Gaining Weight On Medication

paganess03

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi everyone

Has anyone found weightgain as a side effect of gliclazide? i'm on 3 x 80mg per day and finding weightgain a problem, is there an alternative to gliclizide? ive tried metformin but took a bad reaction to it, Not had diabetis that long so not sure whats avaiable, i'm also have problems with my eyes, blur vision etc, had screening done last month and that was clear also had eye tests and new glasses 4 months ago, Can only be side effects of meds as my BG levels have leved out since meds.. any advice appreciated.

Shelley
 
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graj0

Guest
I was actually losing weight before I started taking Gliclazide and not only did I stop losing weight but I started gaining weight. I wasn't eating more or exercising less, I was keeping a record and my guess is that as Gliclazide helps the pancreas produce more insulin, it's the additional insulin that helps the body store fat rather than create energy for the muscles to use.
 
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donnellysdogs

Master
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13,233
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Pump
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I was actually losing weight before I started taking Gliclazide and not only did I stop losing weight but I started gaining weight. I wasn't eating more or exercising less, I was keeping a record and my guess is that as Gliclazide helps the pancreas produce more insulin, it's the additional insulin that helps the body store fat rather than create energy for the muscles to use.

Did you report the side effects of weight gain on the MHRA website?
Only by people reporting side effects when products are on the open market, will we ever get the manufacturers to list them...



Loving life
 

paganess03

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was actually losing weight before I started taking Gliclazide and not only did I stop losing weight but I started gaining weight. I wasn't eating more or exercising less, I was keeping a record and my guess is that as Gliclazide helps the pancreas produce more insulin, it's the additional insulin that helps the body store fat rather than create energy for the muscles to use.
Thanks graj0, Thats exactly whats happening with me, and i'm not willing to put the weight back on i fought so hard to loose, Are you still on Gliclazide or did you get a change of meds? I'm at my nurse next month so i'm wondering whether to ask for a change..
 

paganess03

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Did you report the side effects of weight gain on the MHRA website?
Only by people reporting side effects when products are on the open market, will we ever get the manufacturers to list them...



Loving life
I havent but i will do, thankyou x
 

paganess03

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
gliclazides biggest problem is that people gain weight by using it. there are many alternatives to it. tell me if you want one.
I'd love to hear the alternatives, that way i can go with a list to my nurse, also look them up beforehand? Thankyou :)
 

Molly56

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,844
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I was actually losing weight before I started taking Gliclazide and not only did I stop losing weight but I started gaining weight. I wasn't eating more or exercising less, I was keeping a record and my guess is that as Gliclazide helps the pancreas produce more insulin, it's the additional insulin that helps the body store fat rather than create energy for the muscles to use.

Am interested to hear any comments on this one as my partner has recently had his prescription for gliclazide increased from 2 x 80mg per day to the maximum of 4 x 80mg per day......also on metformin 4 x 500mg per day (maximum dose)
I was aware that weight gain was mentioned as one of the potential side effects and this seems to contradict the idea of trying to bring his weight down. Due to hip and knee pain I would describe him as relatively inactive and 'excercise' as non-existent.
Am hoping that doubling the dose doesn't just pile on the pounds:(:(:(
 
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graj0

Guest
Am interested to hear any comments on this one as my partner has recently had his prescription for gliclazide increased from 2 x 80mg per day to the maximum of 4 x 80mg per day......also on metformin 4 x 500mg per day (maximum dose)
I was aware that weight gain was mentioned as one of the potential side effects and this seems to contradict the idea of trying to bring his weight down. Due to hip and knee pain I would describe him as relatively inactive and 'excercise' as non-existent.
Am hoping that doubling the dose doesn't just pile on the pounds:(:(:(
Look what popped into my eMail box today. The bit about drugs that make the pancreas produce more insulin is interesting, covers Gliclazide.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/weight/we...+2014+-+T2s+not+on+T2T+Program+++Type+is+null
 
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Molly56

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,844
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. The reason for weight gain with Gliclazide is that it stimulates the islet cells to produce more insulin hence the body can metabolise more carbs (which may then be stored as fat!). To avoid weight gain it is essential to have a low-carb diet if Gliclazide is working for you. Were you on Metformin SR (Slow Release) before? If not, do ask for the SR version to be started as this is a more useful med if overweight than Gliclazide, although you may possibly need some Glic as well. I've never come across a posting about blurred vision from Met or Glic as such - only that from very high blood sugar. Note that Sitagliptin is another med sometimes used as it has few side effects apart from one or two unusal but serious ones and doesn't cause weight gain or hypos. BTW I was on all three of these meds at max dose before insulin raised it's head, but it sounds like your islet cells are working fairly well so you are in a better place.
 
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danielt

Active Member
Messages
34
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
OH was on glicazide just got the doctor to change it back because of the potential weight gain issue now back on metformin from today.
What are your side effects -assume other than tummy upset? Would be interested if your issues are same as my OH!
Had a battle on my hands but hoped it turned out to be a reasonable discussion in the end ....
 

mcha1959

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bad manners , antisocial behaviour
Hi everyone

Has anyone found weightgain as a side effect of gliclazide? i'm on 3 x 80mg per day and finding weightgain a problem, is there an alternative to gliclizide? ive tried metformin but took a bad reaction to it, Not had diabetis that long so not sure whats avaiable, i'm also have problems with my eyes, blur vision etc, had screening done last month and that was clear also had eye tests and new glasses 4 months ago, Can only be side effects of meds as my BG levels have leved out since meds.. any advice appreciated.

Shelley
I must be one of the lucky ones if that's the right term:). Im type two and on insulin 4 times a day plus 4metformin.I've lost two stone over last couple of years
 

lovinglife

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
4,537
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I agree with diabell, you have to still watch your carbs very carefully, I have lost over eleven stone all the while taking gliclizide, I have reduced meds as the weight has come off but never ate more than 90g of carb eating only healthy fats and counting calories to a certain extent, if you find you are having hypos or are very hungry you may need your dose adjusting .
 

bumbles1952

Member
Messages
17
I'd love to hear the alternatives, that way i can go with a list to my nurse, also look them up beforehand? Thankyou :)
I too was putting wt on with gliclazide, I raised the issue with nurse during my 12 month review and requested that sitagliptin be prescribed in place of the gliclazide. She advised that NICE recommended the use of gliclizide, I pointed out that gliclizide is not recommended for overweight individuals, which I am. Eventually we got down to the bottom line which was that my particular surgery did not prescribe sitagliptin because of COST and the only way to have it prescribed was on recommendation from the hospital. I was referred at the end of Feb and am still waiting for the appt! I was on one 80mg plus 4 metformin. I had already reduced the gliclazide to half by reducing my carbs my hba1c went up from 41 to 44. From end of feb I have stopped taking it unless I eat a little more carb in which case I will take a dose. My 1c was 45 at the end of may. I have stopped putting wt on and in fact have lost 8lbs but do not find reduced carbs easy. My bg is never lower than 5.3 without the gliclizide, it used to regularly go down to 4 before meals. 2 hours after food I maintain it below the recommended 8.5. It will be interesting to see if your surgery adopt the same stance.
 
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graj0

Guest
Did you report the side effects of weight gain on the MHRA website?
Only by people reporting side effects when products are on the open market, will we ever get the manufacturers to list them...
Loving life
This happened in 2008 and I was a lot less savvy in those days, I gained about 10kgs at the time. I'm delighted to say that lowering carbs to about 80gms -100gms a day, about a year ago has enabled me to throw away the Gliclazide. Lowering carbs helped me lose weight for the first time since I stopped taking Rosiglitazone, another diabetes drug that buggers up your ability to lose weight or even keep a steady weight. I suppose there's going to be an element of "we're all different". Throwing the Gliclazide out the window obviously helped me to continue losing weight, three stone in all, but it stopped in April and I'm still trying to get to the bottom of it. It's not simple and any advise on the workings of the Krebs Cycle will be warmly accepted, mine's broken.
 
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jack412

Expert
Messages
5,618
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
gliclazides biggest problem is that people gain weight by using it. there are many alternatives to it. tell me if you want one.
Why would the op want to buy into your book scam ?
I thought you were sorted a couple of weeks ago.
 
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mpe

Well-Known Member
Messages
300
Hi. The reason for weight gain with Gliclazide is that it stimulates the islet cells to produce more insulin hence the body can metabolise more carbs (which may then be stored as fat!). To avoid weight gain it is essential to have a low-carb diet.

Insulin is required for liver and fat cells to take up glucose. This is for any reason, including lipogenesis.
It also has a "fat storage" effect of causing fat (regardless of if it is from food or produced by the liver) to migrate from lipoproteins into fat cells. (Also inhibiting liposis within fat cells).
In effect insulin "encourages" cells to use glucose. Both by making it easier for glucose to be transported into the cell and by making fats (and fatty acids) less available.

The actual issue with T2 is abnormal insulin resistance, cells failing to take up glucose when insulin is present and the level of glucose (pyruvate) is low.
The idea behind increasing insulin levels (either by drugs or insulin injections) is that sufficiently high levels of insulin will be effective.
Even though this is likely to be repeating the same process which the body tried in the first place. With high levels of insulin also tending to increase insulin resistance.
 

AlexMBrennan

Well-Known Member
Messages
385
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'd love to hear the alternatives, that way i can go with a list to my nurse, also look them up beforehand? Thankyou
There are essentially none - Metformin is first line treatment because it helps with insulin resistance without major side effects, but if that's not enough then a cocktail of drugs is added to increase insulin production, up to insulin injections. Those drugs work the same way, and will have the same problems with weight gain.
 

jack412

Expert
Messages
5,618
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi everyone

Has anyone found weightgain as a side effect of gliclazide? i'm on 3 x 80mg per day and finding weightgain a problem, is there an alternative to gliclizide? ive tried metformin but took a bad reaction to it, Not had diabetis that long so not sure whats avaiable, i'm also have problems with my eyes, blur vision etc, had screening done last month and that was clear also had eye tests and new glasses 4 months ago, Can only be side effects of meds as my BG levels have leved out since meds.. any advice appreciated.

Shelley
Vision is because your BG is coming down. Which affects the lens, it will settle
To cut weight you cut carbs which cuts meds
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
 
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graj0

Guest
Metformin is first line treatment because it helps with insulin resistance without major side effects, . . . . . .
I wish that was true for everyone, I would call having 10 bowel movements a day and being afraid of going any further than 10 metres from the bathroom a major side effect. Doesn't affect everyone and I know that the sustained release version is better. Also a lower carb content in the diet helps with "the runs".
 
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