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Gliclazide for overweight diabetics

D

DebbieAnnW

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I saw my GP two days ago, and because my HbA1C was 109, she decided to add Gliclazide to my medications (already taking Metformin 850 three times a day). She didn't take ,much notice of the fact that I have been actively working on reducing my sugar levels by following the LCHF diet - and that I have actually been quite successful! When I got home with the Gliclazide I did a quick check on line, just to be sure, before starting - and discovered that this medication is not usually recommended for overweight/obese patients. I am in that category - and having lost weight recently - I don't want to gain it all again! Has anyone else noticed an unwanted weight gain from Gliclazide?
 
Hi DebbieAnnW, do you test? If you are low carbing and add a new BG medication your bg can get too low so be careful
 
I lost over 11st on gliclizide, I started off on max of 160mg twice a day and I am down to 40mg twuce a day, in my opinion I found it was the feeding the hypos that would affect my weight loss, only taking the minimum amount of glic you need should stop the weight gain, it's a balancing act, if you find you are going low regularly you may need to reduce your meds, of course don't do this without consulting your health care team
 
Totto said:
Hi DebbieAnnW, do you test? If you are low carbing and add a new BG medication your bg can get too low so be careful
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Thank you for the reply. Yes, I do test, regular and often - to hell with the expense! If I do start on the Gliclazide, I will keep an eye on the levels - I get what I think are hypo type of feelings now....but when I test, they aren't! They are low for me, of course, because my body was used to readings in excess of 15. My concern is that the gliclazide will make me gain weight, because at the moment my weight is coming down quite nicely on this LCHF regime.
 
lovinglife said:
I lost over 11st on gliclizide, I started off on max of 160mg twice a day and I am down to 40mg twuce a day, in my opinion I found it was the feeding the hypos that would affect my weight loss, only taking the minimum amount of glic you need should stop the weight gain, it's a balancing act, if you find you are going low regularly you may need to reduce your meds, of course don't do this without consulting your health care team
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Wow! congratulations on the weight loss...which has given me hope that perhaps I can take the gliclizide? Why does it say that this medication is not recommended for overweight patients - what does it do that will stop weight loss? Hate having to take drugs...but if my body needs them...they will go in! I love my fried breakfasts, (low carb of course) - but my fried brain is not so enjoyable! So much to learn and remember aaaaargh!
 
DebbieAnnW said:
Thank you for the reply. Yes, I do test, regular and often - to hell with the expense! If I do start on the Gliclazide, I will keep an eye on the levels - I get what I think are hypo type of feelings now....but when I test, they aren't! They are low for me, of course, because my body was used to readings in excess of 15. My concern is that the gliclazide will make me gain weight, because at the moment my weight is coming down quite nicely on this LCHF regime.
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How has your BG changed since you started LCHF? And what readings do you aim for?

In my view our first aim must be to reduce BG to normal or as near normal as possible and then start to think about weight. Happily these two often go hand in hand when on LCHF. HbA1c above 100 is high indeed so I can understand your GP but on the other hand it's possible she doesn't know much about LCHF, very few of them do it seems.

Have you seen this site? http://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes
 
Oh, forgot to say it is a know phenomena to feel hypo when you go from high readings to more normal. Then there is low carb flu and it can take up to a few weeks before your body has got used to running on ketones. Plenty of water and some extra salt helps with that.
 
I'm overweight, but had lost 2 stone, my DN put ne on gliclazide and I gained back 1 stone in 3 months, although it brought my levels down beautifully, now on metformin, januvia and forxiga which seems to be working, due my next ac1 next week, weight gained has been lost and stabilised again, I don't LCHF per say but I do try and keep the carbs down
 
Totto said:
Oh, forgot to say it is a know phenomena to feel hypo when you go from high readings to more normal. Then there is low carb flu and it can take up to a few weeks before your body has got used to running on ketones. Plenty of water and some extra salt helps with that.
Click to expand...
I am aiming for normal levels, and mine are coming down daily. This morning I had an 8.1 fasting - my lowest yet, and yesterday I had a 7.1, 2 hours after my low carb evening meal. The difference between what I eat now, and what I used to eat - well, the weight SHOULD be dropping off me - but it isn't....so maybe I have "low carb flu" - I must read more about that. And "ketones" - I mentioned that to my GP....well, you would swear that I had just told her that I planned on taking heroin!
tbh, I think the GP has based the addition of gliclazide on my last HbA1c, which was taken when I had JUST started doing the LCHF diet, and was not interested in the way that I was bringing the levels down myself with just the metformin...despite my little red diary with all the numbers and the daily menus. I wish I could trust my GPs judgement.....but I don't. I have learned more in my few weeks on this forum,, than I have learned in the several years since I was diagnosed.
 
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