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Anyone on the Ascend Plus trial?

Allacake said:
I gave up two weeks into the 7mg phase due to nausea and dizziness. At risk of falling especially when rising from seated position. I’m told it will now take two weeks to lose the dizziness. Lost half a stone, but overall not a happy experience.
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What a shame it’s not worked out for you.
I’ve found the nausea isn’t as bad on the 14mg as it was on the 7mg. I’ve obviously built up a tolerance as time’s gone on. Is there anyone here in the more advanced stages of the trial? How are the side effects for them now?
 
I am 15 months on treatment and I still get nausea regularly as a result I lose appetite. However, it’s not as bad as it was when I was on 7mls. Honestly, I am not very concerned about the symptoms especially as I have lost more than two stone in weight since I started the trial. I suppose your symptoms will become manageable as time goes on. Hang in there. All the best
 
I’ve just commenced the first stage of this trial and this is my second day. I felt a little sick yesterday but not so bad today. Is it too early for my appetite to have dropped this early or is it wishful thinking. Any info would be interesting to hear.
 
I've been on the trial for about 7 weeks and am just about to finish my first orange bottle. I've had some really funny turns on these tablets, terrible nausea, feeling light headed and terrible constipation - but I have lost 7.5lbs and am feeling much better this week. My appetite had also diminished rapidly and if I over eat I feel sick straight away. I'm determined to keep going and keep thinking of the good days I too am praying that I get the "real deal" in 6 weeks time and not a placebo, but I think I will be able to tell fairly quickly with my side effects. If I am on a placebo, I plan to stop and talk to my doctor to see if I can be prescribed the med - I don't see the point of carrying on with a placebo for years.
 
I started with side effects pretty quickly. I find even now that I often feel a bit queasy within an hour after taking the tablet and it then wears off as the day progresses. I can have the awful reflux and burping all day though depending on what I eat first thing.
 
Sally66 said:
Just thought aid start a discussion here for anyone on the Ascend Plus trial by Oxford University.

Started my “Run In” phase yesterday and so far so good. No side affects other than fatigue. How are other folks doing?
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I've just been invited to participate but I'm not sure whether to do it as my blood sugar is back to normal now.
 
My blood sugar was also normal (but at the high end of the normal range) when I started the trial 31 days ago, and I still take metformin. I discussed it on the phone with one of the trial doctors and decided to go ahead. I think it's an individual decision. For me, the possibility of weight loss and further reduction in blood sugar was attractive. I've completed the 28 days on the 3mg dose and just started the 7mg this week. I had minor side effects (funny tummy, fatigue, a bit of lightheadedness and a weird headache) for the first 4 days or so on the 3mg, but they faded and were gone by week two/three. So far not much change on the 7mg. I've lost 11 pounds so am happy. My home blood pressure readings are also better. Will see what blood sugar is like at my next test in September.
 
Thanks, that's helpful. My blood sugar is 38 and stayed at that even with reduced medication. I have lost some weight but would like to lose a little more so will likely fill in the form and ask to speak to a nurse/doctor befor going ahead.
I appreciate you taking the time to answer.
 
After just 6 days of taking tablets I’ve had to give up and stop this trial. Unpleasant visual disturbance and migraines from day 2 so feel this is too many headaches for me to cope with particularly as the tablets get stronger it could get worse.

I’d be interested to know if anyone else has struggled with migraines too.
 
So I started this trial last Summer and after some initial tummy issues found that it settled down. The big change for me was the food noise disappeared. I have also found that I don’t want to eat as much and I try to avoid certain foods which I know upset me.
I have lost over two stone in weight so clothes size , blood pressure etc all improved.
I take the tablet very early in the morning to ensure I can have my breakfast at usual time
 
Well, I had my diabetes review today. Physician Associate did it, not my usual nurse from the diabetes team. At one point the PA had to leave the room to consult with the senior diabetes nurse but hey, since when were we important enough to get specialist teams on our case?

Any way I requested Semaglutide as a treatment as it was successful when I was on the trial - reducing both blood sugars and weight but all that stopped at “randomization” - clearly on the placebo. Despite well controlled BS, cholesterol etc my initial 7kg weigh loss at first diagnosis (assisted by Ascend too) has over the last two years gone up 6kg.

My bmi falls into the “obese” category but it’s not high enough to qualify for Semaglutide. Of course, I’m free to walk into the pharmacy and pay £100-£200 per month for it no problem.

Here we are then, there is a drug designed to support people with diabetes (not just the vain and rich) but it is denied as a treatment by the NHS even thought their own calculator classifies me as obese and it’s clear that my low carb diet alone cannot shift the excess weight.

I swim 1 km a day which is equivalent to a 4 km run. What more can I do? Oh, the PA suggested “weight training” to build up muscle mass. That’s it folks. That’s the total support/advice offered. I pointed out that have a hip and knee issue which swimming, thankfully, doesn’t affect. All I now need to do is go and put some stress on those joints down at the gym and all will be fine - apparently.

In fairness to the PA she did say she would discuss my case with the team but I’m not hopeful. I’ll let you know the result.

I’ve battled 11 months to get off antidepressants after being on them for a decade. I don’t want to go back on but know this will affect my overall mental health and fear a decline into full diabetes burnout. The PA acknowledged that diabetes is a progressive illness and that as time goes by it gets harder and harder but they won’t give me Semaglutide to delay that issue.

The thing is, the trial will prove the benefits and I’m sure the 5 year timing of it will coincide with the patent to produce it becoming universal (only in Denmark at the moment) and cheaper. So in 5 years we’ll all get it. We’ll be further down the line with diabetes progressing even further by them and we could turn back the clock on that if we had it now but no we can’t have it unless we are rich enough to afford it commercially. This isn’t right and it isn’t fair.
 
Physician associate got back to me and told me I didn’t meet the criteria for Semaglutide. Instead she offered me a Shakes and Soups diet based on 800 calories a head for 3 months then introducing normal food. Apparently you are advised to avoid exercise on the early stages of this as your low calorie rate doesn’t give you enough energy.

I have a good diet, my levels are controlled but I need extra help to shift my bmi into a normal category. There is a drug that can do that but I can’t have it. Feel utterly despondent.
 
I got rejected from the trial because I had to answer that I had had cancer treatment in the past two years. In fact, I have been taking a daily leukaemia pill for the past seven years with almost perfect control. Anyway, my GP has prescribed Jardiance, which goes some way to alleviating the disappointment.
 
Hi
I have been on this for a couple of months. Been on 7mg for a couple of weeks. Im fasting 16:8, which i did before the trial. Ive asked a couple of questions, and will probably be chucked off the trial for asking questions, and being Nurodiverse, not knowing the answers to the questions they asked me. Anyone else had issued with this? Its horrible being made to feel stupid! I wanted to do this trial, as its tablets and not injections.
 
They told me today, that they are probably going to remove me from the trial, as I asked when I could expect to loose weight, they said it was not the right trial for me! Wish I never asked a question.
 
Hello all
I have just sent the letter back saying I would like to be considered for the trial. How long does the process take from sending the initial 1st letter back to hearing whether you have been accepted for the next stage?
 
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I was told today,by trial team, it's not for loosing weight, but for heart health. They said it would Kickstart my pancreas, I'm getting confused.
 
Bongos said:
Hello all
I have just sent the letter back saying I would like to be considered for the trial. How long does the process take from sending the initial 1st letter back to hearing whether you have been accepted for the next
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I started treatment at the beginning of June. Here is my timeline:

6 March: Date of first letter inviting me to take part. I replied next day.

7 April: Date of second letter with more info enclosed, saying they would be in touch again soon.

21 April: Received email inviting me to complete screening assessment.

As I had a 3 week holiday booked at the end of April, I was advised to delay the screening assessment until I got back.

16 May: I completed the screening assessment via email.

20 May: Date of letter informing me that I had been accepted for the trial and that my first pack of study tablets were on the way by post. I received them within a week.

Hope this helps.


Bongos said:
Hello all
I have just sent the letter back saying I would like to be considered for the trial. How long does the process take from sending the initial 1st letter back to hearing whether you have been accepted for the next stage?
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Amazing ! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, that is really helpful as there is no indication on the original letter
 
Oh that is strange. I have just had cancer of the womb. No further treatment needed. Going back on the trial in the next two weeks. Lower dose because of side effects.
 
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