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Victoza- does it get any better?

G

GeePei

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
So I've been injecting myself with Victoza for a little over 3-4 weeks and I've absolutely hated it. Before taking Victoza, I had tried 4 different oral anti-diabetic drugs with 4 failed results. At first I was put on Metformin when I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. When I couldn't tolerate that, I was placed on the prolonged release version. To encourage my blood glucose to lower further, I was also placed on Dapagliflozin whilst taking the PR Metformin but this wasn't for long as I wasn't tolerating the the Metformin so that had to go. In between changing from metformin to sitigliptin, my doctor took Dapagliflozin off my repeat prescriptions by accident. I didn't question it however as I just presumed I couldn't take it whilst taking sitigliptin. It wasn't until I revisited my endocrinologist that I discovered this wasn't the case and that unfortunately, Sitigliptin had failed in lowering my levels. This is the point where I am put on liraglutide (Victoza).

If I had known then, what I know now, I don't think I would have even thought to have said anything about the side effects of Metformin. I stuck to that medication for 3-4 years before I was eventually put on the Sitigliptin and it was 3-4 years of bad stomach aches. But that was nothing compared to the side effects of Victoza. I don't think I have ever been more sick in my entire life. I've had every common side effect of Victoza and can't be away from the house for more than an hour due to them. I haven't lost any weight either (I've actually gained weight) so that is really disheartening, considering how ill I am whilst taking it.

Do the side effects get better? How do people deal with them? Any support or advice is greatly appreciated...
 
I am on victoza and am lucky not to have had any side effects.
I was told that I would lose loads of weight. In fact have put weight on
 
I don’t suffer from side effects with the victoza but don’t think it does much to help. I too suffered with metformin and even worse with the slow release one. I do need to take omeprazole though but this is now down to about 3 a week. Hope it gets better soon for you. If it doesn’t go back to your GP or endo!
 
I was on Victosa for about nine months before being put on trulicity. Didn't like either . Now on Insuman 25 twice daily ,struggling to get the doseage right as while I get a low morning reading it goes up to 13\16 by evening . Better than the readings on Victosa or trulicity and no side effects but very tired .tried Victosa with Metformin but too many problems. Best get onto insulin as it's not a big deal if you have injected.
 

Thank you for sharing your experiences! I was hoping that I wasn't the only one who struggled with victoza. After hearing how you've been placed on an another medication, I am going to go back and speak to my endocrinologist to see what they suggest.
 
You're very fortunate to not have experienced side effects from Victoza but it's very interesting to hear that you don't think it helped. Did your blood glucose levels not improve whilst taking it? I think I'm going to go back and speak to my endocrinologist about it.
 
GeePei
I’m currently on Victoza (newly diagnosed 5 weeks ago T2 steroid induced) along with Metformin - it was OK for the first week, then I had bouts of D&V every third day. But for over a week I’ve had D&V so bad that I’m dehydrated. Plus I have these awful bad egg burps and chronic wind - my guts growl and gurgle. The past two days I have developed bad breath too - it’s disgusting.
My GP has advised me to stop the Victoza for 3 days to see if symptoms clear. If they do then I will need to let the diabetic team know and see what they can do.
 
I have since discovered that the D&V was a nasty bug and not the Victoza.
 
Hi I've spent the past week reading about other people's experiences with victoza. I'm in my second week on it now taking the 1.2 dosage. Yes I've lost weight but that's probably because nothing stays put for long! I'm slowly building a list of foods that are "safe" to eat. Having dealt with the nausea from metformin I thought I was on a winner ... never thought it could be any worse until I started with victoza. I found tonic water and spring water helps. Now I'm getting the sulphur burps. Gone off coffee (my all time pleasure when I got up), I can't stomach hot meat in particular the smell of lamb. Potatoes ( again a one time favourite) go straight through me. I'm really hoping this will all pass ... I've been diabetic for a while now and it's only been a change in jobs that has caused my blood counts to rise. I'm a cook! I can't eat at work dealing with food all day. Too tired to eat when I get home. Who would have thought that not eating would do that to my sugar levels. Have lost over 70 pounds ... 25 since taking on this new job. I used to be a regular at the gym .... pre victoza.
Feeling really low at the moment.
 
Lolix1963 said:
I have since discovered that the D&V was a nasty bug and not the Victoza.
Click to expand...
Just over similiar bug. Antibiotics and buscupan have fended it off. Left with anaemia to treat for 3mths. No relation to Victoza either.
 
ally1 said:
Am ok on the higher dose thank you
Not noticed any difference with weight lose
Click to expand...
I lost on Victoza but the nausea was horrendous with on/off sickness. I couldn't concentrate on anything. I was OK on 0.8 but once 1.3 I was ill.
 
ickihun said:
I lost on Victoza but the nausea was horrendous with on/off sickness. I couldn't concentrate on anything. I was OK on 0.8 but once 1.3 I was ill.
Click to expand...

Like you the side effects were horrible. I had to come home from work today thanks to nausea, dizziness, sickness and diarrhea. ... not to mention the sulphur burps. I can't afford to miss work. I don't get paid. I decided to put my science degree to work and have read a few journal articles on victoza doses. I want to persevere with it but have to work as well. Going to try a more gradual increase to my target dosage. Watch this space! Feeling miffed at having to miss work but happier to take control of my body and future as a diabetic.
 
I have been T2 for 24 years now i was on three types of tablets and then suddenly my control went out of the window. I have been on metformin and victoza now for 5weeks it has helped with reducing my sugar levels. I did get horrible full feeling along with nausea but now all settled. I also take Omperazole at night to protect my tummy.
Only time will tell and all of react diffrently. I am loosing weight i have lost 7.7kg since i stopped the glicazide.
I hope you get better soon.
 
I’ve had to stop Victoza again because my liver enzymes have gone bonkers. They are not sure if it is the cause. I had a scan yesterday (waiting on results) but in the meantime my glucose levels have risen again.
 
 
I have explored a different approach with Victoza which may help others. I am T2 for over a decade and have followed the route most others have, starting with Metformin. My journey arrived at Ozempic and then followed 5 months of
diarrhea and incontinence and finally stopped. I was put on to Victoza, starting at 0.6 mg rising to 1.2. Not long after (couple of days) I was back to all I had wrestled with using Ozempic. My diabetes team wanted to move me on to insulin, but I did not, because Victoza has many other benefits, especially risk of cardio vascular issues. So I went back to 0.6 starting dose. NOW THE GOOD NEWS: I started at 0.6 and then increased the dose by one (1) click of the pen per week. One click = 0.06 mg The following day I had bit of abdominable gurgling which settled after about 24 hrs. I continued the journey towards 1.2. One week the gurgling was more pronounced and lasted a bit longer, so I stayed on that dose for 2 weeks, then returned to one click per week and after 12 weeks I reached 1.2 WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS. I know everyone is different and I was told that what I had done was very unconventional, but hey - it worked and is still working. So I hope I may have stumbled onto an approach that might well work for other people. I should also mention that I have an extreme form of IBS which makes this class of drugs difficult to tolerate, but this gently, gently approach managed to creep past the IBS with no reaction. I hope this might work for you, it`s definitely worth trying. Good luck.
 
ally1 said:
I am on victoza and am lucky not to have had any side effects.
I was told that I would lose loads of weight. In fact have put weight on
Click to expand...
I've given it all up and now I just inject with bleach! What've I got to lose?
 
 
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