Changing gliclazide for Dapagliflozin - High sugars - Unwell

[greekqueen]

Hi everyone, started Dapagliflozin after a break of 6 years and stopped gliclazide, 4 months ago.

My glucose level was doing well coming down to 54 before changing. Diabetic type 2 for 20 years.

Been feeling unwell since then and sugar level has shot up 12 points. Feel in a total slump after eating carbs taking hours to recover and feeling generally quite unwell.

Gp's alerted me to change after bloods for something else and suggested contacting the diabetic doctors for a review but I haven't heard anything after leaving messages for a few weeks.

I have no gliclazide at home if I needed to start them again as I am on dosette boxes.

Just wondered if anyone else had gone through this?

I was fine on Forxiga previously but had to stop it after an episode of illness in hospital.

Will try the diabetic doctors tomorrow again.

 

[EllieM]

Are you able to check for ketones @greekqueen ? In the (hopefully unlikely) event that these are high you need to phone 111 or go to a&e...

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Find out about diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), including what the symptoms are, when to get medical help and how to prevent it.

www.nhs.uk

If your diabetic team continue to ignore you I would contact the gp for advice....

I hope you feel better soon.

 

[LivingLightly]

Hi everyone, started Dapagliflozin after a break of 6 years and stopped gliclazide, 4 months ago.

My glucose level was doing well coming down to 54 before changing. Diabetic type 2 for 20 years.

Been feeling unwell since then and sugar level has shot up 12 points. Feel in a total slump after eating carbs taking hours to recover and feeling generally quite unwell.

Gp's alerted me to change after bloods for something else and suggested contacting the diabetic doctors for a review but I haven't heard anything after leaving messages for a few weeks.

I have no gliclazide at home if I needed to start them again as I am on dosette boxes.

Just wondered if anyone else had gone through this?

I was fine on Forxiga previously but had to stop it after an episode of illness in hospital.

Will try the diabetic doctors tomorrow again.

Yes @greekqueen. I found gliclazide very effective even after I'd halved my daily dose, with the support of my GP, to 40 mg.
Over some 15 years, I was not aware of side effects, but some patients complain of weight gain.

In December 2018, I was advised to wean myself off gliclazide. There followed a bumpy ride for some 6 months during which I felt quite unwell. Unfortunately, the body adapts to the continued presence of a drug and IME switching to an alternative medication (or dropping it altogether) seldom proceeds smoothly at first.

If your diabetic team do not respond tomorrow, I would contact your gp for advice.

 

[LivingLightly]

Your profile doesn't tell us the type of diabetes you've developed. Might be helpful to update it, if you would like advice from members.

 

[greekqueen]

Thanks everyone, type 2 in post, think I registered years ago and had to do it again.

Waiting on a call back from the diabetic nurses

 

[greekqueen]

Are you able to check for ketones @greekqueen ? In the (hopefully unlikely) event that these are high you need to phone 111 or go to a&e...

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Find out about diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), including what the symptoms are, when to get medical help and how to prevent it.

www.nhs.uk

If your diabetic team continue to ignore you I would contact the gp for advice....

I hope you feel better soon.

Ketones fine Ellie

 

[greekqueen]

Nurse said to do a week of readings and discussed upping Trulicity injection to 4.5 or taking daily tablets as one possible change
Will update next week

 

[LivingLightly]

Thanks everyone, type 2 in post, think I registered years ago and had to do it again.

Waiting on a call back from the diabetic nurses

Yes, you've mentioned type 2 in this thread @greekqueen, but if you update your profile, it's shown on the left of your screen every time you post.

 

[LivingLightly]

Please be aware that gliclazide works by stimulating the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. If insulin resistance rather than insulin deficiency is the chief concern, then gliclazide may make things worse in the long run.

Back in 2003 when I was first prescribed glic, this drawback was never mentioned. We now know most, if not all Type 2s, already have ample insulin circulating, so flogging and horses spring to mind. For this reason, I was advised to wean myself off the drug.

I hope you start to feel better soon.

 

[greekqueen]

Nurse said to do a week of readings and discussed upping Trulicity injection to 4.5 or taking daily tablets as one possible change
Will update next week

Just a wee update, nurse said I could stop Dapagliflozin and within 48 hours my normal readings had halved. Started Gliclazide again when it was put in my dosette box and my readings are a point or two down further. Hopefully for my next Hba1c my usual readings will return. But felt better almost immediately on stopping Dapagliflozin and alongside this my huge new sugar craving disappeared