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Drugs not working, yet again.

G

greybags

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Been type 2 for many years, and up to about 2/3 years ago, never had any real problems with control.

Approx 2/3 years ago, started having terrible stomach problems, so was swapped to slow release Metformin, and all ok .. Some months after that levels started to climb into the high teens, so taken off what I was on (forgotten name) and put on to something else. All fine and good numbers for about 8 months, then the levels started to climb into the high teens. Changed to something else(cant rememeber what that was either). Again, all fine and good numbers, except once again after 8 or so months, the levels start to climb into the high teens again. This time started on Januvia as well as Metformin, and again, all good with correct numbers except after approx 6-8 months, yes youve guessed it, the numbers climb into the high teens.. Now given Victosa along with the others, and again, all good and numbers stable, but guess what, after about 8 months numbers up yet again.. Off Victosa and on to Bydureon, and Januvia increased. Again all ok, numbers back down and have been since beginning of the year, now I know this is getting repetitive, but the numbers have climbed back up to the high teens..

To make it worse, they dont drop during the day either, start at 17 first thing, pre lunch 15, pre evening meal 17. I try to walk everyday, dont eat between meals, and am fairly active when not walking.

Seeing the nurse next week, and suppose it will be insulin this time ..
All of this time I have watched the diet, and kept the carbs down, but getting a bit fed up now..

Is this just me, or do others have this problem where the medication only seems to work for a relitivly short time and needs to be changed ????
 
Last edited:
Breakfast either, fruit, shredded wheat, or bacon & tomato

Lunch .. soup, or a bit of cold meat and cheese

Evening meal .. varies, from something Italian, Chinese, trad roast, fish, all with various veggy, but very little if any potato.

Although I dont see the connection to my question
 
Well a lot of us have found that by removing carbohydrates from our diet we can reduce or remove medication. As all carbs turn to sugar once ingested then it's better to avoid eating them. Have you ever thought of trying that? Fruit, shredded wheat, pasta, rice, potatoes are all pretty high carb items which will require more and more meds as your body possibly can't cope with the high blood sugar levels.
 
I use plant based "butter" semi skimmed milk and eat porridge for breakfast works well for me
 
Pipsquip_ said:
I use plant based "butter" semi skimmed milk and eat porridge for breakfast works well for me
Click to expand...
We are all unique. What one person can tolerate in regards to diet may be unsuitable for another. No one size fits all in the world of Diabetes. Oh, and welcome to the forum.
 
@greybags

You mention several levels taken before meals, but what are they 2 hours post meal .... especially after that really carb heavy breakfast?

You are starting your meals high, then eating carbs, so you will be finishing even higher and won't have chance to come back down again before it's time to eat again. Medication helps, and your meds should help a lot, but not on their own. A suitable diet is the key to control, with or without meds.
 
STOP all breakfast cereals - do not question this advice
 
Pipsquip_ said:
I use plant based "butter" semi skimmed milk and eat porridge for breakfast works well for me
Click to expand...

Unless BG levels are normal without the use of drugs I would not have anything for breakfast that contained lots of carbs (like porridge).
 
greybags said:
Breakfast either, fruit, shredded wheat, or bacon & tomato

Lunch .. soup, or a bit of cold meat and cheese

Evening meal .. varies, from something Italian, Chinese, trad roast, fish, all with various veggy, but very little if any potato.
Click to expand...

Your body is not good at processing carbs otherwise you would not have type2. Therefore

For breakfast keep to the bacon & tomato
Don't have any bread with your lunch or breakfast
Avoid anything made with floor (e.g. pizza etc)

(potato are less bad than bread as it takes longer for the carbs to be adsorbed, but above ground veg is a lot better)

What are you drinking?
 
I am 71 and have been diabetic since 1995 when I was 49. I am not overweight nor ever have been overweight as I am 64kg only gradually getting to this weight since being on insulin for the last 15 years. Even on insulin I have very frustrating periods of highs for no apparent reason. I'll be tootling along nicely for several weeks or even months and suddenly my sugar levels that were 5 before breakfast can be 10, 12 or even higher and it's a job to reduce them. I increased my insulin but this didn't seem to make a lot of difference. I don't need very much and my usual dose was 5 units of Novorapid and perhaps 6 at evening meal time and I also inject Lantus at bedtime. I used to be on Metformin but stopped, especially as I had to have B12 injections as Metformin is known to cause B12 deficiency. Since stopping the Metformin my levels went up and down for a while but I am going through a lovely few weeks of "normal" levels of 4 - 7 although I get highs before bed but give myself a small dose of insulin before I do my evening Lantus and by the morning am back to 4s again. I reduced the Novorapid insulin to 3 units which I thought might be to do with it going lower because funnily enough, I found that the MORE insulin I gave myself the HIGHER my levels were. I don't know why I get these fluctuations as I don't do anything different, I eat the same and my day to day life is the same. If I could find out what causes the highs I would be able to prevent them and keep to the lows that I have at the moment. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has wildly fluctuating sugar levels.
 
What you eat has everything to with your readings.
 
 
going through the same at the moment, on to slow release and doubled up on gliclazide, sick of it.
 
I am sorry to hear you are struggling as it feels horrible to be high. The medications you have taken are aimed at stimulating your pancreas to make more insulin but as your problem is insulin resistance then getting more insulin into you would increase your resistance so that you eventually need more insulin. So help your body by minimising the insulin it needs by living the Vida low carb.
 
@Gloucestergirl and @flashy158 - Do you currently keep an expanded bllods diary? By expanded, I mean to include what you eat and drink, throughout the day, and how you feel, meaning off-colour/stress/insomia or whatever?

That sort of comprehensive record keeping could provide you with some clues.
 
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