Glicazide

EllieM

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Hi is anyone on Glicazide and how long for? my nurse want to change my meds to Glicazide and I'm not sure about it

It's a fairly common T2 medication, generally used if metformin isn't keeping your levels low enough. It stimulates the pancreas to produce extra insulin so if you are given it you should also be supplied with blood sugar testing equipment.

My father was on it for a number of years before coming off it after he reduced his blood sugars by low carbing. So you don't have to stay taking it, but generally people stay on it until either it stops working and you have to go on something stronger, or they manage to reduce their sugar levels by other means (eg a low carb diet).

I guess the question is, what are your blood sugar levels like (or hba1c) and have you got any other means of getting them down?
 

Daibell

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Hi. I was on max dose Gliclazide for several years before insulin. As it stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin it's not going to be of much use if you are a T2 with insulin resistance as your own insulin may already be too high. It can be useful if you are along-term T2 with a failing pancreas or in early stages of LADA. I had no problems with it but you have to be careful with the dose as it can cause hypos. There are articles online about long-term use causing burned-out beta cells so don't use it long-term. If T2 make sure you are controlling the carbs and if a LADA go onto insulin earlier rather than rely on Gliclazide for too long. In my case it just stopped working so went onto insulin but a bit too late.
 

DavidGrahamJones

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I took Gliclazide for several years before low carbing. The delay caused by a GP who told me not to reduce carb intake. Fortunately when I did start low carb my pancreas was still producing normal amounts of insulin, but my insulin resistance was not good. The only side effect I noticed was weight gain which is not surprising when insulin production increases, although that took me a while to work out.