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Help please .. Advice re Gliclazide

D

Dalaney64

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi I have had T2 Diabetees for a few years but have always managed it with diet and small dose of slow release Metformin To be honest I haven't really managed it well as my numbers were always pretty good . However that has all changed and recently I tested after a few months of not bothering and my levels have gone up really high and even going low carb is not working . Speaking to my diabetic nurse she feels it is now progressing and I need to change my meds and wants me to start Glilazide. I am really worried about this as I understand it can make levels go to low and I live alone and well basically it just scares me. Is anyone else on Glilazide ? and if so is it dangerous ? I'm really concerned but also worried a my levels are so high now . Thank you
 
Ive been on Glic for over 20 years. Yes it can put your sugars low so you need to be testing your blood sugars, particularly before bed and before driving. Ive had a few hypos in my time but nothing that I havnt been able to sort out - I also live alone
If you are in the UK, then because it can put sugars low, you should be prescribed testing strips and a meter by your GP - quote NICE guidance if you have any problems
Gliclizide modified release is less likely to cause hypos than ordinary Gliclizide so get that if you can
 

It would be helpful to have some context.

What are your blood glucose levels like that yo consider to be high?

What are your typical meals like, including what you considered to be low carb?

Any idea about your fasting insulin levels?



Typically a lower carbs diet would demand less insulin. So most of us try to find a level that suits us.
 


Thank you for replying My levels went very high 19.6 the other day and this was several hours after a lunch of toasted sandwich and yes a small piece of apple cake .My levels have never ever been this high SInce then I have been eating very low carb and they are down to around 14 to 16 first thing and then stay around the low teens. After eating they tend to go up 1 or 2 only as my meals are low carb but they seem to stay there much longer whereas before they would come down quickly I was just hoping someone on here was on glilazide and could tell me their experience of it
 
Sorry not sure what a fasting insulin level is
 
I found Glic to be effective in helping me to control my bgl. As a T2D your body should be producing some of its own insulin, which reduces the depth of any hypo's. I personally had regular bouts of low bgl and minor symptoms of hypo, but never needed anyone to assist me get out of one. I was doing LCHF diet, and became what is termed 'fat adjusted' which means that when my bgl drops too low, then my body start using fat for energy instead of glucose, and this also protects me from dropping too low.

My journey with Glic has been very benign, and I have no qualms taking it myself. However, it is not a med to take for long term since it boosts insulin in the bgl, and there is some discussion on whether this causes Insulin Resistance in a T2D, so making things worse long term. I use Low Carb diet as my main bgl control, but keep some Glic at a low dose to allow me to increase my carb levels without needing to worry too much about carb counting - it is a convenience thing with me, but allows me to be more relaxed about things.
I am neither gaining or losing weight, and have reached a good place with it at 67 kg.
 
Hi. The important thing with Gliclazide is to start at a low dose and increase it as needed. This can be 40mg. I actually started on 160mg and this was increased to 320mg after a year or two and then that failed to do anything. It's a normally well tolerated drug but do watch out for hypos until you know what level you need.
 
I started with Glic before anything else because initially my BG was pretty high. Having done low carb for nine months my BG was very good and I dropped the Glic with my GPs approval. Now I never had any real lows / hypos so it wasn't a problem for me, but I have to say that since stopping, as predicted, my BG has gone up a bit. I still have to wait for my next A1c in a couple of weeks and hope that its still good, but for someone in a bad way initially you need to be careful.
 
You say "have always managed it with diet", can we ask what your diet is like?
 
If you stop all pastries including apple cake lol, get rid of bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, all root veg and starchy foods like mushy peas, your weight will steadily drop, your sugars will fall, and with your doctors advice, you will probably be able to drop gliclizide in the near future. I only know this because I have done it. In one month I have gone from 2 gliclizide a day to just 1 and I hope to be off that soon. Oh and you will feel great. I understand your fear about going to low, keep a sweet nearby for emergency, but if you monitor your levels, you will probably not need it. I hope this helps.
 
fasting bloods equals first one in the morning before food. your surprised your high with bread and cake. come on you know better. there is no automatic decline until your on insulin. weigh and carb count everything. including your salad stuff. get back on the low carb diet give it a few months and see if you really do need this new medication.
 
Thank you This is an awful disease . Dropping all those foods is so hard for me but I am trying. To be fair the Apple cake was a one off I don't generally have a sweet tooth but dropping all the other foods you mention has been hard for me. I work full time as a social worker and grabbing meals on the go is a nightmare when you can't have any of those foods . I hate this disease I never know what to eat live on eggs for breakfast lunch as I said is a nightmare and struggle just eating meat and fish and veg for my main meal in the evening.. but that's my reality now..
 
It gets easier. Keep a food log and note down how your bgl responds to food (i.e. eat to meter) and you will build up a recipe book of your own to guide your shopping basket past the NO-NO items. Experience should allow you to be more relaxed, and give confidence where at the moment there lies doubt and worry.

I now shop on auto pilot for some 90% of my meals, and only check the labels for carb count with new items. As a rule if it is below 5g/100g (5%) then its good news, if it is over 20% then its one to avoid. You can run an LC diet without doing full ketogenic, and it will still lower bgl , but takes longer to give all the benefits of keto. But doing things slowly like this will allow better control to avoid hypoland (especially on Glic), And this should help you adjust your medication more safely. I started with a saily target of 120g per day, then reduced it genrly until I reached my keto point. Now I have confidence to vary it as I need to to control my weight (which is now quite static at a BMI of 22 which is where I am comfortably padded)
 
You have done really well ! Thank you for advice. Can I ask do upbeat any potatoes rice and pasta at all ? Nhs guidelines talks about how important it is to incorporate them in your diet but logically it doesn't make sense if they raise you sugar levels. If I'm honest I'm a massive foody and these restrictions are he'll for me but I am determined to battle this and get it under control. What do you eat for snacks or lunches ?
 
For me, cutting potato bread pasta and rice has been very important getting my numbers down. You are right NHS advice says I need some of these, but I don't. I would have been concerned against going against NHS advice, but I was very lucky that my GP (well the one I have adopted now) told me to do some research myself since the NHS is 'slow to catch up'. I haven't eaten bread potato pasta or rice in 11 months, and to be honest I hardly miss them. If they haven't been mentioned yet look at Lidl protein rolls. Enough like bread to make a lunchtime 'portable' snack (half a roll with pate is enough for me these days). Most of the time I actually prefer what I'm eating now. I used to avoid cheese which I always loved, but now I eat plenty. The low fat spread has gone and is replaced by butter. It made enough difference the I'm now off Glic within 9 months.
 
I know exactly what you mean. I love carbs .. I especially love rice and have used it in lots of recipes same with potatoes roasted boiled fried I love potatoes and bread !!!! Oh how I love granary bread . Toasted sandwiches. Ploughmans with soup just love it. THe thought of never eating any of them again actually makes me want to cry !!! How sad am i.
 
If you look upon diet change as a punishment, then it will be hard work for you, instead, turn it into a game, the aim of the game is to bring your sugars to safe levels, and when you achieve that, you will be delighted with yourself, I know, been there myself, drooled over a pasty or a bacon and egg sandwich. Although it's a carbo, I have porridge with either blueberries or raspberries for breakfast, lunch is avocado normally with fish, my evening meal is always based around skin off chicken or fish, I am using herbs and spices to adjust the flavour, if I need a snack, I use nuts, Lidl have big bags of unsalted nuts for pennies, I buy almonds, Brazil's, walnuts, cashews and pistachios, I mix them in a cup, this becomes my snack pot for the day. Mentally tell your self, this is not a punishment, this is a game.
 
Thank you I do love nuts do can definately try that. Do you ever try the low carb substitutes . I have been told Lidl do a protein bread roll not sure how that works but did wonder if people tried them
 
Dalaney64 said:
Thank you I do love nuts do can definately try that. Do you ever try the low carb substitutes . I have been told Lidl do a protein bread roll not sure how that works but did wonder if people tried them
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Most people on here love them so I am sure that someone will come along and rave about them. Me I thought that they were disgusting. There are also other low carb breads around. Not low carb enough for me to indulge though.

If I was you I wouldn't be tormenting yourself with thoughts of what you don't want to eat anymore and I'd focus on what you now want to eat. Oddly it is easy NOT to eat those stodgy carbs once you stop eating them totally.

I eat out about 3 times a week and have done so since the first week after being diagnosed so I am very used to looking at wonderful desserts that other people are eating. My partner even has desserts and eats them right in front of me (with my blessing). He doesn't have to worry about his bgl's so it's okay for him to have curry or battered fish, chips and mushy peas along with his pint or so of beer. Boy do I love it when he's struggling to walk from all that stodge and I'm striding along saying 'come on can't you walk a bit faster.' OOO how things have changed since I was nearly 19st stone and struggling to keep up with him.
 
Dalaney64 said:
Thank you I do love nuts do can definately try that. Do you ever try the low carb substitutes . I have been told Lidl do a protein bread roll not sure how that works but did wonder if people tried them
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Lol, the demon on your shoulder is fighting back, "give me bread in any form!" Nope, My only carbo sin is a small bowl of porridge with lots of berries, this fill me up first thing. Thinking of putting nuts in the coffee grinder, and using instead of breadcrumbs on my fish and chicken, it's your life, will this be a game or a punishment for you?
 
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