Are you sure? Its up to you but hold the tablet longer in your mouth and see if then it tastes bitter. If you look back in some posts some people thought it was the placebo then changed their minds. A good indicator is if you do a blood sugar test as if you are on the placebo you sugar will be higher. Good luck.
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Anyone on the Ascend Plus trial?
- Thread starter Sally66
- Start Date
Doddsy1967
Newbie
- Messages
- 4
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
I’m nearly a month in on the 14mg .. I’m sure it’s the placebo as my appetite is back in the evenings , no hypos I was getting some low sugar symptoms but the pill is still bitter. My weight has stayed half a stone below my usual stable pre trial weight so I don’t know
. I think I’ll carry on with it anyway. I did wonder if there was a clue on the pill container. They must have a means of identification I wondered if it was the box on the label mine has an X in it
Mrs Redboots
Member
- Messages
- 17
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Poor you! It does sound as though maybe the trial isn't for you - I believe it isn't for everybody. If you ring them up, I'm sure they would be very sympathetic and advise you to stop. You gave it your best shot, but it wasn't for you!
AllieRainbow
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 244
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
I realised I was on the placebo, and stopped the trial, although I am continuing to fill in the questionaires.
My GP practice prescribed the Rybelsus to me after seeing what a difference it, combined with low carb and exercise, made to my BG and also in terms of weight loss and better liver results. 6 months on from starting the intial run in for Ascend Plus, I am still on the 7mg and have lost 42lb and brought my BG down a lot - I am due to have another HbA1c in a couple of weeks at the 3 month point from the GP practice prescribing Rybelsus and hope to see another drop in HbA1c and a further improvement in the liver results. At this point they may increase the dose to 14mg.
My GP practice prescribed the Rybelsus to me after seeing what a difference it, combined with low carb and exercise, made to my BG and also in terms of weight loss and better liver results. 6 months on from starting the intial run in for Ascend Plus, I am still on the 7mg and have lost 42lb and brought my BG down a lot - I am due to have another HbA1c in a couple of weeks at the 3 month point from the GP practice prescribing Rybelsus and hope to see another drop in HbA1c and a further improvement in the liver results. At this point they may increase the dose to 14mg.
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Jibba Jabba
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 87
I received my Ascend medication in the post on Saturday. Now I have it, I’m getting the jitters about the side effects. How bad is the nausea, does it wear off during the day? Is vomiting common? The reason I’m asking is, I have a small umbilical hernia and am a bit concerned that if I’m putting strain on my stomach through being sick it could make matters worse. I think I’m just a bit nervy
I think it affects people differently, I only get the sickly feeling if I eat or drink the wrong things.
Jibba Jabba
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 87
What do you try to avoid
Helen Luff
Member
- Messages
- 5
Hi, so started the trial on Nov 7th 2025, just had my Diabetic review, my levels have dropped from 48 to 46 HbA1c, I don't know exactly if i have lost weight but my tummy region feels not so bloated, I have had problems with going the loo, all or nothing basically but I can cope with that, I recently completed my questionnaire on line and then received my 6 months supply, the tablet does taste bitter so guessing I am on the medication rather than the placebo. When I eat my evening meals it feels like (when you put fuel in the car and it clicks as the tank is full) that's how I feel .. that did not happen before. So I am moving forward on a positive note, I don't expect to drop Kilo's fast, I just want to slowly but surely lose a few Kilo's (not time restraint) if I go out for meal I have a treat, but day to day be careful on my choices and lets see how this goes for the next five years ..
Helen Luff
Member
- Messages
- 5
Same here especially the diet sugar free fizzy drinks, Savory snacks etc, interesting the pill is communicating with our brains to say no and find an alternative !!
Helen Luff
Member
- Messages
- 5
It is a scary process I know, I felt the same however, after my results from my Diabetic health check came back I had dropped from 48 to 46 HbA1c, so that gave me a boost, I don't jump on the scales often but I do feel my tummy region is smaller .. who knows
I'm 30 days into the placebo/14mg process. I got on fine with the 3mg/7mg doses with no side effects that I could clearly blame on the meds. I lost about 3 kilos which I think is ideal for me. I didn't want a rapid weight loss, so around 1kg a month would suit me fine on an ongoing basis. My Libre glucose sensor showed I was within range 99% of the time, compared to sub-90 beforehand. I felt less desire to eat but enjoyed my food (smaller portions) and I developed a bit of a sweeter tooth which I could indulge without guilt. It was a great thing to be on over Xmas - I ate a little of everything I fancied but wasn't over-eating. I didn't detect a bitter taste to the pills and I didn't get the evil burps that others have mentioned.
I don't know if I'm on the placebo or not. My weight is slowly increasing and my glucose is back down to (just checked) 85% in range. My desire for food is back to pre run-in times. I can no longer eat whatever I want and get away with it. I haven't done the "bitter taste test" of my new pills so will try that tomorrow. The reason for not being entirely sure of what I'm on is that I had a stubborn chest infection for most of January which would have raised my glucose levels anyway.
I want to be on the real meds. I'll wait a bit to see if my glucose improves, post-infection, then I will talk to my GP. If I have no luck I'm prepared to pay for it privately (if I can), as I feel the health benefits will be worth it. I so enjoyed the temporary relief of anxiety/stress from being the "naughty patient" who can't control their blood glucose etc etc . I don't feel listened to when I try to give my analysis of what affects me and what doesn't. My GP surgery isn't interested in my Libre 2 data, which is a shame as many meds that they've tried me on (statins etc) raise my blood glucose, and I feel I'm not given the opportunity to properly weigh up the pros and cons if I report that side effect, and I rarely feel that I have any credibility despite my data. So these types of meds would give me an easy way to achieve more autonomy and reduce my contact with the NHS.
I don't know if I'm on the placebo or not. My weight is slowly increasing and my glucose is back down to (just checked) 85% in range. My desire for food is back to pre run-in times. I can no longer eat whatever I want and get away with it. I haven't done the "bitter taste test" of my new pills so will try that tomorrow. The reason for not being entirely sure of what I'm on is that I had a stubborn chest infection for most of January which would have raised my glucose levels anyway.
I want to be on the real meds. I'll wait a bit to see if my glucose improves, post-infection, then I will talk to my GP. If I have no luck I'm prepared to pay for it privately (if I can), as I feel the health benefits will be worth it. I so enjoyed the temporary relief of anxiety/stress from being the "naughty patient" who can't control their blood glucose etc etc . I don't feel listened to when I try to give my analysis of what affects me and what doesn't. My GP surgery isn't interested in my Libre 2 data, which is a shame as many meds that they've tried me on (statins etc) raise my blood glucose, and I feel I'm not given the opportunity to properly weigh up the pros and cons if I report that side effect, and I rarely feel that I have any credibility despite my data. So these types of meds would give me an easy way to achieve more autonomy and reduce my contact with the NHS.
I have been on the placebo or 14mg for the last 6 months, my bloods and blood sugar have improved so much they have taken me off metformin. So if you feel you are on the placebo it will show on your next bloods and if you are putting weight back on and feel worse you are most likely on the placebo. So my advice is, your health is more important than anyone else's, so tell your diabetic nurse you want the real medication and I am sure they will prescribe it for you and come off the trial.
