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Victoza vs Metformin

N

Nina26

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I take 3 x 500mg metformin a day suffer terrible stomach pains and loose motions (maybe 2/3 times a day) and am considering changing to Victoza but need more information before I talk to the GP, any more info I can get will be really appreciated. Thanks
 
Hi @Nina26 , have you been put on the slow release (SR) version of this drug? If not ask to try it and see if things improve.
 
I actually found the slow release made it worse.
 
Hi and welcome.
It took me about six weeks to get used to taking 1x 500 mg a day,I did look up other medication and found they dont work the same way as Metformin,so decided to continue woth Metformin and Im fine now,perhaps a smaller dose to begin with would help.
The best thing I did for my BS was a different way of eating,and cut down on all carbs,example potatoes ,rice pasta,and of course sugar.
I replaced with more veg berries,cream ,and butter,all meats fish and salad,and my blood sugar came down in a week.
All the best.
 
You should definitely watch your intake of starchy carbs as these are likely to cause problems.
From blood sugar 101 website, on metformin:
If your problem is gas or diarrhea, try eating less starch. These symptoms are caused by undigested starches reaching the gut where they are fermented by helpful bacteria.

See if this helps you.

Robbity
 
The best way for a T2 to reduce blood sugar is to reduce carb intake. If that doesn't help, then metformin and insulin can be used. Here is some info about the benefits, side effects and risks of canagliflozin, which your profile says you are on:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/36474059.php

Here is info about victoza:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/18538438.php

Here is info about insulin:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15478720.php
 
I was diagnosed 3 months ago, and still have only managed 1x500mg XR metformin, and even then breakfast shoots out of me an hour later. The rest of the day, usually not so bad.

I eat considerably lower carbs than I used to but not low carb, as this has previously wrought havoc with my digestion too. I haven't eaten a cake, cookie or confectionary in 3.5 months (yes, lucky me, I'd just started a big health/weight purge when I was diagnosed. Irony.) but I did have 2 small slices of bread a day, usually for breakfast toast. Haven't had rice or pasta in that time either.

My DN suggested I avoid too much wheat, so I substituted a wheat-free bread - it's b. expensive, good job there's just me! but very palatable and (drum roll) today, all day, I've had just about the first solid BMs in 3 months. Maybe wheat+metformin don't go together for some of us? At D+3months, you can tell I'm not an expert but I thought i'd offer it up.

ps, seeing DN tomorrow for the results of my 2nd HbA1c test - please let a 43lb weightloss have made a difference!
 
Good luck for your blood test, and well done with your efforts. If the metformin issues don't clear up soon, I'd be discussing it with my nurse, because IMO there's no point persevering with a drug with bad side effects that don't go away. Just my thoughts.
 
Nina26 said:
Yes I am on slow release drug and its not helping at all.
Click to expand...
I too had the horrible effects of metformin both normal and SR. SR was just as bad so now I'm on Gliclazide 120mg per day. There is still no improvement in BG at the moment and we even tried adding Sitagliptin. When on the Sitagliptin the BG came down to 8ish but the side effects off that were worse than Met so I was advised by the doc to stop it. My morning fasting BG is around 10 and 2 hours after lunch 10.7 to 13. Don't eat that much in the way of carbs so just hoping the Glic will start working soon (only started the higher dose this week was on 80mg a day for the last month). Already gained 10lb in weight as I'm disabled and can't do much in the way of exercise. Hope I don't put any more weight on. The joys of being a diabetic!
 
Hi. If SR Metformin doesn't solve the stomach problems then I would discuss stopping it with the GP. A few people cannot cope with it in any form and as it only helps a bit it's not worth having those problems. If you are thinking Victoza may be you need to give low-carbing a serious chance. If you are doing this and it isn't working then Victoza may be an option if you have excess weight or insulin if not? As always, a low-carb diet is the highest prioroty to start with.
 
Hi Nina

One thing I don't think has been mentioned here yet is when you take Metformin. I started on 1x500, then 2 then 3 and now on 4 perday over a period of some weeks.

But I was advised to take them in the middle of meals - two with breakfast, the other two with my evening meal, and not before a meal, or after it, as this would give me the best chance of avoiding digestive complications.

In combination with a seriously reduced sugar and carb intake this does seem to work Ok fro me.
 
When I was diagnosed with diabetes I was put on 4 x 500 per day of the ordinary tabs and found my stomach felt bloated and uncomfortable so the doctor put my on SR and since then have been fine except if I drank a hot drink and/or coffee too soon after the pills then I would get an upset stomach. Now I only take them with water after my meal and I am fine. I have just been taken off the Glictazide, of which I was taking 4 a day also, and put on what they call a modern pill which apparently works with the metformin. This is called Trajenta and is very effective, I am take nag just one 5mg pill and my readings are lower than the 4 x Glictazide.
 
Hi @janice1956 and @Eling and welcome to the forum.

In the interests of sharing information about drug benefits, side effects and risks, you might want to have a look at the links I posted above in post #7.

Not trying to persuade you one way or another but I believe people are entitled to accurate information about the drugs they are prescribed and doctors often do not have the time to keep up to date with everything. They might not even realise some of the long term risks of the drugs they prescribe. So it's a good idea for us to do our own reading.

The Blood Sugar 101 website has some very thorough info about each of the diabetes drugs available and you can find it by searching for the name of the drug on the site. I believe a safer alternative to some of the drugs is insulin therapy and the website has an article about that here:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15478720.php

For most people, reducing carbs may be the safest option of all and I believe this should be tried first, and if it doesn't work well enough to get your HbA1c level out of the danger zone for complications, then insulin may be an option to consider.

Just my thoughts.
 
 
Thank you CatLadyNZ I am going to try to lower carbs some more and see if that helps. I will also read the link all advice is very much appreciated.
 
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