Newly diagnosed - Gliclazide

[abainbridge]

Hi All,

Feeling a little lost.

I'll introduce myself. I'm Alex, 31 with two young children. I am very overweight - currently weighing 147kg but did weigh 160kg at the beginning of my diabetes journey. It was an unexpected diagnosis. I went for a blood test to check something else and my bloods came back as 51 (the diabetic range is 48+). I was then told to lose some weight and see what it was like after 4 months. I lost some weight and my bloods came back as 47 (pre-diabetic). 4 months on again and I had put on a few kg and my bloods were back up to 52 (but this did have Christmas included and the doctor expected a spike). At this point, she decided to put me on metformin 500mg, which made me feel awful. I changed to the slow release and no change - in fact, more side effects. I couldn't stomach them and have now been given Gliclazide.

I've been to the doctor today and despite me saying I'm struggling, she says all I need to lose weight and I'll be cured. I asked if I needed to be referred to the hospital to be under the diabetic nurses but she said that it's not common for patients to be referred as they self manage. She wanted to put me forward for a weight management course at the hospital, but I can't do that. It's too intense and I have a young family. There has been talk of slimming world, but I don't agree with it. No mention of a gym membership. I asked her for some tablets that would stop me feeling sick, stop the eggy burps and the stomach cramps and she gave me Gliclazide.

I have asked about Desmond, but it's not in my area, so I can't go to that. I really feel like the blind leaving the blind. I'm completely lost and feel like I've been left to deal with this life long condition.

So my questions are (if you're still reading my waffle):
1. What are the side effects of Gliclazide? Is it better than Metformin?
2. Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with it? Is it as simple as losing weight?
3. Could Metformin not of worked and given me side effects because I don't have it?

If I'm completely honest, I feel like I don't have diabetes. I have no symptoms. When I check my bloods, they come back at around 5.7. Even through my pregnancies, the GTT always came back clear.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
Alex

 

[Ronancastled]

I've been to the doctor today and despite me saying I'm struggling, she says all I need to lose weight and I'll be cured.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Hi @abainbridge, it's a tough diagnosis to take.
I was A1c 52 at diagnosis as well & very overweight, BMI 42.
I did what your doc advised, lost weight rapidly through low carb, reduced portions & exercise.
Guess what, it worked.

You have 2 amazing things going for you
(1) Low diagnostic level
(2) Massive wiggle room with weight

Treat this as a chance of a lifetime, school yourself up on low carb & take a 30 min walk after your biggest meal of the day.
Avoid Slimming World as their Syn Free Foods are all high carb.
Meat, eggs, cheese, nuts are all your new friends.
Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes go on the naughty list . . . for now.

Act now & you can bin those meds for good.

 

[Resurgam]

Hello and welcome.
I found that I needed to reduce my intake of carbohydrate, nothing else.
My diabetes numbers went down and I am classed as in remission. I also lost weight but not deliberately - it just went away when I got my blood glucose into the normal range. My shape is still changing.

 

[Rachox]

Another vote for low carbing here! On diagnosis I dropped carbs, which put my blood sugars right and I lost a shed load of weight without trying too hard.
Here’s a link to a blog from a member here that explains more:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/

Edit to add, make sure you have a meter and check your blood sugar levels carefully, as Gliclazide and low carb could result in hypos, which would indicate that the Gliclazide could be reduced with you GP’s guidance

 

[zand]

I have controlled my T2 for over 10 years by low carbing. I lost some weight initially but am sill very obese. So no, it isn't as 'simple ' as losing weight, for some of us, the weight just doesn't do what it's meant to do, yet we still achieve non diabetic readings.

 

[MaviesDavies2]

Heya
I’m on Gliclazide… I’ve not had any problems with it at all.

Losing weight will help, but going on a low cal/low fat diet is unlikely to be the answer.

Most T2s on here have learnt that eating low carb is the most effective way to get the BGs down.

If you can do some reading around it first, rather than jumping in head first, you can make some sensible choices about how to manage this diagnosis. Personally, the books that helped me get a better understanding were the Micheal Moseley 800 cal book (but I am not advocating taking it to that extreme with a diet! just read it and take away the info). Also Cals & Carbs is a great reference book to gauge what low carb looks like.

If your GP won’t prescribe one, get yourself a BG monitor and start to see what your pre and post eating scores are. (And post additional qs here if you need guidance on using the monitor).

You are totally capable of getting to grips with all this, once you have the info you need, I promise.

You don’t need to totally panic… your scores are still fairly low (my first was 96!) and you don’t have to take drastic immediate action.

Keep on asking the questions, the community on here is amazing.

Good luck!

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I was on Gliclazide full dose for several years with no side effects. With your excess weight, Metformin would usually be the drug to start with. Gliclazide stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin and I have to say many T2s with excess weight and high BS will have insulin resistance and already have too much insulin in the blood. The Glic may therefore be largely ineffective? The Low carb diet is likely to be the best next step. There are further drugs that can be considered such as weekly injectables and other tablets. Losing some weight will almost certainly get your BS down.

 

[Ceppo]

Here’s another vote for low carb. Instead of Desmond look at the courses and publications here. https://www.xperthealth.org.uk/

 

[abainbridge]

Thank you so much for all your replies. They’ve helped greatly and I will continue to do my research - especially into low carb!

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome @abainbridge

I understand it can all be a bit overwhelming and confusing when you get this diagnosis. Like you I was severely overweight (and like @zand I still am but with my blood sugar levels controlled). I lost lots of weight but it didn't 'cure' my condition. Like you I didn't have any symptoms and my HBA1C was only just into the diabetic range. However, diabetes does tend to be a progressive condition if not dealt with. It can be easy to put your head in the sand particularly with young children but your health is important.

I am a low carb person but as @Rachox said you will need to be careful to test regularly if you are on Gliclazide.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[pixie1]

Well done for discovering this site, It will be the best thing ever. it is overwhelming, my Gp practice is next to useless. I did the same load of research. I discovered and confirmed what I found out. I think my HbA1c wad around 53 a little higher than yours.
I turned it around to 48 within 3 months, I had to take a leap of faith, when switched my diet from high carb to low carb high fat.
it worked. I dont know why you have to take meds as you are only 51.
They cannot make you take meds, change your eating habit to low carb. buy yourself a monitor, to keep track of your sugar levels. I had to buy mine, its worth every penny. I still self manage.

 

[stag]

@pixie1 is giving the right advice @abainbridge - low carb is fact- nothing white, bread pasta spuds anything processed if you like porridge get steel cut soak over nite in the pan add cream whatever you like nice simmer for 10- 15 mins stir all the time dont leave it give it the wooden spoon.
The brain needs to survive thus it takes either sugar from your blood or fat from your ass well it did mine lost 4 to 5 stone all together but you are not allowed sugar, sugar is bad so go fat, eggs bacon black pudding you will loose weight the brain is a hunger machine. certain carbs are sugar, cereal etc so check it out and don't eat em, i were 87 habc1 on diagnosis under or around 3 mths later i were 30 so was taken off metformin never had to take them since.also ive never seen the nurse heard from her on the phone once was all so you might have to like me keep a check on yourself, and there is no place better than here for info or to ask a question, the diabetic peeps on here are the best docs.
goodluck @abainbridge
regards stag

 

[Irishmist66]

So do u not need low fat foods ..as in can I eat normal yoghurts and not need skimmed milk

 

[MrsA2]

So do u not need low fat foods ..as in can I eat normal yoghurts and not need skimmed milk

Your monitor will show you want your body can cope with. Many of us spike highly on porridge.
Low fat is generally bad as they take away the fat and replace it with sugar/ sweetners. Start looking at labels, as a rule of thumb anything under 5g carbs per 100g is probably OK.
A nice thick, plain, Greek yoghurt has far fewer carbs than a low fat fruit one.
Skimmed milk is higher in carbs than cream.
MODS or any one, can you post a link to Jo's nutrition thingy for @Irishmist66 ? I can't find it

 

[MrsA2]

@Irishmist66
Have a read of this
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/
Lots of members on here put useful links in their signatures, well worth researching