Sadly gliclazide

[mrs gimli]

Just had a call from nurse saying my blood test shows I've gone from 50 to 70 on the test and that I now need to take gliclazide as well as metformin.
I'm really cross with myself during covid and no work I was far to easy to slip.. So last two weeks I've been much more in it low carb wise.
There also providing me a monitor and strips.
The nurse said about hypos being under 4 and to have somthing sweet.
Any one have any advice on what it's like.
So cross with myself.
Nurse dragged me over coals too

 

[ert]

I'm sorry you're having a tough time. Here are the symptoms of hypoglycaemia:
Early signs of a low blood sugar include:

• feeling hungry
• sweating
• tingling lips
• feeling shaky or trembling
• dizziness
• feeling tired
• a fast or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
• becoming easily irritated, tearful, stroppy or moody
• turning pale

If not treated, you may then get other symptoms, such as:

• weakness
• blurred vision
• difficulty concentrating
• confusion
• unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness (like being drunk)
• feeling sleepy
• fits (seizures)
• collapsing or passing out

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycaemia/

Everyone is different. I sweat profusely under 3.5. That's when I'm aware something's wrong. If you've been running your blood sugars high, then you could experience symptoms at a much higher normal BS level, which is called a false hypo.

 

[xfieldok]

I would take the strips and ditch the glic.

Record your food and numbers in the mysugr app. It will show you how you are trending. After 3few days you will get an estimated hba1c. The longer you use it the more accurate it will become. If that doesn't work you can always take the glic.

 

[ianf0ster]

It seems like you know what you need to do.
Get back on the wagon. with diabetes it is a marathon, so this is just a relatively small blip - unless you allow it to become more than that!

 

[bulkbiker]

Do you want to take the pills? It is after all your decision.

If you want to continue on your low carb adventure then do so.

Use the monitor and strips to full extent but delay the medication until you see yourself having a lack of success with diet and metformin? Tell the nurse what you intend to do of course.

 

[mrs gimli]

Thank you guys I'm absolutely shamed at myself. Back to work in few weeks at school so low carb stick here I come.
Nurse was quite awful accually and didn't give me a lot of choice.

 

[Brunneria]

Please don’t be ashamed! And please don’t let the nurse taint your self image.

the last few months have been astonishingly stressful for many of us, whether that stress has been concern for ourselves or loved ones, or the tragic deaths elsewhere, or lack of work, or income, and concerns for the future.

you may have fallen off the wagon. Worry not. Tomorrow you start anew. You may already have started.

I’m not going to advise you on whether to take the Glic. No one on here can do that.
However, I will say that if you sort out your eating, your blood glucose may drop far enough that the Glic causes hypos.
If that should happen, then you should discuss your dose with your nurse. Or a different nurse if you (understandably) don’t want another dose of sanctimonious disapproval.

 

[Jaylee]

The nurse said about hypos being under 4 and to have somthing sweet.
Any one have any advice on what it's like.

There are the standard symptoms outlined. Individuals have their own early warnings too.
Dancing lights or shimmering in the lower field of vision, blurred & a little colourblindness?
Cognitive; you may feel like you have walked into a room & forgtten why, simple tasks can feel like "Astrophysics."
If anything feels off. Use your meter. You will discover your own symptoms. Keep those "emergcies" handy just in case. (Hypo treatment.)

Don't give yerself a hard time regarding the meds.
Best wishes.

 

[mrs gimli]

Thank you I'm not starting them until I come back from holiday in UK..
All the advice is gratefully received.

 

[Oldvatr]

I'm sorry you're having a tough time. Here are the symptoms of hypoglycaemia:
Early signs of a low blood sugar include:

• feeling hungry
• sweating
• tingling lips
• feeling shaky or trembling
• dizziness
• feeling tired
• a fast or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
• becoming easily irritated, tearful, stroppy or moody
• turning pale

If not treated, you may then get other symptoms, such as:

• weakness
• blurred vision
• difficulty concentrating
• confusion
• unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness (like being drunk)
• feeling sleepy
• fits (seizures)
• collapsing or passing out

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycaemia/

Everyone is different. I sweat profusely under 3.5. That's when I'm aware something's wrong. If you've been running your blood sugars high, then you could experience symptoms at a much higher normal BS level, which is called a false hypo.

There is a difference between the severity and deepness of a hypo for anyone who is insulin dependent, and those that might be experienced by a diabetic controlling by diet or orals,

With insulin users, the drop in blood glucose depends on the insulin dose, the amount of carbs being digested. The only way to treat an insulin hypo is to give extra carbs, either by mouth, or as injected / infused. Once sugar levels have dropped down to the floor, then they struggle to recover without intervention simply because the insulin is slow to clear and the liver is low on stored glucose.

For gliclazide users, hypo's do indeed occur if dose is too strong for the carbs that are being digested, but the insulin causing the drop is your own and so there are mechanisms to turn off the taps. Glic itself only lasts about 3 hours before it is filtered out, so even if you do nothing, the effect of the drug wears off naturally, and then the liver can act to bring levels back again. There is more feedback control systems to reduce the depth of the hypo

If you are low carbing, then hypo's become more likely when taking any sugar controlling drug. I used to be on max dose (320mg) and gradually reduced to 40mg as my liver started working properly. I decided to keep with this low dose for several reasons, one of which is that it allows me to share meals with my family who are non diabetic carb worshipers. I do not need keto diet and can have toast and potatoes in small quantities so meal shopping and planning is easier.

Glic is my friend. I do not fear it. I understand it and can work with it. The low dose is not caning my pancreas. In the 5 years I have been using both Low Carb and Glic I have not had a single hypo that needed any assistance

 

[mrs gimli]

Thank you all so so much