VICTOZA users

Re: VICTOZA

Other meds other than Victoza? Oh yes, I do indeed. In fact Victoza can only be prescribed in my health region if at least one other T2 (to max dose) med is issued alongside. I take 4 x 500mg metformin SR and 1 x 30mg pioglitazone, which gave me a HbA1c last time of 6.1% and my team are happy for me to stay hovering around the 6% because I have experienced a few home tests very close to hypo and feeling a tad squiffy.

Re: VICTOZA

Wow, hobbs you are great mine feild of information that makes tnings clearer for me. Am up to max dose of sitaglyptin as asked if it could be increased, instead of me taking gliclazide and was told no as it is the max dose. Had no idea it reflected on rules of being prescribed victoza! Thanks for that knowledge.Am up at my gp`s tomorrow with a clearer angle of it all, have decided to give victoza a whirl. Am i right track with expect them to continue keep me on sitaglytin [januvia]? whilst start new drug victoza. I also take lisinopril for hypertension would this clash with victoza??? anyone know??? Anna.

Re: VICTOZA

As far as I am aware and according to BNF (the Dr's guide to meds) the BP meds you are on will not clash with Victoza.

Re: VICTOZA

Phew! thank goodness for that, many thanks for looking it up for me. Am forearmed ready with some facts for tomorrow. Thank you. Anna.x

Re: VICTOZA

Hi all, I am back once more. I am now on full dose of metformin. BS still between 7 & 12. I have however put on 4 lbs this week. I can only think I overdid it on the hols. Might have to put up the victoza to 1.2 after all, but wont relish going through all the symptoms again. Will see what the next week does. :?: :?: :?:

Re: VICTOZA

Valeris said:

Hi all, I am back once more. I am now on full dose of metformin. BS still between 7 & 12. I have however put on 4 lbs this week. I can only think I overdid it on the hols. Might have to put up the victoza to 1.2 after all, but wont relish going through all the symptoms again. Will see what the next week does. :?: :?: :?:

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If you're worried about going up to 1.2 on one go, how about increasing by 2 clicks of the pen per day over the next 5 days and making the 10 extra clicks up to 1.2 dose gradually.

Re: VICTOZA

Valeris said:

Hi all, I am back once more. I am now on full dose of metformin. BS still between 7 & 12. I have however put on 4 lbs this week. I can only think I overdid it on the hols. Might have to put up the victoza to 1.2 after all, but wont relish going through all the symptoms again. Will see what the next week does. :?: :?: :?:

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Hi Valeris. Nice to see you keeping us updated.

How about attacking this on a more positive view........

Firstly, concentrate on the causes of the weight gain and lack of reduction in Bg numbers. Think about the root cause.......food maybe....carbs maybe......?

That may be a way to avoid upping the medication which has to be a good thing. If it is inevitable even after all your best efforts, then Hobs idea might work........me, I prefer the less meds route any day ........ :wink:

Re: VICTOZA

I think I will still leave it a week and see if my usual diet reduces the weight again, before upping the meds. I am mainly putting it down to being on hols and no PC access, which probably gave me the munchies :wink:

Re: VICTOZA

Hi all
Well ive been on victoza now for 2 months now and i feel great, best ive felt for many years.MY BS are in the normal range, ive lost so much weight i am now the lowist weight ive been for over 15 years!! i still got another 3 stone to lose, but i no i will lose it. All the side affects have now gone and i still can only eat small amounts of food.The best thing is people telling me how healthy and good i look.

Re: VICTOZA

Hi PT.
What a great result ........

Well done you for putting up with the side effects, sticking to the plan and just doing what you know works for you. I am sure with your great positive attitude that in itself has a great deal to do with your success. I am sure your goals will soon be met. All the best ! :wink:

Re: VICTOZA

Hi. Went to my gp`s monday gave him my agreement to give victoza a whirl? He is unable to prescribe it to me directly, and has referred me to diabetic specialist at local hospital as a likely candidate for this drug,[his exact words!] is this normal procedure? apparantly gp and surgery diabetic clinic can only put referrals into diabetic specialist in hospitals to prescribe this drug, is this actually the case? luckily am already seeing this specialist [for my feet] on the 4th of jan 2011 so my gp will fax him letter thro.Am flying totally solo and blind on rules etc for the prescribing of this `victoza`and am still confused!!! Please explain? Even worse is the complex information of the low carbs diet? Are there any short and sweet books on this to guide and educate me in simple format!???? Am mind boggled with all the do`s and don`ts of it all. I avoid BEIGE foods due to my diverticulitis bowel disease and do try my best to eat healthy. Need to be pointed in right directions am bit lost at the mo! Anna.

Re: VICTOZA

anna29 said:

Hi. Went to my gp`s monday gave him my agreement to give victoza a whirl? He is unable to prescribe it to me directly, and has referred me to diabetic specialist at local hospital as a likely candidate for this drug,[his exact words!] is this normal procedure?

It can be normal for that to happen. It is all down to the local PCT guidelines and policies. In some areas GP's are not allowed to prescribe this drug.

apparantly gp and surgery diabetic clinic can only put referrals into diabetic specialist in hospitals to prescribe this drug, is this actually the case?
As stated, this is all down to the policies in the area you are in.

luckily am already seeing this specialist [for my feet] on the 4th of jan 2011 so my gp will fax him letter thro.Am flying totally solo and blind on rules etc for the prescribing of this `victoza`and am still confused!!! Please explain?
Simply this. You should be on at least two oral anti-Diabetic drugs, usually at the maximum levels and have poor control of Bg levels. Also taken into consideration is the mental and physical effects of the poor control. Your Body Mass Index should be more than 35.
That is the criteria which is normally followed before the drug is prescribed. Having said that, some Endocrinologists will go outside of the criteria and prescribe it even if you do not fulfill all the protocols.

Even worse is the complex information of the low carbs diet? Are there any short and sweet books on this to guide and educate me in simple format!????

I suppose it might seem complex if you are used to following the NHS 'healthy eating' advice. It is really very simple, a reduction of carbohydrates to levels which will control Bg levels. There is a Newbies guide to low carbing if that is what you mean.......or are you just looking to reduce the level of carbs you consume, which is slightly different and what myself and Sue advocate in our guide for the newly diagnosed, which is in 'Greetings and Introductions.'

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7215#p64246


Am mind boggled with all the do`s and don`ts of it all. I avoid BEIGE foods due to my diverticulitis bowel disease and do try my best to eat healthy. Need to be pointed in right directions am bit lost at the mo! Anna.

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Although you have other issues which need to be considered when deciding what foods you should consume, many other members have even more complex problems and seem to manage to reduce their carb consumption without any adverse effects. I wouldn't recommend a high fat diet though.....that could be bad in your circumstances.

Re: VICTOZA

in the same boat as anna (well re the referal) i got refered to diabetic clinic who took all the relevant samples. the consultant then aggreed i can start on victoza.

i now have all the "parafanalia" for using victoza (can you believe the doctor forgot screw on tips for the pen) but i have been told to wait til 30th december to be shown how to inject

sounds crazy but cant wait to get started as from start till now im on about 22 weeks :wink:

Re: VICTOZA

norried said:

in the same boat as anna (well re the referal) i got refered to diabetic clinic who took all the relevant samples. the consultant then aggreed i can start on victoza.

i now have all the "parafanalia" for using victoza (can you believe the doctor forgot screw on tips for the pen) but i have been told to wait til 30th december to be shown how to inject

sounds crazy but cant wait to get started as from start till now im on about 22 weeks :wink:

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All sounding positive....... Apart from the delay of course.

So, keep us updated with your experiences and ups and downs of your time with Victoza. The more information we get in this thread from actual users the better it will be. Good luck.......

Re: VICTOZA

Was thinking of asking administrators if I could do a daily diary of a victoza user with weight bg levels mood side affects all included might be a good idea

Re: VICTOZA

Good idea in theory, however a small summary of results etc is really all that is allowed. Not on a daily basis as it then becomes a Blog. That would be too much information.

Blogs at present are not allowed on the Forum but a link to a personal blog can be posted in 'Other Forums and Blogs.'

This area is mainly for questions and answers, with updates. So, keep the posts short and sweet please.

Re: VICTOZA

Hi all

havn't been on the site in a while, but i thought i would update with wats been hapening

Have recently been switched from Byetta to Victoza, been on it for 2 weeks now.

Was on Byetta for 16 months or so and side effects never really settled down. Was constantly feeling sick to vommitting on a regular basis accompanied with the squits. Blood sugars were all over the place constantly up and down but i did get a good A1c but this was due to highs and lows rather than stable sugars.

i lost about 3 stone in weight, but felt ill all the time was tired and washed out then my sugars rose to high levels regulary in the 20's A1c rose from 6.3 to 9.2 then 11 within 6 months , so the doc's decided to move me to victoza 2 weeks ago.

The difference is amazing, slight sick feeling but nothin i cant cope with, have just increased to 1.2 dose and my sugars are coming down nicely, there now hovering around 10 and yes i know thats still high but there still coming down and today am in single figures for the first time in about 6 months.

I feel great have bags more energy and dont look like a zombie (well only in the mornings!!!) am sleeping through the night, my appetite has decreased and i can actually eat food without bein sick.

Am actually lookin forward to christmas now i can function again.

Yes i am worried about it causing thyroid cancer in rats, but i would rather take my chances and live a normal life using victoza than half function with Byetta. I cant believe i lasted 18 months on Byetta, if i didn't have the support of my husband after a few weeks i would have thrown it out the window!!!!

Juliexx

Victoza

A wee while back I asked about victoza well I finally got it been on now for 6 days bit of indigestion but not bad. Thing is I'm eating such small portions less than half I would normally eat blood sugars coming back down to reasonable levels 5/6. feeling good.

Re: VICTOZA

Just an update of how I am getting on with Victoza, this has far been the best drug for me in controlling my diabetes. My latest tests show my levels are 6.0 and hasn't moved for 6 months so I am stable now. Next month it will be a year since starting it, at the time I was my surgeries Guinea pig, I was the only one on the drug, and as a result the GP has now more patients on it and taken most off Byetta because of the side effects. If they ever took this off the market I think I would cry...it's a great drug and works wonders.

Re: VICTOZA

Kay957.
Good to see you are doing so well on Victoza. Well done.

Interesting point you made about patients being moved from Byetta to Victoza. Side effects. It seems some can't tolerate what are usually the initial responses and so move over to Victoza, however we have also seen those on Victoza who have had problems with side effects and have moved to Byetta......I think both are extremely effective drugs, just that as individuals we all have different tolerance levels.

In some cases I think that putting up with things for a little while allows the body to get used to the drugs and any side effects are then minimal. I like the idea of only one jab a day though.........