Feeling awful....

AnnJohnston

Well-Known Member
Messages
80
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm type 2 and currently taking victoza, metformin and gliclazide but I'm getting started on insulin next week. I had been lowering my carb intake but the last week the nausea from the victoza has been pretty bad so I was eating porridge and bread as I've found I don't get as nauseous with plain food. This shot my sugars up though (25 yesterday afternoon) so I then get bad hyper symptoms. Went back to low carb today and my sugars have came down (9.9 after dinner) but the stomach pains and nausea are horrendous. I'm hoping the nausea will disappear when I stop the victoza and swap to insulin but I don't know where to start with what I'm supposed to eat. I'm so confused! Has anyone else experienced this?
 

ellagy

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,448
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Oh @AnnJohnston that sounds terrible. Are you able to eat eggs? Cheese? Drink coffee with cream? They would be filling and help to bring down your bs. Somewhere on here I read that two boiled eggs can bring down ones sugars. I hope you fell better soon ((((((Ann)))))))
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnnJohnston

nomoredonuts

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,848
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Current American Presidents.
I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it @AnnJohnston
That's quite a cocktail of drugs you're taking, I guess for very high blood sugar on diagnosis. Any of them could be the culprit but Metformin is well known for nausea and stomach upsets.
Everything is new to you at the moment with the low carb so give it time. Most of us can't tolerate porridge without sky-high numbers, and many people recommend bacon (or @ellagy 's eggy suggestion).
Hang in there. Things will get better. Read as much as you can on the forums and please keep posting.:)
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. I would suggest trying to get the carbs down as soon as you can so that the Victoza can be reduced or ultimately stopped. It's main use is to control blood sugar and weight where there has been excess of both. Has the GP given you a c-peptide test to check your natural insulin levels which can help decide what meds are best? Insulin will normally only help if your natural insulin level is too low. If you are not on Metformin SR (Slow Release) this may help with the nausea.
 

AnnJohnston

Well-Known Member
Messages
80
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I do like eggs, need to make more effort in the morning, have a wee omelette instead of porridge. Thank you

Oh @AnnJohnston that sounds terrible. Are you able to eat eggs? Cheese? Drink coffee with cream? They would be filling and help to bring down your bs. Somewhere on here I read that two boiled eggs can bring down ones sugars. I hope you fell better soon ((((((Ann)))))))
 

AnnJohnston

Well-Known Member
Messages
80
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it @AnnJohnston
That's quite a cocktail of drugs you're taking, I guess for very high blood sugar on diagnosis. Any of them could be the culprit but Metformin is well known for nausea and stomach upsets.
Everything is new to you at the moment with the low carb so give it time. Most of us can't tolerate porridge without sky-high numbers, and many people recommend bacon (or @ellagy 's eggy suggestion).
Hang in there. Things will get better. Read as much as you can on the forums and please keep posting.:)

Thanks for the advice. I was at slimming world for years where carb is king for easy low fat meals. Definitely finding it a challenge.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Freema

AnnJohnston

Well-Known Member
Messages
80
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. I would suggest trying to get the carbs down as soon as you can so that the Victoza can be reduced or ultimately stopped. It's main use is to control blood sugar and weight where there has been excess of both. Has the GP given you a c-peptide test to check your natural insulin levels which can help decide what meds are best? Insulin will normally only help if your natural insulin level is too low. If you are not on Metformin SR (Slow Release) this may help with the nausea.

Not seen my GP in a while and I'm in between consultants at the moment. Will mention it to consultant when I get seen though, hopefully shouldn't be too long a wait. I'll stop the victoza and the tablets when I start the insulin on Thursday. I've been type 2 for 10 years but only having issues for the last 12 months. Nothing has been successful at keeping my sugars low for a sustained period and I'm now really worried about the long term affects of having such high sugars for such a long time.
 

Fox1001

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi Ann,

From my experience, Metformin does have a detrimental affect on your health, I was nauseous and had a really bad tummy, Glycazide doesn't help with weight loss, I've just been put on Linagliptin, and upped my dose of Glycazide, just had a phone chat with my nurse, she offered me insulin, but I'm hoping low carb diet will help me lower my levels, mine at one point were 25.9, does make you feel blooming rough, hope you feel better soon, would be interested to know how you get on with insulin.
Regards Jeff
 

Enclave

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
2,602
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hope your feeling better soon .. Just remember that carbs are sugar when eaten .. so you slice of bread and bowl of porridge is the same as eating a tub of sugar so will impact on your blood sugar levels
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnnJohnston

Robbity

Expert
Messages
6,683
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I hope you're feeling better soon!

Metformin can sometimes cause tummy/gastric upsets, and this can be made worse if you are also eating a lot of carbs (http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045911.php and scroll down to see Side Effects section) so try to keep away from the porridge and bread which may be making things worse..

Robbity
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnnJohnston

AnnJohnston

Well-Known Member
Messages
80
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi Ann,

From my experience, Metformin does have a detrimental affect on your health, I was nauseous and had a really bad tummy, Glycazide doesn't help with weight loss, I've just been put on Linagliptin, and upped my dose of Glycazide, just had a phone chat with my nurse, she offered me insulin, but I'm hoping low carb diet will help me lower my levels, mine at one point were 25.9, does make you feel blooming rough, hope you feel better soon, would be interested to know how you get on with insulin.
Regards Jeff

Hi Jeff. My sugars were also hitting the 20s. Started the insulin yesterday. Humalog during the day which had an almost instant effect. Lantus at night and I'm feeling very foggy this morning but hoping this will settle. Still on gliclazide and metformin along with insulin but hopefully these will get reduced. Good luck with the low carb diet, hope it works for you.
 

ickihun

Master
Messages
13,698
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies
Victoza gave me nausea but metformin didn't. I had different symptoms with both. It sounds to me you're describing my feelings on victoza. Metformin affected my bowels and gagging air burps. Victoza has a unique feeling of unwell nausea mainly.
I hope that helps to determined which is your culprit. Many of us are taking metformin and insulin which works for me.
Ps. Just realised I only need gaviscon when on metformin. (Indigestion)
 

AnnJohnston

Well-Known Member
Messages
80
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
The nausea definitely from the Victoza, would agree it's a unique feeling. Just started insulin yesterday, working on getting dose right just now.