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Oral medication side effects

L

longshanks

Member
Messages
11
Hi.
I am a 62 year old male diagnosed T2 3 years ago, the first 6 months diet control, I was then prescribed Metformin, after about a year of feeling strange and a thorough check out at the Heart centre and spending 16 hours in A&E over a period of 7 months my Ticker proves to be ok, by my own means of elimination and experiment Metformin was to blame, change onto Gliclazide,after about a week or so felt odd, change to pioglitazone for about 4 months, palpitations, lethargic, tired, dreading the thought of insulin went back to Gliclazide determined to give it a good go but after about 4 months on 80mg my heart palpitations are back so much so that the other day I went for a routine BP test and the nurse said I had A.F. I have now stopped taking it. My last Hba1c was 56 my doctor wants it down to 50/52. What I need is much more information given to me on the whole concept of dealing and managing this disease, When you visit your G.P. what real info can you get in 5 mins? he just tells me I am sensitive to all the three available anti hyperglycemic drugs and perhaps I should go onto insulin. Surely I am not alone with these side effects they have made my life miserable so far.
 
I'm beginning to think my metformin is causing me chest problems too but what can you do ... I'm trying to get my levels under control so I don't have to take it but in the mean time I will just have to live with ithe side effects :sick:
 
There is another med that they could try you on - sitagliptin or Januvia. It works in a different way to the other ones.
 
Thanks for that, I am now thinking that this drug Gliclacide is giving me hypo's not that I've ever had one,but there again I don't know what hypo symptoms were until I looked them up and yes it's what I have been experiencing. What I need to do is see a proper diabetic specialist nurse (DSN) and get a lot more advice and guidance to what and how to take these drugs. My Doctor is very good but he is only a GP, perhaps if he himself was diabetic the info and advice given would be more informative and practical, he told me that I have had all the anti hyperglycemic drugs Metformin, Gliclacide and pioglitazone. the next step is Insulin, now as above I have heard of
Sitagliptin and Januvia.

Southergeneral6512
like you I have been trying very hard to cope with these side effects but it's just making my life miserable' I have even reported my findings on the M.H.R.A website perhaps other sufferers might like to check it out and do the same.
 
I had a heart attack in April and am now on 10 pills per day (only one doubler) hard to believe there aren't some side effects with that "little" lot :sick:.

It's incredible that the average person is 3 stones heavier than they were in the mid-60s :***:
 
Hi. Sitagliptin is a fairly new drug so your GP my not be aware of it. I've been on it for over a year and it does help with spikes. It works by suppressing an eznzyme that in turn switched off insulin production. It's worth a try before insulin
 
Metformin has a formidable record of safety, but of course any drug may have side effects in some users. do check it out with doctor and pharmacist. it may be something else entirely.
Hana
 
Metformin doesn't lower bg in everyone. many of us take it for its preventative effecs . It is supposed to protect against stroke and heart attack.
if anyoone on oral meds is experiencing hypos hen they are either taking too high a dose or not balancing it well with heir meals and exercise..

Januvia or sitagliptin works best in preventing spikes. It does not lead to weight gain. This can be he most difficult hing with oral meds - as with insulin to an exent. You take the drug which lowers your bglevels but afer a while it causes you to gain weight
which causes a rise in your insulin resistance and you then need o ake more meds etc.

I had readings mostly in the 4s and 5s but my HBA1cs were rising because of liver dumping. I would have sudden spikes of up o 18 if i had SMALL meals in the evenings.
Sitagliptin ironed these spikes out. and my HBAics immediately improved. It is necessary to learn to balance food diet and medication o fit your own lifestyle. Until fairly recenly only consultants could prescribe sitagliptin - and some practices don't wan o because it is realively expensive. It is so effecive however hat more and more practices are prescribing it.
 
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