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Gliclazide

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Rochy

Member
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Was kindly informed by my Diabetic nurse yesterday that the reason Gliclazide isn't prescribed as much as Metformin is down to cost !.

Been put on it now as Metformin causing too many side effects.

Does anyone know anything about Gliclazide ?...on 2x80mg a day.
 
Hi Rochy,
I can't comment about the respective costs, but about the only thing that Metformin and gliclazide have in common are that they are both diabetes medications! They do totally different things and are not interchangeable.

Metformin is a biguanide medicine that works by reducing insulin resistance and suppressing the production of unwanted glucose by the liver. Gliclazide is a suphonylurea medicine and it works by forcing the pancreas to produce insulin. In other words metformin doesn't create insulin but gliclazide does. Gliclazide doesn't help the insulin to work properly but metformin does. Gliclazide is supposed to be prescribed with metformin, not instead of it!

Instructions on prescribing of gliclazide are that it should be started at 40-80mg per day and gradually increased at fortnightly intervals to the maximum dose of 160mg per day.

I hope that it is not your "DN" who is doing the prescribing because she appears to have very little understanding of the various medicines and what they are used for. I am very concerned both at what you have been told and what you have been prescribed, and can only suggest that you go over her head and demand to see your GP.
 
I was on gliclazide for about 4 1/2 years and my weight crept up and up. ( to107Kg!) I decided to drop it. I cut the carbs and ditched the Gliclazide. I do take Metformin, but I'm planning to go off that too.
 
Don't like the idea of weight gain !...seeing as I have to lose a bit ! :|

Had a few contrasting reports on this and some people say it hasn't made any difference to their weight...hope I am one of them !

Same nurse told me that I would not get prescribed testing strips !...I went over her head and e-mailed the NHS who advised it was down to individual GP's to prescribe but if the paitent feels they are beneficial they should be prescribed even for Type 2's...she didn't like this when I told her ! :lol:
 
Hana, my mum was the other way round. She was put on Metformin straight away but stopped taking it after it disagreed with her :oops: Now she's on Gliclazide and Simvastatin. I don't know if it affected her weight or not, but she's been around 16 stone for the last 20 odd years and is rather reluctant to get on the scales Hmmm.

Bubsy
 
Hi
I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 earlier this year, Metaformin was prescribed but to much tummy trouble so Ive been put on Gliclazide which doesnt seem as severe, I also have a statin Im due a blood test soon but have been told they will need to up the medication
 
I've been on Gliclazide for about 2 weeks now (1x80mg along with my usual(!) 4x500mg Metformin SR). My BG has not risen above 7 ONCE! I'm super happy with this but worry that I might gain weight...

:cry:
 
Gliclazide will push BG down whilst your beta cells are still alive. It stimulates insulin production.
Metformin is a safe medicine, but unfortunately can really mess up the digestive system. Try taking it with meals.
I'm lucky it doesn't bother me. I read that it's protective against cancer.
 
PS
I tried to find the relative costs of gliclazide and Metformin, but couldn't. I can't imagine Gliclazide is very expensive; it's a generic. I seem to remember that Metformin is about 10p a tablet.
 
Hana.

Net costs of:
Metformin......0.01p per tablet. (pack of 84)
Gliclazide.......0.02p per tablet. (pack of 60)

Ken.
 
Rochy
By Ken's figures, the cost of Gliclazide doesn't count against Metformin. Both are dirt cheap.
Hana
 
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