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Changing medication?

L

Ladybird586

Newbie
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Hello all

A bit of advice appreciated :)

I am currently on 2000 mg glucophage and 160 mg gliclazide daily, my last Hba1c was 8.1 my previous was 7.4 and that's when my GP doubled my glucophage dose. When I was at my last diabetic clinic six months ago I told them i felt my symptoms has worsened in the fact I'm constantly tired have become increasingly thirsty and have gone from being a camel to being up two or three times a night for the loo! My DN mentioned byetta but said she would have to refer it to the doctor. She came back about a week later and basically and I quote "we don't think you I'll enough yet to prescribe byetta" !!! I've just had my hba1c dine today and am at the diabetic clinic next week, I check my blood most days and I can't get a fasting test below 14, my question is I feel no better in myself ... Can I demand they change my medication even for a trial period? I'm sure it's down to budget but I'm sick of feeling pants and I'm now getting blurred vision occasionally too.

Any advice appreciated!

X
 
Hi. With your current levels and assuming you are on a sensible low carb diet you do appear to need some changes to your meds; 8.1 is far too high. My GP added Sitaglitpin on top of Met and Glic and that has helped reduce spikes a bit. Have a look at the various Diabetes guidelines on the NHS/NICE Diabetes website for options and what process the GP should be following; the documents are generally very good.
 
I agree. Your Bgs are far too high. Tell them you don't WANT to wait until you're "Ill enough", you expect treatment now. If you're doing all you can on diet and exercise with the meds you're currently on, and do check you are, then more/different meds may be the only answer.
 
Gee, I thought all DNs and doctors received training about the irreversible yet usually preventable complications of poorly controlled diabetes. D'oh! What was I thinking.

Seriously... surely if you told them you are getting blurred vision that might wake them up a bit? If in doubt, read up on the NHS/NICE guidelines (I've been doing that, and I'm not even in your country)... highlight any of the signs and symptoms you think you could demonstrate or persuade them about and drop them into the conversation. Good luck and let us know how you go!
 
Its ppossible that you may have been a victim , not so much of the budgetary constraints but of ignorance! In so many practices now it is all left to the nurse . The doctors know nothing and dont want to know anything about diabetes.
In my practice we have one nurse who is occupied full time with diabetes patients and she has another sister assisting her when necessary. The doctors thus feel justified in referring you to the "Diabetes Specialist ",
Unfortunately she doesn't know much abour T2 medicaion. She has given me advice in the past which could have been catasrophic for me. She has made no attempt to learn anything about the new T2 drugs as she feels all T2s ashould also be on insulin. The last time I saw her we were talking about this and I said that Januvia had been a great successs for me. This was prescribed by the hospital when my opthalmologist had referrred me to the diabeteds dept.. I had believed that practices were not allowed to prescribe it. She said that she could , but never considered it. She also said that there was a "new" injectable drug but she did not even know its name and never prescribed that either!
So you would have had no chance of getting it from her either, Ladybird! Since you mentioned it to them yourself they may have done some research and will know more about it when you go back. If they don't raise the matter with you I should ask them for more details of why they think it is unsuitable for you. If you remain unsatisfied ask for a referral to the hospital .I
Also ask for a printout of your results.

So
 
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