Sitagliptin

Petunia4 said:

Can Sitagliptin 50 mgs be taken twice a day instead of 100 mgs once a day ?
The reason I ask this is because I feel that the effect of the once a day dose does not last the full 24 hours .

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I'm on sitagliptin, 100 mg dose, 1 per day!
Speak to your GP! To find out the reason why you are on the single dose.
Never cut tablets in half.

I was initially put on 50 mg first, but that wasn't enough to be effective.
I'm not sure the half life of the drug, but it should build up in your body to protect you from missing a dose.

Petunia4 said:

Thank you for your reply. I have just started Sitagliptin 100mgs. Please can you tell me how long you have been taking it and do you have any side effects from it ?
Do you find it effective in controlling blood sugar spikes ?

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Wow, good questions for a newbie!

Ok, I've been on it for over two years.
No side effects.
I have it really effective in controlling my spikes, I posted my last OGTT test results on the RH forum. My usual spike was between 11 & 13 mmols from normal levels (4-6 mmols). My last test took me only to 8.7 mmols after one hour from my fasting level of 5.3.
So what that would mean to me was that my hypo would be delayed further. And not as severe.
I have a condition called Reactive Hypoglycaemia, I'm not diabetic, even though I react to carbs and sugars like a diabetic does.
Hope this helps.

Petunia4 said:

Yes very helpful thank you. I too suffer from hypoglycemia due to Glycogen Storage Disease and now am Diabetic Carbohydrate Intolerance. Started off taking Acarbose which not effective enough for Spikes also causes bloating and wind so given Sitagliptin as well. I find the Sitagliptin is giving me headaches nausea and making me drowsy, I am hoping these side effects will lessen in time. I was put on these drugs because they do not cause hypoglycemia.
If these drugs do not work enough the next step will be Rapid Acting Insulin which I do not want.

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I wouldn't want that either with your condition.
However, I still hypo on sitagliptin, it doesn't prevent them from my experience or the tests and trials I've been on, it mainly stops the spikes, by creating more insulin and inhibiting the glucagon, glycogen levels, it is a dpp4 inhibitor.
I too can't eat carbs, my intolerance is really high, I don't do dairy and mainly live on protein and salad, eggs, nuts etc.
If you want to read about RH and how similar our conditions are. Then click on forums, scroll down to Reactive Hypoglycaemia and have a look at how we control our condition.
In my experience, most GPs haven't got a clue about how dietary changes can help with conditions such as ours, and carbs are just carbs and mostly, they have an effect on our bodies and how we feel.
Do have a look at our forum. You may relate to it and recognise similar symptoms, experience and how we can cope better.

Petunia4 said:

I have read about Reactive Hypoglycaemia and yes very similar to Glycogen Storage Disease in the fact that I go hypo 4 hours after a meal because I have a missing enzyme that is needed to convert stored glycogen in the liver back into glucose for energy. How did you get Reactive Hypoglycaemia?

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Unknown!
My endocrinologist believes it just developed naturally.
However, the trigger is carbs and sugars, that is where the blame should lie.
Put in my background, very poor nutritionally, dragged up in relative poverty.
Not enough good natural food, fresh food and fruit etc.
Working shifts, Always had a thing about foods that either made me vomit or the taste of some foods, mainly cooked greens.
Have always had gut and intestinal problems including exploratory procedures in my twenties, had some viruses including a quince that I was on antibiotics for six months, hiatus hernia into my fifties, Helicobacter pylori, which was cured.
Little things, that probably made the whole.
Always been a fussy eater.
I actually liked school dinners, my mum's cooking was shocking!
My diet, because both my wife and I both worked was some meat and other veg with chips except for Sunday lunch which was roast meat, roasties, lots of gravy.
And mostly convenient foods!

Was yours a similar journey?
Or did you have trauma?

I have found in my wanderings that trauma or surgery causes a lot of endocrine problems or blood glucose disorders.

That sort of advice had my brain in all kinds of trouble, anxiety, no confidence, forgetfulness, even depression. I had an awful lot of symptoms that RH or most of the blood glucose disorders have.
I can look back now and say, how did I cope with it and I just did.
Getting my diagnosis and a big change in my lifestyle, eating hardly any carbs, losing lots of weight and eating protein and full fats have given me a new start.
This forum has helped me so much, being in ketosis has cleared my brain fog and I would definitely say that my RH symptoms have gone.
I'm fitter and healthier now, than I was twenty years ago. I work full time, I am so much more active, have great energy levels and I would recommend for anyone who has these disorders to try and control their blood sugars by diet as much as possible.

Have you had a chance to read our forum?