Type 2 How to continue taking GLICLAZIDE and yet keep a weight off

[Muffins222]

I’m really struggling I’m on metformin 2 times a day 1000mg and I’ve started the GLICLAZIDE I keep having hypos which means I have to keep consuming to keep sugars at bay. But since I started this medication I’ve actually put on a stone I feel so unhealthy so I thought if I stop the GLICLAZIDE I will try and do intermittent fasting and eat less any tips if this is good way of managing ? I’m struggling and feel so depressed I’ve put on weight which took me ages to lose

 

[zand]

If you are having hypos then your dose of Gliclazide is too high. Do you test your blood glucose levels or do you just feel like it's a hypo?

 

[DEBBIESCOTT]

I’m on 20mg gliclazide, started on 80mg & had to keep reducing it because of the hypos (doctor said not to eat up to it), been on it 11 months & not put any weight on
Can you speak to your doctor or DSN & explain to them, they may suggest reducing the dose, I still eat low carb, but have to eat some carbs or I still hypo
Hope you get sorted

 

[Oldvatr]

I used Low Carb diet to reduce my gliclazide dose from 320 mg /day to 40mg/day. I no longer hypo. I have lost several stones weight due to my diet change, and I am neither losing or gaining weight.

The old way of dealing with excess blood glucose was to use insulin or a sulfonylurea med like Gliclazide to increase blood insulin, and this would force the excess glucose into storage as far. So as the numbers went down. the weight went up. So we used to diet to reduce the end product rather than treat the main cause.

There are some new meds around that deal with the excess by excreting it or blocking it from being absorbed through the gut. These have different side effects, and none of them are innocent. They each have drawbacks.

The simplest and arguably safest way of reducing blood glucose is to stop it in the first place by making diet changes. If you scan through the Success Stories section of the Forum, you can see what diets work well.

 

[lovinglife]

What’s your dose of gliclizide? It may need reducing if you are having hypos. Feeding the hypos is what is putting the weight on. I was on max dose gliclizide and steadily lost 10st on it but I had to keep reducing it (with the input from my GP) as I lost the weight until I eventually was able to ditch it completely. Talk to your doctor about getting the dosage right for you, the only time I would hypo on it was if I did a lot of exercise or maybe didn’t eat much after taking it.

if you do hypo don’t go crazy with foods to get it back up. I used to test and if I was below 4 I have a couple of jelly babies or a very small glass of juice and then after 15 minutes test again if I was 5 I wouldn’t eat anything else, if I was below 5 I would have half a slice of burgen bread and then test again in 15 minutes - that would usually do it for me. People often panic and go overboard correcting then end up too high

 

[Muffins222]

If you are having hypos then your dose of Gliclazide is too high. Do you test your blood glucose levels or do you just feel like it's a hypo?

I checked and it use to go down to 4.1 I didn’t let it go much lower as I was checking regularly I’ve actually stopped the GLICLAZIDE till I understand what I need to do

 

[Muffins222]

What’s your dose of gliclizide? It may need reducing if you are having hypos. Feeding the hypos is what is putting the weight on. I was on max dose gliclizide and steadily lost 10st on it but I had to keep reducing it (with the input from my GP) as I lost the weight until I eventually was able to ditch it completely. Talk to your doctor about getting the dosage right for you, the only time I would hypo on it was if I did a lot of exercise or maybe didn’t eat much after taking it.

if you do hypo don’t go crazy with foods to get it back up. I used to test and if I was below 4 I have a couple of jelly babies or a very small glass of juice and then after 15 minutes test again if I was 5 I wouldn’t eat anything else, if I was below 5 I would have half a slice of burgen bread and then test again in 15 minutes - that would usually do it for me. People often panic and go overboard correcting then end up too high

Aww thank you so much for your kindness I think I went over board with chocolates and meals my issue is I use to starve myself so having the hypos is now understandable

So instead of consuming so much I can replace with glass of juice. If it was at 5 I was be worried to eat something as left for hours it would drop lower if feel as if I’m going to pass out

 

[Muffins222]

I’m on 20mg gliclazide, started on 80mg & had to keep reducing it because of the hypos (doctor said not to eat up to it), been on it 11 months & not put any weight on
Can you speak to your doctor or DSN & explain to them, they may suggest reducing the dose, I still eat low carb, but have to eat some carbs or I still hypo
Hope you get sorted

I’m on 80 mg that’s probably why x

Thank you I shall notify my diabetic nurse x

 

[Muffins222]

I used Low Carb diet to reduce my gliclazide dose from 320 mg /day to 40mg/day. I no longer hypo. I have lost several stones weight due to my diet change, and I am neither losing or gaining weight.

The old way of dealing with excess blood glucose was to use insulin or a sulfonylurea med like Gliclazide to increase blood insulin, and this would force the excess glucose into storage as far. So as the numbers went down. the weight went up. So we used to diet to reduce the end product rather than treat the main cause.

There are some new meds around that deal with the excess by excreting it or blocking it from being absorbed through the gut. These have different side effects, and none of them are innocent. They each have drawbacks.

The simplest and arguably safest way of reducing blood glucose is to stop it in the first place by making diet changes. If you scan through the Success Stories section of the Forum, you can see what diets work well.

Thank you so much you all are so kind I’m glad I’ve joined here I didn’t know whom to talk to, much appreciated

 

[Oldvatr]

The 80mg tablet is scored across the middle, and is designed to be easy to break into 2 so you can halve your dose if you choose. This is what I did, and I have an emergency bottle almost full of half tabs left over from my downward path to less scary blood levels.

A Glic hypo is not as severe as an insulin induced hypo since this med is limited in what it can do, and the effect reduces fairly quickly as it is filtered out by the kidneys. Your liver should step in with emergency rations of stored glucose which is one of its designed functions.

 

[Muffins222]

The 80mg tablet is scored across the middle, and is designed to be easy to break into 2 so you can halve your dose if you choose. This is what I did, and I have an emergency bottle almost full of half tabs left over from my downward path to less scary blood levels.

A Glic hypo is not as severe as an insulin induced hypo since this med is limited in what it can do, and the effect reduces fairly quickly as it is filtered out by the kidneys. Your liver should step in with emergency rations of stored glucose which is one of its designed functions.

That’s good idea actually I will try half it but I did actually have a hypo at one point I lost myself it was such a horrible situation to be in. Thank you x

 

[Muffins222]

Thank you everyone for your kind informative replies x