has a low GI, so it is good for filling you up... Weetabix is similar.. Scrambled Eggs, with mushrooms and fresh sliced tomato... I could go on but you would only get hungry... lol

If anyone wants or there is a demand for recipes then let me know and i will endeavour to post some in a new topic...

Take care folks..

regards

M1dpq

 

[soultrader]

Hi,

interesting story here for you.

Ive been type 2 for around 5 yrs now.

did the usual, did byetta which worked for a while and then didnt work then got onto victoza.

combination for me is victoza 1.2, metformin 500 X 6 per day plus Actos (pliog whatever its called)

Been on it 6 months now and it controls my sugar well - especially to say at one point i was clocking 20+ on the blood monitor regularly.

theyve told me today that they are taking me off victoza because i havent lost weight.

here's the thing - i'm coelliac - quite sensitive coelliac too. Gluten free food is higher in fat and sugar than normal food, in some cases over 50% higher in fat and sugar! when eating out there are very few choices for coelliacs and most of then are high in the nasties.

so basically if i eat normal (not gluten free) and lose weight i can have the drug but will damage my insides and have lots of pain, if i dont and stick to a gluten free diet then i dont get victoza anymore and my sugar will again be on a yo-yo.

cant win!

I hate our health system!

 

[))Denise((]

Hi Soultrader

I'm not on Victoza, but I am wheat intollerant (I know it isn't the same as coeliac). I don't replace the flour containing things with gluten free equivalents, there is no need. For a packed lunch I will have the sort of things you would have in a sandwich, but minus the bread.

You may find that cutting out the gluten free replacements, you will cut the amount of carbs you are eating and loose weight in the process.

 

[bretaneby]

Hello All
I am new to Victosa having been on byetta for a couple of years.
My query is I am on 1.2 dose but is having almost no effect on my BS.
Is there anyone out there who has had that problem and moved to 1.8 with success.
Today is only my 5th day but I would have thought it was reasonably fast acting.

 

[UKApril]

VICTOZA and shaking

Hi everyone
I started on Victoza in September and have been having shaking fits and weakness, especially in the mornings and after eating. My blood sugars at the time are from 7-9, so not technically having a hypo, although the symptoms are similar. I started on 0.6 and gradually increased to 1.2 but have had to drop back to 0.6 because the shaking was so bad. My HBAC1 has improved a lot so the clinic are keen for me to continue the Victoza, but are considering whether I should reduce the Metformin, I'm on 4 a day at present. I'm really pleased with the way it has reduced my appetite, haven't lost much weight but plan to start dieting again after Christmas, and at least I haven't gained! Has anyone else had these problems, and been able to get over them?
Thanks
April

 

[NoSugarBabe]

Anyone on V had appetite downturn (gr8) BUT then INCREASE!

Has anyone else on Victoza experienced the predicted (by my GP, who stated it as likely) downturn in appetite BUT THEN - after a year or so - experenced an upturn (i.e INCREASE!) in appetite?

This has happened to me after c. 1 year on Victoza (Liraglutide). I have lost loads of pounds (nay, stones) plus inches too, over the last year. Which is great, for several reasons of course :wink: .

Now, however, (nearly a year to the day! that I started taking Victoza) I have noted that my appetite is increasing to something more as it was pre-January 2011.

Obviously something in my metabolism (etc.) must be changing. If the diabetes is getting more under control, then that is great, but the appetite change is such a shame as I finally feel a good weight.

BTW, my medication regime is:
MEDS etc. REGIME [@Jan2012]:
DIAGNOSIS: Diabetes2: diag @Sept2010, but GP said had probably had condition undiagnosed for 10years! :-(
DAILY MEDS: 1 x 1.2mg Victoza (aka Liraglutide); 3 x 850mg Metformin [1 per brek/lunch/supper]; 1 x 4mg Glimepiride [main meal].
Last HbA1c: (at GP appointment May2011) 8.3.
ASSOCIATED DIAGNOSIS: High Cholesterol: DAILY MEDS = 1 x Simvastatin tablet 40mg.

My GP said - at my last appointment - that though it had decreased, my HbA1c was still not what it should be, so I am not yet where I want to be diabetes-wise.

BTW, I can't remember! :roll: where I put my note re what HbA1c was at last appointment, but way back in Feb2011, though it had dropped a bit since previous test, once again my GP said it was still far too high (at 9.3); then in May2011 it was down to 8.3. So I've had a long way to travel since I was diagnosed! roblem:

Has anyone else experienced this change in appetitie? If so, should I be alarmed/what do you recommend as a next step? Obviously I'll mention it to my GP but I do hate going to the surgery these days: it's such a usage of valuable daytime hours!! I prefer to help myself as much as I can rather than just rely(!) on the NHS. Hence joining this forum!! :wave:

 

[ldunn]

Paula Deen is on Victoza: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/paula-deen-hawks-diabetes-drug/2010/12/20/gIQAYtim5P_blog.html

I have had very good luck with it. My hgbA1c is 5.8 and I have lost about 15 lbs. I don't take any other meds with it. I have been on Victoza about 2 yrs. I started on it as soon as it could be prescribed in the U.S. Love it.

 

[mandydowns]

NoSugarBabes

I have also been on Victoza for 14 months and have been eating at an alarming rate recently - put on lots of the weight that I had lost. Dr says that it is depression, but I am not convinced - been depressed before but have always gone off my food.

Just cant seem to feel full anymore. Victoza was wonderful for the first 8 - 9 months but have definitely had a change in my metabolism recently.

Hope you get an answer - I am at the hospital later this month and feel that I may come off Victoza.

Take good care.

 

[NoSugarBabe]

Hi mandytowns

Good to hear I am not alone! (although of course it would be nice for ALL of us if this drug would continue its magic side-effect of weight-loss! :wink: )

Let me know what happens at the hospital: maybe the specialist will have a better idea - better than a GP that is! - re whether this is a potential/common effect of Victoza on some people.

It's such a magic drug in so many ways, it would be a shame to see it fail in this way!

 

[edshazell]

My weight loss has stopped after 7 months but I suspect this may be due to only being on 1.2mg not the full 1.8mg. In the UK 1.2 is the max that can be prescribed it would be nice if we could somehow change that and see what happens.

Ed

 

[NoSugarBabe]

Do you have any more info on the 1.2 UK-limit? This is the first I had heard of it. Seems a bit daft! :!:

BTW: I am on 1.2 Victoza - have been since Victoza was prescribed c. 1year ago. But then I am also on all sorts of other meds for Diabetes2 (see my Profile here at the forum for details).

 

[edshazell]

This link should go to "Nice" recommendations on Victoza.

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TA203

 

[NoSugarBabe]

Many thanks edshazell!

I did not even know that NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) existed! Now that shows how new I must be to this diabetes 'lark' :lol:

At least NICE publicise their decisions on the Web. Good. :clap:

 

[videopro]

I tried 1.8 dose for nearly 3 months. It didn't help, so I'm back down to 1.2, I feel much better for it.

 

[NoSugarBabe]

Interesting, videopro. Makes me wonder - as with cars - WHY they produce a substance that can be issued at 1.8 if the medical professionals deem 1.2 to be sufficient!!

BTW: And with cars, why do they manufacture a car that can go as fast as a "gazillion" MPH, if the speed limit (here in the UK at least!) is 70MPH! LOL! :wink:

 

[edshazell]

I think its down to cost, NICE think that the small benefits gained by using 1.8 is out weighed by the 50% cost increase. I think we should at least be given the chance to try it and if it doesn't work like videopro just drop back to 1.2 but it may work very well so we should be given the option to try it.

 

[NoSugarBabe]

Yes I agree entirely.

 

[videopro]

What is stopping anyone from trying the 1.8 dose. You can always drop back to 1.2 if it does'nt work for you ! As for cost I read recently that the cost of Victoza had been reduced.

 

[edshazell]

In the UK its free on prescription but limited to 1.2 per day, I expect I could try buying extra on the Web or getting a private prescription for the extra but being in a country that is supposed to give free medication at point of delivery to patients with Diabetes why the limit?